All Blacks V Ireland. The "Pick and go"

[toycollector10]

What a load of cr*p"

They deserved to lose! Doing that business in their own 40. Give me a break. And Deans V's Henry??? I will support the AB's but they need to get their SH*T IN ONE SOCK! Pathetic is all I can say.

The role of the forwards is to feed the ball to the backs. Full Stop!

Bring it on!!

[AllanB]

Ah who won?

[MIXONE]

Better result then the last time they played eh!Give them time.

[oldrider]

So who bloody won? :confused: "please" John.

[AllanB]

But WHO WON?????????

[MIXONE]

You mean you have to ask?


















OK ABs21 Ir11

[hellkat]

Mine eyes are still glazed from the sight of so many heaving thighs in wet shorts :love:

Tis nice to be watching so much rugby again.

[Usarka]

There are plenty more robbies in the sea......

[Ragingrob]

It's called wearing the opposition down and drawing more players into the ruck area in order to then create space for the backs to have a gallop.

Also, with weather like that rugby always turns into a forward orientated kicking game. Would you rather pick the ball up off the ground and run or be passing and catching the ball when it's slippery as soap?

[Colapop]

Try and play in those conditions. It's easy to sit at home in your nice warm lounge and critique the guys playing in shit conditions.

[tri boy]

I thought both teams played quite well considering the weather.
Strong Irish defence and a untried mixture of ABs.

[toycollector10]

I'm now 54 years old and am happy to let the young 'uns do it.

In the old days we would have thrashed them 56/5, so it's not a win, its a lucky break.

If you spend 10 minutes doing the pick and go you deprive your backs of try scoring opportunities for that amount of time. What if we were losing, it would still be the same old cr*p, a-la the World Cup. How pathetic. They deserved to be knocked out in the first round. Especially if you are in your own half. How boring and frustrating it all was.

Look at the statistics. In the 58th minute the AB's had done 29 pick and goes to Irelands' 4. The score at that stage was 11 all. Whoop de doo.

Then in the 64th minute Carter and Nonu get a touch (praise the Lord, some back play) and they pull of a decicive lead.

The whole nation, including the coaches and staff have forgotten the basic tennet which is that forwards get possession, who then feed the back line, who then score tries which are converted into points.

I will say this again...I'ts Bloody pathetic how this game has been hijacked by the "Forwards Coach", or whoever.

And the NZRFU need a bloody good clearout. They are effing useless.

[Usarka]

I didn't even watch it. seen one whole game of rugby this year. overdosed over the last 4 years, season started while cricket was still on, and we re-hired the guy who failed his #1 goal in his job instead of a guy who has been successful in arguably the toughest comp in Rugby for the last 8 years.

[toycollector10]

I'm with Usarka. It's cr*ap to watch

I watch the Warriors so that I can see some exciting ball skills.
So, they're at the bottom of the table. So what, at least it's interesting.

Rugby, Shmugby.

And while I'm at it. The Press down here in Canterbury was all front page news about the boorish behaviour of the Crusaders fans. Spitting on Hurricane supporters, swearing and filthy language directed af families with young children.

You Crusader supporters need to get another interest that doesn't involve your basest behaviour. There is a small minority of you THAT SUCK!

[Usarka]

And while I'm at it. The Press down here in Canterbury was all front page news about the boorish behaviour of the Crusaders fans. Spitting on Hurricane supporters, swearing and filthy language directed af families with young children.

You Crusader supporters need to get another interest that doesn't involve your basest behaviour. There is a small minority of you THAT SUCK!

They did that to John Hart also......who i would argue was the best coach we've had for a looooooong time.

[toycollector10]

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. - Confucius

Nice Tag Line dude...can I use that on my other forums?

[Usarka]

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. - Confucius

Nice Tag Line dude...can I use that on my other forums?

No, I hold the copyright for quoting confucious ;)

[Swoop]

Not fucking thugby AGAIN?

That happened last year as well. Loads of morons running around...
Can we have more motorsports on television please? Pointy-ball stuff is boring!

[toycollector10]

Nice post, but too late!.....It's already gone, mofar..

I liked this one though

"Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses".
Confucius


So true.

[toycollector10]

Hey Swoop. I was asleep back then old son.

I have just woken up to the cr*p that is All Black Ruby in the Third Millenium.

