The 2011 Rugby World Cup has showed how much of rugby is not in union. Throughout the tournament there has been nothing that resembles sportsmanship.
Instead, we all have been subjected to disgruntlement, sniping and every other derogatory simile we can find. In earlier writings, I have expressed that when any group sit around a table with any idea, the first thinking’s by each individual is, “What’s in it for me?” And so it has been here at the RWC 2011.
After one removes the beautiful veneer of the magnificent opening sequences and the 2011 RWC games beginning, the foul smelling stench of selfishness oozed its way to the top.
The constant screaming into the wind by the smaller minnow nations of unjust and unequal recovery times and that they were being treated as simple “fillers” to the main event, their voices of dissent were only being heard when one of their mates sacrificed his career to have the world hear.
The greedy IRB imposing huge fines on players of these nations for wearing mouth-guards with logos so small one needed to have them sitting in a dentist chair to see them.
The blatant cheating by England of ball swapping with the IRB suggesting by their inaction that it’s all right to do so. The statements by IRB referee boss, Paddy O’Brien that his referee’s were up to the mark and then to watch bazaar ruling being impinged on team’s through-out the entire tournament that affected several outcomes.
To have these teams who felt that they were wronged, (many with justification) wait until they returned to their own countries to avoid IRB and local censure dragged out their scapegoat dolls to stick pins into so as to divert attention from their own failures. The idiotic statement of the IRB boss Mike Millar, suggesting that “any team is replaceable” at a RWC.
Yeah, Mr Millar, have another Tui and tell me that a RWC without the likely 2011 RWC world champions, the immediate past RWC champions and the current Tri Nation champions from the Southern Hemisphere would be a “World” Cup were they to boycott your 2015 games.
We see a defined rule broken and a referee enforce that written rule only to have millions look through tinted glasses at the topsy-turvy tackle and say to the woman next to them, “Don’t worry, you are only a little bit pregnant!” Idiotic rules give idiotic answers to idiotic questions.
Quade Cooper, your rugby union needs it’s ask-me kicked for not having you reprimanded by the judicial for the Helena Rubinstein face lift you did on Richie McCaw. Had you been punished all would have been forgotten and forgiven and your trip home would have been as brilliant as would have been your game. Instead, you copped the wrath of gladiatorial justice from the coliseum crowds.
Everywhere within this RWC there has been bickering, snipeing, sniding, snivelling, ill-will, cheating, unfairness, and a lack of equal justice all wrapped up in a total lack of sportsmanship. In the cold realities of light it is an event not dissimilar to those the Caesars’ of Ancient Rome presided over. Thumbs up, thumbs down, and never knowing which it will be.
Let us hope that the RWC does not suffer the same fate that followed Rome.
sledgeandhammer
Guest
Wow, some really irrational, twisted thoughts wrapped up in that little piece. Comparing the Roman Empire to The RWC perhaps takes the cake. What is the special relevance of Caesar's Rome? Did anyone get killed?
