US Schoolboys Rugby Team

[formeropenside]

Worth a read, and worth watching the 10 min vidoe too.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/sports/othersports/15rugby.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

[TOCC]

great read, i was speaking to some US army guys when i was in Kuwait last month, and the subject of Rugby got brought up, all of them had heard of it and a few of them had played the sport, I never realised that it had such a decent coverage in the US.

some other interesting US sites here:
USA Rugby TV
http://usarugby1.tampadigital.com/mediamanager/

USA Sevens Home
http://www.usasevens.com/

 

[Pfitzy]

Good to see. Think about what chance any of those kids - at a small, socio-economically challenged high school - would have putting together a grid iron team. Not nearly enough money or players to make that happen.

Cultural shifts to games like Union take a long time in such an environment, but when the sleeping giant aka USA Rugby awakes, we're all going to have trouble...

 

[TOCC]

i remember reading in a article somewhere that if Rugby Union gets accepted into the Olympics, then USA Rugby would be in line for a $35million grant as part of the US Olympic funding.

Could do wonders for the game over there, its such a cheaper game to play then Gridion as well since you dont need to buy all those pads and helmets.

 

[Pfitzy]

And only need a squad of about 30 guys to get a team through a season. Instead of needing about 60...

 

[spectator]

That is a good story. You have to take your hat off to people like Tal Bayer.

 

[en_force_er]

if a american/candaian team toured in a similar fashion to the pacific islands and called themselves "the americas" or something it would be good for the game.

nothing can get a country behind a sport like seeing there boys win.

 

[eddo]

Stat from 2008.

There were more high school kids playing rugby in Oregon than American Football.

Give it a few years and the US will be out to get us. Especially since the All Blacks keep flying out their coaches to help set the programs straight.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

I have contended for many years that once the US wake up to rugby, its speed compared to NFL, it's over in 90 min instead of 4 hrs, has to be cheaper with less equipment, they will become a force in world rugby. It might take a while but it will happen.

 

[straightshooter]

Boy that's right whispers - we talk about Pacific Islander boys all the time in Aussie rugby but wait until those unbelievably athletlic Afro-American that have come (albeit unwillingly at the time) to the shores of the wonderland start playing rugby - given their size, demeanour, athletic ability, speed etc etc etc they will kill us poor white trash !!!!!!!!!!

Thank God for swimming, down hill sking, bob-sled and diving

 

[eddo]

I was watching the NBA finals last night.

Imagine Dwight Howard as a lock in Union. 6'11, 120kg.
He's 3 inches taller than Bakkies.

I mean - He makes other pro basketballers look like little kids.

 

[Newb]

I was watching the NBA finals last night.

Imagine Dwight Howard as a lock in Union. 6'11, 120kg.
He's 3 inches taller than Bakkies.

I mean - He makes other pro basketballers look like little kids.

tits for hands though ;D

 

[Newb]

just wondering if anyone else saw this....

the US college 7's rugby championship was on national tv both days of the weekend. i watched a good chunk of it, and some of the teams put on a decent display. challenging restarts and winning some off their own kicks, some good offloads and stepping, even lineouts looked good sometimes. enjoyable. they used the coverage as a way to build up for the upcoming olympic coverage of rugby 7s and it was geared towards explaining the game to an ignorant public. some of the comparisons they made to soccer or american football were funny, but i thought it did the job.

 

[BRIX]

Loved that video Thank you for sharing. Brings back sentiments of school boy comradery and pride in the jersey. USA to be a powerhouse in world rugby in my lifetime, thats for sure.