Rugby matters

[Huguenot]

Well they've got the Rugby World Cup in a few years time and need to build a fan base, and they might give him a red hat with gold piping?

I think UK clubs have something like a ?4.5m annual cap for the whole team. He may get ?1m just for himself in Nippon, and a lucrative coaching role.

[nashoi]

Gingerbeer are you confusing your Tuilagis? This is not the one who plays for England but his older brother who has played club rugby in Italy and plays for Samoa at the international level, I see no reason why anyone would be disappointed in him playing in Japan.

[Gingerbeer]

Maybe I have the wrong name... Im refering to the one who played for Leicester. Im not disappointed that hes playing for Japan, I guess I was hoping for some mystical, exciting reason for playing there rather than "money". Im continually defeated by my own epectations. :)

[Alan Medic]

I'd love to know what got you watching rugby GB.

[Gingerbeer]

Gods, Id like to know too! I think originally a game was on and I couldnt stop laughing. Compared to American football, it looked like a continuous series of hail-mary passes which I found hilarious. Once I saw a throw-in where a player is lifted, and I couldnt get the image of ice dancing out of my mind, I was irrevocably hooked. Hence my search for explanations that satisfy only when accompanied by jazz hands.

Honestly though, I really do like it.

[david_carnell]

Line-out, not throw-in. You can now be adopted by the rugby fraternity.

And USA are pretty useful at the 7 a-side variety of rugby. You've got the world's quickest player, Carlin Isles, and you can see him make everyone else look silly here:

[Gingerbeer]

Im definitely not up to speed on the technical terms. I subjected Michael P. to a grueling lunch in which I grilled him on all aspects of the game, so I suspect thats the end of that information outlet. hee!

[Alan Medic]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21171918

The greatest try ever scored? Maybe. Certainly one of the best games ever.

[steveo]

Like

[EJTH]

Gingerbeer - Japan is where most of the Aussies, Kiwis and Fijians go when their rugby playing days are coming to an end they no longer make the Wallabies or the All Blacks and they are keen to feed their retirement funds. Japan has a thriving, higly competitive scene in which millions of Yen gets invested. Most of the big Japanese brands sponsor a side and the fans go absolutely nuts over the imported players.

[Alan Medic]

Inspired by the footie thread I thought I'd try a Six Nations prediction game with easy to digest rules. There are only 5 rounds of 3 games starting today.

The Rules

Predict a correct result : 20 points (bonus of 20 if it's a draw)

Predict any teams exact score : 20 points

The number of points your prediction is from each teams actual score: -1 point per point

e.g. you predict Wales to score 20 and they score 7 = -13 points

You must play all 5 rounds.

The weekends fixtures and my predictions:

Wales 17 Ireland 21

England 28 Scotland 15

Italy 18 France 26

First kick off is at 1.30 today.

[????]

Wales 12 Ireland 15

England 24 Scotland 15

Italy 12 France 18

[Gingerbeer]

Ill try this, Im not afraid to make a complete ass of myself

Wales 12 Ireland 17

England 23 Scotland 19

Italy 15 France 25

[Alan Medic]

You'll probably win GB.

[Michael Palaeologus]

National loyalties aside, who do we support in neutral games?

I always kinds of want the Italians to win, followed by the Paddies, Jocks, Taffs and Frogs in that order.

Of course being English I accept that the none of the fringe nations try very hard when playing anybody other than England :)

[MrBen]

After the Scots, the celtics, the french then the arrogant English last of course

[maxxi]

MrBen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> After the Scots, the celtics, the french then the

> arrogant English last of course

Behind the chippy Jocks you mean?

Wales 24 Ireland 12

England 21 Scotland 15

Italy 14 France 26

[Michael Palaeologus]

We English are not arrogant.

We are just better bred. Thats all.

[Alan Medic]

Frankly I've never found a better bred than soda bred and that's Irish.

ETA As far as I know

[Mick Mac]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have a few quid on Ireland for the 6 nations

> already following their win over the Argies. I'm

> rarely wrong.

>

> England! Yer aving a laurf. Innit.

Dublin awaits.....

[Alan Medic]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21309858

Zebo doing something I haven't seen before!

[Alan Medic]

After round 1 the scores look like this.

Next weekends fixtures are as follows:

Scotland v Italy 2.30 Saturday

France v Wales 5.00 Saturday

Ireland v England 3.00 Sunday

Don't forget to enter all two of you.

All of them look tasty to watch and thankfully the 6 nations is entertaining so far.

[Alan Medic]

My predictions for the w/end.

Scotland 22 Italy 21

France 33 Wales 26

Ireland 26 England 19

Up to GB & ????'s now.

[Mick Mac]

Scotland 18 Italy 24

France 33 Wales 21

Ireland 25 England 21

I'm sure I can catch up.

[????]

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