Rugby World Cup - is your team playing?
Sep 19th, 2015, 11:03 AM
#21
Oh dear, many of my friends in South Africa are not going to be happy tonight.
One of the greatest ever sporting upsets, but that most of the world won't know or care.
I take Big Russ's point because I feel pretty much the same when there are animated discussions about the Beverly Hillbillies taking on the Arkansas rattlesnakegropers - in a world series of some sport nobody outside the US cares about.
In this case he is absolutely correct. While the Average American might not care about cricket, a million Indians and Pakistanis can't be wrong. But Rugby union?
An obsession with Sheep Lovers (All New Zealanders and some Welshmen), White South Africans, Posh Scots and Englishmen, Basques, Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA, and Australians who forgoe Aussie Rules or Rugby League.
It really has coverage far beyond its natural appeal.
One of the greatest ever sporting upsets, but that most of the world won't know or care.
I take Big Russ's point because I feel pretty much the same when there are animated discussions about the Beverly Hillbillies taking on the Arkansas rattlesnakegropers - in a world series of some sport nobody outside the US cares about.
In this case he is absolutely correct. While the Average American might not care about cricket, a million Indians and Pakistanis can't be wrong. But Rugby union?
An obsession with Sheep Lovers (All New Zealanders and some Welshmen), White South Africans, Posh Scots and Englishmen, Basques, Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA, and Australians who forgoe Aussie Rules or Rugby League.
It really has coverage far beyond its natural appeal.
Sep 19th, 2015, 11:12 AM
#22
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"I take Big Russ's point because I feel pretty much the same when there are animated discussions about the Beverly Hillbillies taking on the Arkansas rattlesnakegropers - in a world series of some sport nobody outside the US cares about."
Well said.
Every single match is on Canadian TV. Someone should tell the sponsors no one is watching.
Well said.
Every single match is on Canadian TV. Someone should tell the sponsors no one is watching.
Sep 19th, 2015, 11:41 AM
#24
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In this case he is absolutely correct. While the Average American might not care about cricket, a million Indians and Pakistanis can't be wrong. But Rugby union?
An obsession with Sheep Lovers (All New Zealanders and some Welshmen), White South Africans, Posh Scots and Englishmen, Basques, Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA, and Australians who forgoe Aussie Rules or Rugby League. >>
willit - that really is a load of dingos' kidneys. What sport do you think enables pacific islanders to escape to NZ and the rest of the world [including my local cornish towns of Camborne and Redruth both of which have had Fijians and Samoans playing for them]? connects Argentina with SA, NZ and Australia? is played in Namibia AND Georgia AND Romania? it enables minnows to take on the giants in a way that, say, football, could never accomplish.
As for it being a posh sport, you should come to Cornwall. Rugby is played all over the county and not a public school boy in sight.
An obsession with Sheep Lovers (All New Zealanders and some Welshmen), White South Africans, Posh Scots and Englishmen, Basques, Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA, and Australians who forgoe Aussie Rules or Rugby League. >>
willit - that really is a load of dingos' kidneys. What sport do you think enables pacific islanders to escape to NZ and the rest of the world [including my local cornish towns of Camborne and Redruth both of which have had Fijians and Samoans playing for them]? connects Argentina with SA, NZ and Australia? is played in Namibia AND Georgia AND Romania? it enables minnows to take on the giants in a way that, say, football, could never accomplish.
As for it being a posh sport, you should come to Cornwall. Rugby is played all over the county and not a public school boy in sight.
Sep 19th, 2015, 11:42 AM
#25
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"Rugby union?
An obsession with Sheep Lovers...White South Africans, Posh Scots and Englishmen, Basques, Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA, and Australians who forgoe Aussie Rules or Rugby League"
Slightly unfair:
White South Africans: Mandela was a fan
Posh Scots: Rugby's classless in the Borders
Basques: And a substantial proportion of Occitania
Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA. No: all posh NI Prods, and all Catholics on either side educated by Christian Brothers or Jesuits (disgracefully: in England, they're a football order). Plus many who, on principle, support any game fielding an all-Ireland side in international sport
Posh Englishmen: too bloody right. We've got just three mass team sports: football, cricket among lots of Commonwealth immigrants, the Barmy Army, in the countryside and in parts of Lancs and Yorks, and Rugby League along those few bits of the M62 deprived of a local football team with a global following.
But the truth is that outside core sheepophilia, a handful of Pacific microstates, the Scottish Borders and Occitania, rugby union's a socially divisive minority sport.
An obsession with Sheep Lovers...White South Africans, Posh Scots and Englishmen, Basques, Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA, and Australians who forgoe Aussie Rules or Rugby League"
Slightly unfair:
White South Africans: Mandela was a fan
Posh Scots: Rugby's classless in the Borders
Basques: And a substantial proportion of Occitania
Irishmen who don't belong to the GAA. No: all posh NI Prods, and all Catholics on either side educated by Christian Brothers or Jesuits (disgracefully: in England, they're a football order). Plus many who, on principle, support any game fielding an all-Ireland side in international sport
Posh Englishmen: too bloody right. We've got just three mass team sports: football, cricket among lots of Commonwealth immigrants, the Barmy Army, in the countryside and in parts of Lancs and Yorks, and Rugby League along those few bits of the M62 deprived of a local football team with a global following.
But the truth is that outside core sheepophilia, a handful of Pacific microstates, the Scottish Borders and Occitania, rugby union's a socially divisive minority sport.
