About Rugby

[dreampilot79]

The basic premise:

Rugby union pits two teams against each other, each vying to score more points than the other. This can be achieved by carrying, passing or kicking the ball. Unremarkably, the team scoring the most points wins the match, but the qualities participants call upon include strength, discipline, technique and passion - traits that have seen rugby gain and maintain global status. Indeed, it has been frequently described as "a game for ruffians, played by gentlemen". However, the game is being played by men and women, young and old as it continues to grow. Other elements of the game are easily learnt, and the following delineates some key points. Each team usually consists of 15 players, divided into backs and forwards.

Dar.. great description.. but I think what he was really concerned about was how tight the shorts are!!!!!!

 

[TheEarl]

It probably is. Some players wear plastic boxes to protect their bags.

Og

Who? I've never heard of a player wear a box. I'd say the prime defence against bag snatching is either a swift right hook, or a big friend standing next to you who possesses a swift right hook. I've encountered it once in five years of playing and that was from one of my own teammates in a training session. Not really that common. Dirty play and (unintentional pun) below the belt.

Rugby isn't as violent a sport as Ogg would make out. I have never thrown a punch in a game of rugby and, although punches do get thrown, there's rarely than much nastiness in it. And everyone's friends at the end, no matter what happened.

The Earl

 

[Colleen Thomas]

For the college game, I'd like to add that the loosers and the winners generally get together for a beer bash after the match. It's the only game I know where competition on the field is intense, but as soon as it ends, the players have more in common because they play than they do with most of their other fellow students. Even hard fought matches, with a lot of contact don't carry over to after game animosity.

 

[TheEarl]

For the college game, I'd like to add that the loosers and the winners generally get together for a beer bash after the match. It's the only game I know where competition on the field is intense, but as soon as it ends, the players have more in common because they play than they do with most of their other fellow students. Even hard fought matches, with a lot of contact don't carry over to after game animosity.

That's what I love about the game. I have only ever once refused to shake my opposition player's hand after a game and that was due to him deliberately trying to injure me to put me out of the match. There's so much camaraderie between all the players as they gather up in the bar, fete their man of the matches, drink beer and all join together in the great conversation of just how shit that ref was.

The Earl

 

[jfinn]

This is kind of off topic, but I thought you'd like it. The San Francisco Fog is an all gay rugby team and a pretty big gun in the sport, at least in this country. Their site is down right not for maintenance, but should be up soon and they've got a lot of info that's pretty interesting. Especially if you're serious about writing your own rugby story.

Jayne

 

[carsonshepherd]

This is kind of off topic, but I thought you'd like it. The San Francisco Fog is an all gay rugby team and a pretty big gun in the sport, at least in this country. Their site is down right not for maintenance, but should be up soon and they've got a lot of info that's pretty interesting. Especially if you're serious about writing your own rugby story.

Jayne

*claps hands over ears* No more story ideas! Already too many irons in the fire...

 

[OhMissScarlett]

The thing that might help the story is that the players wear minimal protection and there is a lot of physical contact.

When I played rugby xx years ago the only protection any of us had was the shirt and the shorts. Sometimes the clothing didn't last the whole match. Shorts were usually replaced at a convenient break such as a lineout.
Og

Why is it that tales of Og's boyhood always give me homoerotic daydreams?

 

[carsonshepherd]

Why is it that tales of Og's boyhood always give me homoerotic daydreams?

Because everything gives you homoerotic daydreams?

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Because everything gives you homoerotic daydreams?

oh yeah, that could be it.

 

[jfinn]

*claps hands over ears* No more story ideas! Already too many irons in the fire...

I don't know, great big sweaty men with interesting scars in fascinating places. Hmmm, on second thought maybe I'll write a story.

Jayne

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I don't know, great big sweaty men with interesting scars in fascinating places. Hmmm, on second thought maybe I'll write a story.

Jayne

Falcon video screenplay?

 

[oggbashan]

Rugby isn't as violent a sport as Ogg would make out. I have never thrown a punch in a game of rugby and, although punches do get thrown, there's rarely than much nastiness in it. And everyone's friends at the end, no matter what happened.

The Earl

It isn't now. I'm talking about 40 years ago in Australia where not winning was a disaster for the school. By today's standards my school would have sports academy status. We had an Olympic Gold Medallist as track coach, five of the staff had played cricket for Australia, not including the Head Master who had been Captain of Australia during an Ashes series.

Sport (and Rugby) was serious. Even the Golf team used to win. As for Aussie Rules, Lacrosse, Hockey, Cricket, Volleyball and any other team games we could play - my school used to win most of its matches. So we should have... selection for the school included athletic ability as well as academic achievement.

