Both games are fantastic when played properly but there is something that I find a touch annoying about many devoted rugby fans...some ( most?) have never ever played. The numbers just dont add up with Rugby support.I went to one once! I was invited by a big telecoms outfit and did the whole VIP seat - 3 course meal after - meet the players thing.
I have been to so many international rugby games I've lost count however.
Go out on any winter Saturday morning and hundreds of pub games, local clubs etc etc will be playing football. In years past every school in land would have had at least 5 teams with football being dominant sport on curriculum.Rugby playing schools were few and far between.( except in a few areas) Yet now thousands claim to be Rugby fans, some of whom would die of fright if they found themselves in a scrum.
My nephew and his mates are new converts to following Rugby. Know all terms, teams and regularly knock football supporters ( which they all were only a few years back) Not one of them has ever kicked, thrown or caught a rugby ball. They know what a grubber kick is but couldn't do one for a pension. Its become trendy to support rugby..and I,m not saying you must have played a game to support it, far from it, but all these folk pushing rugby and shouting its sporting virtues cant have been in a changing room prior to a game. Underneath the game is just as full of gamesmanship and " cheating" as football, probably more so. This new breed of support has not witnessed that side of game.
A few years ago I went to local bar in France and it was packed. Room was split in two , one half supporting Catalan Dragons other half all expats shouting on some English side. Owner asked me if I was interested in rugby and who I,d be supporting. I replied
" no, not any more, I,ve played, I know what those blokes are putting each other through"
I left to watch football.
Rugby has become very gladitorial. Only my opinion. And it should be banned in schools. Most of half wits teaching it are similar to those I described earlier. Shouting at kids to make low hard tackles when they never have themselves. It really is a game you must have played to coach or teach, but even.played properly it has no place in schools.
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