[Hitcher]

All I can say is "Thank god for covered seats". It was cold, wet and miserable at the Stadium this evening.

I take back all of the criticism I have ever levelled at gridiron for being more no-play than play. An average game of rugby, as tonight's "test" was, cannot compete with League, Soccer or Rules for non-stop, crowd-absorbing action. At least viewers at home have action replays and other relief, rather than the crushing boredom people at the ground have to content with while an army of trainers dispense litres of water at every available opportunity.

Tonight's display by the All Blacks was pathetic -- following on from last year's World Cup debacle -- deja vue all over again. Clearly the only thing they have been practising over the past couple of weeks has been the haka and pointless kicking. Dan Crater had an exceptional display of inane kicking. If that's the best this overrated jock can do, then Toulon are welcome to him. He should have been subbed off after seven minutes in preference for Stephen Donald.

I don't know what the coaching staff do. Giving a game plan to 15 players to implement clearly isn't part of their role.

The ABs' tight five struggled against a willing and determined Irish pack. Our lineout sucked, scrums were average, and the less said about performance at the restart, the better.

Ma'a Nonu, despite scoring a try from the only time in the match Dan Crater forgot to kick and decided to have a run, must have surely convinced the selectors by now that he is a waste of space at international level.

The Wallabies and Springboks won't be losing much sleep after watching last night's AB performance.

[Swoop]

Hey Swoop. I was asleep back then old son.

I have just woken up to the cr*p that is All Black Ruby in the Third Millenium.
Bunch of over ego'ed, over paid, arsehole-fingering, handbag carrying, makeup wearing twats.
It sounds like the NZ cricket team should have played instead.

They might as well because they choke at their own game.

Where's the fucking motorsports? IOM would be good for a start.

[toycollector10]

Nice post Hitcher, sorry that you had to get wet and all. "Pine Tree", Tremain, Laidlaw, Herewini, Kirton, Murdoch, McKormic, Thorne, Clarke, Williams, Murdoch, Norton, Mains, and lord knows who else will probably have been sitting a home going "OMFG, What the F*ck are they doing"

I think I'm going to watch ladies netball to get my thrills this winter.

[Hitcher]

I've just heard Graham Henry's after-match comments. The man is clearly delusional and living on a different planet. There are few positives that should be taken from tonight's match.

Prediction: Most of next week will be spent practising the "other" haka.

[toycollector10]

"The other haka"...You crack me up mate.

This is a Haka, not a bloody girlie dance..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKnUMaR5IkA

[Hawkeye]

All I can say is "Thank god for covered seats". It was cold, wet and miserable at the Stadium this evening.

I take back all of the criticism I have ever levelled at gridiron for being more no-play than play. An average game of rugby, as tonight's "test" was, cannot compete with League, Soccer or Rules for non-stop, crowd-absorbing action. At least viewers at home have action replays and other relief, rather than the crushing boredom people at the ground have to content with while an army of trainers dispense litres of water at every available opportunity.

Tonight's display by the All Blacks was pathetic -- following on from last year's World Cup debacle -- deja vue all over again. Clearly the only thing they have been practising over the past couple of weeks has been the haka and pointless kicking. Dan Crater had an exceptional display of inane kicking. If that's the best this overrated jock can do, then Toulon are welcome to him. He should have been subbed off after seven minutes in preference for Stephen Donald.

I don't know what the coaching staff do. Giving a game plan to 15 players to implement clearly isn't part of their role.

The ABs' tight five struggled against a willing and determined Irish pack. Our lineout sucked, scrums were average, and the less said about performance at the restart, the better.

Ma'a Nonu, despite scoring a try from the only time in the match Dan Crater forgot to kick and decided to have a run, must have surely convinced the selectors by now that he is a waste of space at international level.

The Wallabies and Springboks won't be losing much sleep after watching last night's AB performance.

After over 12 years living in NZ, I finally went to a 'live' rugby game. All I can say is that thank god I didn't have to pay for the tickets. Kiwi's complain that football (soccer) is boring. If tonight was the alternative, I'm away to paint a wall and watch it dry.
I sat in disbelief that I was watching the national team, playing the national sport. The game was boring. The atmosphere none existant. The irish dancers at the start were more exciting.

[toycollector10]

Correct me if I'm wrong but a loose translation of the Haka (Te Raupraha's) is "I see dark, I see light..etc etc I will kill..." Sorry, it's too graphic and it will get me banned from KB so I won't go on....

