Rugby World Cup 2011

[Jared2608]

With the Rugby World Cup happening in New Zealand in September, I wanted to find out how many of you guys and girls on here will be watching?? Rugby is super popular here, it's a toss up between rugby and soccer which is the most popular!! The Springboks(South African Rugby Team), are the defending world champions having won it in 2007, and are looking to become the first team to win it 3 times!!

Do any of you guys watch rugby, I know the US has a rugby team, and they normally take part in the world cup, so do Canada. I personally can't wait to see the 'boks go to WAR in New Zealand!!!

[EchoPyrex]

I love Rugby, but sadly here in America it is not a major sport. I have never once seen it on the TV, or heard about it on the radio.

It should be one of our major sports though, its a great game.

[Jared2608]

Sure is a great game, I played First Team in high school! Surely ESPN will put the World Cup on!!

South Africa got an easy group, so we should walk into the 1/4 finals. The only problem is that New Zealand are next to impossible to beat at home, so that's a bit of a concern!!

[EchoPyrex]

I'm a little sided on this one mate, I got some Maori blood in me.

And I really hope your right, ESPN needs to show this. I dont see how they couldnt.

[BigJ]

Yea I played rugby for my college, loved every second of it! If we get it here (which we usually don't) I will be tuning it!

[Jared2608]

I think if they could get it more popular, the US could do well. When I see American Football on ESPN, some of those guys are built like tanks!!

Then again, when I look at some of the guys playing for us, they're not small either, lol!!!

[BigJ]

I think if they could get it more popular, the US could do well. When I see American Football on ESPN, some of those guys are built like tanks!!

Then again, when I look at some of the guys playing for us, they're not small either, lol!!!

I really wish it was bigger here, I am built really well for it and love the sport. We have a local semi-pro team that I have been thinking about playing for, just hard to make a commitment with all the traveling I do. People here just don't understand the sport, and no one takes the time to explain it and the tv stations don't ever play thmatches

[Jared2608]

it's actually a very straight forward game, at least compared to American Football!

Over here every town has at least 1 club and big cities have dozens. There are 9 provinces in South Africa, and each one has a rugby team. Our local provincial tournament, the Currie Cup, is the oldest in the world.

5 of those teams then take part in the Super 15 which is a tournament between provincial teams from S.A, Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately our last team was knocked out today, so its a final between a Aussie team and a New Zealand team.

From the provincial teams the best players then get selected to play for our national team, The Springboks. We've been world champions in 1995, and 2007!

I love the physicality of the game, and there's nothing better than being in the stadium with 50 000+ people! I just wish the Sharks, the team from Natal played better rugby this year!