Ha, very true. Those in glass houses and all that. I still maintain that rugby players generally conduct themselves better on the field though, if nothing else. Ok, there's been transgressions, but there's a lot more respect for officials, if nothing else, in rugby. Edit: Also, Swarbs, did you watch the RWC?! Those kind of hits are more and more commonplace, and Wales' defence was brutal in it's ferocity. We had the fitness to go the 80 minutes smashing people out of the way, but sadly we didn't have the goal-kickers and the nous required to see us through. We did have an Irish/ French ref, though...
If you ever get the chance, do it. Regardless of whether the expenses are paid. It should be on your must do list, dudes in uniform opening the lift doors etc. whilst you knock back gallons of Pimms in the sun. Tally ho. The atmosphere of the place is unbelievable.
I did watch some of it, and those hits are getting more common in union. But still only a few times a match, whereas in the top level of rugby league (NRL) you can get one or two every set of six. And the top clubs play through a set of six in 45 seconds... To be fair I reckon there are players in union who can match those in league. But they would mainly be in the backs - athletic centres or wingers like Habana and Lomu in their prime would easily match the top league players. But across the whole team the league players all have to have top levels of athletic fitness, whereas as lot of union is based on technique, experience and sheer mass (see England...) rather than athleticism.
Well in fairness to union the reason there are more big hit's in league is the shoulder charge is outlawed in union.
that, and the ball carries is often thinking about having to roll the ball back for the next phase, but in league they only think about making yards, so its all out. Same with the tackler, the union player will attempt to turnover the ball, whereas the league player wants to stop the player in possession and cause some damage
South Africa and the Windies. Windies first in a mini series. Lords always gets tests for both tourists.
anyway, why was this thread made during the racism row and just after the 'Rooney parent bet fixing' scandal?
Yeah strangely despite the article originally being drivel (because most football fans I know just love sport in general) it's actually been a good thread this On the subject of a Lords test...lets be honest seeing the Windies at Lords would be special but next summers must see game would be the South Africa test. India were a massive let down this year but guaranteed SA will be a different prospect. Can't wait me
I made the thread because over the years I have had fans of cricket and rugby harping on about how much better behaved and civilised the players and fans are in those sports compared to football so the fact that these two sports have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons brought a smile to my face. I dont actually mind Rugby league to play, I did it at school and was offered trials at Keighley Cougars ( they had come to our school on a scouting trip as we were the current RL champions for our school league ). I didnt enjoy it but as I was fast as ****, very nimble on my feet whilst also strong I was pretty decent at it, even embarrassing the big RL fans on more that one occasion during PE lessons. RU and cricket are dire though, RU is unimaginably boring every time I see it and whilst I have on occasion got the cricket bug ( 2005 ashes for example and 2020 at times ) I just dont feel anything for them. Football is in my blood and United have helped me through some hard times ( nothing like your club playing a blinder when things in your life are in the **** to put a smile back on your face ) so the passion for the game is something I dont get for other sports. I dont think its a dire thread, it was in part a bit of fun at the expense of cricket. Football doesnt pretend to be perfect, its full of problems but for billions of people its so important.
The majority of people in the media-especially the BBC-are middle class and public school educated.They regard footballers and football fans as working class scum.
Do you go Billy? Me and a few mates go to one test every year, usually at Edgbaston as it's the best arena for watching and a good drink really. Apart from Lords it's the best test venue in England. We're not bothering next year, a combo of there being no convenient test venue, they're at the likes of Durham and Hampshire and the northern grounds, and me having a third kid due and a couple of weddings and stag do's abroad. There is also the fact that the last two test we went to v SA have been bore fests with Graham Smith ****ing his way slowly to a big century in both games. Strange this as SA are very good but they have proven to be the least entertaining. Gutted really as it's the top weekend of the year. My compensation this year is a day at Cheltenham on Gold Cup day, can't ****ing wait.