But there is ONLY one AB haka and I don't want to hear the sanitised PC version. Do you?

What they are saying in the YouTube video is "Don't F*ck with us, or we will F*ck you up"

I like the attitude which is clearly spelt out on the paddock. Puts the opposition on the back foot right from the start.

[toycollector10]

Something about a "Cutting of the throat" movement that was meant to signify the life force of the football or some other thing ???? Was it???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zvs4T4RU30

[Oakie]

and we re-hired the guy who failed his #1 goal in his job ummm ... we replaced all the coaches who didn't win the cup in 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003 and that didn't result in a subsequent win did it? Perhaps it was time to try something other than the time honoured 'sack the coach' tactic.


instead of a guy who has been successful in arguably the toughest comp in Rugby for the last 8 years. with the team lineups the Crusaders have had over the years my mother could have coached them to win. Just tell them where the park is would probably do it.

[Oakie]

I thought both teams played quite well considering the weather. Yep. Like us when riding, they played to suit the conditions.


Strong Irish defence and a untried mixture of ABs. Indeed.

I actually enjoyed the game. It was like one of those tight, tense tests of years gone by. Interestingly for a game played in such frustrating conditions, it was a very clean game too. One bit of unneccesary footwork and one soft elbow thrown but apart from that, played hard but fair.

[Colapop]

I agree. Technically it was a good game. No it wasn't the flashy open rugby we get used to seeing in the Super 14, it was good honest hard graft stuff. People have to remember that world rugby doesn't have a stand out team that is streets ahead of everyone else (in the top 10)

[Whynot]

fuck you lot can moan can't you?
they won didn't they?
and it was really difficult conditions and a new team etc.

some of you old bastards need to start living in the real world

[Usarka]

ummm ... we replaced all the coaches who didn't win the cup in 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003 and that didn't result in a subsequent win did it? Perhaps it was time to try something other than the time honoured 'sack the coach' tactic.
Which maybe suggests that our players, culture, attitude etc aren't up to winning the world cup these days regardless of who the coach is.....?



with the team lineups the Crusaders have had over the years my mother could have coached them to win. Just tell them where the park is would probably do it.

hmmmmmmmm :sherlock: If thats true then why not put the crusaders as the national team?

[bull]

Well i also didnt enjoy the game and im a huge rugger fan. Thought it was really rough from us skillswise. But in saying that, the weather was shite, the ref was northern hemisphere and the ELV rules our guys have been playing for the entire S14 season were dropped back to the international rules and we still beat a strong Irish team. What more do we expect? im with you Oakie, lets not just keep dropping the coach and hoping the next one can do the world cup coz it hasnt happened yet so trying something new is worth a go.
Bottom line - poor conditions, 2 weeks prep to gel as team, new combinations and new palyers and still beat a top northern hemisphere international squad. Future looks promising for the new ABs.

[Oakie]

Which maybe suggests that our players, culture, attitude etc aren't up to winning the world cup these days regardless of who the coach is.....? You may be right! In some seriousness, I do blame the period which we went through when kids were told that it's the taking part that's important, not the winning. (I even watched kids games where the score wasn't taken and everyone was told at the end they'd done jolly well!). I think that has removed some of the 'killer' instinct' from our contemporary NZ sports representatives.


hmmmmmmmm :sherlock: If thats true then why not put the crusaders as the national team? That could be a start point. I'm not a Crusaders fan but I am a qualified coach in another code and I've often thought that where you have these sort of competitions you could use the winning team as your base for a rep team but then go through that team one by one and perhaps replace some with better players from other teams.

[davo]

What a load of cr*p"

They deserved to lose! Doing that business in their own 40. Give me a break. And Deans V's Henry??? I will support the AB's but they need to get their SH*T IN ONE SOCK! Pathetic is all I can say.

The role of the forwards is to feed the ball to the backs. Full Stop!

Bring it on!!


Ok I haven't read the rest of this thread incase you are joking, but its people like you who want running rugby that do my head in. I want the All Blacks of old that had serious grit and hardness, and played for the win, not how it would look.

Tonight we saw some of that in the forward dominance and clearance kicking; looked pretty? no, won us the match? yes. If you want pretty go watch the roundball game; Let the rest of us enjoy the brusing collisions and destruction of an oppositions forward pack.

