Funny, I think the opposite. I think the spectacle and occasion of these 6-nations games has overtaken what the game itself is all about. I find league quicker, easier to understand and generally more entertaining. Watching a scrum being reset 3 or 4 times and trying to understand why, or trying to figure out what you can or can't do depending on if it's a ruck or a maul is just too hard! However I don't dispute the sense of occasion in 6-nations and world cup matches and I watch them all, however apart from that I'd prefer to watch say Hull FC vs Wigan rather than an equivalent RU club match. Of course all this assumes there's no football to watch...
Furthermore, going to public (or other fee-paying) schools does not make anyone a toff, especially these days when lots of state schools are going down the pan. Me and my missus bust a gut to send our daughter to a fee paying school so she could get a decent education. I was brought up in Hessle Road so can hardly be called a toff and anyone who tries it is likely to get a smack round the ear with a wet haddock.
By public schools, I'm assuming you're all having a big wobbler and you do in fact mean private schools? Rugby Union is massive in my area, even more so among the rich, we've had a fair few from the local villages go on to play for the Tigers or other union teams, 9/10 private school lads. It's massive at the private schools, sport of choice not only at school level but also at personal supporter level, not so much at the public schools I went to. We had to play it but no one gave a **** we were all more interested in playing football.
It is a bit of an over generalisation to say RU is only for 'toffs', i played for Hullensians in my younger days mainly because I was brought up with rugby union as it was played at my school - Kelvin Hall on Bricknell Ave, I lived on the border of North Hull and Orchard Park at the time in a council house and most of those at my club came from similar backgrounds. It might be different of course at say Ionians!
Do you really mean "unless"? I'd have thought you meant the opposite. GTF. You can move to America if you want to call them that.
No, unless you got yourself into the rugby team, you weren't considered for the football team, it was to stop lads just choosing to play football.
Ah. I'd have thought they'd be even more anti-football by only considering boys for football if they weren't needed for the rugby teams.
Not really ever watched Rugby Union but the supporters don't seem to be complete ******s like Rugby League. Also, unlike RL, it appears to be well supported which is a good sign that is may be a decent sport. Might tune in some time, but I don't expect to be able to watch it. Old habits, etc.
