Rugby Union World Cup

[Ebert80]

Anyone watching this game v NZ?

NZ looking like they'll be very difficult to beat.

I'm finding it difficult to follow the rules, but I don't mind it as a spectacle.

Quite a bit more enjoyable than League.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

I'm watching it.

The kiwis have 16 on the field with the way Quade Cooper is playing.

IMO it is a MUCH better game the league.

Here's a tip - When the ref makes a decision there will be an explanation next to the score which will make it easier for you to understand.

 

[Ebert80]

Yeah League is crap. I can't watch it for more than couple of minutes usually before turning over.

What I don't understand in Union is, why when someone is tackled, why do their teammates come in apply a bump.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Yeah League is crap. I can't watch it for more than couple of minutes usually before turning over.

What I don't understand in Union is, why when someone is tackled, why do their teammates come in apply a bump.

The tackled player must release the ball as soon as he hits the ground or the team is penalised. His team mates run in to protect the ball from the opposition. Thats a very simplistic way of putting it.

 

[Ebert80]

Thats mate.

Sounds like you may have played a bit of Union in your time? If so, how does it compare in terms of enjoyment and toughness, compared to Aussie Rules.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Thats mate.

Sounds like you may have played a bit of Union in your time? If so, how does it compare in terms of enjoyment and toughness, compared to Aussie Rules.

I've never played, always played Aussie Rules, but my cousin played for Brighton in Adelaide when we were kids. Always loved the game but made coin playing footy so never got the chance.

The toughest bloke I ever met played Union. He had the operation to have his ears pinned back (tough and vain) and played in the front row 3 days later with the bandages still on! I had to stick my fingers up his nose to pull him off another bloke once because he wanted to see what it felt like to bite someones nose off. Certified lunatic.

Some people (League people) criticise union because the backs can go just about go a whole game without touching the ball and the big forwards are basically battering rams.

I've lived in Brisbane and now Sydney for 5 years and love union. The crowds are a very different demographic as well. Go to the union at lunch time and the league at night is like having lunch in Burnside and dinner at the Smithfield pub.

 

[PowerKat]

I would love to watch one with someone who knows the game so I could learn more about it. Like Ebert80 I know little about it but find it infinitely more watchable compared to League. Have tried to pick up bits and pieces over the years but still a n00b.

Wallabies had to beat NZ and Eden Park #hoodoo

 

[Eddie Dingle]

I would love to watch one with someone who knows the game so I could learn more about it. Like Ebert80 I know little about it but find it infinitely more watchable compared to League. Have tried to pick up bits and pieces over the years but still a n00b.

Wallabies had to beat NZ and Eden Park #hoodoo

They are an infinitely better side than us at the moment and thoroughly deserved their win. Our only chance was early scoreboard pressure (sound familiar?) but their backs were just too strong and too good. Missing Beale (our fullback) hurt us but they were missing the worlds best player Dan Carter so it evened itself out.

Google the rules and the fact that like league the players numbers reflect their positions and that is the easiest way to start working out who is doing what and why.

The best game of footy of any code I saw this year was the Super 15's Grand Final between the Queensland Reds and the Canterbury Crusaders. Just all out attack for 80 minutes. Sadly with the Reds winning it gave us false hope about the Wallabies.

 

[Pakeha]

Union was my game growing up. Played in NZ, Australia, England and Wales. Was a great way of meeting people in unfamiliar territories, just visit the local club and have a game or two.

Have never been a fan of League, but took to Aussie Rules straight away.

Re comparing contact, I find it hard to compare any contact sport with another because the contact is in a different form. For example, Union is usually up front face to face confrontation, whereas in footy, you don't know what direction someone maybe coming at you.

Glad the All Blacks won, but Australia is my second side. This should have been the final, but unfortunately the Wallabies lost to Ireland in their pool match.

