Rugby World Cup 2019, Japan

[Ben Bolt]

... sadly, American football has so little to do with "Rugby football"...

Well, let's see them as fraternal twins.

I'm an old man, and have watched tons of sports in my lifetime.
One of my very best sport memories is the 2003 World Cup Final. Some events just stick in your mind.

[MDPopescu]

Well, let's see them as fraternal twins.

I'm an old man, and have watched tons of sports in my lifetime.
One of my very best sport memories is the 2003 World Cup Final. Some events just stick in your mind.

... you mean like Jonny Wilkinson's drop in the extratime, right?...

(I'm old too: I even played rugby since 1976 till 1986...)

[MDPopescu]

Quarter finals:

Saturday Oct 19:

England - Australia
New Zealand - Ireland

Sunday Oct 20:

Wales - France (???)
Japan - South Africa

[Blond Beast]

... sadly, American football has so little to do with "Rugby football"...

They’re are a lot similarities though, despite their origins. Early American football was all running, before the forward pass. There’s Conversions. The main similarity nowadays is that the NFL has adopted the “Rugby Tackle” as it’s basis to keep players safe and avoid head on collisions. I played both. Helmets and pads were used as weapons when I played football. Spearing was just part of the game then. Kickoffs were brutal. I’d be curious to see how an nfl game would go if they went back to the leather helmets and shoulder pads. Maybe less intention head shots but still maybe a lot of incidental ones. But maybe they’d adjust? It’s like hockey, I see the pads as attack armour more than defensive.

[MDPopescu]

They’re are a lot similarities though, despite their origins. Early American football was all running, before the forward pass. There’s Conversions. The main similarity nowadays is that the NFL has adopted the “Rugby Tackle” as it’s basis to keep players safe and avoid head on collisions. I played both. Helmets and pads were used as weapons when I played football. Spearing was just part of the game then. Kickoffs were brutal. I’d be curious to see how an nfl game would go if they went back to the leather helmets and shoulder pads. Maybe less intention head shots but still maybe a lot of incidental ones. But maybe they’d adjust? It’s like hockey, I see the pads as attack armour more than defensive.

Of course there are lots of similarities, since American football initially used Rugby rules... But the "forward pass" made these sports to diverge for good...
... and as i'm aware, the rugby tackle wasn't yet formally adopted in the NFL, right?

... in my opinion, American football dramatically changed when the television (and thus the commercials) took over the "show"...

[Blond Beast]

Of course there are lots of similarities, since American football initially used Rugby rules... But the "forward pass" made these sports to diverge for good...
... and as i'm aware, the rugby tackle wasn't yet formally adopted in the NFL, right?

... in my opinion, American football dramatically changed when the television (and thus the commercials) took over the "show"...

Ur right American football changes almost year to year. Just look at the stats, it’s all about passing now. Five wide all the time. Passer ratings are way up. Pads are tiny. There’s rarely a fullback or a safety now. RBs have to catch swing passes all day. Receivers and QBs are protected. In the 90s u could use helmet to helmet and arm shiver, horse collar, swing a QB. Even a play that was popular one year gets shut down the next. The rugby tackle has only been adopted recently in the nfl as the standard. They had a little segment on it. Used to be helmet to chest, eyes up, and drive and then fall on ball carrier. But now it’s a passing league with concussion issues and trying to protect star players. It’s head to side of hip now and wrap and roll to the ground. It’s not the same but it’s for the better. In past youth football it was concussion city. Use ur helmet.

[MDPopescu]

Ur right American football changes almost year to year. Just look at the stats, it’s all about passing now. Five wide all the time. Passer ratings are way up. Pads are tiny. There’s rarely a fullback or a safety now. RBs have to catch swing passes all day. Receivers and QBs are protected. In the 90s u could use helmet to helmet and arm shiver, horse collar, swing a QB. Even a play that was popular one year gets shut down the next. The rugby tackle has only been adopted recently in the nfl as the standard. They had a little segment on it. Used to be helmet to chest, eyes up, and drive and then fall on ball carrier. But now it’s a passing league with concussion issues and trying to protect star players. It’s head to side of hip now and wrap and roll to the ground. It’s not the same but it’s for the better. In past youth football it was concussion city. Use ur helmet.

I know nothing about NFL tackle technicalities -- as I live in Europe and seldom watch your football matches (except for the Super Bowls -- which are is the second-largest days for U.S. food consumption...)

[Blond Beast]

I know nothing about NFL tackle technicalities -- as I live in Europe and seldom watch your football matches (except for the Super Bowls -- which are is the second-largest days for U.S. food consumption...)

Well I’m Canadian. I follow Boxing, F1, and bodybuilding mostly. I’ve got family who played in Rugby World Cups. Rugby was the family sport. I don’t watch hockey. But I played CFL rules football growing up and sum nfl rules in Australia. I rarely watch full nfl games, but my brother knows his stuff. I do enjoy all the food on the super bowl though. But that’s an abnormality for me. I’m a chicken and rice weight lifter at heart.

[MDPopescu]

Well I’m Canadian. I follow Boxing, F1, and bodybuilding mostly. I’ve got family who played in Rugby World Cups. Rugby was the family sport. I don’t watch hockey. But I played CFL rules football growing up and sum nfl rules in Australia. I rarely watch full nfl games, but my brother knows his stuff. I do enjoy all the food on the super bowl though. But that’s an abnormality for me. I’m a chicken and rice weight lifter at heart.

... if not for you I could have never found out that there was a Canadian football, tbh!...

[Sparked_26]

Rugby World Cup starts here.

Now the games get competitive.

England and Aussie is 50/50
NZ vs Ireland 70/30
Wales vs France 60/40
SA vs Japan 80/20

Red cards will be decisive in all games now if they happen.

I follow England and Ireland. For Ireland’s sake I was an NZ high tackle about 2 mins in