Does anyone recall when rugby was fun?

I must be kidding myself, so I had better pull my head out of my, what was it called again, upper class box. Felt more like cardboard than velvet ,though. List these blokes on a dour scale, one being dour and 10 being smilingly happy. I will have a go first. Digby Ioane 10 James O'Connor 10 Tim Horan 8 John Eales 9 Kurtley Beale 9 Quade Cooper 9 James Horwill 8 David Pocock 8

Private schools are not all what you would call "elite". Fees aren't that high for many of them, and people scrimp and save for the perceived advantages of attending them. GPS schools like Ipswich Grammar (hello, Berrick Barnes and Rod Davies) might be a good school but elite? And Nudgee College is that elite, like Eton? I don't think so. More middle class. It seems to be that NZers, though,are surprised at the middle class nature of the game as compared with the game encompassing all social classes in NZ-- from labourers to judges. It would be good if rugby in Australia could expand into all sectors of society like it is in NZ. Free to air TV would surely help, and better promotion of the stars. Entertainment at the grounds is weak, such as at Suncorp, where they really need to pick up their act.

stillmatic1 - just be one of the nice adoring AB public for when they do lose.

yeah mania, i should just not worry about handing over my hard earned coin since the result doesnt matter!!

WTF sprigs?!? - i loved playing rugby but not much of a socialising. most of the time i'd head home right after the shower. but the thing about rugby is the collisions and coming out on top. using your brain to dominate a bigger stronger player/ team. using strategies/tactics to outsmart, outlast and triumph. the spirit of the beer afterwards was good but the main course was is and will always be the game and yes to your statement "It makes no sense colliding into monster men for fun." its more fun to collide into them and knock them over. its about dominance. its primal

sprigs - two losses in a row? all that would happen and more (calls to bring back Ted, hang Hansen, retire Richie and drop Dan). the NZ public are terrible when it comes to critiqueing the AB's. this is the bad side of being the AB's adoring public. people get precious over a game

These are you perceptions, and not shared by others. I am not private school, I picked up rugby from a kiwi boss, and I like the RC. I get the distinct feeling that you think blue collar Australia is the kind that laughed at Greg Richie playing Mahatma Coat. The Footy Show (NRL) is for morons, and is almost nothing to do with rugby league. NRL on Fox is for diehards. The Rugby Club is aimed in the middle of them, because we only have one show, not a couple dozen.

They are all Australian shows though Sprigs. I just think variety would be best. I feel when players from NRL go on 'The Footy Show' or 'NRL on Fox' they seem to say what they want, show more personality. Whereas Super Rugby players seems to spit out the same broken record lines you would expect. Maybe I've just got this mindset that Australian rugby players are mostly from private schools and they're all PC. I don't believe it is middle class in Australia as most players come from private schools. So its either the select few superstar kids from the lower/ middle class that got scouted or the rich kids that could afford to go to these elite private schools.

@Carnivean: Because 'The Rugby Club' clearly isn't aimed at the blue collar Australians. It's just ex-Wallabies sharing inside jokes and current players on lame segments like Piggies vs Princess sharing inside jokes. 'The Footy Show' actually gets out in public and talk to people. Gordon Tallis is a much better role model than Marto mate. And Reg Regan acts a clown, Marto is oblivious. As a AB supporter its hard for me to make a judgement on TJ because when he says the All Blacks will thump the Wallabies in the RWC, then they do, well theres nothing more to say.

You might not but the masses do. ARU can keep 'The Rugby Club' for the dull crowd who live and breath rugby but an actually entertaining show might bring in new fans.

NRL offers The Footy Show for those that have that sense of humour (which also includes the youth) but they also have 'NRL on Fox' which is very insightful. I think the guys on 'NRL on Fox' are better than the guys on 'The Rugby Club' because not only do they analyse the game but also the state of the game. Guys like Matty Johns aren't afraid to ask the hard questions and I recall an interview with Robbie Farrah where he called them soft. Everyone thinks the same of the Waratahs but no one says it on TV. This elitist environment doesn't allow for hard truths. They must remain PC.

Taking the headline at face value, I would say that amateur rugby is no less fun now than it has ever been, but perhaps with a minor reservation over the creeping sense that the ARU/state body should somehow take responsibility for every irritation and annoyance that the grassroots game might see. As a spectator, it is still great too. Everyones team could also do better, but that is what you get with competitive sport and a win wouldn't be a celebration otherwise. The media needs a chill pill over it though. To a man they seem to be hating all rugby at the minute; actually, probably every minute for the last decade. It is almost like they see it as politically correct or sophisticated to be constantly critical of it all, or maybe that is exactly what it is where they work. You don't hear anything like the same badmouthing of the other codes when they have a muddled snorefest of a match, which happens with no less regularity. They put it aside and focus on the good bits. As for the players, well, who cares. Everyone would love to be having fun at their job, but it ultimately is their job and sometimes some bits of it will suck. If they don't enjoy it overall, they should go back to air traffic control, brain surgery, the mines or wherever it was they'd've been otherwise. I play golf for fun; Appleby doesn't.

I assume you mean TJ was hilarious to laugh at not with? The segment was good though, always good thought on the game across the ditch...

All I will say is that I cant stand the AFL or League shows, toilet humour is OK every now and again but 90mins a week is a bit much and I am all for a cheap gag. If I want to watch comedy then I will watch Richard Prior Live...

Tell you what Sprigs, I'll worry about that when it happens, as it inevitably will. Fortunately over a very, very, very long time now that has not happened to often! In the mean time I will enjoy watching them play the wonderful expansive attacking Rugby that makes them the envy of every other Rugby playing nation.

Anyone who doesn't see that RU is being held back by its dour ethos, and its lack of genuine personality whereby 'fun' is anathema and socially unacceptable is just kidding themselves. They are probably so tightly stuffed into their private school upper class box that they have never even squeezed their heads out to take a look around.

Also bross in sth africa is good quality. Horan is too nice as well he never criticises anyone. Kearns used to be entertaining but he has become far too cynical he just whinges alot now during commentary but on the rugby club his still has a few good lines. marto is just marto you either love or hate his abrasive queenslander style. I dont mind it till he bags tahs players just cos their tahs players, an eg of this was on saturday when he was calling for palu to be dropped and he also led the charge for rocky to be axed last year.

Intelligent might be a better description of the Rugby Club, they keep it light but focused on the Rugby. The NRL footy show has so little to do with the actual game I have lost interest, from the days of them dressing in drag to trying to drag every controversy in the game out. The Sunday Roast is much better and they actually talk about issues around League. Australian Rugby had an awesome chance with the (forgotten the correct name) championship created and dumped a few years ago. I knew so many people who were going to those games as casual supporters that would never pony up the $150+ for family to the Tahs but bought season passes to the Central Coast team.

I loved Steve Hansen's quote saying he was unfortunate enough to have been born with an upside down smile. He has a very dry sense of humor though, The guys at the Rugby Club on fox always seemed to get a kick out of talking to him. However he has always been huge on enjoyment and total life management, and ensuring they were well looked after.