Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:38 pm  

Something definitely seems to have slipped in terms of both media coverage and also general enthusiasm/awareness in the population compared to a decade or so ago.

This was a world cup quarter final, England beat Australia comfortably. Yes its being covered, but it's not got the same dominating coverage that it did before. The benchmark that stands out to me is not 2003 but 2007. 2003 was mega hyped obviously because England were favourites and hadn't won a world cup in anything for years. In 2007 though, England went in in terrible form and the sporting headlines were dominated for weeks before about how bad England were, same through the early rounds then it hit a fever pitch of excitement when England beat Australia in the quarter final and then France in the semi en route to a final which they lost to South Africa. The hype/excitement about this world cup is not even close to that.

I'm not saying the media is ignoring it, far from it, I just think something has slipped for RU compared to a decade or so ago. I don't think the game is really growing.

I really noticed when I moved down to London and so out of my former northern bubble, that RU is smaller than I thought it would be. When the six nations come around, all the Welsh/Irish people that I know from work etc all seem to make it a big deal. For the English it's just a certain social class, and they don't seem to follow it particularly fanatically either. It feels like the same dynamic as you get with cricket. A lot of people who will watch the internationals on TV, read about it on the internet/papers and have an opinion on it without actively going to games or following a club team.

We always talk about how RU is great at marketing itself and so on but I wonder if it really is. When I went to Australia a few years back I was also surprised at how RU seemed to be seen as a minority sport there and was trailing way behind cricket, league and AFL in the nation's consciousness.

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:56 am  

It can only be described as a passing interest in Union (if that) for me, however, I watched the last hour of the Wales v France QF and missed most of the tries.
Wales got away with a fortunate win, after the French were in control until the elbow incident. Once France were down to 14 men, they still looked like the team more likely to score. I was surprised that they tried a hail Mary drop kick from miles out, and then didn't bother with ball in hand under the Welsh posts. This would have extended their lead to 9 points, and in my opinion seen them home.
The French number 13 would be worthy of consideration if persuaded to switch codes.

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:26 am  

Union is a lot better than it used to be but ruddy Nora it's easy to waste time in that game. Think France touched the ball once in the last ten when trying to chase the game. As well as just standing over a ball at the back of the ruck you could also easily waste 5 mins faffing around at a scrum when, weirdly, the clock isn't stopped and no side who is behind seem remotely bothered.

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:17 am  

What annoys me are the technical infringements that are penalised at the scrum. OK the scrums may be nice & tidy ,but the ref still watches the scrum half feed his own front row making all the pushing & shoving largely irrelevant .

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:29 am  

ninearches wrote:

What annoys me are the technical infringements that are penalised at the scrum. OK the scrums may be nice & tidy ,but the ref still watches the scrum half feed his own front row making all the pushing & shoving largely irrelevant .

I've seen the scrum half feed his loose forward in another game, with 13 men in each team.

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 12:42 pm  

MorePlaymakersNeeded wrote:

I've seen the scrum half feed his loose forward in another game, with 13 men in each team.

Couldn’t care less that there is feeding in our scrum. I’m more bothered about the “con” penalty where the team pretends the ball has come out and catches the other side offside. I would make it a differential penalty.

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:15 pm  

MorePlaymakersNeeded wrote:

I've seen the scrum half feed his loose forward in another game, with 13 men in each team.

I once saw Allan Langer throw a dummy by pretending to feed the scrum, then scuttle round the back of the scrum and try to make a break from the back. The ref (I think it was Ganson) caught him though!

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:25 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

Something definitely seems to have slipped in terms of both media coverage and also general enthusiasm/awareness in the population compared to a decade or so ago.

This was a world cup quarter final, England beat Australia comfortably. Yes its being covered, but it's not got the same dominating coverage that it did before.

Ben Stokes and the England team (mostly Ben Stokes) have stolen the summer really with the world cup and 'that' ashes battling display.

This lack of interest in the England Rugby Union team is just an added bonus.

if this England RU team doesn't win the world cup, they will be failures based on the strength of their opposition.... The battle for 2nd ranked national sport hots up.

Cricket 1-0 Rugby Union

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Mon Oct 21, 2019 7:38 am  

morleys_deckchair wrote:

Ben Stokes and the England team (mostly Ben Stokes) have stolen the summer really with the world cup and 'that' ashes battling display.

I have never had the excitement of the 2019 Cricket World Cup final in any other sport. Electrifying.

Re: Yawnion World Cup : Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:43 pm  

Wires71 wrote:

I have never had the excitement of the 2019 Cricket World Cup final in any other sport. Electrifying.

it was literally unbelievable.... Probably the greatest end to a sporting event... Certainly the best one ive ever seen.