Rugby championships in Vegas

[A.K.A]

You're not talking about the same thing. "I could train to run a marathon but I couldn't train to be someone regarded by many as the best athlete in the history of sport". I could train to play baseball or American football but I'm never going to play either at an elite level. Neither am I ever going to run a marathon at an elite level but I will be training and running one this year.

I hate these arguments honestly as I respect anyone who dedicates their entire life to becoming the best at their chosen craft. I was only agreeing with the premise that stamina is easier to train for than pure athleticism. Regardless of what preference each of us has all these men are far better athletes than any of us can hope to be and I'm on the treadmill right now having already done 4.5 miles with ankle weights on. It doesnt matter though because I will never be an elite athlete at anything no matter how hard I dedicate myself.

[Walt Liquor]

How do you mean?

.

There were plays when the guy woth the ball was knocked down, but he would get back up and run straight in for the 5 points, then sometimes they'd get tackled and couldnt advance the ball in the exact same scenario.

[Walt Liquor]

Yea piggy, i know its a series, but it has better teams in it that whatever that sixes tourney has.

And yes, parallels can be drawn from watching 7s and nfl. You know, natural athleticism and elite coordination WILL transfer to a similar sport that would require more stamina and the level of stamina needed could be developed.


I dont know much about 15s, but i'd like to watch some. I was enjoying the matches.

[squealpiggy]

1 day of practice and the guy was almost on par with League 1 teams (I'm assuming it is the same format as the Premiership)...that isn't bad at all. 1 or 2 days in a game he'd never played and didn't even know the rules/strategies to is pretty impressive. He did say it is a very grueling game.

This is the Rectory Field where Blackheath play:



Does it look like they're a top team?

I just took a look at the Blackheath website. They're looking for players. How do you get in? The website suggests you "Contact a member of staff below or feel free to turn up at a training session."

So we're talking a recently retired professional athlete showing up at a semi-pro-at-best rugby club in the lowest Rugby Union league in the country without going regional and he looks almost good enough to qualify for the reserves. If he managed that at Harlequins you'd have a point.

Yea piggy, i know its a series, but it has better teams in it that whatever that sixes tourney has.

You're trying to say that the Rugby VIIs World Series has better teams in it than the Six Nations?

And yes, parallels can be drawn from watching 7s and nfl.

To a degree. But watching a bunch of semi-pros playing a third rate game is not a fair comparison with watching people who are not only playing at the top level of their sport, they're playing in a sport notorious for flashy training.

You know, natural athleticism and elite coordination WILL transfer to a similar sport that would require more stamina and the level of stamina needed could be developed.

Yes it will, if you can learn the game. But bear in mind that there is a trade off. The additional stamina requirements mean that you can't have the massive guys sprinting around, being able to run fast and catch a ball is not going to be enough. A lot of your fastest flashiest players simply won't have an aptitude for the game and it;s no use being fast and powerful with good hand-eye coordination if you are incapable of remembering where your team-mates are.

I dont know much about 15s, but i'd like to watch some. I was enjoying the matches.

Check out Rugby League. I prefer Union as a lad from Lancashire but I've played both. Rugby League has 13 a side, it's less of a nuanced game (so that thicky tike bastards from Yorkshire can understand the rules) but it plays quite quickly. You have six "lives" per possession with which to score or you lose possession so it plays a bit like American football speeded up and without the beer adverts and gay pants.

[Money Shot]

Elite rugby is about stamina, not short sprints.

[Tom Cruise]

Tom Cruise, can you educate the Yanks on the rules of Rugby Union, and Rugby League are please, keep it short, most of them only read NSB titles and not articles so we know what their concentration levels are.

Anyway some videos of the variables in a Rugby game.

Johnny Wilkinson kicks 52 metres, a drop goal. The ball (Remember that it is not a round ball) must be held and then bounced on the floor and kicked past two poles. This is during game play BTW and the time you have is how ever far the opponent is from you.



Every player has to learn to catch the ball. Some catches are high as 30 to 40 yards because of kicks. Others are side to side. The throws look easy but you need to twist it or the ball will not travel straight and fast and just drop. There is a technique to it and you CAN NOT ever pass forward. I would love to see how some NFL players who never touch the ball handle it on a pitch on grass that is over 100 metres long.



This is Jona Lomu, quite a famous player from the 90's I think. I don't watch Rugby but I know him, he's like Mike Tyson of Rugby to me. He's 6 foot 4, and his thighs are 33 inches... he now body builds.



To score a try AKA a TD, you actually need to do a Touch Down... you must not lose control and touch the ground past the line.

Here are tackles at international level. This is the best level of Rugby Union I believe. Normal clubs, league and 7's are not considered the top elite if I am right, although Rugby league is up there, but Union at international level is where you would compare to the NFL if you want to.

Just a random video I Youtubed quickly.



Tom Cruise obviously watches Rugby so he knows what videos would be best to show. I am just here to defend anything UK and attack anything USA.

PS Rugby players 'drugs' are 12 pints of larger, NFL players are on Horse HGH.

I wish i could mate, I played at school and follow mostly international and some premiership stuff now, im no expert compared to some.

If any Americans do want to watch Rugby Union the six nations is on at the weekends, the best northern hemisphere clubs in a league format.

Probably not quite as good as the Tri nations (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa) or World Cup (obviously) but still elite talent.

[squealpiggy]

I wish i could mate, I played at school and follow mostly international and some premiership stuff now, im no expert compared to some.

If any Americans do want to watch Rugby Union the six nations is on at the weekends, the best northern hemisphere clubs in a league format.

Probably not quite as good as the Tri nations (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa) or World Cup (obviously) but still elite talent.

Better than the Tri Nations I think. Ireland, England and Wales can be as good as Australia, NZ and S. Efreikeh on their day, plus you have Scotland, France and Italy to mix it up. Including this massive hairy beard bastard:

[Tom Cruise]

Better than the Tri Nations I think. Ireland, England and Wales can be as good as Australia, NZ and S. Efreikeh on their day, plus you have Scotland, France and Italy to mix it up. Including this massive hairy beard bastard:

Its definitely comparable, imo if Aus, NZ and SA play their best rugby i dont think England, Wales and Ireland can compete. But the addition of France Italy and Scotland probably makes for a more entertaining tournament.

Haha Chabal is a beast!

[Weebler I]

There were plays when the guy woth the ball was knocked down, but he would get back up and run straight in for the 5 points, then sometimes they'd get tackled and couldnt advance the ball in the exact same scenario.

If a player is not held by the tackler when he is tackled, he can get up and run on. If the tackler holds onto him, he has to release the ball.

The laws of rugby after the tackle are somewhat complex.

[squealpiggy]

Its definitely comparable, imo if Aus, NZ and SA play their best rugby i dont think England, Wales and Ireland can compete. But the addition of France Italy and Scotland probably makes for a more entertaining tournament.

Haha Chabal is a beast!

Yeah look at this monster:



6'4, 250 lbs and can run all day. And that's just the beard!

What a flanker.