[EOYT] Canada vs. New Zealand Maori. 03/11/13

[norcalbuff]

Liking rugby and liking American football, or any sport, are not mutually exclusive. Most rugby fans and players in the US also enjoy American football, along with some other sports. I'd be willing to bet most rugby fans and player in Canada also enjoy hockey and probably a number of sports. As for coming across it, for most it isn't a case of waking up one day and deciding to try rugby. Usually you have a friend or meet someone who convinces you to give it a shot. For me, my friend's dad started a team at my high school and I was looking for a sport to play in the spring after basketball finished.

 

[CDN_Rugby]

But Canada in specific, how the hell do you guys (fans) exist at all ?! Where does the conscience of the sport even come into your lives, and at what point do you decide to try checking it out ?...
I'm sure many people don't even know what "Rugby" is, which is a near impossible thing to find in France or England.

Where does the conscience of the sport come from? I'm not sure what you mean exactly, but rugby has a long and deep history in Canada that is as old as the sport itself. Every city has clubs and every school and university has had teams going back decades- the sport has always been present. However, the attitude towards the sport has always been strange. For most people who play the sport in Canada, they start doing it because its the offseason in hockey and they want to play another sport where you can clobber each other. The mentality has always been "If I like beating the **** out of someone on ice, I'll probably like doing it on grass too." Given this attitude of "beating the **** out of someone" is in pretty much every Canadian rugby player, its not difficult to explain why Canada usually gets complimented on their physicality.

And literally every single Canadian knows what rugby is or knows somebody who plays it, especially in British Columbia, Ontario, and Newfoundland. Today any kid in pretty much any school will have a buddy who plays the sport. The thing is that most kids only play from 14-17 and then quit because Rugby Canada and the provinces have traditionally done a poor job of creating an avenue for kids out of high school to continue playing.

 

[Big Ewis]

Liking rugby and liking American football, or any sport, are not mutually exclusive. Most rugby fans and players in the US also enjoy American football, along with some other sports. I'd be willing to bet most rugby fans and player in Canada also enjoy hockey and probably a number of sports. As for coming across it, for most it isn't a case of waking up one day and deciding to try rugby. Usually you have a friend or meet someone who convinces you to give it a shot. For me, my friend's dad started a team at my high school and I was looking for a sport to play in the spring after basketball finished.

Well yeah but that's what I mean, how does that guy's dad just start a Rugby team ? How does a North American stray so far wide and go ultra-original like that, why would he ? It seems like a risky thing, and ppl liking Rugby are only isolating themselves from the rest (well you did say it's not like they're Rugby-exclusive fans..).
I'm guessing the Rugby fanhood in North America is kind of a loner's passion, isn't it ? Like me atm, none of my friends know anything about it here, let alone liking it. Kind of like an odd, almost weird thing a guy's got going....like genitalia-painting, or just generally being a stalker, right ?

 

[Big Ewis]

Where does the conscience of the sport come from? I'm not sure what you mean exactly, but rugby has a long and deep history in Canada that is as old as the sport itself. Every city has clubs and every school and university has had teams going back decades- the sport has always been present. However, the attitude towards the sport has always been strange. For most people who play the sport in Canada, they start doing it because its the offseason in hockey and they want to play another sport where you can clobber each other. The mentality has always been "If I like beating the **** out of someone on ice, I'll probably like doing it on grass too." Given this attitude of "beating the **** out of someone" is in pretty much every Canadian rugby player, its not difficult to explain why Canada usually gets complimented on their physicality.

And literally every single Canadian knows what rugby is or knows somebody who plays it, especially in British Columbia, Ontario, and Newfoundland. Today any kid in pretty much any school will have a buddy who plays the sport. The thing is that most kids only play from 14-17 and then quit because Rugby Canada and the provinces have traditionally done a poor job of creating an avenue for kids out of high school to continue playing.

aaaaah, such insightful information !! This is great. Thanks man.
Well you answered your own question "conscience of the sport ?" by saying that most probably every single Canadian knows 'of' Rugby. That's all the info I needed about that.
Quebeckers are pretty crap at knowing anything about the sport though...just reaaaaaaally not their thing. They're really just all about the ice and the stick.

So I'm guessing it's really in the U.S. that the sport is really obscure....hhhhmmmmmmm....

