A heartless hand on my shoulder, A push and it's over. Alabaster crashes down (Six weeks is a long time). Try living in the real world Instead of a shell. But before it began, I was bored before it even began.
Was in Devon recently. Amazing the interest in it down there. Pubs offering half price pints for an hour after any England win. All pubs advertising games. In Exeter there is a large screen in the main square with bars and food stalls. Signs on motorways warning of congestion due to games. (Didn't notice that for the RL ones). 95% of tickets sold despite ridiculously high prices. Talking to someone last night who played for the local RU team and he had applied for tickets ages ago. All he was offered was one for a game at Elland Road for two minor teams he has no interest in and that cost £60. BTW, in Devon not many people walking about in football shirts of teams they have no connection with. Though I did see a Galatasaray shirt, a Barcelona second kit, a West Brom second kit and a bloke of about 70 wearing a City training top. And that was it. Not a single Man U Liverpool or Chelsea one which made the place seem even more pleasant.
They always used to say that a good game of union was better than a good game of league but a bad game of league was better than a bad game of union. Things have altered a lot in the last 30 years or so though. League players are far more athletic and union has altered greatly especially at club level. O more Gareth Chilvoots trundling about and being described as having a good game but never touching the ball.
It's massively popular round here in Cambridgeshire. We do see a lot of London based clubs shirts but the area is considered over spill I think.
Popular because it offers opportunities to all shapes and sizes. Thriving social scene even if it gets up people's noses. But mainly because it tolerates what one World Cup winner called " the god given right of the amateur to play like a prat".
A great sporting event comes to our country and the same small minded idiots use it as an excuse to criticise a sport they apparently have no interest in, give it a rest fellas, no one cares.
A bit like the league fans describing union as a game for public school ****ers. As you say a great sporting event which didn't get a mention on Talk Sport despite far more people watching it than the RL World Cup. Though crapness on the part of RH is the norm.
I'd rather talksport stuck to local teams anyway, the RWC is getting plenty of national coverage, we don't need it to eat into the little airtime our club gets, same applies to the RLWC, they spent way too much time on that. I'm going to the game at Wembley tomorrow, quite looking forward to it, never been a big fan of the code but when you can see the best in world play at our national stadium it seems like a wasted opportunity not to go.
I think that Talk Sport should pay some attention to all major tournaments, be they football, union, league, golf or cricket. It is after all TalkSport not talk about the local teams. Of course It too often reflects the likes and prejudices of its presenters. I have heard some idiot on it showing more enthusiasm about American football than the local teams.
I like the description National Stadium. The FA have been responsible for it since 1948. The FA spent nearly £800million developing it. A more apt description would be The FA's Football Stadium Which They Hire Out For Other Events As Well. I also loved the dates on TalkSport about City, FC and Rovers having to adjust to the wide open spaces of Wembley and how it may affect their game. The Wembley pitch is the same size as the KC for football and rugby (though one source shows it as a metre wider others show both the length and width as the same).
I've never really been arsed about Rugby Union, but I will invest some time and effort into this I think. I remember my heart sinking when I was younger, switching BBC on on Saturday afternoons for Final Score, and finding instead it was 5 Nations (these were pre-red button days). I never took to it. Anyway, I'll give it a go. Just switched it on, didn't know Japan had a team - I hope they beat South Africa.
Union has been quite popular in Japan. Them beating South Africa would be a major surprise. For a game in a city with no big union tradition and a game featuring two teams with no connection there is a great atmosphere from a full house.
I've quite enjoyed it, some real brute force in the Japan side. Good that the spectators are able to enjoy a beer in the stands.
Maybe our ground staff could have a word with theirs as the football markings are a lot less visible than when rugby is played at the KC and vice versa.
