The Rugby Thread

[Lord Knows]

I saw an interview with Nigel Melville a couple of world cups ago, he was involved in a project in the U.S rugby where they would identify American Footballers who had fallen just short of the NFL to play rugby and that it had surprised them how hard it had been for them to transfer over to rugby, as you said magnificent athletes but they struggled with the skill sets as they dont have the equivalent, even the basic fitness was different, the gridiron boys had trained for years and years for explosive burst over 10-15 seconds, now you were asking them to hit rucks/tackle continuously over a number of minutes.

Suppose some progress has been made as they won one of the stages of the world 7's last year.

They have obviously reached a very high standard and must be perplexed at their inability to reach the next World class level. Their sheer physicality stretched the Scots but they had no answer to the variety and guile which Scotland can produce through the backs. I don't think I have ever seen such enormous lumps as the USA locks, unbelievable size.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Both Ireland and Wales could really do with winning their pools. Much more chance of Ireland doing so I think. Wales have an abysmal record against the Wallabies.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Both Ireland and Wales could really do with winning their pools. Much more chance of Ireland doing so I think. Wales have an abysmal record against the Wallabies.

So many occasions where you should have beaten them over the last decade. Time to put that right!

I'm not scared of Australia, we have left ourselves in a bit of a silly situation now though where we're going to need to be seen to put out an "attacking" team and yet the way we've set up so far has largely excluded the players we have in the squad who fit the bill. You wonder why Slade is in the squad if he isn't going to be even an option in a game like Saturday's.

 

[Johnny75]

The other problem is how many positions in gridiron actually touch the ball in a game? Let alone pass it? Quarterback, Running Back, the Wide Receivers, the Tight Ends, Special Team kick returner? Plus the style of passes isn't the same as in rugby at all (apart from the odd pass to a running back behind the line of scrimmage) so the method of catching the ball is completely different.

Add to that the completely different style of impact between the offense and defense to a tackle in rugby and you can see how massively different the games are to each other.

A kick returner would be a very useful runner in rugby during broken play, but he needs to receive the ball in a completely different way (unless you stuck him at full back and he was catching Garryowens all day without pressure on the catch).

It's an interesting point you make and I remember watching a discussion on ESPN about this and the main difference being stamina.

For comparison, and I use my opinion as much as theirs, the defensive line would make up the front row with outside linebackers at lock and middle linebackers and safeties at flanker and #8. The weakness would be passing but ball carrying you would think wouldn't be a problem as they are taught to pick up loose balls and run with them. Essentially the defensive line (and offensive to a lesser extent) is derived from the scrum. The tackling and stamina would be an issue though.

Scrum half and fly-half are complete unknowns as they just doesn't exist at in the American game, you could argue the QB but they tend to be 6'3"+ and not the most mobile (unless you're SuperCam or Convict Vick). The centres would be either running backs or full backs as they are used to collecting short passes for hand off's and are adept at taking contact. Interestingly the conversation was split between punt returners and wide receivers at the three flying positions as they are used to pace but also competing for the ball under pressure. Personally I would have though a free safety or cornerback would also do just as good a job and they are used to reading a game from deep and also have explosive speed and ability to catch under pressure.

Teaching Americans to kick would be interesting.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Differences in the kicking - using a tee rather than a man holding the ball a la old style windy conditions rugby. No great pressure on the kick from the opposition, unlike having to clear the defensive line and the time pressure in American football. As far as I can see, all kicks in American football, while not from the centre of the field exactly are within the hash lines so there is no great experience of kicking from the difficult angles.

A gridiron kicker would be bloody superb at a kick like Biggar's winning kick on Saturday. That was pretty central and long range so should be well within capabilities. The problem is, American football has specialist kickers, and that appears to be just about all they do. The rest of the game would presumably be a mystery to them.

 

[Johnny75]

Oddly enough there were quite a few Aussie rules players polluting the NFL as punters and kickers a few years ago.

 

[Lord Knows]

A friend of mine was working at Twickenham on a six nations day when he arrived at the stadium at 10.30 am Jonny Wilkinson was out on the pitch practicing penalty kicks from both touch lines. Apparently they had to drag Jonny in at twelve o clock such was his quest for perfection.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Oddly enough there were quite a few Aussie rules players polluting the NFL as punters and kickers a few years ago.

Gavin Hastings played as a kicker in the European NFL league for a while. Mick Luckhurst at Atlanta Falcons was a rugby convert if I remember correctly.

 

[Johnny75]

And bizarrely Clive Allen was kicker at the London Monarchs for a few years too.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Scottish lock Grant Gilchrist has been ruled out of the rest of their World Cup campaign with a groin injury.

 

[ROVERT47]

Farrell would have kicked that penalty easy, he's from League stock, they kick conversions from off the touch line every week, massive fuck up.

 

[Tredman]

For some reason Ford was taking the place kicks when he came on IIRC

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

New World Rankings Out. Seems a bit stupid to release them in the middle of a competition but there you go...

1. New Zealand 92.89 points
2. Wales 87.31 points
3. Australia 86.75 points
4. Ireland 84.40 points
5. South Africa 82.66 points
6. England 82.35 points
7. France 81.12 points
8. Argentina 79.66 points
9. Scotland 79.05 points
10. Fiji 76.96 points

New Zealand a mile out in front but absolutely nothing between 2nd and 7th.

 

[Dinowolf]

Tom Wood receives a warning from citing commission, after challenge on Liam Williams. No suspension means he is available for the game against the Aussies.

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-unio...ge-after-clashing-with-liam-williams-of-wales

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

And I think that is more than fair enough. The collision seemed accidental, although Wood may have been a little reckless so a warning to be a bit more careful in future is the right call. Sensible that there is no suspension.

 

[The Bear]

Oddly enough there were quite a few Aussie rules players polluting the NFL as punters and kickers a few years ago.

Jarryd Hayne is currently an ex Aussie Rules player as a punt returner for the San Francisco 49ers. He scored a 37 yard punt return for a touchdown last night actually.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlin_Isles

Saw this bloke play on the wing for the US Eagles 7's team, an absolute flying machine, by far quickest player I ever saw play rugby

 

[Donegal Wolf]

Both Ireland and Wales could really do with winning their pools. Much more chance of Ireland doing so I think. Wales have an abysmal record against the Wallabies.

I think our goose will be cooked if we dont win our group.

Our record against the all blacks is played 23 drew 1 lost 22, (although we should have won last time),

Its not that bad against the wallabies or springbok

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Billy Vunipola out of the tournament.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Nick Easter called up as replacement. Good solid pair of hands - a very dependable choice if he is needed.