Sep 19th, 2015, 11:45 AM
#26
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PS. In deference to annhig, I should have said:
"outside core sheepophilia, a handful of Pacific microstates, Cornwall, the Scottish Borders and Occitania, rugby union's a socially divisive minority sport.
"outside core sheepophilia, a handful of Pacific microstates, Cornwall, the Scottish Borders and Occitania, rugby union's a socially divisive minority sport.
Sep 19th, 2015, 11:54 AM
#27
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>
Yeah, that's why the TV ratings for the NFL are quintuple what rugby ever receives even if all of Australia watches it. Good attempt though (I know "try" has more than one meaning).
And just because the Brit colonials brainwashed India, Pakistan and various other Commonwealth countries into enjoying the yawnfest that is cricket doesn't mean they or the former subjects are right. After all, the recitation of when the majority was wrong throughout any historical timeframe would take more terabytes to set forth than Fodors has in its cloud . . .
Yeah, that's why the TV ratings for the NFL are quintuple what rugby ever receives even if all of Australia watches it. Good attempt though (I know "try" has more than one meaning).
And just because the Brit colonials brainwashed India, Pakistan and various other Commonwealth countries into enjoying the yawnfest that is cricket doesn't mean they or the former subjects are right. After all, the recitation of when the majority was wrong throughout any historical timeframe would take more terabytes to set forth than Fodors has in its cloud . . .
Sep 19th, 2015, 12:33 PM
#30
Just got up and having breakfast to read the news that South Africa was beaten by Japan. That was a real upset, Japan will be ecstatic, South Africa, will be in despair!!! DH is watching the replay now.
Roll on tomorrow morning when the All Blacks play. Not sure I am going to get up at 3,30am though to watch it.
Roll on tomorrow morning when the All Blacks play. Not sure I am going to get up at 3,30am though to watch it.
Sep 19th, 2015, 01:06 PM
#32
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Yeah, like that riotous high-scoring 8-7 RWC final in 2011, which followed semis that had 9-8 and 20-6 scores. If you're comparing it to soccer, that's high-scoring. Not compared to football.>>
sadly BigRuss you weren't watching SA v Japan. a really good match enjoyed by everyone except the SA supporters. and you judge rugby by one match? I judge the NFL [football being a completely different game to the rest of the world] by all the matches I've ever tried to watch - boring. Given the amount of interest it gets in the rest of the world, I'm in good company.
>
which is why cricket is played in those well-known colonial outposts like Holland, Germany, Afghanistan, Vanuatu, Corfu and New York. yes, New York:
http://newyorkcricket.com
sadly BigRuss you weren't watching SA v Japan. a really good match enjoyed by everyone except the SA supporters. and you judge rugby by one match? I judge the NFL [football being a completely different game to the rest of the world] by all the matches I've ever tried to watch - boring. Given the amount of interest it gets in the rest of the world, I'm in good company.
>
which is why cricket is played in those well-known colonial outposts like Holland, Germany, Afghanistan, Vanuatu, Corfu and New York. yes, New York:
http://newyorkcricket.com
Sep 19th, 2015, 02:25 PM
#33
Just to show how fanatical the people here are about rugby, NZ Parliament have any passed a law that allows pubs to open at 5am and serve alcohol. That is the time most of the matches will be shown live here. A lot of people are planning to go out to pubs with their mates, have a few drinks, breakfast, and watch the match.
I think there will be a lot of people throwing sickies, i.e. not turning up at work while the rugby is on.
I think there will be a lot of people throwing sickies, i.e. not turning up at work while the rugby is on.
Sep 19th, 2015, 05:15 PM
#36
I have to admit I have never seen a Rugby game and had to google and youtube to see what it was.
I watched 4 minutes of the New Zealand Australia game of year 2000.
New Zealand beat the Wallabies !
I watched 4 minutes of the New Zealand Australia game of year 2000.
New Zealand beat the Wallabies !
Sep 20th, 2015, 12:42 AM
#38
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flpab, can you please explain "The All Blacks are on my bucket list"?
I've seen them play many times, but I'd want to stop the relationship there...
I'm ridiculously pleased about the Japan win. RSA is in the same pool as Scotland! (as, obviously, is Japan). Still....
I've seen them play many times, but I'd want to stop the relationship there...
I'm ridiculously pleased about the Japan win. RSA is in the same pool as Scotland! (as, obviously, is Japan). Still....
Sep 20th, 2015, 02:37 AM
#40
Obviously, I was stirring 
But there is a some truth in what I said.
Look through the English World Cup Squad and find those players who didn't go to a private school - they are few and far between.
I like Rugby, My father played at decent club level, I played (badly) at school until I decided I was a marginally less pathetic as a footballer.
One thing I would like to see is qualification rules similar to football. Players having to be born, raised or have Grandparents from a country. How good could the PAcific Islanders be if half of them didn't end up as All Blacks (or English for that matter)
But there is a some truth in what I said.
Look through the English World Cup Squad and find those players who didn't go to a private school - they are few and far between.
I like Rugby, My father played at decent club level, I played (badly) at school until I decided I was a marginally less pathetic as a footballer.
One thing I would like to see is qualification rules similar to football. Players having to be born, raised or have Grandparents from a country. How good could the PAcific Islanders be if half of them didn't end up as All Blacks (or English for that matter)