 

[jonny24]

Rugby has been here almost as long as anywhere else , it was brought over with British immigrants. From there it was played in clubs and schools, and went on to become Nfl and Cfl football. It's just not that big on TV so high school is the first time a lot of people are exposed to it. I remember being on the bus after school one day in grade 9 and seeing them practicing line outs. I asked my friend what it was cus his sister was out there, and he told me it was rugby. I had no clue what that was so he said "basically, football with no pads or breaks". I tried out for the soccer team that year and didn't make it, so next year I tried rugby. Haven't looked back.

 

[canadafan]

my player rankings

1. Buydens (7) - scrummed well and got over the gain line a lot.
2. Barkwill (6) - went well, line out was much better
3. Wooldridge (7) - did well at tighthead until he got hurt, our scrum dominance ended when he went off. Hope the rumours of heading off to Europe are true.
4. Phelan (4) - our worst forward, not ready to start yet. Missed two key tackles which both lead directly to tries.
5. Ardron (8) - seemed to be everyone, looks like he is starting to make his mark on international rugby.
6. Dala (N/A) - went off injured, but seemed to be doing well. Should always be coming off the bench though.
7. Moonlight (6) - tried hard all game long, should be playing pro in Europe.
8. Carpenter (c) (6) - part of the **** up that lead to the first Maori try. A mixed bag today.

9. Mack (6) - Tried hard, maybe did a bit too much. Was the other half of the **** up that lead to the first Maori try.
10. Underwood (5) - some one please teach him tactical kicking! Runs well, defends well, decision making is okay, passing good. But please teach him how (and when) to kick from hand. Our future 10 until O'Leary declares for Canada.
11. Trainor (6) - seems to be finding his game legs, should start again next week.
12. Jones (4) - 2nd worse player on the pitch, I lost count on how many times he knocked on during the game.
13. Hearn (6) - I'll admit it, I see why Crowley persists with him at 13. He seems to be starting to find his grove there. That being said, DTH should still ALWAYS start ahead of him.
14. Hassler (7) - Probably our best back of the day. Don't think you can fault him for those overlap tries. Playing at the Osprey is certainly benefiting him.
15. Evans (6.5) - I thought he went well at FB today, seems to have refound his confidence and is looking like the heir apparent to Pritchard again.

16. Ilnicki (4) - We lost our scrum dominance when he came on, but at 21 his best is ahead of him. He's a keeper.
17. March (N/A) - don't think he saw the field.
18. Flagg (N/A) - Did he get on the pitch?
19. Gilmour (4) - I know he got on, but the only thing I can remember is him getting angry at some Maori players.
20. Kleeberger (6) - Thought he did alright when he got on for Dala, slowly getting back into game shape.
21. Mackenzie (6) - Thought he did well, perhaps he is making a case to be the starter? (in a year or two)
22. Parfrey (5) - Who cares.
23. Braid (3) - Seriously, is he actually TRYING to play himself out of the line up? Think he needs to stick to 7s for a while, he seems to be going better there.

 

[norcalbuff]

Well yeah but that's what I mean, how does that guy's dad just start a Rugby team ? How does a North American stray so far wide and go ultra-original like that, why would he ? It seems like a risky thing, and ppl liking Rugby are only isolating themselves from the rest (well you did say it's not like they're Rugby-exclusive fans..).
I'm guessing the Rugby fanhood in North America is kind of a loner's passion, isn't it ? Like me atm, none of my friends know anything about it here, let alone liking it. Kind of like an odd, almost weird thing a guy's got going....like genitalia-painting, or just generally being a stalker, right ?

He played the game growing up. If you play rugby, it's not a loner's passion at all as anyone who has ever played rugby, or any sport, knows you'll be friends with many of the guys you play with.

 

[Big Ewis]

Rugby has been here almost as long as anywhere else , it was brought over with British immigrants. From there it was played in clubs and schools, and went on to become Nfl and Cfl football. It's just not that big on TV so high school is the first time a lot of people are exposed to it. I remember being on the bus after school one day in grade 9 and seeing them practicing line outs. I asked my friend what it was cus his sister was out there, and he told me it was rugby. I had no clue what that was so he said "basically, football with no pads or breaks". I tried out for the soccer team that year and didn't make it, so next year I tried rugby. Haven't looked back.

ppffffff, heh....you SUCK at soccer....

thx for the very insightful info man ! And sorry for my many crap-takings all over your match-up thread ! Conversation is spontaneous sometimes...and my posts smell like feces.

 

[jonny24]

ppffffff, heh....you SUCK at soccer....

thx for the very insightful info man ! And sorry for my many crap-takings all over your match-up thread ! Conversation is spontaneous sometimes...and my posts smell like feces.

I can't say I'm much better at rugby either :lol: But we only had like 30 guys try out so if you showed up you were on the team.