On March 08 2013 19:40 VelJa wrote: Hey guys i was lurking TL's forum and WTF i see the name of this topic haha I really like it, i live in Toulouse, France (City of Rugby dude), i'm rooting for the Stade Toulousain for sure.
My english is not perfect but i appreciate if someone can explain me how is the rugby community in the US. France got a bad start huh? I can explain why, tell me if u are interrested (or not)
It's growing quickly in the US, especially at the university level. Nearly every school has a team. It's just starting to become popular for people younger than that - most people don't start playing until they are 18 years old or so. There is a lot of resistance to it for younger ages because it is considered to be very dangerous compared to American Football (no helmets lol.)
This topic could always use more love... but don't ever be surprised by what you find on TL. If you look hard enough there's always someone who will like the same things you do.
Goood, it's the same thing in France for ... American Football :D But the problem here, is that it cost a lot to buy all stuff (hemlet etc). The French have to order stuff via american websites etc :/
Made starting center for this weekend before I even showed up for a practice lol. Real excited to play this weekend if the weather clears up, team has a few national players and some foreigners. Should be fun.
Why do you think it is then? As far as I understand it, the French national side didn't get their players until the French teams were happy for them to go, whereas other countries prioritised international rugby and players ended up missing club games so they could prep for 6 nations. France got their team like a week before the 6 nations right?
Well you are 100% right In France, Philippe StAndré, the National coach, get the French-Players only 1 week before the competition. There is too some training sessions before training matches but not a lot of time to prepare a strategy. In other country, everything is done to let the players join asap the national team and create a style of play, create a group.
This is explain by the fact that the "boss" are the Clubs.Our national championship (called the TOP14) is one of the most High-Lvl league in the world. So the Club-Trainers makes her own law, and decide to keep their players until the end.
This is a very polemical subject actually in France, and i personally think that we shoul prioritize more the FrenchTeam. Even with lack of time, we manage to finsh 2nd at las WorldCup ^^
This is a fast explication, due to my lack of english, but i hope you understand something :/
On December 19 2012 14:49 decafchicken wrote: American sprinter picks up rugby and twelve weeks later is embarrassing the best players in the world. God tier speed.
rugby 7s;/ let him play union(or even league to a lesser extent)then well see what hes worth.
hint:running that fast is still a huge asset,but ill be surprised if hes more than a once a year highlight player.
Nicolas Mas, Dimitri Szarzewski, Thomas Domingo | Pascal Papé, Yoann Maestri | Wenceslas Lauret, Louis Picamoles, Yannick Nyanga.
subs: Yannick Forestier, Brice Mach, Vincent Debaty, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Damien Chouly, Maxime Machenaud, Rémi Tales, Gaël Fickou ( )
I really want to bet on France... some players get me really hyped and the line is pretty good (1 for 2.30). But after two good/decent matches i still don't know if they can beat Wales away. This Welsh line up is also really massive. North + Roberts as centres and Warburton/Faletau/Lydiate might be a bit too much... Lauret and Nyanga are both 15kg lighter than Warburton and Lydiate lol. And with all the injuries/suspensions our sub props are quite a joke. Not too sure about our Fly-half (Plisson) too.
Also Sam Burgess switched to Union, and now i wonder if he will be good enough to join the English RWC squad. Tuilagui and Burgess as centres would just be ridiculous lol.
Currently the following competitions are running: Top 14 - Started 16 Aug RaboDirect - Started 6 Sept Geene King IPA - Started 14 Sept Aviva - Started 6 Sept Heinekin Cup - Started 11 Oct Amlin Cup - Started 10 Oct
Most of them are coming to an end in the next couple of weeks. But if you are rather watch international rugby (test). The Six Nation usually starts first week in Feb. During June the Northern Hemisphere tours the Southern hemisphere and in November the other way around.
Currently the following competitions are running: Top 14 - Started 16 Aug RaboDirect - Started 6 Sept Geene King IPA - Started 14 Sept Aviva - Started 6 Sept Heinekin Cup - Started 11 Oct Amlin Cup - Started 10 Oct
Most of them are coming to an end in the next couple of weeks. But if you are rather watch international rugby (test). The Six Nation usually starts first week in Feb. During June the Northern Hemisphere tours the Southern hemisphere and in November the other way around.
Nice! What's the best place(s) to find match schedules?
Currently the following competitions are running: Top 14 - Started 16 Aug RaboDirect - Started 6 Sept Geene King IPA - Started 14 Sept Aviva - Started 6 Sept Heinekin Cup - Started 11 Oct Amlin Cup - Started 10 Oct
Most of them are coming to an end in the next couple of weeks. But if you are rather watch international rugby (test). The Six Nation usually starts first week in Feb. During June the Northern Hemisphere tours the Southern hemisphere and in November the other way around.
Nice! What's the best place(s) to find match schedules?
Rugby 365 <-- I usually use this site but its got lots of Southern Hemisphere rugby articles, you might want to use Planetrugby.
Also if your up for a bit of fun you can go to SuperBru for guessing the winners. It's all free. We usually run an office pool.
Currently the following competitions are running: Top 14 - Started 16 Aug RaboDirect - Started 6 Sept Geene King IPA - Started 14 Sept Aviva - Started 6 Sept Heinekin Cup - Started 11 Oct Amlin Cup - Started 10 Oct
Most of them are coming to an end in the next couple of weeks. But if you are rather watch international rugby (test). The Six Nation usually starts first week in Feb. During June the Northern Hemisphere tours the Southern hemisphere and in November the other way around.