Australian Rugby playing at that time was like prehistoric life - nasty, brutish and short. A player surviving 3 seasons and still being fit to continue was a rarity and schoolboy rugby was just as bad. By the end of my one and only season the Rugby Captain had been hospitalised with a cracked skull and I lost count of broken arms and legs. I think our fly-half was the only one who had not missed a match because of injury. He was a black belt from a Malayan Karate School who had come to us to learn English after being at the Karate School from age 3 to 15. His hand-offs were lethal.

Rugby now is very different. It is certainly cleaner and fairer. But Australians still have a very different attitude to sport - to them it is war without the weapons.

Og

Added PS: The X-rays of my spine show the damage I suffered during that one season.

 

[snooper]

ANSWERS TO VARIOUS POINTS:

Yes, Yui, it is.

In my thirty-one seasons refereeing, I saw a good few punches thrown, but only once (in 800 matches) did the teams not drink together afterwards. And despite the long hair worn by some players, I never saw hair pulled in a men's match.

I did see some pretty foul play in terms of stiff fingers jabbed in to soft parts of the body at line-outs, and players "accidentally" treading on rivals (sometimes rivals in their own team). The occasional ear-chewing in scrimmages happened also.

As to gay teams, I believe there is a gay team in London, perhaps His Grace could enlighten us?

 

[TheEarl]

As to gay teams, I believe there is a gay team in London, perhaps His Grace could enlighten us?

King's Cross Steelers if memory serves correctly. They're apparently quite a handy side.

The Earl

 

[fieryjen]

About scrums and positions in the pack (we don't call them forwards here) I can help, I'm in the damn things. A girl team, but same thing.

I''ve never seen our guys team wear any protection other than a mouthguard and the occasional knee brace.

For the college game, I'd like to add that the loosers and the winners generally get together for a beer bash after the match. It's the only game I know where competition on the field is intense, but as soon as it ends, the players have more in common because they play than they do with most of their other fellow students. Even hard fought matches, with a lot of contact don't carry over to after game animosity.

Definitely true, even with the bitchy girls teams. There's a lot of funny, dirty rugby songs, there's the tradition of "golfballing" people, there's usually a keg and food provided by the hosting team.

 

[oggbashan]

...In my thirty-one seasons refereeing...

Referee? I knew we were missing something. Usually one of the injured players acted as referee...

Og

 

[BlackShanglan]

Bah. Give my hurling for war on a level green field.

My favorite comment on hurling came from an old man on the sidelines who was being interviewed by a reporter from the States. When asked, "wouldn't it be wiser to wear padding?" he replied, "Oh heavens no. That'd slow you down and you'd be killed for certain."

Shanglan

 

[snooper]

Referee? I knew we were missing something. Usually one of the injured players acted as referee...

Og

Well - it's like this - I am short-sighted and as it got worse I started tackling goal posts and spectators and assorted other non-players.

So my friends advised me to give up playing rugby, buy a white stick, a guide dog, dark glasses ...


















and a whistle.

 

[TheEarl]

Well - it's like this - I am short-sighted and as it got worse I started tackling goal posts and spectators and assorted other non-players.

So my friends advised me to give up playing rugby, buy a white stick, a guide dog, dark glasses ...


















and a whistle.

<sniggers>

We actually had a ref earlier in the season who wore dark glasses. He yellow-carded me for a first offence of handling in a ruck where I was the tackler, was on my feet and there were no opposition players. A ref who lived up to expectations!

The Earl

 

[sun_lover_61]

A rugby league scrum has been described as...

"One man trying to push two men up three men's arses".

Now, what else do you need to know?!

Sun Lover 61

ps Gwlad! Gwlad! Cymru am byth

 

[sun_lover_61]

and on another matter...

I would also like to comment on Yui's av. God, ain't that a sweet little cameltoe?!! Holy cow!

SL61 (CT "expert")

ps Should be the subject of a new thread!

 

[TheEarl]

A rugby league scrum has been described as...

"One man trying to push two men up three men's arses".

Now, what else do you need to know?!

Sun Lover 61

ps Gwlad! Gwlad! Cymru am byth

Rugby leaguers don't scrum! <laughs at the thought>

The Earl

 

[sun_lover_61]

Rugby leaguers don't scrum! <laughs at the thought>

The Earl

I'm Welsh. Am I going to argue with you? That is just what someone said!

SL61

 

[oggbashan]

I'm Welsh. Am I going to argue with you? That is just what someone said!

SL61

Making a basic mistake with a Rugby expert like The Earl around means that the correction will be swift and certain.

How do I know he's an expert? He has the bruises and scars to prove it.

So had I although the bruises faded years ago. The scars are less prominent. The evidence shows up on X-Rays.

Og

 

[TheEarl]

Making a basic mistake with a Rugby expert like The Earl around means that the correction will be swift and certain.

How do I know he's an expert? He has the bruises and scars to prove it.

So had I although the bruises faded years ago. The scars are less prominent. The evidence shows up on X-Rays.

Og

I just like to take the oppotunity to laugh heartily at rugby lite (or league as it's known).

The Earl