The Current State of Rugby
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a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
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@Kiwiwomble for me, NPC and club rugby is what I enjoy the most.
I enjoy watching club/age group rugby, I go out most weeks to watch a game, seeing the next generation coming through, where these guys are playing for the love of the game, sure some have aspirations of higher honours, but they are still playing for free and arent in the lanes higher levels often consign them to.
Watching the Northland v BOP dev games on the weekend, the body shapes of some of the players is not what you'd expect to see at higher levels these days, but thier skills are there.
I have never had an affinity to super rugby, but that is largely due to Northland being part of the chiefs, then the blues and the blues largely ignoring Northland, although this has changed considerably in the past 4 or so years.
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@taniwharugby agreed, getting involved with the club over the last few years has been great, id go as far as to say id take a Dewar Shield win for Power House over a super rugby title currently
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@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
You could just as easily be talking about the issues created by social media distancing. In terms of division, and giving everyone an "equal" voice, this is common to a lot of arenas.
Much easier to have a pop at players, refs, or the game itself when you can do it in a forum like this, rather than having to go to the effort of calling the radio station or writing a letter to the editor
With a couple of hours' work you can get a podcast going, and you'll find your audience - no matter how barking mad!
Whereas pub rules state that you'd get ostracised if you carried on like pork chop you'd be running out of mates pretty quickly
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I much prefer watching a game live than on TV and have been at games from 1st XV to SR this year, often on the same day. I don't attend many club games but will often go if there is a game nearby and if certain players are involved, i.e., ALB returning from his injury. As others have said, the players are less cynical at the lower levels so it's closer to the rugby we grew up playing and watching.
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@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
That's a pretty perceptive comment, you're banned
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@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
I reckon I watch less rugby than I did 20 years ago. A lot to do with family commitments, so for me it isn't overexposure. As others have said the game is so difficult to understand sometimes, with the state of the rules and the interpretation of the refs. Also the style of the game right now, the slowing down of the game and the muscularisation of the physical nature of the players isn't helping to make it a viewing spectacle
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@canefan thatsa fair, i dont think it oversaturation....more how we consume it, experience being so different between watching super and international on TV and getting down to a 1stXV,club or even NPC game
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@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
@canefan thatsa fair, i dont think it oversaturation....more how we consume it, experience being so different between watching super and international on TV and getting down to a 1stXV,club or even NPC game
I think I miss the power, pace and brutality that rugby used to bring. Tana's nightmares have been realised. To a degree it is tiddlywinks now
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@canefan said in The Current State of Rugby:
@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
@canefan thatsa fair, i dont think it oversaturation....more how we consume it, experience being so different between watching super and international on TV and getting down to a 1stXV,club or even NPC game
I think I miss the power, pace and brutality that rugby used to bring. Tana's nightmares have been realised. To a degree it is tiddlywinks now
Wales and Fiji say hi
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@MiketheSnow exception or the rule? That was the stand out game from the weekend, but there was daylight to the next best one (probably SA vs Sco for me). Maybe Japan v Chile actually. That was a good watch
Fra/NZ and Eng/Arg had some drama and intrigue, but they weren’t close to classics. Probably because NZ and Arg didn’t show up to the party enough in fairness.
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@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
I would say the inverse.
On the sideline you rarely have a clue what's actually going on. Talking points used to be great tries, swings in momentum, huge scrums, line breaks etc. You can see all that on the sideline and enjoy.
What you can't see much about is meaningless scrum penalties, TMO calls back to missed infringements & borderline offside calls.
It's absurd being in a massive stadium when a scrum is set, the home team gets a penalty for something pathetic (like binding etc) & the whole stadium goes up. Nobody has a clue what they just witnessed.
Rugby used to be Fiji vs Wales, where those in the stands were treated to an absolute drama filled spectacle. It's just not the case anymore.
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@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
I would say the inverse.
On the sideline you rarely have a clue what's actually going on. Talking points used to be great tries, swings in momentum, huge scrums, line breaks etc. You can see all that on the sideline and enjoy.
What you can't see much about is meaningless scrum penalties, TMO calls back to missed infringements & borderline offside calls.
It's absurd being in a massive stadium when a scrum is set, the home team gets a penalty for something pathetic (like binding etc) & the whole stadium goes up. Nobody has a clue what they just witnessed.
Rugby used to be Fiji vs Wales, where those in the stands were treated to an absolute drama filled spectacle. It's just not the case anymore.
Think almost every match in our Pool will be a thriller
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@MiketheSnow I agree and hope so.
Do you think it's a co-incidence that it's regarded by many as the weakest pool?
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@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@Kiwiwomble said in The Current State of Rugby:
a quick thought, and ive been heading towards this for a while, im thinking that some of us that are starting to question if we are falling out of love with rugby.....its because (or at least partially) because we watch so much of it on TV, with endless replays trying to find the tiniest mistake or infringement, with commentators telling us everything we might have missed and how we should feel the actions of players....i think we need to get down the sideline more than in front of a screen, have some beers, chat with randoms and just enjoy
I would say the inverse.
On the sideline you rarely have a clue what's actually going on. Talking points used to be great tries, swings in momentum, huge scrums, line breaks etc. You can see all that on the sideline and enjoy.
What you can't see much about is meaningless scrum penalties, TMO calls back to missed infringements & borderline offside calls.
It's absurd being in a massive stadium when a scrum is set, the home team gets a penalty for something pathetic (like binding etc) & the whole stadium goes up. Nobody has a clue what they just witnessed.
Rugby used to be Fiji vs Wales, where those in the stands were treated to an absolute drama filled spectacle. It's just not the case anymore.
Hard agree (except for bold. We need offside reffed more strictly.)
Forget scrum penalties - force teams to put it in straight and win the ball back. Make the weaklings scrum. If that takes lots of resets, so be it.
Get rid of most of the ruck penalties - force teams to contest possession by putting bodies in.
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@Smuts Police the offside line more harshly?!? Sure you want to go down that path as a South African? Hahaha. You guys have been living in opposing backlines since Jake White's time
Take it as a compliment that others have copied you. If you can't beat them, join them.
Agree on ruck penalties. Just ban hands in the ruck full stop and force teams to drive over the ball to either secure it on attack or win it back on defence. Boks are particularly good at this. See Kolisi's turnover before 2nd try at the weekend for a perfect example. It will suck in more defenders leaving more space to attack.
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@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MiketheSnow I agree and hope so.
Do you think it's a co-incidence that it's regarded by many as the weakest pool?
Possibly
I think Pool A is the weakest pool
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@MiketheSnow said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MiketheSnow I agree and hope so.
Do you think it's a co-incidence that it's regarded by many as the weakest pool?
Possibly
I think Pool A is the weakest pool
Have to agree. Only one decent team in it.
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@MiketheSnow said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MiketheSnow I agree and hope so.
Do you think it's a co-incidence that it's regarded by many as the weakest pool?
Possibly
I think Pool A is the weakest pool
Too soon you evil bastard.
In any event, Pool D’s pretty bloody weak. 6th, 10th, 11th, 14th and 16th ranked teams. And that 6th rank looks exceedingly generous.
Pool B may also prove a lot weaker than most are making out. Time will tell, but there’s every chance that not one B team gets past the QFs. Useless fluffybunnies.
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@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MajorRage said in The Current State of Rugby:
@MiketheSnow I agree and hope so.
Do you think it's a co-incidence that it's regarded by many as the weakest pool?
Possibly
I think Pool A is the weakest pool
Have to agree. Only one decent team in it.
Decency rarely wins rugby games.
