OT - Anyone watch or follow Rugby??

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I had it on at work today, saw Ireland play England.. I dont understand it, but it sure look fun to play and watch.. I rather watch this than any Nascar event... But does anyone here follow it at all?? Just curious..

 

[pats1]

Actually, I was watching the race today.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

Actually, I was watching the race today.

this point in the year might be the worst tv wise without the nfl and spring training just starting

 

[patsfanofNC12]

this point in the year might be the worst tv wise without the nfl and spring training just starting

Very true, and when you try to watch like sportscenter to hear about info all they show is nascar.:bricks:

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

Very true, and when you try to watch like sportscenter to hear about info all they show is nascar.:bricks:

or if you watch some of the local shows its nascar, celtics losing again, and dice k mania!:bricks:

 

[upstater1]

Don't get to watch it because I don't have cable, but I used to play it at the college and club level in Boston.

What do you want to know?

Really, the best way to learn the game is to buy the EA-Sports Rugby game. It's a lot of fun, and it's very realistic in my opinion.

10 Basic rules:

1. Can only pass it backward
2. No blocking (obstruction)
3. If you drop the ball, can't knock it forward (illegal, called a "knock-on," change of possession or, if you handle it after knocking it forward, it's a penalty)
4. What happens when a penalty is called? The offense gets to choose a scrumdown, a penalty play (essentially a set play), a kick for 3 points, or a kick into touch (i.e. out of bounds). [Why bother kicking out of bounds? Rugby is the ultimate field position game.]
5. You can kick the ball forward at any time, on the ground, in the air. Behind your own 22 yard line, the ball can travel directly out. Beyond your twenty two, it has to hit in bounds before travelling out, or else the opposing team gets possession at the point where you kicked it from.
6. If you're running with the ball and you want to kick for 3, it's got to be a drop kick.
7. You have to physically set the ball down to score a try (i.e. a try = TD). When you set the ball down, that's the hash spot for the kicker. Let's say you score along the sideline, the kicker has to then kick it from the sideline.
8. The ball sets the line of scrimmage even during play, so if my guy is running with the ball and I'm up ahead of him, and if he kicks it, I can't touch the ball until I run behind the guy who kicked it (alternately, he can also run forward after the ball).
8A. If I want to get in a ruck (ball on the ground, a bunch of teammates engage and try to step over the ball to establish possession) or maul (kind of like what football O-lineman do at the goalline, push the ball carrier forward and grab defenders to throw them out of the way) I have to be behind the ball (the guy with the ball).
9. If you run out of bounds, it's the other team's ball. They throw it in in a line-out.
10. Drink a lot of beer immediately after the game. If you get into a fight on the pitch, I feel sorry for you, because you'll be hogtied to the guy you got into a fight with (back to back) and you'll be drinking the whole time with your one free hand.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Don't get to watch it because I don't have cable, but I used to play it at the college and club level in Boston.

What do you want to know?

Really, the best way to learn the game is to buy the EA-Sports Rugby game. It's a lot of fun, and it's very realistic in my opinion.

10 Basic rules:

1. Can only pass it backward
2. No blocking (obstruction)
3. If you drop the ball, can't knock it forward (illegal, called a "knock-on," change of possession or, if you handle it after knocking it forward, it's a penalty)
4. What happens when a penalty is called? The offense gets to choose a scrumdown, a penalty play (essentially a set play), a kick for 3 points, or a kick into touch (i.e. out of bounds). [Why bother kicking out of bounds? Rugby is the ultimate field position game.]
5. You can kick the ball forward at any time, on the ground, in the air. Behind your own 22 yard line, the ball can travel directly out. Beyond your twenty two, it has to hit in bounds before travelling out, or else the opposing team gets possession at the point where you kicked it from.
6. If you're running with the ball and you want to kick for 3, it's got to be a drop kick.
7. You have to physically set the ball down to score a try (i.e. a try = TD). When you set the ball down, that's the hash spot for the kicker. Let's say you score along the sideline, the kicker has to then kick it from the sideline.
8. The ball sets the line of scrimmage even during play, so if my guy is running with the ball and I'm up ahead of him, and if he kicks it, I can't touch the ball until I run behind the guy who kicked it (alternately, he can also run forward after the ball).
8A. If I want to get in a ruck (ball on the ground, a bunch of teammates engage and try to step over the ball to establish possession) or maul (kind of like what football O-lineman do at the goalline, push the ball carrier forward and grab defenders to throw them out of the way) I have to be behind the ball (the guy with the ball).
9. If you run out of bounds, it's the other team's ball. They throw it in in a line-out.
10. Drink a lot of beer immediately after the game. If you get into a fight on the pitch, I feel sorry for you, because you'll be hogtied to the guy you got into a fight with (back to back) and you'll be drinking the whole time with your one free hand.

I enjoy a good scrum as much as the next guy, but I've got to admit, the way you wrote your post...ahhh, an awful lot of colorful tradition there!

As an aside, my father went over to Ireland in the late 60s and told me about these rugby players. Said they were all built like middle linebackers. Since I was a kid then, that only added to the game's mystique.

What are injuries like in this sport?

 

[gomezcat]

I had it on at work today, saw Ireland play England.. I dont understand it, but it sure look fun to play and watch.. I rather watch this than any Nascar event... But does anyone here follow it at all?? Just curious..

Upstater summed it up better than I could have done.

Yeah, quite a few of us on here like Rugby. You'll find that we are mostly English and therefore not wanting to talk about it too much at this point.

