The Rugby

[baggiebloke]

We were off the pace today and Scotland were good.

Fucking annoying.

[baggpuss]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

If you're referring to me, I played rugby for years, played for my county and watch all England internationals. I just don't think it's a particularly big sport in this country relative to places such as Wales, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, where it has a much higher profile and plays a much bigger role in the national psyche. Part of rugby union's problem in the UK is its association with the public school system and hence a class division that doesn't exist elsewhere.

Yeah - lived in SA and toured Oz and NZ, it is a religion in SA and NZ and depends where in Oz (League massive).

[Derek Hardballs]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

played at colts level and second team for a local club when I was 15-16 and had a trial for Moseley so I do know the sport. 

Registered male players for...

Scotland 49,265
Wales 83,120
Ireland 101,922
New Zealand 150,727
Australia 230,753
England 382,154

Sauce

As I said punching well below our weight.

[baggiebloke]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

If you're referring to me, I played rugby for years, played for my county and watch all England internationals. I just don't think it's a particularly big sport in this country relative to places such as Wales, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, where it has a much higher profile and plays a much bigger role in the national psyche. Part of rugby union's problem in the UK is its association with the public school system and hence a class division that doesn't exist elsewhere.

I went to a comp. 

Rugby was the winter sport, Association Football was against school rules. You couldn't even play football at break or lunch time. 

After I'd left they relaxed the rules and the school maintained an excellent rugby team and an all conquering (Association) football team.

Personally, I loved playing rugby.

[HugeHons]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

played at colts level and second team for a local club when I was 15-16 and had a trial for Moseley so I do know the sport. 

Registered male players for...

Scotland 49,265
Wales 83,120
Ireland 101,922
New Zealand 150,727
Australia 230,753
England 382,154

Sauce

So as a percentage of the population England have the fewest players.

[Derek Hardballs]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

played at colts level and second team for a local club when I was 15-16 and had a trial for Moseley so I do know the sport. 

Registered male players for...

Scotland 49,265
Wales 83,120
Ireland 101,922
New Zealand 150,727
Australia 230,753
England 382,154

Sauce

So as a percentage of the population England have the fewest players.

They still have more players to choose from. Unless the argument is those who play aren’t very good?

[DemonicBaggie]

That was very much like the teeth-pulling exercise of watching Albion this season. If it could be made to go wrong, it did. England looked inept in every department bar some last ditch Johnstonesque defending. Scotland looked faster, fitter, quicker-thinking and creative. Thought I was going to get a break from that sort of hopeless feeling today!

[steviedm]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

If you're referring to me, I played rugby for years, played for my county and watch all England internationals. I just don't think it's a particularly big sport in this country relative to places such as Wales, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, where it has a much higher profile and plays a much bigger role in the national psyche. Part of rugby union's problem in the UK is its association with the public school system and hence a class division that doesn't exist elsewhere.

I went to a comp. 

Rugby was the winter sport, Association Football was against school rules. You couldn't even play football at break or lunch time. 

After I'd left they relaxed the rules and the school maintained an excellent rugby team and an all conquering (Association) football team.

Personally, I loved playing rugby.

Sure, but that's atypical. In terms of participation in sport, data from 2019 shows around two and a half million participants in football. The rugby union figure is 10% of that.

[Dumbo]

Always amazes me that people feel the need to stop by and give their views on a sport they don’t like or watch.

played at colts level and second team for a local club when I was 15-16 and had a trial for Moseley so I do know the sport. 

Registered male players for...

Scotland 49,265
Wales 83,120
Ireland 101,922
New Zealand 150,727
Australia 230,753
England 382,154

Sauce

So as a percentage of the population England have the fewest players.

They still have more players to choose from. Unless the argument is those who play aren’t very good?

So why don’t USA win the football World Cup every tournament?

[steviedm]

That was very much like the teeth-pulling exercise of watching Albion this season. If it could be made to go wrong, it did. England looked inept in every department bar some last ditch Johnstonesque defending. Scotland looked faster, fitter, quicker-thinking and creative. Thought I was going to get a break from that sort of hopeless feeling today!

Ha ha ha. Yes, Albion make all opposition look like world beaters and Scotland looked better in every department throughout. I thought it'd shift after half time especially with the man short for a while, but no. Very Albion-esque from England!