Rugby Union - Six Nations & Erc

Discussion in 'General Football & Other Sport' started by Sting, Mar 12, 2017.

  1. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Cricket has a broader base than you suggest.

    About 25-30 countries play regular internationals at a strong standard.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if it is the most played team sport after football.

    Poor, though, about the restriction on World Cup numbers. The Men in Blazers are seldom the brightest.
     
  2. Filbert

    Filbert Leicester supporting bloke

    They definitely used to look down on the football club, songs taking the piss about us going bust and being ****. How times have changed.
     
  3. Sting

    Sting Squad Player

    Surprised to see Saracens play Vunipola yesterday. If he had "liked" a racist, anti-semitic, or islamophobic tweet he would have been instantly suspended.
     
  4. Keighley

    Keighley First Team

    Thought this was an interesting point, so did a bit of light Googling.

    According to this list, the second most played sport worldwide is badminton (really?). Cricket is seventh, behind hockey and volleyball:

    https://www.pledgesports.org/2017/06/top-10-most-played-sports/

    In terms of fans, however, cricket is second according to this list:

    https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-most-popular-sports-in-the-world.html
     
  5. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    I’m not certain that badminton & volleyball would be considered by all as team sports.

    As the leading sport in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh, participation in & support for cricket is likely to grow strongly.

    It is startling that England continues to provide so many of the world’s top players. A tribute to the public school system, I suppose.
     
  6. Keighley

    Keighley First Team

    No, I wasn’t sure whether you meant team sports or not.

    Hockey and basketball still ahead of cricket according to that list, though.
     
  7. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Open to question.

    Hockey was hugely popular in India & Pakistan but I believe that has faded over the last generation.

    When we moved house in the early 90s, our next door neighbour was one of the GB hockey team from Seoul.

    3 months later, he was gone.
     
  8. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    Waiting for a clarification from him/Sarries/RFU and then I would imagine he'll be out like his Aussie fellow true 'believer'.
    Don't know how true that is as hockey's still one of the national sports of Pakistan even if it's no longer in the top 10 of FIH rankings (12th), India are still a major force on the world stage at 5th. In the women's game it's a real tribute to the pool of skill there, that India are in the top 10 as they have got there without much support from the Indian authorities (mainly from help from the FIH) and because of some 'unpalatable' cultural practices Pakistan are just inside the top 60 - FWIW it always saddens me that West Herts girls is such a 'white' team coming from 'fairly brown' Watford...
     
  9. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Union is the second most popular team sport in the World. The RWC is the third most watched sporting event in the world. The playing base in countries and level is much higher than in cricket.

    A decent Minor Counties team would beat most of the national teamS below Division One of the WCL. And most teams are filled by subcontinental expats or their children. It has not caught on among the natives so to speak.
     
  10. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

  11. Keighley

    Keighley First Team

    All of the lists I scanned have the number of participants as much higher for cricket. Not surprising when you consider how populous some of the countries where it is played are. You seem to be arguing on the basis of some sort of "global reach". If so, I suppose you may have a point: there are probably more countries that play a decent standard of rugby than those that play a decent standard of cricket. The popularity of a team sport isn't just measured by how accomplished the national teams are, though. And RD's original point was about "most played" sports.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2019
    RookeryDad likes this.
  12. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    From the wold's 2nd greatest website:
     
  13. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    Awarded POTM (although booed every time he got the ball) in Sarries crushing of Munster. Funny old world...
     
  14. There's no way Billy would be sacked for a first offence. I'm pretty sure he'll have been very robustly reminded of his responsibilities, much like Folau was last year, before he decided to double down.
     
  15. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    Christ that was brutal. Because of our hockey Club Day I turned down two lots of tickets: a pair last week and one with a free coach up this morning from a coachload of well pissed up Leinster fans in B'wood's Sainsbury local this morning at 07h30...
     
  16. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    So Saracens the equivalent of Petrodollars have won the European Cup again. London Irish unsurprisingly come up from the Championship to replace Newcastle Falcons. Leicester who struggled badly this season are investing heavily in new players such as Tomas Lavanini to add more bite to their pack. Long gone are the days now of players playing for one club or region for their entire career.

    Super Rugby attendances are not showing any signs of improvement. The Crusaders are in a class of their own while the Sunwolves of Japan still struggle. Under new coach Gonzalo Quesada the Jaguares are playing very well bringing in players from the u20 Argentina team. A narrow loss to the Highlanders 32-27 with jet lag and fielding several reserves was marred by some controversial referee decisions from the Kiwi official. Surely neutral referees for every match ?