 

[PowerKat]

They are an infinitely better side than us at the moment and thoroughly deserved their win. Our only chance was early scoreboard pressure (sound familiar?) but their backs were just too strong and too good. Missing Beale (our fullback) hurt us but they were missing the worlds best player Dan Carter so it evened itself out.

Google the rules and the fact that like league the players numbers reflect their positions and that is the easiest way to start working out who is doing what and why.

The best game of footy of any code I saw this year was the Super 15's Grand Final between the Queensland Reds and the Canterbury Crusaders. Just all out attack for 80 minutes. Sadly with the Reds winning it gave us false hope about the Wallabies.

reading about the rules etc every time there's a world cup isn't frequent enough for much of anything to be retained I need to watch more of the code, but being in Adelaide we're lucky to get any but the occasional game at a reasonable hour.

Glad the All Blacks won, but Australia is my second side. This should have been the final, but unfortunately the Wallabies lost to Ireland in their pool match.

also at Eden Park - unbelievable!

 

[Powerstufff]

I watched last week against South Africa because I have a South African mate. I was astounded at how long you can play in defence and stop the opposition scoring. Followed up with the NZ v Argentina and got more of a feel for the rules and you could see how strong an attack the All Blacks had. Last night went pretty much as I thought it would except we seemed pretty error prone. I lost interest about 15 min in and just flicked back from time to time.

 

[Pakeha]

Wales play the Wallabies for third spot on Saturday. I expect the Wallabies to be a different side than they were against the All Blacks. That previous semifinal game, where they were on the defensive the whole time, had obviously taken a lot out of them, so were a bit disappointing in the semi. Can't remember exactly what it was but something like 130+ tackles to about 48. That is hard stuff, and takes it out of you, believe me.

Third spot may seem like a waste of time playing for, but it counts in the seedings for the net World Cup, so is somewhat important.

Anyway, go the Wallabies, and as much as you may dislike the All Blacks, lets keep the World Cup where it belongs. In the Southern Hemisphere ! If it weren't for NZ and Aus, there wouldn't be a world cup.

 

[edgie]

I don't have a clue what the difference is but I find League better to watch

 

[Pakeha]

I don't have a clue what the difference is but I find League better to watch

No accounting for taste

League is a game bought to Australia by NZ (worst thing we did) that is really only played by 4 countries (hence the current 4 Nations Trophy).

League is much more stop start. Every six tackles they either hand the ball over to the opposition to have their turn at a go (without them even having won it), or they kick it to the opposition somewhere and start again.

In Union, the ball is live with the attacking side until an infringement is made. This way, the attacking team may have 10 - 20 - 30 phases of attacking play, and it is up to the opposition to turn it over. In a good game of Union there may only be less than 15 penalties during the whole match. Much less stop/start.

The scrums are probably the hardest thing for non Union followers to understand, but they are an 'art' in themselves.

The good thing about Union is that, almost like aussie rules, players of all sizes, can play in some position as long as their fitness levels are up. In league, except for the occasional flyhalf, most players are of uniform size (180 - 190cm) and interchangeable. In Union we have players from 175cm up to 210cm, like Rules.

Unlikely to change your opinion anyway. But go the Wallabies and All Blacks.

 

[Pakeha]

Well, here we go. The Rugby Union World Cup final is today.

Although I think the All Blacks will take it out, I'm not over confident. The French are notorious at looking bad one week, then playing like champions the next.

Anyway, there is one All Black player I hope the team win for. His name is Brad Thorn (aka Big Bad Brad). He is an absolute champion, regardless of what sport you follow. He moved from New Zealand to Queensland with his family many years ago. He was picked up by the rugby league club the Broncos, and went on to play 200 Matches for them and the Kangaroos. He also played 14 State Of Origin games plus 8 Test matches for Australia.

He returned to NZ and played Union for the Crusaders and was chosen to represent the All Blacks in 2004, something every young boy in NZ aspires to. Strangely enough, he turned them down, saying he wanted to re evaluate his lifes ambitions (hes deeply religious). In 2005 he returned to Australia and played another three seasons with the Broncos, before moving back to NZ and playing for the Crusaders again. This time he didn't turn down the offer to play for the All Blacks, and has played for them since.

