[Magic Bullets]

The 2011 rugby world cup reached a cumulative audience of around 4 billion people in 238 countries. The final had 750,000 in London converging to watch the final. It was definetly not a non event. The World Cup is one of the top three sporting events in the World, only dwarfed by the Olympics and Football World Cups. Rugby 7s is about to make a much bigger impact as it gets Olympic recognition and we could see more tv coverage and exposure in the coming years, this is a sport which really dazzles.

[rudebwoy]

NFL - I suggest you guys watch the combines, this is where they put the college guys through there paces before they enter the draft for the pro's.
The most popular injury these days is ACL tears to the knee, you fancy getting hit in your knees with a dude wearing a helmet?

[bojangles]

(02-06-2013 10:23 AM)Hooligan Harry Wrote:  

Dude, honestly, I dont quite think as a typical league fan that you appreciate just how big Union is globally. This is something I hear all the time from league fans, but they dont understand that half the world does not even know its still played. It might as well be the AFL outside Aus. Union is smaller in Aus than League, but globally League is seen as something only Australians play and Poms dabble in.

The only reason NZ have dominated the game like they have is because the NZRU and ARU have ensured that the islands remain undeveloped. South Africa for years has been trying to get Tonga, Somoa and Fiji into the Super comp and also been pushing for a Pacific Islanders team who would probably kill everyone. NZ in particular has pretty much raped the islands of their players, which combined with the rugby culture has ensured that the game is their game.

Heineken cup games are sellouts, and we are talking 80,000 capacity stadiums here. The game is massive and its growing every single year. League is big in one state in the entire world bro. South African Currie Cup games, these are not even super games they are just their provincial games, see crowds of 40,000 plus. Thats without the stars playing.

The SANZAR deal alone though is worth $450 million or so, but that is only spread across 15 teams who play 14 games only. Then there are the international test matches, which League does not have because no one but Australia plays this game. Sure, we get the Poms out from time to time or NZ throw us a game, but the international season is about 12 tests on average. This is on top of the franchise, provincial and club rugby. Viewership is in the millions for these games.

18 million people watched the live 2011 world cup final in NZ. Consider the timezone NZ is in

Bud, no comparison. You might as well be talking AFL when you talk League these days.

The French top league teams have an unbelievable amount of money in comparison to all other rugby sides. Stade Francais regularly pull in 80,000 fans when they play at the Stade De France.

[His Imperial Majesty]

I think I’m right in saying, that American Football actually evolved from rugby. And that’s why it’s still called a “touch down” even though (unlike rugby) the ball no longer has to be touched down to score.

The interesting thing for me here, is that in an effort to make the game safer, the Americans introduced helmets and shoulder pads. However from what’s been said on here, it seems to have had the opposite effect.

Without getting all Confucian, I think the maxim here maybe; Sometimes playing it safe is dangerous.

Am I alone in thinking that this may also apply in the context of Gaming?

H.I.M.

[jtbabycarrots]

There is no doubt that American football is the more dangerous sport.

In football you strike with your head across your opponent's body while running full speed. The net result is equivalent to a car accident. The padding/protection in American football only makes it worse.

Force = Mass * Acceleration

In rugby you wrap up your opponent using his momentum and you both merrily fall to the ground.

I played both games at the collegiate level - four years of rugby and eight years of football in total.

The only reason I stopped playing Rugby is because of the Islanders. I was playing scrum-half and I ran by this island of a man. I thought I was in the clear until he reached out behind him, arm fully extended, grabbed the back of my collar and threw me down like a rag doll. At least in American football he would have been penalized. Also, earlier in my career I played Fullback in rugby and there was a high kick for which I called mark. The opposing team didn't care and absolutely ran through my body as I was trying to make the catch. Those two hits hurt... so rugby can definitely be a brutal game. No doubt.

I loved both games though!!!