Rugby Union

Gary Coyle

Gary Coyle

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Seriously, whats the point in this game.

Spent a cold wet evening covering Leeds Carnegie v Sale Sharks and along with other togs came to the conclusion that it's a waste of my time, theirs and the spectators

80 minutes spent watching grown men kick the ball up field towards you giving you the hope that some action might actually happen within 50 metres of you only for some fool to kick the ball 60 metres down field away from you, not just that but the game never flows with every scrum or line out preceeded by a leisurely walk from 30 players and a 5 minute rest and the ref in no hurry to resume play.

First half 37 shots taken and probably about 25 useable with several being stock type stuff, second half we only saw meaningful attacking play in our half of the ground 3 times with knock ons and penalties putting an end to any chance of a score, a grand total of 20 shots taken before i i said to the tog to my right "sod this im off" so i packed up and left, on my way out i bagged another half dozen or so shots as i walked down the touchline towards the enterance.

Shocking game, ive not covered much RU but of the 7 or 8 games i have covered ive got a similar result at least half of the time.

Give me Marbles any day.

Rant over. :wacky:
 
Sorry to hear of your bad experience.It is a fact that rugby union is going through a bad spell,a few laws have been introduced which have encouraged this type of game.The people who rule,lets hope they can sort things out,with the WC coming up next year,the sport MUST put on a good show and I’m sure it will.
As for me;I’m now off to Toulouse,it’s five hours there and back for me and I can promise you,if I thought it would be anything like your game last night(IT WILL NOT),I would not go.;)
 
I know it can be frustrating! Been there and tried it! If we really want to watch running rugby, I could suggest moving to the Southern Hemisphere where they actually 'run the ball' instead of the European style of 'kick and hope the opposition doesn't run back at us', (which they obviously don't do being Northern Hemisphere teams!)

Just my few pennies worth!
 
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I found that the only way to get some decent sellable images is to have the freedom to walk round the pitch...either up and down the side lines or 1 side and 1 end... Gets very fast and you have to have knowledge of the game...More predicting the next area of action. Certainly keeps me busy.
 
i did a few union start of season! waste of time, and i wont be in a rush to do anymore!
 
Tugster said:
I found that the only way to get some decent sellable images is to have the freedom to walk round the pitch...either up and down the side lines or 1 side and 1 end... Gets very fast and you have to have knowledge of the game...More predicting the next area of action. Certainly keeps me busy.
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I am lucky at Southend RFC because as Tugster say's I have the freedom to walk around the pitch and go where I want to. We have a barrier around the pitch which keeps the supporters back and allows us to get pitchside.
 
jaydee said:
I know it can be frustrating! Been there and tried it! If we really want to watch running rugby, I could suggest moving to the Southern Hemisphere where they actually 'run the ball' instead of the European style of 'kick and hope the opposition doesn't run back at us', (which they obviously don't do being Northern Hemisphere teams!)

Just my few pennies worth!
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If you have seen some of the pitches we play on in this country where its more like a quagmire and your up to your ankles in mud, then you cant run the ball so it has to be kicked.

Probably if we played in the summer and not the winter months then I think you would see a different game. I am not saying that we always run the ball when we have half decent pitches but it does help to have decent conditions.
 
I video'd my 17 year old playing for Kent U18s a few weeks ago. He didn't play too well.

Then on Weds night I decided not to video as it was under lights.

He then hits every lineout and hooks 2 against the head.

..kin ell I was upset.

Hardly any kicks as they are getting marked for South of England trials.

As was mentioned by JayDee Southern Hemisphere rugby is a different game - light years ahead of our game.
 
Gary Coyle said:
80 minutes spent watching grown men kick the ball up field towards you giving you the hope that some action might actually happen within 50 metres of you only for some fool to kick the ball 60 metres down field away from you, not just that but the game never flows with every scrum or line out preceeded by a leisurely walk from 30 players and a 5 minute rest and the ref in no hurry to resume play.
:wacky:
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:LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::clap::clap:

You have summed up English rugby perfectly. This is what the southern hemisphere has been saying for years. Someone recently placed gps thingees on Super14 players and Heineken cup players. And quess what? The Super 14 players moved twice as far, twice as fast.
Doesn`t help that the IRB change the rules every year. last year or year before that, the rules were different between hemisphere`s.:thinking:
 
Done a fair few Falcons games (and the odd other lower level Union game here and there) and I still hate it, slow and very boring, total waste of time indeed.
 
I loved playing Union
I love watching Union
I am very glad I did not go to the dire Leeds/Sale Match on friday.

Leeds have been abysmal this season... This is the first season, in a long while, that I have not bothered with a season ticket.
 
Leeds have been abysmal for several seasons, as have Sale.

Rugby isn't all about running - the sooner the SH learn this the better - you need different shapes and sizes to do different tasks otherwise we'd all be watching league.

Unfortunately the other aspects of the game aren't quite so photogenic to the rugby laymen (not photographic) rather than enthusiasts - the leap of a full back taking a clean catch under pressure, the lock being lifted by a single prop at the front of the line-out to steal possession, the art form that is a well structured ruck trundling forward leaving opposition bodies in its wake, the tight-head turning the screw and making the loose-head pop-up, a single player out rucking 4 opponents and shoving them backwards

These are the great things in the game that most people don't appreciate - even after years of watching - as they'd rather see a winger running fast with ball in hand even if no-one is near him.
 
It's the only sport I've really covered, there's a lot more running Rugby the lower down the divisions you go. But I can't imagine that Leeds-Sale match was very good, especially with the wet conditions = pinging it back and forth.
 
Funny I could say the same question about rugby league. It just seems to be a repetitive tedium of pass, run into someone a few yards away, repeat 5 more times and then hoof the ball down the pitch - repeat ad infinitum to end of the game. Of course occaisonally someone breaks through and scores but 95% of the game seems the same. There's far more variety in union for togs to capture IMO [ducks and dodges incoming volley of plastic cups and sharp objects from some on here] :p

To be fair Gary you probably found yourself at the worst, most dire premiership match for years. The Sale coach blamed their negative game-plan on the narrow Leeds pitch, and Leeds themselves are terrible value for a tog, or anyone in the stands looking for entertainment! Union's improved a lot this year though, with new law interpretations coming into effect.
 
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