There are plenty of injuries in Rugby, but the rules are obviously designed to protect as many people as possible. One the biggest dangers is the collapse of the scrum. Eight guys push against another eight guys and the people in the middle (the two sets of three guys, called the Front Rows) get it in the neck (literally) and everywhere else. Some people at amateur level get badly hurt and paralysed because of scrum related injuries.

 

[eastsrule]

As it is a contact sport, there are plenty of hard tissue injuries.

Several rugby players have tried out with NFL teams in the past couple of years,. most recently a bloke called Willie Mason tried out with the Jets. He would be a good NFL player.

 

[Patjew]

Last year while down under I watched a few Australian Rules Football games (matches?). Seems like a very cool sport, kind of half NFL, half rugby.

 

[primetime]

I play rugby. It hurts.

 

[EnglishPatriot]

I love Rugby, haven't played it for a couple of years though.
Something that hasn't been mentioned is that all tackling is around the legs, rather that the sort of hits that get dished out in the NFL, making it possible to play without the pads!

I never had a serious injury, worst thing to happen was about a week when I couldn't lift anything (not even my school bag) on my shoulders because of the way I landed when tackling someone. Worst I've seen is broken ribs, so it's not all that bad.

Martin Johnson, former world cup winner and England captain, is a fan of the NFL and regularly does the Superbowl analysis over here, I think he went to a training camp with the 49'ers. A few teams reportedly tried to bring Wilkinson in to kick for them but he wanted to stay in rugby.

 

[NE_Paddy]

Upstater summed it up better than I could have done.

Yeah, quite a few of us on here like Rugby. You'll find that we are mostly English and therefore not wanting to talk about it too much at this point.

There are plenty of injuries in Rugby, but the rules are obviously designed to protect as many people as possible. One the biggest dangers is the collapse of the scrum. Eight guys push against another eight guys and the people in the middle (the two sets of three guys, called the Front Rows) get it in the neck (literally) and everywhere else. Some people at amateur level get badly hurt and paralysed because of scrum related injuries.

I'm a rugby fan and also Irish, which makes me just that extra bit happy this morning!

:rocker:

 

[ironwasp]

I attended a dinner with Martin Johnson about three weeks ago - quite an intimate affair, only 8 or so people there - and we managed to spend the entire evening boring everyone senseless talking about american football.

His knowledge of the game is extremely comprehensive and he clearly has a real passion for it.

He was in the US in September last year for some corporate event or other, in NY on a weekend when neither the Jets nor Giants were playing at home and so he got on a plane to Boston as the PAts were at home and he said he was keen to see the dynasty team while it was still together. Unfortunately he was at the Broncos and was really disappointed to go to Foxborough and not see the Pats play to their potential.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Italy catched an 'hystorical' win last saturday on the road

 

[ironwasp]

Italy catched an 'hystorical' win last saturday on the road

It was a great win, Pat. The Italian team has improved enormously in 2007. I think they are in good shape to make more history by recording two wins in one tournament for the first time when they play Wales in two weeks time.

Forza Azzurri

 

[italian pat patriot]

It was a great win, Pat. The Italian team has improved enormously in 2007. I think they are in good shape to make more history by recording two wins in one tournament for the first time when they play Wales in two weeks time.

Forza Azzurri

pity i not saw the game but i think it was a real great win (there was a lot of interest on tv for our rugby team yesterday)

if we will have 2 wins it will be fantastic imho

ps = i will try to see next italian game @ '6 Nazioni'

FORZA AZZURRI !!!

 

[ironwasp]

pity i not saw the game but i think it was a real great win (there was a lot of interest on tv for our rugby team yesterday)

if we will have 2 wins it will be fantastic imho

ps = i will try to see next italian game @ '6 Nazioni'

FORZA AZZURRI !!!

Very pleased to hear about the interest in Italy. It's terrific that the team's achievement is getting some recognition in the media.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I attended a dinner with Martin Johnson about three weeks ago - quite an intimate affair, only 8 or so people there - and we managed to spend the entire evening boring everyone senseless talking about american football.

His knowledge of the game is extremely comprehensive and he clearly has a real passion for it.

He was in the US in September last year for some corporate event or other, in NY on a weekend when neither the Jets nor Giants were playing at home and so he got on a plane to Boston as the PAts were at home and he said he was keen to see the dynasty team while it was still together. Unfortunately he was at the Broncos and was really disappointed to go to Foxborough and not see the Pats play to their potential.

Wonderful -- lucky you. I'm not at all surprised to hear how knowledgeable he is. His contributions to Superbowl coverage were very insightful, as I recall.

I'd like to hear more about his opinions on American Football. For instance, I wonder if you asked him what position he would have played had he played American Football. I imagine that he would have had to be a pass-rushing defensive end, although I could also see him as a pass-catching tight end. I'd also like to know his views on the differences in (cough, cough) "training methods".

 

[ironwasp]

Wonderful -- lucky you. I'm not at all surprised to hear how knowledgeable he is. His contributions to Superbowl coverage were very insightful, as I recall.

I'd like to hear more about his opinions on American Football. For instance, I wonder if you asked him what position he would have played had he played American Football. I imagine that he would have had to be a pass-rushing defensive end, although I could also see him as a pass-catching tight end. I'd also like to know his views on the differences in (cough, cough) "training methods".

We talked a little about his days as a Leicester Panther - when he was a TE and a DL - but not too much. I imagine at 6-7 and (guessing) 280lb, he'd be a Seymour type lineman; probably not an out and out pass rusher, as he may not have had the speed needed for that. But I don't know for sure.

Might find out in May when he plays in the Matt Hampson Bowl to raise funds for the young Leicester Tiger who broke his neck a couple of years ago. Worthy cause.