Rob9
Guest
For sure sports have their ups and downs. Basketball in the states right now is at a point where the sport will no doubt fall into a bit of a slump with the lock out. All of the 'big 4' in the US have experienced this a number of times throughout their professional lives. You've also pin pointed league in this country which is also a prime example. But take a look at leagues standing within our sporting landscape now and unions failure in making up some serious ground during the super league era to be up there on the AFL/NRL level today. What it highlights is the big players of a sporting landscape are more or less entrenched within them and will be there for eternity. They make up part of a nations culture and identity. American Football certainly is and will remain a huge fish in there very sizeable pond. That being said, this 'sizeable pond' presents enormous opportunities for Rugby. I long for the day when the Eagles are up there with the Wallabies, ABs, Boks etc. That day will come but it wont mean Rugby is neccessarily one of the big players in America's sports landscape. I suspect it can go as big as to be one of the larger sports sitting outside of the mainstream sports along with soccer. Putting my optimistic cap on and it may even overtake the world game in the US as this is a market that tends to love its contact sports. This is unlikely though with their large immigrant population. So lets say finding a nice cosy position in 6th place. Still high enough to produce a world class professional league, many great players and a hell of a national team. With the whole idea of Americans loving there international competition of their mainstream sport- I'd still argue the NBA would experience a limited impact from the increased international competition. It's just a market that's very self obsessed and only really concerned with what's happening in their own backyard. Sure they'd watch gold medal matches but the pinnacle of the sport in America is their playoffs. That puts the international competition into perspective. The one exception of the big 4 would be hockey where there are 7 clubs in their national league from outside of their borders and the game is religion just north of the border so they've built up a healthy international rivalry. As I said, what countries play American Football outside of the US has little to no impact on the American market itself, but dont underestimate the sports global appeal. Euro NFL died in the arse as it was a graveyard for washed up players trying to prolong their careers. The sport is growing in player numbers and even more so in interest in many countries across the world.
Johnno
Guest
Westy the real rugby fan, you are 100% right rugby is only on the up, the 2015 rugby world cup will be even bigger as those developing countries get increasingly more pro players in eurpo leagues, 7evens olympics is going to be another huge advertisement for the sport, rugby now with internet will hit a global market, and tv of course, and all the money, the rugby world cup is the 3rd biggest sports tournament after the Olympics and soccer world cup. ANd now 7evens rugby union is now part of the olympics and it was enthusitaclly welcomed as another cash cow like soccer that the olympics can make big revenue and tv ratings from. Rugby is on the up and rugby league and afl and gridiron are on the way down as they lack global appeal, and i am happy if rugby union becomes after soccer the dominant contact sport. ANd cricket is on the way down, test cricket and oDI cricket are struggling big time, and T20 is an uncertain gold mine time will tell how populate T20 really gets, but outside of the ASHES cricket is on life support around the world. Struglling test cricket i snow struggling in NZ, West indies, australia, sri lanka, iNDIA were awful on recent england tour, pakistan, only England is test cricket staying popular.
Johnno
Guest
Maybe there is a sting chance rob9 you are right mate, and it fantasic you like many of the rugby fans simply love the sport of rugby union like me and know what a great game it is. I am passionate like you and the rans who simply know what a great game it is, but the reality is with AFL, NFL, NRL yes they are entrenched , bit for what ti is worth cracks can appear in any sport. Rugby league was riding along blissfully ignorant until 1995 and a player revolt and supe rleauge was formed. West indies cricket, and also australian cricket for that matter riding on the coat tails of present glory not thinking about future. NFL is trying to cahs in on new tv ratings, not necessarily ne player markets as it has tried and failed dso many times, the failed euro gridiron league. Still played a bit in germany bit not storng anywhere in the world really other than USA and American Samoa. And you are rightt i probably underestimate th epsilon people have for say rugby league( and i used to eb a big fan, AFL, and American football. AN di can't just ignorantly steam roll in and assume everyone will love rugby and simply want to drop Aussie rules, rugby league, or american football, a sif it never existed or no emotion attached to it. But no sport including rugby mos tcertiantly is not not bullet proof and all sports have weaknesses, and i just think 1 crack despite what you say about USA dominating will not mind being part of global sport. The global ris eof basketball has been good for the NBA and basketball in general, as now USA Pplayers have the chance ot play in Olympucs, and other nations have caught up a lot and can give them a meaningful contest. I watched the USA gold medal game in 2008 oly,pics and USA were in bogie trouble and kobe bryant saved there bacon vs spain, he was the difference, man for man spian had the USA equal But if over the next 20 years Rugby can get just a niche market in USA then that may be enough as population there is so big. I love though what the russian government is doing they ar emaking a rugby team compulsory in every high school in russia, great achievement for the code that the russian government is taking rugby union to that level of seriousness. Maybe cos they hosting olympcis could be reason who knows, but no one can ignore rob9 , the power of advertising, globalisation, internet , pay tv, and technology are helping spread the sport of rugby union to a global audience.
