Rugby Union 2012!

[Takhisis]

We need a thread for Rugby Union.

What do people think of the upcoming TriFour Nations? Argentina has a good squad and they've just hired no less than Graham Henry to be assistant to their own coach.

We're also having the Six Nations developing with the usual profile of Scotland and Italy fighting for last place and the Welsh making a good run. Anyone follow the club scene?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Can I troll this thread ? Just kidding .

Argentina will be a welcome addition to the Tri Nations . Frankly it has gotten stale . 3 tests vs NZ each year , plus the game in Japan or Hong Kong has seriously devalued the contest . As a kid , a 3 test series vs the All Blacks every 3 or so years was something special , greatly anticipated . Now it seems like they play every week . The 6 nations has 100 years of history behind it and each team only plays each other once . I find it a far more interesting contest even though the quality of play leaves me a little cold .

Argentina are quite amazing considering they are essentially composed of amateurs . I suspect the trip to Beaunus / Beunaus/ Beanus Aires will prove to be a graveyard for visiting sides . Of all the 4 nations games , I'm looking forward to these the most .

You watch any League Tak ?

 

[snarzberry]

Really enjoying the rugby so far this year, Super Rugby has had some cracking matches. So many close finishes! I'm picking Chiefs V Stormers in the final, in SA with the Stormers to win.

About the Four Nations, or Rugby Championship or whatever they're gonna call it now, Argentina is a very welcome addition to the competition. Not so sure about the fact that they're composed mostly of amateurs I believe almost the entire team plays professionally in Europe. I remember reading something about some players walking out of decent money contracts for the chance to wear the blue and white and represent their country against the top three rugby teams each year.

Argentina, as good a rugby nation that they are, have never beaten the All Blacks so we will see a bit of history when that happens, which it will eventually as they're going to be playing so regularly.

I predict we will see a pretty big surge in Argentina's winning odds versus the big 5 and Wales in the fairly near future due to all the experience these tests will give them.

I've been asking people if they think Los Pumas will win a game in the first year of 4 Nations. Most I've talked to think they'll pick up 1, and most say their best chance is against the Wallabies (and this is Aussies generally saying this, I live in Australia). As much as I admire them, I think they're favourites to be white washed in the first year. I'd like to be proven wrong (so long as they beat Australia and not the All Blacks ).

 

[Arwon]

Apparently we're calling it the Rugby Championship now, not the Four Nations. I hope Argentina wins matches. They should be pretty dangerous at home. It's really good that they're finally in a regular test series with top sides, it was a farcical that they weren't until now.

I agree they're a real chance against us both in Argentina and on the Gold Coast. I don't see any reason why they shouldn't threaten the Saffers or All Blacks at home, too, even though they'll likely lose.

Also, why are the Argentina home tests happening in Rosario, Mendoza and La Plata? Are any of those actually part of Buenos Aires rather than separate cities, or is rugby not popular in Buenos Aires?

Also also apparently we have a perpetual trophy with Argentina called the Puma Trophy. Who knew!

 

[Takhisis]

Also, why are the Argentina home tests happening in Rosario, Mendoza and La Plata? Are any of those actually part of Buenos Aires rather than separate cities, or is rugby not popular in Buenos Aires?

It's to make rugby more popular in the hinterland, as well as the national team not having a stadium of their own.

Why should the team play in the capital anyway? The inter-provincial championship (technically an inter-union championship) is quite good (though Buenos Aires still tend to win a lot). And the regional unions want it! And the people there want it!

So, until a national rugby stadium is built (if ever) it's not a bad idea to keep the game circulating instead of just having it in the capital which is a problem as the only stadia available are football ones and those'd take a lot of scheduling issues.

And no, Rosario and Mendoza are nowhere even close to Buenos Aires. La Plata is 60 km. away though.

 

[Arwon]

Fair enough then.

Yeah we never get tests in our capital ): They always go to the provincial cities like Brisbane and Sydney.

Though, it wouldn't have occurred to me that there would be stadia JUST for rugby union anywhere other than New Zealand. Are there any in the UK?

 

[Takhisis]

Rugby stadiums in the UK, you say?

 

[snarzberry]

What kind of crowds can we expect for the Argentine home games? Are there going to be 40 or 50 thousand or are they going to be playing in smaller venues? I know almost nothing about the types of stadia in those regions mentioned.

 

[Takhisis]

If it's in any of the provincial stadia you can expect thousands, assuming it's on a weekend and such. I suppose that Mendoza they'll use the 30,000+ capacity municipal stadium (can get quite a crowd) and the 50,000+ stadium at La Plata I expect will be rather full. At Rosario, it's a heavily populated city and I assume they'll use either of the ~40k capacity footall stadia. Probably the Colossus as it's technically on city-owned grounds. Either one will get quite a crowd either.

 

[del62]

Shock of the day must be Scotland beating Australia in their own back yard, Scotland had been on a losing streak

 

[Takhisis]

Which is very good, except that ESPN's maniac coverage of Roland Garros and anything even remotely related to it meant it wasn't available.


Link to video.
Makes one feel good, that and watching Rebus and then finding out there's a new book coming out.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Shock of the day must be Scotland beating Australia in their own back yard, Scotland had been on a losing streak

Actually, it was nil all.

 

[Pieman]

I was at the Aus-Scotland game... it wasn't really a shock to see Scotland win, the conditions were ferocious, the Wallabies had 5 debutants on field and a fourth-string, out of form five-eighth doing the plays and the Scots were truly giving it their all. It's a pity the Wallies lost (for me anyway) but as players start to come back, the team should lift (hopefully).

 

[classical_hero]

Shock of the day must be Scotland beating Australia in their own back yard, Scotland had been on a losing streak

The conditions made it feel more like a home game for the Scots rather than and Australian home game, but still we should have won, we just did not execute well enough.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Oh come on guys, clearly my code of choice is obvious but I do get into a big rugby test like all but the most "head in the sand" League nut.

But that was just garbage on tuesday night

 

[Takhisis]

The conditions made it feel more like a home game for the Scots rather than and Australian home game, but still we should have won, we just did not execute well enough.

Says the Urited fan. Stop looking for excuses…

Oh come on guys, clearly my code of choice is obvious but I do get into a big rugby test like all but the most "head in the sand" League nut.

But that was just garbage on tuesday night

Obvious and abominable.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Obvious and abominable.

You probably wouldn't like it too much down this neck of the woods then where two men and his dog show up to watch the NATIONAL union side play last Tuesday and they scheduled the game in a regional area, not even a capital city while this Wednesday night 84,000 will pack out Sydney to watch an INTERSTATE game of League.

 

[Takhisis]

Well, you're Australians, can't expect you to do things properly.

 

[Takhisis]

Argentine rugby keeps improving, beating first Italy and now France (scoring a try four minutes before the end, 23-20).

 

[classical_hero]

I never knew that Sweden played Rugby.