NRL All Stars

[Rambo1987]

unfortunately Rugby will never die because the amount of money involved in the world cup and 6 nations - the super 14 or whatever is probably the worse comp out of them all and the 3 nations cup (Aust,SA,NZ) isnt that far in front og the S14's. While Eng - France - Wales - Ireland survive so will rugby.

In saying that i have not watched the S14 since i went out and watch NSW play 2 years ago in the crappest match ever. Even with free tickets i wanted a refund of my time. Never to attend again..

 

[fLIP]

Lets be honest. We all thought rugby was a decent game when we could win.

 

[eggson]

Lets be honest. We all thought rugby was a decent game when we could win.

Ne'er a truer word spoken!

I'll also say that it's bored me with all the penalties and 3pt kicks/field goals.  I want to see tries!  It boggles my mind that a side can win based off penalty goals against a team that's scored 3 tries

 

[ManlyBacker]

I have watched a few RU games over the last three years. The game lost me a long time ago when every play was a throw-in, on to the fullback who kicked it down field for another throw-in. Now it is slightly different in that during a scrum or at the ruck, out of a bag of some 70 possible technical penalties that I couldn't be bothered learning, the ref blows a penalty and a goal shot is attempted. It is a horrible game to watch and if the international body likes it that way I will never bother looking at another game. I don't care if Australia wins the next 60 games, it is still a snoozefest.

 

[Matabele]

unfortunately Rugby will never die because the amount of money involved in the world cup and 6 nations - the super 14 or whatever is probably the worse comp out of them all and the 3 nations cup (Aust,SA,NZ) isnt that far in front og the S14's. While Eng - France - Wales - Ireland survive so will rugby.

In saying that i have not watched the S14 since i went out and watch NSW play 2 years ago in the crappest match ever. Even with free tickets i wanted a refund of my time. Never to attend again..

  It won't wither because it is one of the most inclusive sports at grass roots level.  Rugby provides a team environment for the fat bloke, the tall bloke, the fast bloke, the skinny bloke and even the dumb bloke (front rowers).  Thus at grassroots level it enjoys a high level of inclusiveness, loyalty etc.  Most other sports are far more specialised and closed to "unusual" participants.

 

[ManlyBacker]

 It won't wither because it is one of the most inclusive sports at grass roots level.  Rugby provides a team environment for the fat bloke, the tall bloke, the fast bloke, the skinny bloke and even the dumb bloke (front rowers).  Thus at grassroots level it enjoys a high level of inclusiveness, loyalty etc.  Most other sports are far more specialised and closed to "unusual" participants.
[/quote]

Good point. I still don't like it and I played it when a junior. Much preferred my time playing Aussie Rules and that is inclusive so long as you can run.

 

[Cameron]

[quote author=Rambo1987 link=topic=182388.msg251293#msg251293 date=1265629393]
unfortunately Rugby will never die because the amount of money involved in the world cup and 6 nations - the super 14 or whatever is probably the worse comp out of them all and the 3 nations cup (Aust,SA,NZ) isnt that far in front og the S14's. While Eng - France - Wales - Ireland survive so will rugby.

In saying that i have not watched the S14 since i went out and watch NSW play 2 years ago in the crappest match ever. Even with free tickets i wanted a refund of my time. Never to attend again..

  It won't wither because it is one of the most inclusive sports at grass roots level.  Rugby provides a team environment for the fat bloke, the tall bloke, the fast bloke, the skinny bloke and even the dumb bloke (front rowers).  Thus at grassroots level it enjoys a high level of inclusiveness, loyalty etc.  Most other sports are far more specialised and closed to "unusual" participants.
[/quote]i can now see why you loved rugby so much mata it made u feel wanted and a new found sense of belonging

How the **** did we end up with u here at manly

 

[DSM5]

"All very inclusive"  Matabele hasn't read the papers this morning obviously (I must learn how to do the quote thing).  Matas, there's a damning report on the absence of Aboriginal players in the top 100 contracted to the ARU.  Apparently only 3.  The report goes on to state that RU is wedded to the top private schooling system and is predominately white in character.  A sad tale. 

 

[Matabele]

MB - It seems to me AFL is better suited to wiry, tall people who can run distance.  In some respects I regret not having a season or two of AFL, just for the experience. 

It's a shame for Cambo that rugby requires a vague degree of mobility in general play.  If there was a role for someone to just turn up and hold up a scrum he might not have been the last kid picked.

DMS5, your statistic is more an indictment of the private school system and what that says about Australia's egalitarian reality over its egalitarian ideal.  South Africa and Zimbabwe are producing some excellent black players, including the player of the tournament at the last World Cup.  Then there's the NZ maoris.  As previously stated, if you want to understand rugby, look beyond Australia.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Who are the 3 players ? Beale and ?

I guess they are right, outside of the Ella's, Walker's and Jim Williams, I can't think of too many other Kooris to play for the Wobblies. It's one area that RL has a better record than RU in that's for sure.

 

[Fro]

\"All very inclusive\"  Matabele hasn't read the papers this morning obviously (I must learn how to do the quote thing).  Matas, there's a damning report on the absence of Aboriginal players in the top 100 contracted to the ARU.  Apparently only 3.  The report goes on to state that RU is wedded to the top private schooling system and is predominately white in character.  A sad tale. 

How many islanders etc?

would be interesting to see how poly kids and the like are playing union as opposed to League?

I'd suspect that a major part of the difference in the number of koori kids playing union is that the set pieces bore them, I know kids out here would rather play league or even touch as they can be a lot more creative with the ball.

And yes I know that doesn't adress a 3% contract rate, but maybe the good teenagers are snapped up on a lower level league contract and lost to Union that way.

Anyway Union is as exciting as piles, Soccer is very popular outside Australia, so is being Chinese, weight of numbers doesn't always mean something is better.

 

[DSM5]

The article is on the front page of todays SMH sports section.  Will Chambers, QLD, Beale and Hodgson WA are the three mentioned.  I thought Quade was indiginous but the article doesn't mention him.  The article quotes the current Randwick coach as saying if the polys pulled out there wouldn't be a club rugby comp.  Interesting the article says that to date 11 indiginous players have represented the Wallabies.  A disgraceful number if it's correct and an indictment of the officials. 

 

[Matabele]

Quade Cooper is Maori.  As previously mentioned, you're only as good as what your nursery gives you and the elite private school system is hardly what you'd call the final bastion of indigenous education (though credit to some who make an effort and give scholarships to aboriginal kids).  Kurtley Beale was nurtured along by Joeys.

 

[cheech]

HA HA...complain all you want. Union is dire....boring. At the current state it will NEVER grow. Had its peak when England beat Australia, but has been in decline since. As a spectator sport, League is a superior product. Argue all u want.... Union has been in decline for years. Wanna talk about the real world game?

 

[Matabele]

HA HA...complain all you want. Union is dire....boring. At the current state it will NEVER grow. Had its peak when England beat Australia, but has been in decline since. As a spectator sport, League is a superior product. Argue all u want.... Union has been in decline for years. Wanna talk about the real world game?

  I didn't expect a rugby league forum to be a citadel of pro-rugby sentiment but I did expect some rationality.  Internationally Union is going from strength to strength and only an Australian would make your comment about it peaking in 2003 (which happened to be when the Web Ellis Trophy last visited these shore, albeit to be whisked away on a jumbo to Heathrow).

 

[Fluffy]

Lawn bowls is going from strength to strength as well