Nice! What's the best place(s) to find match schedules?
Rugby 365 <-- I usually use this site but its got lots of Southern Hemisphere rugby articles, you might want to use Planetrugby.
Also if your up for a bit of fun you can go to SuperBru for guessing the winners. It's all free. We usually run an office pool.
On March 23 2014 18:43 Marcinko wrote: Oh yeah, a rugby thread.
Boblion, so close yet so far for your team in the 6 Nation. Well done to Ireland though, giving Brain O'Driscoll a proper send off.
Tchado, sorry but no. Just an armchair critic.
This was a fantastic 6-Nations this year. Even if i was absolutly depressed by the terrible performance of the French team vs Wales i think that it was one of the best 6-N i have ever seen. Amazing finish between France, England and Ireland, some great matches and BOD retirement...
Best matches (I just missed Ireland vs Wales, was probably good): 1) Ireland vs England was just amazing. 2) France vs Ireland, very tense + deciding match + last BOD match 3) France vs England also very tense 4) Ireland vs Italy, Ireland playing god tier rugby vs weaker side.
Rest was kinda boring/bad or extremly one sided. And yea Wales vs France was just bad. Everyone was kinda bad except Warburton/Lydiate/Faletau who were just destroying some very disappoiting French forwards. As i predicted the light weight and inexperimented back row got dominated pretty hard. I was expecting Plisson at Fly-half to fail more than Doussain at scrum-half tho.
Some comments: The England squad is extremly strong. This is slowly becoming the best England squad since their monstrous 2003 team. They have tons of talent and with players like Brown they even have exciting guys (Usually England is pretty boring but nowadays they are good AND exciting and this is awesome) and with players like Tuilagi coming back from injury and Burgess switching to Union they have also some real power in the backs. I feel that their only weak point right now is their front row. In my opinion they are probably the favourite after NZ for the WC.
Ireland is playing top notch rugby thanks to Joe Schmidt. Idk if they will be able to keep this level for the World Cup but it should be very interesting (Usually Ireland can't match the big teams at the WC when they are training and trying really hard).
France is still a fucking trainwreck. They can beat England and then get smashed by Wales and barely win vs Scotland lol. Retarded coaching, tons of missing players, some players getting old and some youngers with a lot of talent. This team has been unpredictable since 2007. On a good day they can beat NZ and then lose to fucking Tonga or Italy lol. Remember the 2011 WC ? 2015 could be the same story, or something glorious, or a complete disaster...
Wales is playing pretty bad right now and this is really sad. They used to be pretty exciting. Still owning France tho.
On March 21 2014 21:34 Tchado wrote: Hey guys ! I was wondering if anyone here plays amateur or semi pro rugby ?
Played a bit at school as a teenager. Never was very good lol (1 training week, no weight lifting and stuff like that). All our best players also used to play in club haha. It is pretty depressing to play rugby when you are not committed at 100% anyway. People like to talk about smurfes in Starcraft but there are "smurfes" in rugby too. For example the school championship is "smurfed" by young club players and it is not always fun to get smashed by a guy twice your size training 3+ x week who is just playing with his school team for the lulz.
It is the same thing as an adult in the amateur leagues. There are many former pros or people who tried really hard but just couldn't cut it. It is not exactly friendly hehe (+ they fight all the time).
So i'm just an armchair critic nowadays. Try hard or don't even bother to try.
On March 21 2014 21:34 Tchado wrote: Hey guys ! I was wondering if anyone here plays amateur or semi pro rugby ?
Played a bit at school as a teenager. Never was very good lol (1 training week, no weight lifting and stuff like that). All our best players also used to play in club haha. It is pretty depressing to play rugby when you are not committed at 100% anyway. People like to talk about smurfes in Starcraft but there are "smurfes" in rugby too. For example the school championship is "smurfed" by young club players and it is not always fun to get smashed by a guy twice your size training 3+ x week who is just playing with his school team for the lulz.
It is the same thing as an adult in the amateur leagues. There are many former pros or people who tried really hard but just couldn't cut it. It is not exactly friendly hehe (+ they fight all the time).
So i'm just an armchair critic nowadays. Try hard or don't even bother to try.
Well call me crazy , but I'm a sprinter , I saw that carlin isles video and I thought " Im close to his speed , why not try it ? looks fun , and there is no american football in my country " , I joined an amateur team a few months ago , Im enjoying this shit so much ! the team environment , the sport itself and everything around it.
I played a few games of 7s , next friday is my rugby 15s debut , Im gonna get crushed , but its all in good spirit so i dont mind XD
In the end I am employed full time , so I can never commit to rugby 100% , but I'd like to try anyway.
I asked the question because I was wondering if anyone has any tips for a noob like me , my position is wing , I'm 170 cm tall , 71 Kilos ( yeah I know XD )
and speaking of smurfing I know what u mean , back the day there was a team called "The arab gulf" and there was a Jordanian national team , its disbanded now (the national 7s team is set to reform in the summer) , anyway those experienced guys usually play for other teams and we get raped , but I can out run them and score a bit.....but in the end rugby is more than running.