Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:44 am  

sanjunien wrote:

- probably the only exiting moments have come from the Scots who have tried to play open attacking football only to throw away two games trhough inexperience and bad discipline.

The only bit I have seen this year was the last 10 minutes of a Scotland game a week or 2 back. They did throw it from side to side to try & break through. But with 15 defenders stood 3m apart it is almost impossible to get through, which the Scots failed to do. I almost felt sorry for them.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:59 am  

It's no secret that NH union is often a chore to watch but every so often you see a game that is highly entertaining and keeps your attention for the full 80 minutes. As for negative or just plain boring, I'd include Bath and Worcester this year.

Shocking news about Otago RU. If such a famous name can go bust maybe the stories about NZRU's problems are true.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:12 pm  

I think it’s crazy in what passes for a good game in Rugby Union? I watched the England v Wales game and or me it was average at best. No continuity, no real attacking guile and the only reason it was tense was because of the close scoreline.

Now I come to work on the Monday and ask the Union fans what they thought and they all tell me what a great game it was and how England are getting better. I just don’t get it.

Just how good is Owen Farrell? People at work are telling me his amazing but again they are saying what a great goalkicker he is and will be the #1 goal kicker in the world. They don’t tell me how good his handling is, his passing, his step, his tackling, his ability to attack the line but it’s all about his goal kicking. It’s like they think he should be picked simply cos he can kick goals.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:17 pm  

liger05 wrote:

Just how good is Owen Farrell? People at work are telling me his amazing but again they are saying what a great goalkicker he is and will be the #1 goal kicker in the world. They don’t tell me how good his handling is, his step, his tackling, his ability to attack the line but it’s all about his goal kicking. It’s like they think he should be picked simply cos he can kick goals.

Compare with Jamie Foster. His kicking was excellent on Friday night but he has been slaughtered on these boards because the rest of his game was pants. I'm afraid a team that can pick Rob Andrew for 1000 tests is never going to expect too much.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:06 pm  

Catalancs wrote: Shocking news about Otago RU. If such a famous name can go bust maybe the stories about NZRU's problems are true. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/6489057/Otago-rugby-union-headed-for-liquidation Can't really comment with much knowledge on Otago, but the NZRU have admitted that there are other unions with "bridging" loans. The Wellington Hurricanes had an average home gate of 23,300 in 2006...5 seasons later they got 11,280....52% down. Now, given that the Majority of the fans are drawn from within 25kms and the rail line runs directly to the station, together with the fact that you can walk to the stadium from the CBD in 5 minutes and get a bus from the immediate city suburbs (pop 450k) in about 10 minutes, this loss of fans is down to 2 things........Apathy and SKY TV. Sky are a required evil, in that without their cash, the game would not be able to survive. Apathy is a different matter though......I can buy a ticket walk up for as little as $25 or a Season Ticket for $199 which includes 7 S15 games and 5 ITM games for the Lions........that works out at $16.50 a game.......less than a tenner in pounds! New Zealand Rugby Union have a responsibility to take back certain aspects of control from the individual Unions, including a good chunk of the central marketing budgets... The Blues v The Crusaders got 32k......but the Chiefs v Highlanders got 20k less than that.......this is only a few months after the entire country went Rugby mad.......I sense a certain amount of "field of Dreams" marketing has taken place.....an over reliance on the RWC effect and a misplaced exectation that fans would flock back......they won't and if the Hurricanes are as bad as expected this year, I would expect another drop in their average atendance. Rugby Union is still the Number 1 game here in NZ, but that's only because the gates at Soccer, Cricket and League are nothing to write home about.

Catalancs wrote: Shocking news about Otago RU. If such a famous name can go bust maybe the stories about NZRU's problems are true. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/6489057/Otago-rugby-union-headed-for-liquidation Can't really comment with much knowledge on Otago, but the NZRU have admitted that there are other unions with "bridging" loans. The Wellington Hurricanes had an average home gate of 23,300 in 2006...5 seasons later they got 11,280....52% down. Now, given that the Majority of the fans are drawn from within 25kms and the rail line runs directly to the station, together with the fact that you can walk to the stadium from the CBD in 5 minutes and get a bus from the immediate city suburbs (pop 450k) in about 10 minutes, this loss of fans is down to 2 things........Apathy and SKY TV. Sky are a required evil, in that without their cash, the game would not be able to survive. Apathy is a different matter though......I can buy a ticket walk up for as little as $25 or a Season Ticket for $199 which includes 7 S15 games and 5 ITM games for the Lions........that works out at $16.50 a game.......less than a tenner in pounds! New Zealand Rugby Union have a responsibility to take back certain aspects of control from the individual Unions, including a good chunk of the central marketing budgets... The Blues v The Crusaders got 32k......but the Chiefs v Highlanders got 20k less than that.......this is only a few months after the entire country went Rugby mad.......I sense a certain amount of "field of Dreams" marketing has taken place.....an over reliance on the RWC effect and a misplaced exectation that fans would flock back......they won't and if the Hurricanes are as bad as expected this year, I would expect another drop in their average atendance. Rugby Union is still the Number 1 game here in NZ, but that's only because the gates at Soccer, Cricket and League are nothing to write home about.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:35 pm  

Wales rugby union players Tom James and Ceri Sweeney bailed after Cardiff assault.

Wales rugby union players Tom James and Ceri Sweeney bailed after Cardiff assault.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:01 am  

I watched most of the Eng v Wales and to me it was dire. England have no idea apart from popping over goals. I will say that the England try at the end was a try. But why with a min to go and a pen did they boot it into touch while being 5 meters out. Only to waste time to set a line out up. Tap and go unless there is a rule where you can't.

The rest of the time was too stop start with these phases that the fly half stands around having a fag before deciding to get the ball out and boot it for a line out. A union fan that I know called league stop start for play a balls. Feck knows what a phase is.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:26 am  

dids858 wrote:

I watched most of the Eng v Wales and to me it was dire. England have no idea apart from popping over goals. I will say that the England try at the end was a try. But why with a min to go and a pen did they boot it into touch while being 5 meters out. Only to waste time to set a line out up. Tap and go unless there is a rule where you can't.

The rest of the time was too stop start with these phases that the fly half stands around having a fag before deciding to get the ball out and boot it for a line out. A union fan that I know called league stop start for play a balls. Feck knows what a phase is.

Winning the ball by sheer hard, tiring graft followed by then punting it back to the opposition so they can attack you again has to be the height of disrespect for the forwards and doesn't exactly exude confidence in their ability or fitness.
It's bollox to watch.
Ping ping for egg lovers.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:31 pm  

dids858 wrote:

A union fan that I know called league stop start for play a balls. Feck knows what a phase is.

An accusation from union and soccer fans that I've never quite been able to understand. The ball is play much more than in either of those two sports and the constant whistle blowing of modern day soccer means it's up there with union, but obviously nowhere near American football in terms of breaks of play. Continuity is important to some sports but it's a misconception that it's requisite or indeed present in many.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:46 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

An accusation from union and soccer fans that I've never quite been able to understand. The ball is play much more than in either of those two sports and the constant whistle blowing of modern day soccer means it's up there with union, but obviously nowhere near American football in terms of breaks of play. Continuity is important to some sports but it's a misconception that it's requisite or indeed present in many.

If I switched channels to a league international 4 times for between 10 - 30 seconds & nothing whatsoever happened I would be scathing.