Westy The Real Rugby Fan
Roar Rookie
The rugby world cup is now big business and the William Webb Ellis trophy now one of the most sort after price by those countries playing the game. When you have a successful world cup and every team wants to get to the final you get your bickering, snipeing, sniding, snivelling, ill-will, cheating and unfairness. It will only going to get better in 2015 in England.
Rob9
Guest
Aww johnno bless your cotton socks for being so ambitious about the sport I love like no other but im afraid you're dreaming. For the most part Americans dont care about the outside world. They couldnt give a red rats about who's playing American Football. Despite this the NFL is still setting themselves up for expansion into Europe, Canada and Mexico. Hence a regular season game being held at Wembley Stadium between Tampa Bay and another team that slips my mind shortly. The international expansion isnt an attempt by the NFL to increase the popularity of the sport at home but to just increase the size of its overall market. With the money behind the NFL, who knows they might beat Rugby to the punch in the quest to being a truly global sport. Regardless it will have no bearing on the popularity of the sport in the States. This game is entrenched in American culture, it's now recognised as America's national sport over baseball and the NFL is one of the richest sporting organisations of any kind in the world. It makes the irb look like a local park football comp. Im guessing you're expecting Rugby to knock off league and AFL as numero uno in Australia. Because after hell freezing over that'd be the next thing to happen before knocking off American Football in the US. Mate I appreciate your passion but lets be real here and set realistic goals.
Johnno
Guest
Well it might in like 20-50 years rob9. It is not that far out a statement. People in the USA once they get educated increasingly about rugby union will realise it is a more enjoyable sport than gridiron, and how boring gridiron is and what have they been wasting there time liking gridiron all these years. And the fact that rugby union is an international sport will increase the attractiveness of the sport. Rugby union is now generating high participation numbers than gaelic football and hurling, and that is attributed i think to rugby being a global sport. Sevens olympics, rugby owlrd cups, increasing pro league clubs in europe and the games spread in europe and node day the formation of a pro league in USA will simply make rugby union in usa and canada big business and one day may take over gridiron, with all this exposure, americans will fall out of love with gridiron increasingly large numbers Rob 9 i firmly believe that , and that may sound outrageous at first glance but hone one thinks about it, gridiron is a seriously flawed global sport that no one else cares about and americans will love the speed of rugby compered ot all the stoppages of gridiron. And rugby in the latest market research on sports in usa is the highest increase in apritcipations number sof any junior sport in usa, plust it is now making inroads into college system and 7sevens into college and high school. give it 20 years 2 generations look out gridiron.
Rob9
Guest
Man johnno you make some far out statements. Rugby has huge potential in the states but it will NOT ever come come close overtaking American Football there!
AndyS
Guest
Interesting. I wasn't there for the RWC, but I was in Houston for the first Bledisloe game and was looking for somewhere to watch it. I would have phoned more than half a dozen pubs that claimed to show sport before I found one that showed 3N matches. Every one of them informed me that they were specifically subscribing and showing all the RWC games though.
walla
Guest
The performance of the "minor" nations (if you can call US and Russia minor!) have been great, and is a big step towards rugby becoming an international game like soccer. I hope the IRB will give these countries opportunities to play against the big guns in Europe and Southern hemispheres. I think the US will be hard to crack but Russians are promising - they love a violent sport like rugby. The Pacific islands, Asia are also other countries that should be targetted.
Jock M
Guest
Money and greed are over taking the game. Why should anyone be surprised. The money men would have you believe that professionalism can captiure all that Rugby once was-who is kidding whp? More and more people are commenting on the game and its structural short comings. It is a complete bore and lacks the spontaneity and finess that it once had. However, The All Blacks are a brilliant team-wouldn't it be good to see them play under the old full contest laws. They were thinking all the time and showed incredible drive.
