Rugby Union Thread

[Capital_Shark]

Capital that is correct, but now that rugby union is a professional game as well how do you think that will change things? From what I can gather, the laws of union are more convoluted and difficult to understand than ever, nearly everyday you can hear viewers and even commentators and players complaining that they can't follow what's happening. It makes me laugh when sometimes you see a subtitle come up on the TV screen to explain to the viewer why such-and-such a penalty was given!

Well living in Canberra we've had the Brumbies shoved down our throats something shocking. They had massive success when the Super 12 hit the scene, and given the fact that was in 1995, the year after the Raiders won their last premiership and super star players began to move on and the club slowly moved into their down time after some great highs in the late 80's early 90's - The timing didn't do unions cause down here any harm.

However, 11 'seasons' (if you can call 12-14 games a season) later and the Brumbies fad down here has worn off a hell of a lot. 4 years ago you couldn't leave the house without seeing the postman wearing a Brumbies jersey under his work kit and a Brumbies bumper sticker on anything that moved. Now their crowds are shrinking, their marquee players are getting on and I just don't think they've been here long enough to cement themselves a place in the fickle hearts of Canberran's to accept some piss poor years out of them, like the Raiders have. The Brumbies will be in Melbourne by 2012 at the latest I reckon. Lets not forget the Super League war was around the time union became professional as well so that didn't hurt a bit, as they picked up disgruntled league fans who'd dropped their team for whatever reason.

I believe union will also have to start putting some of their massive dollars into grass roots development too because you just cannot sustain a 14 week competition on a few nuffies and a spattering of over paid League talent. If they keep up their current recruitment strategies, they will buy themselves into non-existence. Union has never face problems like League has, they will have to at some stage, how they handle it is yet to be seen. League on the other hand has copped sh!t for the last 99 years, been struck major blows, knocked to its knees and had to accept BS TV deals and all that, but has always come back. League has rolled with the punches and come out the other side a little bruised, but never beaten. Now with the A-League and its success, union can proudly boast being the 4th code in this country.

 

[Liammm]

I think League copied Union, Union is the original, and is the best, Union has more supporters around the world, and even has a World Cup that compeititive teams play in. Therefore the Numbers add up more people prefer Union than League.



We have separate ways on this, and no one can tell which one is better. Supporters arn't everything.

 

[Capital_Shark]

I think League copied Union, Union is the original, and is the best, Union has more supporters around the world, and even has a World Cup that compeititive teams play in. Therefore the Numbers add up more people prefer Union than League.



We have separate ways on this, and no one can tell which one is better. Supporters arn't everything.

League today is an entirely different game to union, to say its copied is a bit off the mark. Rugby split into to factions, one called union, which has stayed relatively the same since 1895, and one called league, which has moved with the times and eventually evolved into a totally different game.

Chasing a bicycle rim around with a stick seems pretty popular in Ethiopia according to the CCF $30 a month, $1 a day commercials, but that doesn't mean squat here. Just as union's popularity in South Africa and other places around the world means little here.

As for a more competitive World Cup I think MegaShark pretty much covered that when he said about league's short sighted administration. And whose to say the next Union World Cup will be overly competitive? The Wallabies will be lucky to make the finals. I'm pretty sure its down to New Zealand and South Africa, unless Johnny Wilkinson plays for England, then you've got another World Cup turned into a farce from him kicking them to victory.

 

[Megashark]

And whose to say the next Union World Cup will be overly competitive? The Wallabies will be lucky to make the finals. I'm pretty sure its down to New Zealand and South Africa, unless Johnny Wilkinson plays for England, then you've got another World Cup turned into a farce from him kicking them to victory.

The term "Rugby World Cup" is a misnomer. They might as well flag the group matches and go straight to the semis. Realistically I would say it will come down to NZ, France, South Africa and perhaps Australia. England are a joke, they just got flogged by Ireland, hardly a superpower themselves. They would be more of a chance if they took after their rugby league counterparts and formed a combined Great Britain side.

 

[peachey]

NZ Ireland final - 2 team in the best form currently

 

[BUZ]

I don't mind watching a bit of Union, but only the top shelf stuff. I used to watch a few of the Club games on ABC, but most of them were awfully scrappy games and a lot were one-sided affairs. I once saw a replay of a very old Test Match (50's-early 60's) that almost shat me to tears. As soon as a ruck was won, the ball was immediately kicked, EVERY SINGLE TIME. What was most amazing was the amount of spectators, I can't quote the number, but it was a full house that had to be 30,000+, who all seemed to love it. What held my interest in the game though was that I could actually see the similarities between Union and Soccer (Football).

There was a bit of talk earlier on this thread about League breaking away from Union (early 1900's). About twenty years before that split though, it was Union that split from Football. Don't quote me on any of this, but I think that at the time (late 1800's) there were no unified rules in Football, and in attempts to do so, one bloke who wasn't happy that the majority wanted to rule out tackling (modern day Union/League style) and handling the ball, came back a couple of years later with enough support to start Rugby Union. Back in the early days of Union, a try was worth just one point!

