Rugby News from unexpected places
- Thread starter p.Tah
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Omar Comin'
Chilla Wilson (44)
In Sri Lanka there's an annual high school match (played over 2 legs) called the Bradby Shield that gets some pretty big crowds.
The 1st leg of this year's 70th instalment is on youtube (including all the Sri Lankan coverage and English commentary). Quite amazing to see really. Not a huge stadium but it's absolutely packed, including some standing only spaces, so could be over 20k there.
According to the IRB website there are just under 60k rugby players in Sri Lanka.
The 1st leg of this year's 70th instalment is on youtube (including all the Sri Lankan coverage and English commentary). Quite amazing to see really. Not a huge stadium but it's absolutely packed, including some standing only spaces, so could be over 20k there.
According to the IRB website there are just under 60k rugby players in Sri Lanka.
Omar Comin'
Chilla Wilson (44)
If rugby was as popular in Germany as it is in Italy for example I have little doubt they'd have a strong national team.
Maybe one day. I think the key for any of these developing nations is to get as many players as possible in professional squads. Then their national teams can become more competitive and they can play home matches to decent crowds. This is starting to happen in the likes of Georgia, the US and Canada. The grass roots and local leagues can develop much faster off the back of that exposure and bring more sustained long term growth for the sport.
It's somewhat ironic that nothing does more for international rugby at the moment than the clubs in France (and to a lesser extent England).
Maybe one day. I think the key for any of these developing nations is to get as many players as possible in professional squads. Then their national teams can become more competitive and they can play home matches to decent crowds. This is starting to happen in the likes of Georgia, the US and Canada. The grass roots and local leagues can develop much faster off the back of that exposure and bring more sustained long term growth for the sport.
It's somewhat ironic that nothing does more for international rugby at the moment than the clubs in France (and to a lesser extent England).
exISA
Fred Wood (13)
Our team is made up of a mix of nations but it is mostly Deutsch.
One Spanish (although he would get offended if I say that, hes of baskin heritage)
One Japanese
One French
One Syrian player (who is a former captain of their national team. Unfortunately he had to stop playing rugby 3 years ago due to the war - as a result of his move to Germany too - was quite emotional too his first game with us beacuse it was his first game in 3 years and he was happy to get his hands on the leather again!)
One polish player (who had never played before)
two American (one who has lived here for 9 years, the other is a 17 year old who was on exchange through his highschool back in the states - it was his last game on the weekend and is the guy who got chaired off at the end - has a promising future in the game, had great skills)
The rest are German - and of course an Australian coach!
One Spanish (although he would get offended if I say that, hes of baskin heritage)
One Japanese
One French
One Syrian player (who is a former captain of their national team. Unfortunately he had to stop playing rugby 3 years ago due to the war - as a result of his move to Germany too - was quite emotional too his first game with us beacuse it was his first game in 3 years and he was happy to get his hands on the leather again!)
One polish player (who had never played before)
two American (one who has lived here for 9 years, the other is a 17 year old who was on exchange through his highschool back in the states - it was his last game on the weekend and is the guy who got chaired off at the end - has a promising future in the game, had great skills)
The rest are German - and of course an Australian coach!
Bairdy
Peter Fenwicke (45)
If you don't mind me asking, how does a West Australian end up halfway around the world in Germany (an airplane excluded)? Do you have family there? Sounds like an interesting story!
Omar Comin'
Chilla Wilson (44)
exISA, how does the German psychology effect how they play the game?
I kind of imagine the German rugby style would be very structured and disciplined, as well as fast. Not a lot of flair but not too conservative either.
I see Germany are up to 24th in the world rankings. A little more improvement and we might see them in a world cup in the not too distant future. Though you'd think they'll need to get more players in professional squads first.
I kind of imagine the German rugby style would be very structured and disciplined, as well as fast. Not a lot of flair but not too conservative either.
I see Germany are up to 24th in the world rankings. A little more improvement and we might see them in a world cup in the not too distant future. Though you'd think they'll need to get more players in professional squads first.
exISA
Fred Wood (13)
Not at all and yes its quite a long story but ill keep it as short as possible. I was coaching in the USA for two years in the Elite Cup/D1 comps. Met my now partner/soon to be wife here while I was travelling which is how I ended up in Germany. My visa was soon finished in the US.