As for Deans vs Henry, build a bridge...

[tri boy]

On a side note, Warren Gaitlands Welsh team took a bit of a drumming from a very strong Springbok team.
AB's will need to gel quickly, and build a solid, cohesive, nuggety pack if they wish to put the shivers up the Wallabies/Bok's/Pom's backs.
Interesting season coming up.

[KiwiRat]

You may be right! In some seriousness, I do blame the period which we went through when kids were told that it's the taking part that's important, not the winning.

I agree. A ludicrous philosophy to teach to kids.

The primary -well, only when you think about it- goal of any sport is to score more points (or less as the case may be)than the opposition. Simple really, winning is important.

We have inadvertently helped a generaton of kids lose their killer edge when it comes to sport.

[Hitcher]

some of you old bastards need to start living in the real world

I don't ask much from professional sports people. They get six days a week to practice their jobs. I wish that I got six days each week to practice mine. On that basis I expect a 100% effort from them.

In those six days one would think that these "professionals" would have worked on perfecting their skills and developing a game plan. One would also hope than being selected to represent their country would engender a bit of passion and effort over and above that which they may have cantered around during Super 14.

All Blacks have their eyes on the big money on offer in international clubs. Their AB-ness is now merely a stepping stone. The black jersey's currency has been significantly devalued by professionalism and such tournaments as the Tri-Nations. I am old enough to remember when tests against South Africa actually meant something, rather than being just another weekend of rugby.

Old bastard? Yes. Real world? Regrettably and sadly yes to that as well.

[MIXONE]

You may be right! In some seriousness, I do blame the period which we went through when kids were told that it's the taking part that's important, not the winning. (I even watched kids games where the score wasn't taken and everyone was told at the end they'd done jolly well!). I think that has removed some of the 'killer' instinct' from our contemporary NZ sports representatives.
.
Yep that was/is bs alright.My sons when first playing football were told that it was a draw after each game.They knew this was crap and often said."How come we didn't win when we scored more goals?"
I coach 8/9 year olds and our team philosophy is "Sport is fun and the most fun is winning"Non pc but I don't give a fuck!


On a side note, Warren Gaitlands Welsh team took a bit of a drumming from a very strong Springbok team.
AB's will need to gel quickly, and build a solid, cohesive, nuggety pack if they wish to put the shivers up the Wallabies/Bok's/Pom's backs.
Interesting season coming up.

I think it's been a long time since an AB pack sent shivers up an opposition team.Individual players yes but not as a pack or a team.We lost our mojo some time back.

[spookytooth]

Personally i was impressed with the ball handling skills considering the weather.Yea there was more than a few times that the ball should have gone wide,but thats pretty easy to see and say sitting by of a warm fire on a comfy couch.Well done guys :)

[Big Dave]

Can someone explain what Pick and go means please?
I thought it was something to do with a supermarket.

[tjwatt]

What a load of cr*p"

They deserved to lose! Doing that business in their own 40. Give me a break. And Deans V's Henry??? I will support the AB's but they need to get their SH*T IN ONE SOCK! Pathetic is all I can say.

The role of the forwards is to feed the ball to the backs. Full Stop!

Bring it on!! Ab's have alot to do. Deans ahead of Henry any day. But still support AB'S

[Hitcher]

Can someone explain what Pick and go means please?
I thought it was something to do with a supermarket.

It's a technique that involves forwards picking up the ball from the back of a ruck and driving it forward so they themselves are tackled, leaving the ball behind so that the next wave of forwards can repeat the process until somebody knocks the ball on, giving the loosehead and feed to the opposition.

This technique worked well until rugby union sides hired rugby league defensive coaches. Against well drilled defensive sides, pick and go is little more than wasted effort, but it makes the forwards feel wanted.

[Big Dave]

Thanks - if you need help with AFL or NFL just let me knew.

[Terminated]

I was pleased to receive the Rugby 2008 guide that came with the Sunday Times this morning.

There is a feast of rugby, and I look forward to it. The bounce of the ball, the weather, the overall brilliance of teams - their offence and defence, their strategies.

Being in NZ now for 25years from across the ditch, I am what you would call an All Grey, a foot in each camp.

It doesn't matter whether it is the Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England....good rugby played well "Is Good".

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Headbanger]

fuck you lot can moan can't you?
they won didn't they?
and it was really difficult conditions and a new team etc.

some of you old bastards need to start living in the real world


Best post in the thread.