Johnno
Guest
Dopey thank you for the encouragement good to know other fans of rugby have seen the serious potential of rugby that this world cup has shown and it's development as a sport. NZ has hosted best rugby world cup ever, to be honest it totally exceeded my expectations of how good a lot of the other coutnries have got at rugby eg italy,scotland,samoa,wales,irleand, so something msut be goingon right in those parts of the world with rugby development. And for the reasons above it has been great tournament, and have kept fans passionate and interested through out and entertained, and the fact i will miss it shows that is a good thing as the fans hunger to can't wait for the next 1 shows the sport is healthy. Where as with cricket i honestly would not even care if there was never another one day cricket world cup again. i found the tournament with the exceptionof about 2 matches australia v India, and india v Pakistan a very boring show and node day crick two a boring sport and i used to be a fan. Same with winter olympics even i used to take eno notice of it but liked the last winter olympics and th emend ice hockey grand final was amazing. But your right it is all relatives with ones chosen sport, spme people love golf, i don't , except i like golf the last few holes of the biritish open or us masters, and tiger woods grabs my attention. I like sport full stop but yes obvious preference eot some sports, and yes some loathing or dislike or boredom form some dopey. AFL i could not care if it existed or not, in fact i hope it does not exist as it means more junior talent can go to rugby and same with rugby league i used to love but now would not care if it struggles and more grass roots talent goes to rugby in OZ,and same with gridiron in USA i hope more junior talent plays rugby not gridiron. Fiji is an interesting one. Some good coaches, but this year it just did not gel. a few key players pulled out before tournmant(ripen thau thau, and some good forwards, and a few back), also Fiji has so many polictal problems, and the Fiji government was contanstly interfering in the team management basically undermining it. I think Fji rugby is storng they just had a bad tournament, but they Fiji ar much better team and rugby nation than they showed for sure, so much talent in Fiji. And good there sevens are back up again. Fiji if they get good again are just as big a draw card as Samoa , for the crowds, they were Fiji were everyone's 2nd favourite team a toast 2007 world cup and went very close to beating south africa. Fiji will be back, to much talant and class splatters playing in europe and up and coming not to. Great world cup Dopey but yes it is all relative to the sports a person likes.
Johnno
Guest
But peeko valid point yes you make but the fact, that th option is there now to watch the match even if it is pay per view show that some interest is there. Rugby is starting to climb it is is just getting started in USA, to the masses, as far as growing rugby has experience the highest growth of any sport in USA in terms of percentage increase it is staggering. And the 7seven olympics will grow it moor eand more. It has lot so fork to do to beat baseball, basketball, ice hockey, gridiron, and will take time but even if it never beats those sports, it will i am sure have a foothold in american mainstream sport over next 10 years. Soccer has made massive stride in USA and is getting better fact is USA is a top 20 soccer nation , they have made quarter finals of a world cup. ANd MLS will get bigger such a big population in USA and rich country. And rugby you have 1 millions hawaiins polyniesains who are embracing rugby big time so much talent in Hawaii and USA. But a lot of work to do but rugby over gridiron big attraction long term is it is global sport, and wages will rise in rugby and in gridiron go down as tv ratings and participation numbers drop over the next 20 years thanks to the rise of rugby union which is a global game unlike Gridiron. AN dwith 7evens olympcs look out gridiron he comes the sport of rugby union. in russia now Russian government is making compulsory a team in every high school in russia, amazing news for a sport to have a coutnry like russia do that for the sport shows how much they value rugby now, and can see it's potential and a global game.
peeeko
Roar Guru
John no I am living in America and very few games if any are on tv. NBC has showed about 3 games at 2am in the morning. All other games are available for 30 bucks each on pay per view not regular cable. You would not even know that it is on, except for 2 expat pubs in a city of ten million
Dopey
Guest
Great post Johnno. Judging this event against other sporting events is relative. Soccer fans will of course think the soccer world cup is the best event. AFL fans think the AFL Grand Final is the best event - so on and so forth. But as a Rugby Fan I though this World Cup was by far and away the best ever - both on the pitch and off and for the reasons you have highllighted. But I don't agree with you re. Fiji. They had a poor World Cup but I don't think that necessarily means they have gone backwards as a Rugby Nation. They recruited some pretty good coaches this year and their Sevens seems to be back on the way up.
