Rugby

Rugby

I know that alot of people on this forum avoid rugby like its the plague, but I am sure there must be a few of you on hear that wouldnt mind a yarn about the rugby every now and then. Does anyone think we will choke and not win the World Cup again?? Or are we going to finally break our drought this year

Your in the wrong place for this mate. Try a rugby site. Give you the benefit of the doubt seeing as you support the one true team - the mighty ManU.

mighty northland? maybe we should start a oxymoron thread. my favourite is american intelligence (however you spell it)

Its the off topic section of the forum. Im pretty sure thats what the off topic section is here for, to talk about things that are not related to football, there is a thread about the nrl on here, what is the difference?? Im not trying to force anyone into talking about rugby. But you are right about Man Utd, they are the best club team going around.

Just having a lite hearted dig, as you are quite right about this being off topic, just expect a few less than cherry remarks

Ok I'll talk Rugby if you start posting on the Longest thread in the Off Topic forum - deal?

Christo I hadnt seen your first post, when I replied. Don't worry I'm used to people giving me a hard time about both being from Northland and actually proud of it!! I can understand why people arent so keen on rugby, because of the way the media treats it, but I figure there might be a few people on here that might have a bit of an interest in the rugby. Ronaldo im sure I can make a few posts on the longest thread for you

Oh dear, two rugby threads. 

I am not ashamed to admit that I like rugby.

I watched the 1987 World Cup Final.

I have an admission to make.... I played the game .... several times ... my teachers made me do it .... sorry ...

And as for league, that was just a bad dream. It all looks so easy on the idiot box, but it really should come with a Govt. health warning!!!

Chiefy do you go to any games at all or do you just like rugby in general?

i booed the all blacks once at carisbrook hahahaha

Mate, I am an unashamed Northland fan. I have even got my Mum who is a fanatical Middlesbrough football supporter who hates rugby to watch Northland with me and my Dad. We aren't allowed to watch the All Blacks usually though haha thats how much she hates it!! To be honest though I don't get the same enjoyment out of watchin the All Blacks or the Super 14 anymore

As for going to the games I try make it to a few Northland games, I went to a Blues vs Chiefs game last year and I cant tell you enough how disturbed Waikato sports fans are. Waikato sports fans would have to be the worst I have ever come across, in any sport. I wasn't really supporting anyone that night but after that I learned to support everyone playing against the Chiefs!!

Well, someone here is happy to have a yarn about union. No doubt in my mind the All Blacks have it this year. I can't see anyone else beating them at the moment. I'm a Crusaders fan living in Melbourne. They play an annual trial match here, its the closest we get to super 14, so they've got my heart.

I'm a massive bandwagon All Blacks supporter...I always get caught out when my Aussie mates (Victorians, so they know less about rugby than I do) quiz me on any particular rule and I have to bluff my arse off!

Mate don't worry about having to bluff the rules, there are so many changes to the rules and different interpretations that even the ref's have to bluff their way through.

Just wondering what NZ Super 14 crowds are because it never comes up in australian papers.

Not great - Crusaders averaged around 15 - 17,000 at home this season.

They tend to get crowds anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000. The Blues were regularly over 20,000 this season I seem to remember they got about 30,000 for one of their earlier games. The Hurricanes and Crusaders get pretty good crowds as well. The Highlanders and Chiefs tend to fluctuate between 10,000 and 20,000. Just like every sport, if you are successful you are more likely to get the bigger attendances. Also keep in mind the NZ stadiums are quite small compared to alot of the Aussie and South African stadiums 

They are pretty good crowds considering populations etc.

Yeah they aren't too bad. The Hurricanes got about 26,000 to one game this season before their season went bad, if the Phoenix even come close to a crowd like that this year it would be amazing. Also remember this seasons crowds were a little lower because the 22 All Blacks were withdrawn for 8 weeks. 

So they never really fill out the stadiums unless it is finals.

You got it.

Going to the Canada "match" tomorrow. The boss is payin, so hard to say no. Don't mind a live game, especially if its free.

side note: Does anyone know of any online forums like this one dedicated to rugby?? (all blacks or super 14 or whatever) (in New Zealand only)

Can't say I have ever seen one. Mind you I have never really looked either. Most of my mates are into rugby so I just talk to them about it. Since I have come down to Hamilton for Uni I haven't met too many people that are into football, just people that keep up with results. Its pretty good that we can chat about rugby on here even though we get shafted by the media and rugby in general a bit. Good effort lads.

is there any atached to the nz rugby site or the indiviual super 14 teams?

and on a side not i hope they build the new carisbrook stadium, 30,000 enclosed square field stadium, be great for rugby in the south, and get tests back down there, great for the uni, but some old farts dont wana pay and extra $1.60 approx a week extra on rates!! i cant believe how short sighted these people are, how stuck in there ways, and how "scottish" too! penny pinchers definitly.

whinge over

Christo we are having similar problems in Whangarei with wanting to build a new stadium. No one wants to pay the extra little bit of money in their rates for the redevelopement of our Rugby stadium. The initial plans are impressive, with rooms for shopping space under the main stand. The Northland Rugby Union has already indicated they are happy for other codes such as Football and Rugby League to use it as well. Northland's Bartercard Cup team currently play a few games at the ground  and there was a football game there quite a while back between the Kingz and a Northland XI. Right next door is Cobham Oval, New Zealands best First Class cricket venue...New Zealands answer to Lords

Any thoughts on what the All Blacks vs Canada score will be??

a billion to 3

its gonna be a boring game

Yeah, I saw Canada play live at the 2003 World Cup against Wales, they play a very dull kicking game. No wonder they can't score when their main objective is to boot it down into the opposition's territory when they have possession. Also no wonder that Wales beat them by about 70 points. If New Zealand put in for 80 minutes, they can top that quite easily.

I watch a lot of super 14 games on Pay TV over here and the Blues crowds seem to be the only decent crowds. I would always see a lot of empty seats at ChCh or Waikato. I've flown over to Jade Stadium once to see a game, and it happened to be the 2006 final, the infamous "Gorillas in the Mist" battle. Luckily for me, I was able to turn around to the big screen, and try and make out colours on there when needed. It was an awful waste of hundreds.

I reckon the All Blacks by 40-50 points. That 2006 final was a joke, they should have just postponed the game so we could actually see what happened. I stopped watching after 5 minutes.

They didn't look too impressive, even if they did score 10 tries and won by 51 points. Struggled to find the good combinations in parts. The Junior All Blacks played better out at Carisbrook. They thrashed Australia A 50-0 and took out the Pacific Nations Cup. 

Are most Rugby crowds vocal?

That wasn't as one-sided as I thought it would be. I heard from a mate that there wasn't much of an atmosphere there. Good on Canada though, that just shows what being positive and a good attitude can achieve. They definitely weren't totally out-classed by a team rated much better than them.

Wasn't the ususal atmosphere you get at Waikato games. Too many "foreigners" in town for the Fieldays. Most of the time there was a gentle murmur of people in the crowd talking (like in a pub with no music) until something happened. But hey, the boss paid for the tickets...