[Headbanger]

I am old enough to remember when tests against South Africa actually meant something



I must have missed something then, What did they mean?

[Usarka]

I must have missed something then, What did they mean?

It meant something special.

tests were special. they were tests

Now they are just an extension of club rugby. On 15 times a year from jan through nov. :yawn:

[Headbanger]

Pretty much the craptaculer answer I expected.

[Hitcher]

Pretty much the craptaculer answer I expected.

What's your point?

[Headbanger]

What's your point?

My point?

Well, seeing as you ask, I had hoped for a reasonable answer, or least an attempt at one, But I got what I expected, which was no answer at all.

Then, as now, Rugby is just a game. As much as I love the game, and its history, The "meaning" hasn't changed, Its always been about each country putting their best effort into winning on the day.


Its a pity some no longer enjoy it, And I agree with some of the points made about the changes that have been caused by going pro, But fucks sake, enough with the cry baby crap.



While I'm on the subject, How about we place a low salary cap on the AB's, Then all those not there for the team will follow the money faster. And I love the Tri-Nations, Its the highlight of the rugby year.

GO THE BLACKS!!!!!

[Oakie]

And I for love the Tri-Nations, Its the highlight of the rugby year.

I think that was part of Hitcher's point. We'll play South Africa 3 times in the next couple of months. Like we did last year. And the previous year. And next year. It used to be that we'd play them every 4 or 5 years. That meant that a series would come up perhaps once in a player's career and would be the pinnacle of a career. They're all just another game now. The empty seats at last night's game attest to that.

[tri boy]

Also a tour mean't provincial clubs, (and fans) had the opportunity to meet and play against their idol's, whether they were SA, English etc.
Alot of the atmosphere around visiting international teams has long since dissapeared.
Now they fly in, play, and fly out. (as opposed to a two month national tour).
The game is still similar, but some of the magic is gone. MHO

[Headbanger]

Also a tour mean't provincial clubs, (and fans) had the opportunity to meet and play against their idol's, whether they were SA, English etc.
Alot of the atmosphere around visiting international teams has long since dissapeared.
Now they fly in, play, and fly out. (as opposed to a two month national tour).
The game is still similar, but some of the magic is gone. MHO


Now, Thats a great answer.

[MisterD]

Then, as now, Rugby is just a game. As much as I love the game, and its history, The "meaning" hasn't changed, Its always been about each country putting their best effort into winning on the day.

Its a pity some no longer enjoy it, And I agree with some of the points made about the changes that have been caused by going pro, But fucks sake, enough with the cry baby crap.


The problem is that for the past few years we've been living under this media-inspired delusion that more rugby = better rugby. Well it doesn't. How old is Jerry Collins? He's knackered, gone, burnt out, at not even 30. It used to be that a player's best years started at that age...

The world cup has become the be-all and end-all, so we endure player rotation and "wider development squads" instead of a certainty that the blokes out on the field were the best available (in the opinion of the selectors, anyway).

[marioc]

Wtf cant believe this shit,the AB's played pretty dam well considering the conditions,the forwards were completly dominating,McCaw was simply superb.
Carter was a bit off colour but how often does that happen.
The game has changed it aint the 'good old days" anymore.
GO THE AB's!!!

[Ragingrob]

Wtf cant believe this shit,the AB's played pretty dam well considering the conditions,the forwards were completly dominating,McCaw was simply superb.
Carter was a bit off colour but how often does that happen.
The game has changed it aint the 'good old days" anymore.
GO THE AB's!!!

Exactly :niceone:

This is the first game of the All Blacks' season, so what's all this crap about there being too much rugby? Sure, the Super 14 has overdone it and it doesn't excite me as much as the Super 12 did, but c'mon, this is the All Blacks!

You start a thread about how shit their game was? 1) They won 2) The conditions were poor 3) They played to the conditions 4) They played damn well 5) They won.

You can't leave your keys in the ignition when you go for a beer these days. Life goes on.

[MisterD]

so what's all this crap about there being too much rugby?

Four, count 'em, four Bledisloe tests including one in Hong f-ing Kong this year...I rest my case. Yawntastic, it's all about the $$'s.

[Headbanger]

Well, Be miserable, Find something new to entertain, and stfu up about the rugby.

Go the Blacks.