Johnno
Guest
RWC has been best world cup ever in rugby and in fact in any sport. I am going to be suffering serious withdrawal symptoms when the tournament ends. I have had the time of my life, i wish i had the money to of spent 6 weeks in NZ soaking up the energy and atmosphere. And the fact that is i will be sad and suffer withdrawal symptoms is a good thing. Coz if no passion and you don't care or don't miss it thats a bad thing(eg ODI cricket world cup, what sadly ODI T20 and test cricket outside ASHES has become in general, boring now and i was a cricket fan). Just look at the emotion and hurt when the teams in this RWC have been eliminated (Australia, irleand,wales,samoa, south africa, all heart broken to be eliminated). And that is good it shows the fans care. And look at some other examples of great energy and passion in this RWC. ( The reception when Samoa and Tonga team arrived in NZ, if that did not get you emotional and passionate then you really are cold). And now with rugby being admitted into 7evens olympics, and the constant spread and expansion and exposure on tv to rugby( NBC showed every match of RWC in USA) the game is going to get even better and the developing nations plus all the others that did not qualify are going to get rapidly better over next 10-20 years. RWC and rugby union is here to stay long term as a global sport. AN now with internet, globalisation, pay tv money, technology so much better, better coaching, rugby is simply going to expand so much, plus the 7evens olympics helping rugby development, rugby is going to just get bigger and bigger and higher quality. simply look at how much better canada and usa, and japan have got, and italy and samoa, and wales and irleand and scotland Rugby on the up big time . Just look t the passion generated in that Wlaes V Samoa match, and Fiji VS Samoa match at eden park. Great atmposhphere. Only Fiji have gone backwards as a rugby nation, but they will be back when they get there house in order. Best rugby world cup ever congratulation NZ on hoisting a greta tournament, and long live rugby and may it expand more.
Dopey
Guest
Well said. Although to be fair, the IRB did themselves no favours by allowing the RFU to run their own disciplinary hearing inthe same week they issued fines for the mouthguards. By the way - PLENTY of players got fined for mouthguard and commercial clothing breaches - it's just the Tuilagi brothers were the only ones to whine publicly.
Dopey
Guest
Not sure what RWC you were watch Kingplaymaker. Russia v USA was the only intolerable game. The rest i thought were excellent. Not all of them razzle dazzle rugby but the quality of the Rugby displayed by teams, including Romania and the like, was excellent. Best RWC ever in my opinion. A few of my personal favourites off the top of my head: Japan v France Wales v Ireland Quarter final Tonga v Japan Canada v Tonga All Blacks v France Scotland v Argentina Romania v Scotland Ireland v Italy To each their own I guess
Jimmy O
Guest
Kingplaymaker, had there ever been a world cup in any sport where it hasn't been tournament of plenty of uninspiring matches. I'm a basketball nut and have been to the last two world champs and the majority of matches have been pretty tedious with an occassional beauty thrown in, I also spent 4 weeks in south Africa at the last FIFA world cup and it was pretty dire. I must say Germany 06 looked pretty good but maybe that was because of Australia's efforts. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Get over it boys, the RWC isn't going anywhere and the game will be the better for it. Where do you lot think the IRB draws most of its development funding from? Rugby is a game of contrasts particularly in style but what has been evident is that the minnow nations have improved and in future tournaments will continue to build. Rome wasn't built in a day and considering the progress that has been made since 2003 and considering this is only the 7th RWC, Rugby's international develop is progressing nicely.