Missed 2, 6 and 10, mainly because I assume the answer to any question you ask about rugby is "the All Blacks." 
I actually watched some rugby (union) recently (France vs. Canada) though I freely admit it was only because I was waiting for a football game to start. I hope someone told the Canadians Europe lacks the concept of "running up the score," because Frances last two tries, in the last five minutes, were completely unnecessary--but they turned what had been a reasonably close game into a total blowout. I suspect league is more my style; the absence of downs kept throwing me off when guys got tackled and the ball just came rolling out the back of the pile.
I actually watched some rugby (union) recently (France vs. Canada) though I freely admit it was only because I was waiting for a football game to start. I hope someone told the Canadians Europe lacks the concept of "running up the score," because Frances last two tries, in the last five minutes, were completely unnecessary--but they turned what had been a reasonably close game into a total blowout. I suspect league is more my style; the absence of downs kept throwing me off when guys got tackled and the ball just came rolling out the back of the pile.I think most rugby fans are well aware that the final score doesn't always accurately reflect the game, though. In my (not very extensive) experience with rugby, it's a sport where a team can really fall apart in the final twenty minutes or so, while having been quite competitive until then. France-Canada was a good example. Nobody who did more than look at the scoreline was impressed by the French performance in that game, I dare say.
But yeah, at the World Cup, teams will take off their star players when leading comfortably, or even field a B-team from the start, but they'll still keep going for tries, even if it's just to entertain the crowd. New Zealand fielded a B-team against Canada, especially seeing how they were already guaranteed to be top of the group no matter what, and still beat the crap out of them. Though I guess at least we haven't seen scores above 100 this time... came close a couple times, though.
'Cos they evidently DO have the concept just as firmly entrenched as in the States. It makes sense that close rugby games can turn into blowouts at the end, because it is an endurance sport. I have seen a number of fans claim that is so to a far greater extent than in gridiron, and one of the basic rules of American football is to run the ball when you can, especially with a lead, so your offensive line tires their defensive line and takes control to win games in the fourth quarter when the defence is simply out of gas. As I just noted in a response to TMJ, I think there is a strong causal correlation between the recent NFL disdain for running and the greater frequency of teams trailing by large margins coming back to win. Teams coming back from 20 point deficits used to be unheard of; a month into the season it has already happened three times that I know of, and in every case the loss can be directly traced to teams throwing passes despite having large leads.
Not surprising, all things considered, that the Kiwis pounded Canada; I imagine everyone, including both teams, fully expected that.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
You people have broken me.
- 30/09/2011 12:37:05 PM
820 Views
Answers herein
- 30/09/2011 12:41:27 PM
696 Views
8/10, but got the bonus one.
- 30/09/2011 12:47:22 PM
589 Views
Missed the film, rubgy and baby animal questions, but knew about Monaco. 8/11 then? *NM*
- 30/09/2011 02:35:28 PM
262 Views
It's not that crazy. Ok, some of it is basic, but some is just trivia.
- 30/09/2011 04:09:14 PM
618 Views
A person from Monaco is called a Monocle, obviously.
- 30/09/2011 06:58:31 PM
585 Views
No, they really don't have that concept...
- 03/10/2011 03:24:04 PM
696 Views
Like I said, I just hope someone told the Canadians.
- 04/10/2011 11:23:31 AM
651 Views