He is now 36 years old, and this will be his last game for NZ before going to Japan and playing in their very lucrative competition ($$$). Good luck to him.

Just thought I'd include this quote from one of his All Black coaches...

"He is the first guy doing his stretches, the first guy making sure his dietary requirements are right, the first guy to do his recovery and he knows he has to because he is 36 years old but it is something he has done all his life. I think that is why he is still playing at 36,"

Something we'd all like to see in any athlete for any team that we follow. I hope this sort of commitment can be instilled into our young Power players.

Well done to the Wallabies for knocking off the Welsh for the bronze, and good luck to the All Blacks tonight.

 

[Powerstufff]

Well, here we go....

Good luck to the All Blacks. Perhaps I'm alone in considering it the Rainbow Warrior Cup.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

What a magnificent game. Thought the French were unlucky but could've easily said the same for the All Blacks if the result had been reversed.

Been a bad 12 months or so for the Shaky Isles so good luck to them getting some good cheer.

 

[Pakeha]

Almost borderline cardiac arrest in this household ! Well played by both teams and comiserations to the Bleus. I think Richie McCaw's comment when asked how he felt at the end would apply to most players - "Shagged".

 

[morell]

Phew.

*unpucker*

 

[tribey]

What is it about NZ and the RWC?

At home playing against a thoroughly insipid French side hitherto (losing to Tonga and lucky to fall over Wales) and even after an early try which should've opened the floodgates, it was brown underpants time the entire way - mainly thanks to the Fev lookeylikey who went from timely tormentor against the Wallabies to crawling into mummy's bed complaining of Nathan Lonie lurking under his bed against the French.

Looking forward to the next four years of Bledisloe and Tri-Nations holocaust.

 

[finbarr]

No accounting for taste

League is a game bought to Australia by NZ (worst thing we did) that is really only played by 4 countries (hence the current 4 Nations Trophy).

Let's not kid ourselves here. Yeah, Rugby League ain't no "world game" by any stretch but neither is Rugby. Outside of NZ and perhaps Wales it isn't the main winter sport in any country it's played in by a long shot. And that includes South Africa where soccer is by far the sport of the black majority.

In Australia it still plays second fiddle to rugby league in NSW and QLD, and in Britain it's still really the domain of elite private schools and universities.

All the other countries were just making up the numbers as they always do.

 

[Powerstufff]

I have no idea what weird rule had NZ declared the winners. They were a point down with a minute to go, kicked it off to the side and were suddenly a point up.

 

[tribey]

I have no idea what weird rule had NZ declared the winners. They were a point down with a minute to go, kicked it off to the side and were suddenly a point up.

NZ unconverted try: 5-0
NZ penalty: 8-0
France converted try: 8-7

?

 

[Pakeha]

Let's not kid ourselves here. Yeah, Rugby League ain't no "world game" by any stretch but neither is Rugby. Outside of NZ and perhaps Wales it isn't the main winter sport in any country it's played in by a long shot.

At least it is the major sport of a few countries, and it can get enough teams together to have big tournaments. Like cricket there are big fish and minnows, but the lesser sides benefit from the competition.

And you can add Georgia, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to NZ and Wales which have it as their national sport.

In Australia it still plays second fiddle to rugby league in NSW and QLD.

Actually, there are about 10,000 registered adult league players more than Union in Australia, so you're right (41,000 union and 51,000 league). Did you know Australia actually has 13,000 registered adult players more than New Zealand, which has only 28,000.

and in Britain it's still really the domain of elite private schools and universities.

Not quite.That may be the case in Southern England especially. England actually has 2 and a half million registered players, so if you added the rest of Britain, that would be quite a few. And I'm sure not all of them are adult students.

All the other countries were just making up the numbers as they always do.

Just like most sports. Even New Zealand and Australia made the last soccer world cup.