The Bledisloe/tri-nations series of games are going to rock, as always.

[MisterD]

The Bledisloe/tri-nations series of games are going to rock, as always.

The point is, they'd rock a lot harder if there weren't so friggin many. We're paying more, for less. End of.

[Hitcher]

This thread is a reason why I avoid rugby fan sites.

Blind patriotism has no sensible place in reasoned discussion of the game nor in important decisions regarding its future. Rugby is the game of the people of New Zealand, and some of us would quite like to have it back, before the highest bidder takes it away from us.

[Headbanger]

This thread is a reason why I avoid rugby fan sites.

Blind patriotism has no sensible place in reasoned discussion of the game nor in important decisions regarding its future. Rugby is the game of the people of New Zealand, and some of us would quite like to have it back, before the highest bidder takes it away from us.

Sweet, I don't hold your (overtly negative) views so I'm blindly patriot, and you "speak" for the people of NZ?, since when?

Get a grip.

[James Deuce]

Play the ball, not the man.

[bull]

Four, count 'em, four Bledisloe tests including one in Hong f-ing Kong this year...I rest my case. Yawntastic, it's all about the $$'s.

To expand the game of rugby and promote it further they chose to have that game in Hong Kong - im sure if the motogp decided to come have a round over here in NZ to promote etc that the rest of the world would have a cry about it but wed be stoked and im sure the Hong Kong fellas are looking forward to seeing two of the worlds best rugby teams in their own city.

Seems like a good thing to me for the sport of Rugby.

[MisterD]

Seems like a good thing to me for the sport of Rugby.

If the various Rugby Unions were really concerned about the growth of the game, the next world cup would be in Japan.

[Ragingrob]

If the various Rugby Unions were really concerned about the growth of the game, the next world cup would be in Japan.

You're complaining that the world cup is going to be in NZ?

:wacko:

[Hitcher]

Seems like a good thing to me for the sport of Rugby.

Until there are no more test matches held in New Zealand, because there are much larger stadiums and more affluent ticket buyers in other parts of the world. The Bledisloe Cup is played between Australia and New Zealand, therefore those tests should be played in Australia or New Zealand. This ploy has got nothing to do with expanding the sport into other countries, unless perhaps a plan is to make the Bledisloe Cup a tri-series involving China. It is about money, nothing more. I'm not opposed to a professional sport looking at ways of increasing its revenue streams, as long as the organisers are honest about their motivation and strategic intent.

[MisterD]

You're complaining that the world cup is going to be in NZ?

:wacko:

Complaining? No. Does my head tell me that the game would have been better served by holding it in Japan? Yes.

[Ragingrob]

Complaining? No. Does my head tell me that the game would have been better served by holding it in Japan? Yes.

But a lot of fans would be pissed off and it would make people like in this thread think even less of the game, therefore not serving it better but worse.

[MisterD]

But a lot of fans would be pissed off and it would make people like in this thread think even less of the game, therefore not serving it better but worse.

Well sure, if you took it off them now. IMHO we got the world cup on a sympathy vote, because if the game does grow it's the last time this tin-pot little country will be able to pull it off...

[Ragingrob]

Well I for one am damn excited about the cup being held here, not just for the rugby, but also for the economic benefits it will bring.

With the All Blacks having been pretty much top of the world for such a long time, I think we deserve to host the world cup.

[Badjelly]

Not fucking thugby AGAIN?

Well, this is a thread about a rugby game, so yes. But you don't have to read it.

[Swoop]

Well, this is a thread about a rugby game, so yes. But you don't have to read it.
Unfortunately thugby in this country, is similar to a famous person who, when asked "do you listen to rock music" replied "It's like death - inescapable".
So it remains in the Banana Republic of Noo Zulland.

The sooner that sponsors and advertisers realise that the planet doesn't revolve around brain-dead sports, the better.

[Hitcher]

The sooner that sponsors and advertisers realise that the planet doesn't revolve around brain-dead sports, the better.

As soon as "brain-dead" sports stop pulling millions of viewers, sponsors and advertisers may see the error of their ways.

[Ragingrob]

Unfortunately thugby in this country, is similar to a famous person who, when asked "do you listen to rock music" replied "It's like death - inescapable".
So it remains in the Banana Republic of Noo Zulland.

The sooner that sponsors and advertisers realise that the planet doesn't revolve around brain-dead sports, the better.

