Hallelujah the Rugby Season Has Begun

[GB72]

I know most people on here are football fans but rugby always has been and always will be my passion. After months of 'making do' with football and cricket, rugby is finally back and what an opening match of the season, Tigers v Northampton. This is like having Man U Chelsea on the opening day of the Premiership. My Sunday is sorted, golf in the morning, rugby and a bottle of red in the afternoon, heaven.

Here's to hoping that the Tigers have not lost any of their edge with Moodie going to Bath.

 

[brendy]

Boooooooring Get the golf on!

 

[medwayjon]

Whats rugby?

 

[brendy]

Its a sport for those fat beer swallowing guys that play darts and needed something for the off season.

 

[GB72]

Its a sport for those fat beer swallowing guys that play darts and needed something for the off season.

Not true, I never played darts

That used to be the case but the strength and fitness of a modern rugby player is immense

 

[USER1999]

I love watching the rugby, but Leicester? No, hope they get thrashed. Never liked them since Neil Back slapped the ball from Munster to win the Heineken Cup.

 

[GB72]

I love watching the rugby, but Leicester? No, hope they get thrashed. Never liked them since Neil Back slapped the ball from Munster to win the Heineken Cup.

I was at the Millenium Stadium for that one.

Another thing I love about the game, no whinging afterwards from the Munster supporters and that is why I will cheer for them if Tigers are not playing. Their fans made for a great night on the streets of Cardiff.

 

[Gillespie16]

Rugby is great, Come On Leicester.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I do enjoy the proper rugby. None of this league stuff where they stop if they get tackled and kick the ball back to a teammate - get mauling you pansies. It's another sport that has benefited immensly from Sky getting hold of it and the coverage is superb. I think it'll be an interesting season again and I might wander along to a London Irish game but it's tough not drinking before or after especially with the guys I go with being beer and guiness monsters.

 

[Leftie]

Ah. Rugby union. A real man's game, not like the pansy soccer "players" who get paid a fortune to fall over at the slightest opportunity.

Then there is rugby league... a game apart.

Some may remember Va'aiga Tuigamala, a Samoan and very powerful winger who played many tests for New Zealand. He changed codes to league and joined Wigan only to find that he was not considered fit enough to join their 1st team for some months.

Rugby players pansies? Easy for you to say Homer

 

[Whereditgo]

Ruined now as a spectacle for the fans imo, 10 years ago it was a cracking sport, unfortunately with the meddling of the laws that have taken place over the last few years, (basically because the poor Ausies were not good enough up front and couldn't compete), the game often deteriorates to the opposing back three's playing kick tennis

Rarely now watch what had been my main sport for 30 years or so

As to the different fitness levels between the different codes, the type of fitness required is suprisingly different for games that have the same basic skill requirements. The greats of either code have been able to adapt and come good in time, provided of course they didnt make the switch late in their career for purely financial reasons!

 

[Robobum]

Union is a bit dull for me and I don't get it, but I don't mind catching a bit of League every now and then.

Sky sports did a little piece on the all round fittest sportsmen a few years back. Included speed, strength, stamina etc so as not to favour any one sport. The League guys came out on top pretty comfortably in it, flamin beasts some of them guys!!.

I can't get into union because when you get tackled you lay down for a bit whilst you wait for some other blokes to come and lay down with you for a bit whilst everyone stands around waiting for the bloke at the back to pick the ball up again???!!! Even though you can see the ball, could reach over and grab easily, the opposition aren't allowed to touch it????? WTF??

 

[Macster]

Robobum, - I have never seen such an accurate mis-interpretation of the rules of rucking in my life.



I'm a Union man at heart, but now living with the consequences of a wrecked knee at 18, I wasnt sorry when my son gave it up at 15 tbh.

I love both codes, but the more 'difficult' game to play is undoubtably Union, due to the rules and technicalities etc, Rucking/Mauling etc etc.

The only thing that makes League more brutal is the fact that generally, every tackle becomes a 3 on 1, which isnt for the faint hearted.

A 'good' game of either code is superb to watch, but Union is my fave.

Oh, and for anyone that hasnt experienced 'true' sportmanship, you should take a trip down to Twickenham for an International, and see just how its done. Policeman so scarce its untrue, fans singing with fans, all with a beer in hand, all walking to the stadium together, and getting pissed together afterwards, whatever the result. Fantastic.

Conversely, the only England footie game I went to, I have never experienced such a police presence and hostile atmosphere in my life, couldnt wait to get away I can tell you.

 

[toonarmy]

I'm temping at the moment and had to listen to the owner booking tickets for England v New Zealand in the autumn internationals, with the corporate shindig "so that's with this Lawrence Daggalio yeah?".

On top of this, he is taking his colleague with him (also his sister) and she said to me as tears welled in my ears with the envy "So is Twickenham like the Wembley of rugby?".

In the words of the "Soldier's Poem":

"There's no justice in the world...and there never was"

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Rugby players pansies? Easy for you to say Homer

I was actually referring to the rucking and mauling that goes on which to me is an integral part of the game. It is the stopping and playing the ball back after a tackle is called in league I don't like. I don't for one minute think either league or union players are pansies and certainly not now in the professional era where fitness levels have improved out of all recognition.

 

[Deleted member 1418]

Love my rugby and try to get along to the Stoop when I can to watch the Quins, although I've had to stop taking the fake blood capsules in recently!! Hopefully we'll be top 5 this year - and nice to see that we have a number of English guys in our squad.

Rugby league is also a great game, but in my opinion the Aussie NRL is head and shoulders above our Super League. Not since the great Wigan sides have we had a team that could match the Aussie sides I think.

 

[fundy]

Didnt realise that the english league coverage had moved from sky to espn, bit of a disappointment that (trying hard not to get espn lol).

Anyone see the tri-nations match yesterday between Aus and the Saffers - amazing game decided by the last kick!

Hopefully Sarries will go one better this year

 

[GB72]

Not all of the coverage has moved, the big game today is on Sky.

Agree with the Tri Nations, great game. Also really enjoyed the Leeds v Hull league game yesterday.

 

[stevek1969]

The try nations game was superb great game to watch and how it should be plenty running play not stop and kick.
Not much here only Glasgow and Edinburgh in the way of top class rugby.
Love going to watch Scotland its a great day out in Edinburgh

 

[GB72]

Any Six Nations day is great, been to every Stadium exept Italy for a match and I need to get that sorted sooner rather than later.