Once I had made the decision to move to Germany, we googled if they had a rugby team here and it so turned out that they had only just recently formed one and had no coach (they were googling drills to do themselves at training) so jumped at the chance when I offered to "help out their current coach". Initially they were really scared having seen the level in the US I had coached but they are absolutely loving it and the initial goals I set when I first arrived have all been met.
exISA
Fred Wood (13)
Its VERRRY different how the German's approach training - similar to the USA (not entirely but there are similarities) - to what I have found in Australia. And this is not a knock on the Australian psyche but more of a nudge to the traits of US athletes and in particular German ones. They respect their coach - they put their 100% trust into you that you are doing the right thing and preparing you and they do everything - NO questions asked. After about 4 weeks of my initial training session the guys could see everything I had put in place started to show and they bought into my style of coaching and the formations/drills/plays I had them do. At first some of them (politely) asked me what the purpose of some drills were (eg footwork in defence - getting in position for the dominant tackle) as I had them do it in various forms ad nausem at the start. But when some of the guys pulled of some big hits they cottoned on. The interesting thing is - I found the times I did "game based" or more accurately "fun game based" coaching where you play alot of games to learn the skills , did not work. They would perform better when we did technical drills that started with fine motor skills or "micro" based skills that developed into the macro sense of the game. German's being German's (being very precise and detailed individuals) this came as no surprise.
The best part about this group of guys is they are SO coachable and eager to learn . Before I came they had lost their first two games 163-0 across both games, yet from my first training session I had 15-20 guys show up with the odd night of less bodies showing up (alot of uni students so around exam time they weren't able to come) . Its not often a team will hold together like that with such one sided results but these guys love the game so much (the way the club formed is quite the story) and now that they are seeing the rewards on the field they are into it even more. We had our record showing to training after the above TV segment was shown - 33 showed up two weeks ago - and we have had solid 27-30 every night since. We even have 5 regular women showing up and only need a few more to start a womens 7's team.
German Rugby is still a "10 man" based style of game from what I have seen - and a few of the guys who have played a few years have said to me "its so obvious you are from the Southern Hemisphere with the style you have us playing" .
Germany play Russia this weekend for a spot in the repecharge game - Russia are huge favourites but rumour is they are resting a few of their stars in preparation for the repecharge. Would be awsome if they could jag their way to their first world cup.
Heidelberg is the main centre of Rugby in Germany which is where most of their national team is based (easier for training purposes) and there are only two fully professional clubs here in Germany. The game is often confused with American Football (which is very popular) but the positive is senior playing numbers have gone from 9000 three years ago to 14000 currently and if Germany can qualify for a world cup that will go up.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
^^That story is worthy of a Blog article @exISA. Keep them coming.
What is your mob called? They are the German team that Chez Jarse will barrack for.
What is your mob called? They are the German team that Chez Jarse will barrack for.
Omar Comin'
Chilla Wilson (44)
Great stuff exISA, I didn't expect such a fantastic response. Best of luck with it all.
It amazes me that there are two fully professional clubs in Germany. That's the same as Scotland and Italy. Obviously at a different level, but if the players in those teams are full time pros then they'd at least be able to develop the conditioning required of professional rugby players and in future some may get contracts in the UK or France.
I see that if Germany were somehow able to beat an understrength Russia and then qualify through the repechage they would be in Australia's pool at next year's world cup. Looking at that pool it may be better they don't! Not sure if losing by 100+ three or four times would be helpful for developing the sport.
It amazes me that there are two fully professional clubs in Germany. That's the same as Scotland and Italy. Obviously at a different level, but if the players in those teams are full time pros then they'd at least be able to develop the conditioning required of professional rugby players and in future some may get contracts in the UK or France.
I see that if Germany were somehow able to beat an understrength Russia and then qualify through the repechage they would be in Australia's pool at next year's world cup. Looking at that pool it may be better they don't! Not sure if losing by 100+ three or four times would be helpful for developing the sport.
Spieber
Bob Loudon (25)
Nice production work on the clip exISA!
rugbyskier
Ted Thorn (20)
Sehr gut exISA, aber ihr Deutsch ist ein bisschen scheissig 
. Ich habe ein Bayerisch freund, im November bin ich mit ihm nach Paris zu sehen die Wallabies spielen Frankreich.
. Ich habe ein Bayerisch freund, im November bin ich mit ihm nach Paris zu sehen die Wallabies spielen Frankreich.
