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It’s a wee while since I last played rugby. That was when it was a game enjoyed by players from the Extra Fifths from Wee Wah Wollongong, right up to the gods who were selected to play for my country (Scotland as it happens) against other fabulous gods from other countries.
We always played on a Saturday afternoon with a 3.00 o’clock kick off unless there was an International, where we would kick off at 10.00am. We paid a fee (worked out by the committee) which allowed us to play rugby. We paid extra for the jersey… I think it was the same colour jersey as worn by the seconds.
There were various competitions over the year which included knockouts, sevens, etc., where we could play against other rugby teams to decide who was best.
I would doubt if there was ever more than a few hundred people watching these games even if there were half of the Scottish rugby team playing.
Each year our national pitch was used for the Five Nations. There would usually be a touring team. The final of the Edinburgh knockout would be played at Murrayfield. There was a Highland Games occasionally.
Other than that our national pitch was fallow waiting for the next match.
Rugby is a minority sport almost everywhere in the world apart from New Zealand and Wales.
The Super concept is a fine idea. We can watch the best players from a country play against the best from another country, at a cost. We can only watch it if we pay a hundred dollars or more and buy a Foxtel package! But who cares about that, we’re all well off aren’t we – and who cares about free-to-air anyway?
I get quite angry about all the people whinging about rugby being a dying sport because it isn’t making money compared to league, AFL and football. Who cares? I mean who bloody cares if rugby isn’t making money compared to…?
Where did it all go wrong? I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers that there were probably only around half a dozen penalties during the whole 80 minutes we played.
Let’s go back to Ballymore or wherever you buggers from Sydney and Canberra play. Let’s go back to playing Otago, Auckland, Wellington, Souths, University… Let’s go back to watching and playing rugby.
Get rid of the idea of trying to make money out of our game.
The ref has been allowed to be the most important player on the pitch. I would imagine that one of the reasons a referee makes top flight is because he is able to see most of the muckups and loves to whistle them up without fear or favour! Thank heavens I don’t play rugby any more as I would be watching the ref all the time waiting for him to regurgitate his whistle.
I wouldn’t mind so much if the rules were understandable. I mean, I remember being penalised once for deliberately putting the ball in squint. 45 years later I still think it was unfair but what on earth has happened where the scrum half puts the ball into the second row and the ref doesn’t bat an eye?
The lineout is a nonsense where the ref can stand at the back, see an obvious crooked throw and put his hand up to say it is OK. Are you serious? It is the same with forward passes. I’ve lost count of the number of tries scored recently with a quite obvious forward pass.
I could go on. And on.
The yellow card is an appalling concept. More often it is a 50-50 call made by the referee which may or may not be correct. If he’s wrong then the game could be destroyed by an unfair call and that can never be righted.
Do what they do in league – put the player on report so cool heads can see it afterwards.
All refs are crooks anyway. They never whistle correctly for my team.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.