I am so over rugby union

**Hitcher** · 27th July 2009, 13:25

I am so over rugby union.

And not just because the New Zealand International Mens First XV lost convincingly to the South African Springboks in the wee smalls of Sunday morning.

And not just because the "marketing" department at the NZRU has prohibited inappropriate use of the term "All Blacks" that they believe is their registered trade mark.

And not just because that the first thing that our pussy-whipped forwards vow to do after a decent thrashing is to "muscle up" for next time.

And not just because the media is fascinated with the underwear worn by a crippled first-five eight.

And not just because Brad Thorn can do eight, or that some kids are so poor that All Blacks need to sell them bottled water, with a 5 cent-per-bottle donation made to some made up charity, when the same kids can get perfectly good water out of a tap for nothing.

And not just because Richie McCaw is a cheat and has the captaincy skills of a possum trapped in the headlights of an approaching Kenworth.

And not just because our national selectors think that Jimmy Cowan is the best halfback in the country.

And not just because referees and match officials are incapable of seeing the basic infringements (forward passes, unstraight lineout throws, ball fed under hooker's feet, offside, etc) that I can clearly see from my Laz-y-boy(TM)).

And not just because this game has some patently stupid laws (the mark, the 22m drop-out (what's with that 22m anyway?), the advantage line...).

And it's not just because people can become All Blacks without ever having played club rugby or indeed without ever having been a member of a rugby club.

And it's not just because the NPC changes every season.

No, it's because it's not my game any more. Full credit to the NZRU for doing that.

I am converting immediately to the beguiling and strangely compelling sport of wife bouncing. Rule 1: Use somebody else's wife...

**Pwalo** · 27th July 2009, 13:38

On the other hand, the MotoGP and WSB/WSS I recorded this morning should be sweet.

Actually I'm pretty bored with the whole rugby thing. Too may games, too many series, too many rule variations, too many coaching staff, and we just can't seem to win any more!

**Dooly** · 27th July 2009, 13:40

On yer Hitch, me too, but worse for me as well...........I'm a Warrior's supporter.

**MisterD** · 27th July 2009, 13:47

Originally Posted by Hitcher

And not just because this game has some patently stupid laws (the mark, the 22m drop-out (what's with that 22m anyway?), the advantage line...).

What wrong with the mark? It's one of the original features of the game, pre-dating the constant meddling with the laws to try to make it more "entertaining"...it's meant to discourage teams from hoofing the ball aimlessly into their opponents' 22 (and helping you out here, that's just a metric approximation to the original 25 yards)...however aimless hoofing seems to be the way to play the E (spit) L (spit) V's (spit).

HTH and all that.

**ynot slow** · 27th July 2009, 13:54

Originally Posted by Dooly

On yer Hitch, me too, but worse for me as well...........I'm a Warrior's supporter.

Hell I like the All Whites as well.

Actually,years of getting up early in the morning to watch the ABs play in England or so on the only tv channel at the time(1972-onwards)complete with mum making toasted sammies or scones,was part of life for us.

But with the advent of night games,pay tv,it doesn't hold the same interest for me,and I bet I'm not alone here.I watch a test on prime at 9.30pm if in Auckland if unable to get to a pub to watch live,but didn't wait up till yesterday arvo on prime without knowing the result,just got up hit teletext and thought yep got me 8 points on virtual rugby.

The day didn't become a disaster after reading it from t/text,didn't kick the cat,dog or wife due to the loss,hey life went on.Yep I still want the team to win,but am not naive to think they are going to win everytime,just the bloody final of world cup would suffice now and again.

I think the rugby union don't realise the bullshit dept of thiers is telling them just that,"bullshit" on crowds wanting to pay $100 plus for tests in middle of winter at night.If SA can have day tests,why can't we and Aussie,oh yep $$$ from tv from northern hemisphere,night games in SA are better weather wise than here.

**Hitcher** · 27th July 2009, 13:57

Originally Posted by MisterD

What wrong with the mark? It's one of the original features of the game, pre-dating the constant meddling with the laws to try to make it more "entertaining"...it's meant to discourage teams from hoofing the ball aimlessly into their opponents' 22 (and helping you out here, that's just a metric approximation to the original 25 yards)...however aimless hoofing seems to be the way to play the E (spit) L (spit) V's (spit).

HTH and all that.