    Super Rugby channel can be viewed here.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDOGExGCsrrt_RrGDgLuMww
     
  17. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    ...beating four-time winners Leinster. TBF it was odd hearing in the commentary, for the first time, a 'bias' in the usually adulatory praise for Sarries and what they've achieved. Far more nauseating were the comments about "...too big a club to go down..." Newcastle getting relegated that "...they should be allowed to stay..." as they were "...the symbol of rugby in the NE..." identical to when the football team went done in 2009.

    I think the "...Petrodollars..." jibe is a little unfair as Sarries have led and driven the, necessary, development of the modern English game and don't forget they don't just 'buy' the nest players they've built the best team also through development with their academy structure. Their efforts in spreading the game in the US and their work with Saracen's 'franchises' throughout the world (notably re-building the game in Georgia and Romania) should be applauded.
     
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  18. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    It does affect their ability to recruit youngsters into the Academy. As for their efforts abroad they are laudable. Especially when gathering kit and equipment for Romania and their links with Timisoara. Georgian rugby has it's own billionaire benefactor sponsoring the entire national program and facilities. Facilities in Tblisi that are better than those possessed by the AB's for instance.
     
  19. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    But they're almost definitely the only modern rugby training facilities in the country - the game's not even played in schools (yet).
     
  20. For all the accusations about Sarries' spending money on cash, it's worth pointing out we've got a prop signing from Cardiff this summer who Cardiff said they offered twice as much money as Sarries - he's coming here because it's an elite environment, not for the cash money.

    Equally, Christian Judge is signing for Bath because they apparently offered at least double what we could.
     
  21. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    They have several high performance centres around the country such as at Batumi. Yes the sport is not in the curriculum but it does not deter a nation from having a strong national side as a result. A strong club system and associated junior teams as in Argentina breeds plenty of success. And it is played by ever growing numbers of kids there in an ever growing number of clubs. Their results the Lelos that is have shown a consistent upward trend at u20 level. They are also starting to produce backs and half backs with the technique and intelligence to take them away from a pack orientated game.
     
  22. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

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  23. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Super Rugby 2019 has come to the end of the regular season. The Crusaders have been supreme and once again are number one seeds in the playoff quarter finals and will play either the Lions or Stormers. The Jaguares finished second and face the Highlanders in BA. It's Brumbies versus Chiefs and Hurricanes versus Bulls. The Sunwolves finished a dismal last. While the expansion Jaguares are continuing to develop new talent for the Pumas and some thrilling talent as well the Sunwolves are packed with overseas players rather than Japanese ones. Despite the RWC being in Japan the JRU has a lot of work to do to develop the game at grass roots. And this entertaining video explains how Canadian rugby has gone backwards although hope does lie with the three new Canadian teams in the professional North American league. Basic coaching and a clear career path is essential.


    The u20 RWC being held in Rosario and Santa Fe has given is the four semifinalists. Argentina will play Australia after thrashing reigning champions France in their pool and a surprise loss to Wales. South Africa after rolling over the Baby Blacks will take on the Junior Wallabies who were pumped by England. However a one point win over Italy and loss to Ireland means England will face them Wales and New Zealand for the fifth to eighth placings. Scotland, Italy, Georgia and Fiji will battle to avoid relegation. Georgia showed how far they have come with spirited and measured displays against the Baby Blacks and beating Scotland once again.

    One important facet of this tournament is the red card rule for tackles to the neck area unless there are mitigating circumstances. It certainly affected the England Ireland match while France and Argentina both lost a player which cancelled the effect and made for a very open game.

     
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  24. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    So the semi finalists in Super Rugby will be the Crusaders who will take on the Hurricanes while the Jaguares play the Brumbies ensuring it will not be another all NZ final.

    The Crusaders with some twelve AB's in the starting line up were helped by Liam Squires yellow card for a no hands tackle but were dominant throughout. Despite the return of Sam Cane for the Chiefs ferocious Jaguares defence helped the Buenos Aires based team become the first expansion team to reach a semi final.

    The controversy in this match arises from the appointment of Glen Jackson as referee being a former Chief. The sole score for the Chiefs came from a Jaguares advantage that was blown up after just three seconds which is diabolical. It is fair to say the NZ teams seem to get away with players lying behind the attacking line and crafty infringements at the ruck designed to slow the ball down.





     
  25. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    So the Jaguares brushed the Brumbies aside and will play the Crusaders who edged the Hurricanes to set up a final in Christchurch. Crusaders have home advantage being the number one seeds.



