The Rugby Thread

[redzonerocker]

The sub article at that link about Sam Burgess disturbs me more. Pure snobbery...nothing more. Pete

Also agree with PH, he's raw and just needs more time.

As for the headphones nonsense . . . pathetic.

A miserable night weather wise to dampen the enthusiasm, England out of the tournament and the not so attractive Fiji V Uruguay game in Milton Keynes
Yet, there was just over 30,000 at the MK Stadium to see it, a stadium record attendance too, nice to see

[PeteC]

Watched the first half of Namibia/Georgia and Namibia was ahead at the half...didn't see what happened so will catch it on replay. All kinds of yellow cards for Georgia in the first half. They are really a bunch of bruisers....to be avoided in dark alleys!

I was going to say they must have the highest pack weight but the below link proves me wrong. Perhaps they look as heavy as they do because they are one of the shortest teams. Pete

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... -caps.html

[pharvey]

Yet, there was just over 30,000 at the MK Stadium to see it, a stadium record attendance too, nice to see

It's great for rugby in general. I believe the most watched/successful RWC so far - despite the hosts early exit (Tee-he... ). The Welsh game against Fiji took the crowd numbers to well over 1 million, so God know's what they are now.

Great stuff!

[PeteC]

Kicking question:

1) Is there a rule that says the ball must be placed on the tee with top tip pointing forward, or is it kicker choice how the ball is teed?

2) Is kicking taught using toe or side of foot, or simply kicker choice? Pete

[pharvey]

^^ Certainly some big lads playing in the tournament Pete, but size certainly isn't everything (despite what your partner tells you!) . Wales have one of the biggest packs in international rugby, yet we've been completely stuffed so far in this tournament . Technique is everything in the scrum and pretty much all down to the front-row. IMHO Wales have lost out with rule changes - we relied on the "Hit" and had the likes of Adam Jones who were world class in this facet of the game. The rule changes however seem to have completely taken away that advantage - we certainly need to adapt... and haven't done so far!

This will come into play against Australia who have adapted/benefited from the rule changes big style.... IF and it's a big IF, we can sort out our front-row, we stand half a chance of a win..... and then we could be looking at the Semi's and another top side going out in the quarters (SA vs Aus if Wales win).

[pharvey]

Kicking question:

1) Is there a rule that says the ball must be placed on the tee with top tip pointing forward, or is it kicker choice how the ball is teed?

2) Is kicking taught using toe or side of foot, or simply kicker choice? Pete

The ball certainly has to be placed on a "Tee" - the direction of which is up to the kicker, but I think 99.9% the tip would point forward. [EDIT] Actually, I think you can (under the rules) still use sand - though nobody seems to.

As for kicking, I would say "modern rugby/kicking" would be side of foot - the "Toe Punt" was '70's rugby aka Allan Martin (you should look him up, a Second Row who kicked for Wales!!).

Again though, Kicker Choice. To put it in perspective, there was a game between Scotland and Wales in the '70's (71 I think), where John Taylor (a Flanker) took a conversion (Barry John - fly-half and normal kicker was concussed.... in those days referred to as "twatted")- the commentator at the time (Bill Maclaren - my hero commentator), stated "Taylor, with his curious around the corner kick" - so, side of foot.

[PeteC]

Some reading for me and others concerning a "hit":

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2013/1002 ... er-battle/

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/01/21/sc ... after-all/

[Big Boy]

The ball certainly has to be placed on a "Tee"

Really?

OK, I'm showing my age here, but back in my day we had to hack a groove in the pitch with our heel, and place the ball into that groove. I thought tees were for wusses, and to appease groundsmen.

[dtaai-maai]

The ball certainly has to be placed on a "Tee"

Really?

OK, I'm showing my age here, but back in my day we had to hack a groove in the pitch with our heel, and place the ball into that groove. I thought tees were for wusses, and to appease groundsmen.

I don't know where you played your rugby, BB, but when I was playing, most kickers made a little mound with a dent on top - rather like a 'Tee'!

[pharvey]

You've got to love the game

[pharvey]

The ball certainly has to be placed on a "Tee"

Really?

OK, I'm showing my age here, but back in my day we had to hack a groove in the pitch with our heel, and place the ball into that groove. I thought tees were for wusses, and to appease groundsmen.

I don't know where you played your rugby, BB, but when I was playing, most kickers made a little mound with a dent on top - rather like a 'Tee'!

When I played, we went through hacking the pitch up, to sand, to tee's (very late on - in my late '30's) - BB, unfortunately you're showing your age.......

:che

[Big Boy]

I don't know where you played your rugby, BB, but when I was playing, most kickers made a little mound with a dent on top - rather like a 'Tee'!

Plymouth, and it was definitely a groove dug with our heel.

[redzonerocker]

I don't know where you played your rugby, BB, but when I was playing, most kickers made a little mound with a dent on top - rather like a 'Tee'!

Plymouth, and it was definitely a groove dug with our heel.

I was obviously from the same era and schooling, a dug heel in the ground, the ball tilting slightly backwards and a side kick as if you would taking a corner/goal kick/free kick in football.

Have to say though, as uncomfortable as it looks at times, they make the goal kicking look incredibly easy and from experience it's certainly not!!!!.

[dtaai-maai]

Goalkicking is an esoteric art that was not among my primitive skillset. In fact, I don't remember it being in anyone's skillset really, until we got to the age of about 16!
For me a penalty or a conversion was a welcome opportunity to get my breath back...

[arcadianagain]

How many remember when, for a conversion, the ball had to be off the ground and put down just before the kick was taken, a job normally given to the scrum half. Also PH I remember John Taylor converting from the right hand touch line, he being left-footed, to give Wales a one point win.