Let's talk Rugby

[tribey]

If Ken is really "in pursuit of mastery" he could do worse then study sides that have got close. New Zealand's rugby union side is pretty damn good at rugby. I've been getting into rugby with the World Cup and all and although I'm no expert at all I think there's a lot to learn from the All Blacks.

The Guardian had an interview with retiring star Dan Carter that I found quite a good read.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/bl...re-will-always-be-bright-in-new-zealand-rugby

This excerpt reminded me of the story of Ken and the toilet roll...

Humility, as Carter sees it, is the key to what has made the All Blacks such an unstoppable machine of sporting excellence. “After every Test match we play, no one leaves until the changing room is spotless, just like it was when we walked in,” he explains, by way of example. “You see guys who’ve played over 100 Test matches taking 10 minutes at the end of a bruising game to pick up rubbish. Little things like that make a huge difference.”

New Zealand Rugby benefits most from the fact no-one else on the planet takes it as seriously as they do.

In England, Scotland, France, Australia, Argentina and South Africa the sport is subordinate to other codes and therefore suffers from significant talent drain. In New Zealand it's a religion.

So while it's obvious the All-Blacks run a tight ship, they've never gotten close to facing the likes of England or Australia's fullest potential.

 

[faquito]

New Zealand Rugby benefits most from the fact no-one else on the planet takes it as seriously as they do.

In England, Scotland, France, Australia, Argentina and South Africa the sport is subordinate to other codes and therefore suffers from significant talent drain. In New Zealand it's a religion.

So while it's obvious the All-Blacks run a tight ship, they've never gotten close to facing the likes of England or Australia's fullest potential.

Ollie Wines with junior development in Rugby Union... Can you imagine?

 

[SgtSchulz]

Ollie Wines with junior development in Rugby Union... Can you imagine?

He's too intelligent to smash his head into other brick walls.

 

[proman_x]

New Zealand Rugby benefits most from the fact no-one else on the planet takes it as seriously as they do.

In England, Scotland, France, Australia, Argentina and South Africa the sport is subordinate to other codes and therefore suffers from significant talent drain. In New Zealand it's a religion.

So while it's obvious the All-Blacks run a tight ship, they've never gotten close to facing the likes of England or Australia's fullest potential.

Union is considered the kiwis national game no doubt. I don't see your point, you think Australia, South Africa and the poms don't take it as serious ? I think you are not really paying them the respect they deserve. For a 100 odd years they have dominated the game, either way you look at it, that's a pretty fair record. What sunny boy Williams did after their win in the world cup is a perfect example of the attitude these guys have.

The kiwis only have 4 million people or there about's, and a third of them are living in Aus These guys are on average another level above any other country. That doesn't come as consistently as it does without serious attitude levellers and mental strength. We would learn a great deal from the likes of these guys in my opinion.

 

[proman_x]

He's too intelligent to smash his head into other brick walls.

Most elite union players are very well educated, comes from the roots of the game. Now if we are talking league, that's another story I found union to be a fantastic game to play if you want to improve your Aussie rules game when I was a young fella.

 

[tribey]

Union is considered the kiwis national game no doubt. I don't see your point, you think Australia, South Africa and the poms don't take it as serious ?

I'm not sure I could've been any clearer.

 

[El_Scorcho]

If we cancelled every other winter sport and only played Union, they could bolt the Bledisloe Cup to the floor at Wallabies HQ.

 

[Jim Dixon]

New Zealand Rugby benefits most from the fact no-one else on the planet takes it as seriously as they do.

In England, Scotland, France, Australia, Argentina and South Africa the sport is subordinate to other codes and therefore suffers from significant talent drain. In New Zealand it's a religion.

So while it's obvious the All-Blacks run a tight ship, they've never gotten close to facing the likes of England or Australia's fullest potential.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rugby_union_playing_countries

Sort by senior males. England, France and South Africa have 4 times the numbers of adult male players. I do think England and France should be able to do a lot better then they do although English rugby is be-devilled by SANFL style club vs country malarky. South Africa has 'affirmative action' issues, but the game there is, generally speaking, the sport of the Afrikaaner community and there's no way in hell the average black South African is going to take an interest in rugby.

If we cancelled every other winter sport and only played Union, they could bolt the Bledisloe Cup to the floor at Wallabies HQ.

This is probably true. But that would just be a reflection of we are five times the size they are.

 

[tribey]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rugby_union_playing_countries

Sort by senior males. England, France and South Africa have 4 times the numbers of adult male players. I do think England and France should be able to do a lot better then they do although English rugby is be-devilled by SANFL style club vs country malarky. South Africa has 'affirmative action' issues, but the game there is, generally speaking, the sport of the Afrikaaner community and there's no way in hell the average black South African is going to take an interest in rugby.

Yeah, but similar to the lack of elite impact despite the USA's male soccer participation numbers, the flower of those countries' youth gravitates towards other sports.

In NZ, your primary port of call is Union.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Yeah, but similar to the lack of elite impact despite the USA's male soccer participation numbers, the flower of those countries' youth gravitates towards other sports.

In NZ, your primary port of call is Union.

I slightly disagree with you tribey with the exception being for the Afrikaners in South Africa - but your original quote that NZ is the only place where the majority of males play the game and subordinate to other codes is correct, but the apartheid legacy has to be factored in.

 

[proman_x]

I'm not sure I could've been any clearer.

I think the countries I mentioned take it as serious as the kiwis, they are just not as good. Kiwis also consider cricket as their national game also. My business partners neice is married to Brendon McCullum, who for those that don't know is the kiwi cricket team captain. Talking to him about cricket and how they think over their certainly gives you some prospective.

Either way if I was working for our club and I had the opportunity to have some of the All blacks help out I would jump at it.

 

[tribey]

I think the countries I mentioned take it as serious as the kiwis, they are just not as good. Kiwis also consider cricket as their national game also. My business partners neice is married to Brendon McCullum, who for those that don't know is the kiwi cricket team captain. Talking to him about cricket and how they think over their certainly gives you some prospective.

Either way if I was working for our club and I had the opportunity to have some of the All blacks help out I would jump at it.

That wasn't what I was saying. I'm sure the ARU and all involved take it deadly seriously. Live and breathe it. But as a sporting nation we just don't.

Aussie Rules and Rugby League are streets ahead of Union as a sport/career path and thus the vast majority of our most successful athletes gravitate away from Union almost by default.

Hell, Israel Folau frittered away a couple of years of his career as an utter fish out of water at GWS for goodness sake.

The All Blacks are a crack unit, that's not up for debate, but they undeniably dine on the fact that their main rivals source talent from a much much shallower pool. If Union was to switch places with League solely in NSW/Qld - let alone Aussie Rules in WA/SA/Vic - the All Blacks would be swapping stories with the Black Caps.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Michael O'Connor was a Wallaby who switched codes from union to league in 1983. He had played 13 Tests at Centre for Australia since 1979 up to that point. His father told him he was selling himself like a piece of horse flesh and stopped talking to him.