     
  26. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    Very interesting report in the Ozzie press this morning...
     
  27. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

  28. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    I heard the interview on R4 this morning and, TBF, as Maro was billed as some sort of intellectual - for someone who's studies at elite institutions* (sic.) his answers to some quite probing questions on rascism (in the both games of football and what to do about the statues of Rhodes etc.) were a bit lacking in arse rigour.

    *St George's, Harrow and SOAS
     
  29. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    So there's no hint of racism at the 'elite institutions' from which rugger draws much of its 'more educated' supporters?
     
  30. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    So the Crusaders triumph once again for the third row in a year in Christchurch despite the absence of Ryan Crotty. How they will fare next season when several AB's like Owen Franks move abroad will yet to be seen but they seem to have more than
    ample replacements. Their record in playoff games now stands at 24 wins in 24 games. The final score of 19-3 in dewy conditions does not tell the whole story of how a spirited Jaguares side more than competed with them. And not just spirited but
    extremely talented.

    If there were any doubts about the class of some of these players Pablo Matera turned in a MOTM performance with some wonderful offloads, incredible defence, ball carrying and even a kick and chase. Truly one of the best three flankers in the world. However the game was lost due to the poor kicking of Diaz Bonilla and two try scoring opportunities that were butchered especially the first by Matias Moroni after a wonderful offload by Matera. How he missed a simple left right step and dive which is routine for a winger beats me.

    http
    The WC pool of Argentina, England, France, Tonga and the USA will be the toughest one of all. Tonga are no pushovers and have recruited several players of Tongan descent from NZ and the US team is in the best shape they have ever been.
     
  31. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    Some shocking refereeing so far. Especially with WR trying to cut out head injuries. Yesterday the Japanese lock was lucky to avoid a citation for charging the Russian scrum half. Today an unbelievable decision against Fiji. Peceli Yato who was dominant in the game up till that point is contacted to the head by Hodge. No wrap around at all. Hodge bounces off. No card not even a red. O'Keefe the referee was not at all helped by the TMO who should have seen it. It will be a citation and ban without any doubt. Yato had to leave the pitch concussed. Fiji were in the lead and with Australia down to 14 a vastly different match. Are officials once again inclined to the bigger team. Do WR just want the big teams in the quarters ? It stinks. And not the first time Fiji have been shafted at a World Cup. The referee for them against France back in 1999 was one of the most biased one eyed idiots ever to take charge of a match.

    Argentina threw away their match and are better than France who were given a huge headstart. However it does not help when the referee allows French players to come in off at their feet at the ruck continually. And where were the offsides ? Even after Boffelli just missed his long range bomb the Pumas should have had a clear penalty with French players offside from the restart. Lamentable refereeing so far. Really poor and it has cost two teams potential wins. Not good enough by half.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
  32. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

  33. Sahorn

    Sahorn Reservist

    Early days. Interpretation of rules from different regions varies just like football so hopefully tightens up thro the tournament?
    But there’s always big team bias imo.



    (Understood Smudger, hadn’t seen the Rugby Union thread).
     
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  34. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    VAR has ruined rugby.
     
  35. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    A comfortable stroll for Ireland and Italy. Credit to Namibia for scoring three tries. The issues they have with infrastructure and training are legendary with some players having to travel several hundred miles. They are slowly improving with the Weltwitschias playing in the Currie Cup and an improving domestic program. Back in the day they scored notable Test wins over Ireland twice. Notable that they have not played a tier one team since the last WC which is a crying shame. Scotland have a lot of work to do. They looked nervous and rushed and nothing Russell or Hogg tried came off.

    This article is on player eligibility which is a sore issue of contention for many. While I have no issue with the parent or even grandparent rule I do with residency. Often the player has been brought up and coached by one union only to leave live a few years abroad and then play for that country. It is rife for exploitation especially with the PIs where foreign clubs with the tacit support of their unions select a few kids to go to an academy for example in France with several Fijians and then go on to play not for Fiji but France. The PI's because of their economic situation are exploited continually and why so many move to Australia and NZ because of the economics at home. They have also been deliberately sidelined out of Super Rugby forced to sign contracts which mean they cannot play for their country of birth because it would render them ineligible for NZ or Australia.

    As I said the player residency rule needs scrapping or to be extended to an even longer period. The irony of the game Fiji were cheated at by Australia is that four of the Wallabies are Fijians with three playing for Fiji at a junior level and also ended up scoring tries last night.

    http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2019/09/09/foreign-born-raised-players-at-rwc-2019/
     

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