One of the things I admire heaps about Union is the level of respect that players in general seem to have for the referees and their decisions. Also the low level of off the play biff. Don't get me wrong here, I don't mind a bit of League style biff, but I also like when a player can cop it on the chin, and then later get one back without disrupting the game. Thinkin' man's stuff. I reckon some of the "League" players heading to Union are detrimental to the "Spirit of Union".

A question or two for you shireboy. Is Union still refered to as the running game? It's that type and style of Union that I like to watch, but the reinvention of the kicking game seems to have stunted the free flowing game that was around just before, and for a while after, Union went professional.

Don't blame Johnny Wilkinson though for the modern game shireboy. A Springbok by the name of Jannie de Beer (I can't help but hear in my head Tattoo from Fantasy Island when the grog plane lands "de Beer de Beer" ) was the catalyst back in the '99 World Cup, landing five field goals in a semi (I think). The French immediately adopted this to their own advantage, and the Wallabies ironicaly downed the Springboks in the next match with a field goal in extra time.

Why do some Union fans refer to Leauge as Bogan Ball? ..........shireboy??

 

[Shiredad]

A question or two for you shireboy. Is Union still refered to as the running game?

Not really anymore ... it was players like the Ella brothers, Cyril Towers and others who turned it into more of a running game. Unfortunately, with defenses the way they are it's often considered too risky to throw the ball around a bit now. There's a real lack of flair at the moment.

Why do some Union fans refer to Leauge as Bogan Ball? ..........shireboy??

I guess it's all the bogans that get league bad press for drunken pack rape/date rape drugs/biting guys necks while drunk/general boganness.

That's not to say there's no bogans in Union. *coughMattDunningcough*

 

[Megashark]

Unfortunately, with defenses the way they are it's often considered too risky to throw the ball around a bit now. There's a real lack of flair at the moment.

Shireboy, do you think they need to look at bringing in a ten metre rule? It's no wonder you don't see much ball movement, the opposing teams are in each others faces for the whole game. It makes for a very static, forward oriented contest and probably explains why there is so much kicking.

 

[Shiredad]

There's a college in South Africa (Stellenbosch) where they're trialling a whole heaps of new rules - the new scrum rules were tested there, a few adjustments to the ruck rules are being tested, as well as a 5 metre rule.

Another rule which will be a very welcome change will be that if you're in front of the 22m line, and you pass the ball back to a player behind the 22, he can't kick it out on the full. Should make some fullbacks/flyhalves think twice about kicking.

 

[HrvatskaDomovino]

However, 11 'seasons' (if you can call 12-14 games a season) later and the Brumbies fad down here has worn off a hell of a lot. 4 years ago you couldn't leave the house without seeing the postman wearing a Brumbies jersey under his work kit and a Brumbies bumper sticker on anything that moved. Now their crowds are shrinking, their marquee players are getting on and I just don't think they've been here long enough to cement themselves a place in the fickle hearts of Canberran's to accept some piss poor years out of them, like the Raiders have. The Brumbies will be in Melbourne by 2012 at the latest I reckon. Lets not forget the Super League war was around the time union became professional as well so that didn't hurt a bit, as they picked up disgruntled league fans who'd dropped their team for whatever reason.

Canberrans are extremely fickle about their sporting teams, everything depends upon the success of the teams. As soon as the Brumbies begin to win again and actually score some tries the crowds will flood back. They're still averaging 15,000 a game so they'll be here to stay. Another reasons for the poor crowds is the ridiculous ticket prices!

 

[peachey]

sorry you might have mis-read, i said that i would prefer to play gridiron, not that i do play gridiron. in all honesty i would play rugby league as my first choice, seeing as i already play tennis.

NFL stinks up the joint...its a sport where unfit fat people (no offence to who ever has a lil extra weight)...can play..cause they stop every half a minute..talk about booooooooorrrriiiiiinnnnggggg..its pathetic...you have like 30+ guys on a team and earn ridiculus amounts of money...

 

[sharks195]

NFL stinks up the joint...its a sport where unfit fat people (no offence to who ever has a lil extra weight)...can play..cause they stop every half a minute..talk about booooooooorrrriiiiiinnnnggggg..its pathetic...you have like 30+ guys on a team and earn ridiculus amounts of money...

but it has a hell of a lot of strategy to it.

 

[Capital_Shark]

but it has a hell of a lot of strategy to it.

So does chess and battle ships but like the super bowl I won't be getting up by 10 in the morning to watch it.

 

[peachey]

Schifcofske Unhappy?

i know this is about union but...fair dinkum schif what have you done..say no more..this is no G-up..i wish union would hurry up and die..thing is the reds were up 3 nil HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA DIE!!!

 

[fancyman]

looking at the score, did he go to cricket

 

[timmo]

thats ridiculous

 

[sharks195]

feel sorry for schif, but he deserved the 3 points.

 

[WillyInBris]

He new he was going to a losing team but **** thats bad.

 

[peachey]

and berrick barnes played for the reds last night as welll

COME BACK!!!!

 

[Megashark]

Schifcofske Unhappy?

What fullback wouldn't be unhappy to have 13 tries and close on 100 points put past them! Serves him right for playing for those losers, quite a comedown from playing Origin football for Queensland I would think.