It was a try (No Capitals but loud is possible - just testing )

Well, it's the first time I've watched a whole rugby game. Some of you were kind enough to explain the game to me - at least, the essentials.
I like the fact that the ball must always be passed backwards.
It does seem to be different from American Football - I believe the distance gained is counted as well in Yank Rugby. Or am I mistaken?

Yesterday, in Pickwick was the loudest silence that I've ever heard from the regular English contingent.

Gimpster wasn't really pleased last night.

First of all, that game shouldn't be called Football. Secondly, Yank Rugby what????

No point in talking about it. Done and dusted. Well done both teams. I'm just glad it wasn't another drubbing from the Boks.

Now the Diego Maradonna Hand of God Goal that was something to complain about

Errr, they're still talking about the victory which they won 40 years ago. Do you really think it's possible for them not to talk about it?

The actual distance gained is not measured because the attacking team can keep possession irrespective of whether they gain or lose territory.

Well, in America it is called football and we just have to live with it.
It's different from the rugby played in the Commonwealth - isn't it?

I think Italy, Argentina, France et al. would disagree with you....

I've never been a fan of the over-use of kicking in rugby, and have always felt that a game that is full of kicks and no tries is boring. But making this opinion known a while ago only got me shouted down as a whining Aussie who doesn't understand the game, because England beat us in the quarter final by its kicking (and that we were crap, no question there). But, after last night, such sentiments against so much kicking are tolerable. Funny that...

But moving on, something should be done. More and more countries are showing interest in the game, and last night's tryless game is not helping in attracting the interest necessary to make the game attractive in these other countries.

__________________
I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!

So it's the same game with just another name?

Well, one of the goals England scored in 1966 didn't even go over the line, so I guess the balance of the universe has been restored

Ah my fault - I meant the Commonwealth bit...

Think of American football as being rugby devised by very nervous people. Padding, armour, stopping every 2.5 seconds for several minutes, but who then afterwards make out they're really, really hard.
Compared with rugby where if you wear one of those padded hat things people think you're a bit soft.

A more concise and accurate description you could not ask for.

Yeah, but I think it's a bit dangerous to be playing without protective gear. Alright, I think it's a bit overdone in American Football, but being tough and suffering a severe skull injury doesn't sound too good to me. Look at Muhammad Ali.

Then maybe table tennis is better suited to your needs. Life is dangerous and these guys all made a decision one day to play rugby rather than say, volleyball. Women play too, RCZ has juniors, with one of them being four years old.

And anyway, the protective gear doesn't help that much, didn't a guy get his neck broken a few weeks back. Also, American Football allows the players to have earpieces where the coach tells them what to do, whereas the IRB regulations clearly state that no such thing is allowed.

Surely this is a time to be celebrating the achievements of the two finalists and maybe analysing the tournament, rather than discussing American football. Indeed, the USA sent a Rugby team to France and they played against both South Africa and England.

Table tennis?? Urrrrkkkkk!!! Barf!!!!
20/20 cricket is fun. Soccer's pretty cool too.

Have there been any fatalities or severe injuries to rugby players. I notice they're wearing teeth guards of sorts.

Who's the poor dude who got killed?

IMHO the game should be about tries. The change from 4 points to 5 points for a try certainly helped, but personally I'd only award 1 point for any kicked score (penalty, goal, conversion) - and yes, I said that 4 years ago too.

And now American football has rightly been ridiculed is it time to mention world series rounders .

A couple of years ago I got asked about rugby on a forum with predominantly US members. The US crowd were convinced that because shorts are worn, rugby was a summer game.

Naturally, I and a couple of other Brits enlightened them. One big difference is that neither the UK nor the other rugby playing countries suffer the sub-zero temperatures of a North American winter, and it strikes me as I write that that is probably why the Canadians aren't famous for rugby.

Saw this and thought of you...