I barely see any advertising for rugby around at all?! If I want to see rugby I need to turn on the tv to sport at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday, or read a couple of pages in the paper. I don't see how this is in-escapable?

[Swoop]

As soon as "brain-dead" sports stop pulling millions of viewers, sponsors and advertisers may see the error of their ways.
I see your point, alas it is true. The masses are easily amused.

I barely see any advertising for rugby around at all?! If I want to see rugby I need to turn on the tv to sport at 7:30 on Friday and Saturday, or read a couple of pages in the paper. I don't see how this is in-escapable?
Thugby in NZ is inescapable. Simple fact. It is force-fed down schoolkids throats, most pubs have walls covered with stuff, walk up to anyone in the street and ask "how's your team going in the xyz competition" and you'll get an answer.

The dollars thrown at the players for their mighty performances? Large salary, car, footwear, etc. Throw the same at the likes of Bruce Antsey, Shaun, the NZ rowers, etc, etc and we will see successes galore.
I wonder how the NZ athletes will fare in Beijing?

[marioc]

Thats hardly comparing apples with apples now is it.

[Ragingrob]

I see your point, alas it is true. The masses are easily amused.

Thugby in NZ is inescapable. Simple fact. It is force-fed down schoolkids throats, most pubs have walls covered with stuff, walk up to anyone in the street and ask "how's your team going in the xyz competition" and you'll get an answer.

The dollars thrown at the players for their mighty performances? Large salary, car, footwear, etc. Throw the same at the likes of Bruce Antsey, Shaun, the NZ rowers, etc, etc and we will see successes galore.
I wonder how the NZ athletes will fare in Beijing?

I'd have to disagree with you. The schools I went to did not force feed us rugby, even though I went to one of the top rugby high schools. We hear about the game on Monday morning and that's all.

Pubs are involved in the rugby culture.

I wouldn't know where the Blues came in the Super 14, so that's a fail.

[Oakie]

To expand the game of rugby and promote it further they chose to have that game in Hong Kong ....and im sure the Hong Kong fellas are looking forward to seeing two of the worlds best rugby teams in their own city.

Seems like a good thing to me for the sport of Rugby.

I'll reserve my opinion on that one until I see the ticket prices. Cheap enough for ordinary Hong Kong families to go with their kiddies so they can perhaps become interested in the game or restrictively expensive so just the elite can go? We'll see.

EDIT. Found this: Profit will be solely from gate takings, corporate packages and potential one-off sponsorships. The capacity at Hong Kong Stadium is about 40,000 and O'Neill said the most expensive tickets would be sold for just over HK$1000 ($160). and this The Hong Kong Rugby Union will host the match and will use the occasion to promote rugby with youth and club tournaments in the week leading up to the match and potentially a curtain raiser between Hong Kong and China on the day of the match. Take from that what you will.

[James Deuce]

I'd have to disagree with you. The schools I went to did not force feed us rugby, even though I went to one of the top rugby high schools. We hear about the game on Monday morning and that's all.

Pubs are involved in the rugby culture.

I wouldn't know where the Blues came in the Super 14, so that's a fail.

a. Girl's Schools are a bit soft on Rugby.

b. Ooo are they? I'll have to stay away from them. Done!

c. Not a Rugby fan then. So why argue the case?

[James Deuce]

...and O'Neill said the most expensive tickets would be sold for just over HK$1000 ($160).
That's a 10th of the average monthly wage. Given how that works in NZ and how much bigger the earning capacity is at the top of the wealth tree in HK, I don't think you'll be seeing average people at a Rugby event in HK. A bit like NZ really.

[Ragingrob]

a. Girl's Schools are a bit soft on Rugby.

b. Ooo are they? I'll have to stay away from them. Done!

c. Not a Rugby fan then. So why argue the case?

a. More of a boys school than you ever went to.

b. Um, ok.

c. I'm a pretty big fan of rugby, just don't care where exactly each team comes in the Super 14, lost interest the past few years in the comp.

d. Anyway according to some in this thread how could I not be a rugby fan? I'm a kiwi so got force-fed all through school

:baby:

[James Deuce]

There's kind of a rule on the Internet.

When the bad man with the fishing rod starts up the outboard on the little dinghy and dangles a hook in the water; don't bite.

[Ragingrob]

You expect to make personal remarks and assumptions and me not to have my say?