Vocal Voices

For the first time in a long time I watched a couple of International RU matches this weekend.

Overall, it was imo a bit of a snoozefest.
Yes, the players are fit. Yes, defences are good.

But England's only attacking idea seems to be to kick for position into the opponents 22 and then bully their way over from close range. Of course if the opposition forwards are just as big and mean as yours are, this may take some time.

Wales made a good line break, France scored a couple of tries with running rugby (thank God for them!) but overall? Dull.
If you are the kind of person who likes to see sixteen huge blokes in a pile, in a wrestling match, then watching England RU must be great.

If you want to see the ball given to the backs for a bit of running rugby, not so much. Mind you, the fact that the England backs seem unable to catch the ball on a regular basis is probaably limiting that option.

Endless substitutions where one weightlifter in a tight shirt is replaced by another weightlifter in a tight shirt, scrums that take forever and result in either a penalty or the ball being fed into the second row, the dreaded Third Match Official to slow down the game even more, endless kicking contests, daft rules... no, not for me.

I've seen soem club matches (especially junior clubs) where the game still resembles actual rugby, but the international game, no thanks.

Well yes.

Now don't get me started on lineouts that are not straight or forward passes. Then there is the inconsistency with the "not releasing" rule. Also, when did it become illegal to bring down a maul? I am sure that it was allowed when I played at school so long as players did not come in from the side.

I did wonder when the forward pass rule was abolished!

I think it was about 1900 and something when the Americans and Canadians realised that they could not play rugby nor "football". Netball became basketcaseball and rounders became baseball.

Frank, that sounds like something Mick would say