The mark is a get-out-of-jail-free card. Rather than have the game limp to (yet another) restart after some wuss catches a high ball within the confines of their own 22m area, why not let the attacking team have at it on the same terms as they can in any other part of the ground? The object of the game, surely, is to favour the attacking team? The way rugby's laws have evolved, there is no longer much advantage to be gained from possession. Defending teams are allowed to stand right on the advantage line (hind-most-foot nonsense). This means that the attacking team has much work to do to even reach the advantage line. That generally results in the ball being kicked away down field for some opportunistic twat to mark.

In the Good Old Days(TM), 25 yards was a quarter of the field if indeed a full-size field was ever used (which venues such as Rugby Park in New Plymouth wasn't until very recently). For all the use it is, 22m may as well become 20m, which means that the same set of line markings could be used for pitches that are used for both league and union.

**portokiwi** · 27th July 2009, 14:03

nothing wrong with the rugby. we got beaten by a better team on the day.
Not to say I am still on top of KB virtual rugby

Yes the game pissed me off too but thats part of the enjoyment lol.
NZRFU did keep that manager that has been there for the loss of how many RW Cups and many many test matches.
But we allways say Hay he will bring the team back to form.... He gets

for getting paid so much for keeping the ABs

**p.dath** · 27th July 2009, 14:04

I think the sport is now a business with a few very highly paid employees, and not so much a national past time.
For some reason this business gets more TV coverage than most. Can't figure out why, but full kudos to the CEO and his marketing team. Great job.

**MisterD** · 27th July 2009, 14:25

Originally Posted by Hitcher

The mark is a get-out-of-jail-free card. Rather than have the game limp to (yet another) restart after some wuss catches a high ball within the confines of their own 22m area, why not let the attacking team have at it on the same terms as they can in any other part of the ground? The object of the game, surely, is to favour the attacking team? The way rugby's laws have evolved, there is no longer much advantage to be gained from possession. Defending teams are allowed to stand right on the advantage line (hind-most-foot nonsense). This means that the attacking team has much work to do to even reach the advantage line. That generally results in the ball being kicked away down field for some opportunistic twat to mark.

The object of the game is to score points by running and passing the ball from hand to hand between players who are on their feet and on-side (ie behind or level with the ball carrier).

In the Good Old Days (TM) if you were making progress forwards (and via the forwards) you retained possession and rucks and mauls sucked in far more defenders and attackers than now. This meant that neither back line was swamped with under-employed single-digit jumpers...

The mark (for my money) at least encourages some thought to kicking, either into space or short of the 22 to keep the ball "live". I'd hate to see a move to some version of league's 40/20 rule...that's just encouraging a lack of imagination and intelligence, something which characterises league games (and no, I'm not an inveterate League hater, if you'd asked the 10 year-old MisterD who he supported, the answer would have been "Warrington").

**ManDownUnder** · 27th July 2009, 14:32

I'm guessing you didn't get any this morning Hitch?

**Hitcher** · 27th July 2009, 15:08

Originally Posted by p.dath

I think the sport is now a business with a few very highly paid employees, and not so much a national past time.
For some reason this business gets more TV coverage than most. Can't figure out why, but full kudos to the CEO and his marketing team. Great job.

Pastime. Rugby Union has always been a sport, never a pastime. It gets "more coverage than most" because it's comparatively cheap and has a large viewing audience. The "CEO and his marketing team" deserve little kudos because, in order to retain their commercial broadcast arrangements, they have had to supply more "product" for the same price. That's why for the next month or so we will be "treated" to an endless diet of All Blacks vs Wobblies and Springboks tests as they compete for a trophy that nobody really gives a fig about.

If the Saffas decide their rugby interests are better served by playing in Europe (more money, same time zone and all of that), then professional rugby in NZ and Oz is fucked, because most of the Sanzar broadcast dollars/rand come from the Republic.

**Winston001** · 27th July 2009, 15:15

Originally Posted by p.dath

I think the sport is now a business with a few very highly paid employees, and not so much a national past time.
For some reason this business gets more TV coverage than most. Can't figure out why, but full kudos to the CEO and his marketing team.

Must admit I've thought the same this year. Rugby Union seems to be fading as our national sport and I really don't know where the future All Blacks are going to come from.

I do think it is a shame because a good rugby match is a complex game with far more variety than rugby league, American football, or soccer. But those great matches are becoming more rare. Whether its a problem with recent rule changes or simply playing at night I do not know.

**Big Dave** · 27th July 2009, 15:23

It's the consistently putting the ball out of play for tactical advantage, the endless penalties and the stomping and rucking with the studs that does it for me.

And that Saints are 4 points clear and Carlton look like making the semis.