Rugby spirit

[AngrySeahorse]

In our comp we shake hands before & after play. There is one team that doesnt shake hands before playing & everyone was quite happy when we beat them in the GF. I think if its usual not to shake hands before a game across a whole comp then there is no problem but if its been a long standing thing as it has been in our comp then it stands out as poor form, obviously changes situation to situation.

 

[Army_Gav]

From the World Cup:
- Talking to a local in New Plymouth: When he found out I was a Victorian, we discussed at length all things Rugby, Aussie Rules, League, Soccer.
- Talking to a Samoan/Kiwi & a Tongan/Kiwi at Burger King Auckland: We discussed the Ireland game (they tipped us, HA!) and hoped that it was a NZ/AUS final. The Samoan/Kiwi had lived in Melbourne at some stage, so we discussed a few things.
- Always a highlight in Rugby is how both teams clap each other off the ground via a "tunnel"
- I have really been blown away by the amount of Russians that have made the trip

 

[light]

Agreed Gav,

I think the most respect you can show for a player as the opposition is to make a tunnel for them as they depart the field. League has a very good way they go about it, usually for retiring players, union has been known to do the same but a bit more low key and only for those who have been great servants to the game. IMO you know when someone is a good player when the opposition are all lining up to shake his hand and congratulate him on his performance, only for him to turn around and say that it was about the team and not his personal achievement.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Yeah im not in favour of shaking hands prior to a game. Get out there and get on with it.

After the game clapping off is always good. The first point of disecting how good/bad/funny certain stuff is during a game.

 

[yourmatesam]

Yeah im not in favour of shaking hands prior to a game. Get out there and get on with it..

Really? Every game I've played, this is a central part of the match. Rep games, grand finals, schoolboy, grade and in two different competitions teams have always shaken hands before the match then tunnel each other off afterwards.

 

[Dan54]

I would doubt you have ever played in a very strong comp yourmate, I have not ever seen it in any reasonably high grade of rugby. It's not an insult or anything, just think when you are about to play a competitive game, you should not be wishing your opponent good luck or anything, but when game finished, should always thank him/them for the game and congrat etc, then have a laugh /beer and discuss the game.

 

[Lindommer]

I would doubt you have ever played in a very strong comp yourmate...

WHAT?! There are few stronger rugby competitions in Christendom than that conducted by the Southern Inland Rugby Union. Wash your mouth out, Dan54.

 

[Jnor]

Dan, I'd also contend that my juniors teams (including rep teams in Syd) were a lot higher quality than the standard of subbies that I play at now.

We always shook hands before a game in the former, and have yet to do so in the latter. I'd say it's more a matter of whatever the majority of teams in a comp tend to do and what the tradition is in that competition.

Edit: As an aside, I was pretty superstitious with it in my junior days and would never wish another player 'good luck' - I'd just say 'good game'...

 

[Bullrush]

I thought this was awesome. This is truely what the Island nations are about.

 

[Army_Gav]

Ran into a bloke in New Plymouth after the Russia/USA game, he was decked out in Russian gear (flag and all) rattling off some basic Russian chants or phrases. Odd thing though, he was a Kiwi from Perth.

Told me that he was going to various games pretending to be a supporter from that country, was doing it for the Ireland game too (pretending to be Irish).

Pretty funny.

Although he found my explanation of wearing a Russia polo somewhat strange.

 

[Dan54]

WHAT?! There are few stronger rugby competitions in Christendom than that conducted by the Southern Inland Rugby Union. Wash your mouth out, Dan54.

Ok Lindo, how silly of me, reaching for the soap as we speak.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

I would doubt you have ever played in a very strong comp yourmate, I have not ever seen it in any reasonably high grade of rugby. It's not an insult or anything, just think when you are about to play a competitive game, you should not be wishing your opponent good luck or anything, but when game finished, should always thank him/them for the game and congrat etc, then have a laugh /beer and discuss the game.

Agree wholeheartedly.

But that being said i am a bit of a hypocrite as i feel it's important that juniors still line up to do it. Give's the referee an opportunity to talk to both teams.

 

[Dan54]

Hey EV' I would have to admit to being a hypocrite to, as I go along with re juniors, see I also think there should be less worry about who wins junior games. When I used to coach young fellas, I always gave opposition out top players at halftime if we looked like running away with game, as I didn't think onesided games helped anyone.

 

[Zeno]

To me, that exemplifies the spirit of Rugby. To drop focus out of the game and help out an opposition player without even the slightest hesitation is what it's all about. It's just a game, in the end.

That incident has a postscript that exemplifies another aspect of the spirit of rugby. The next time Wales and NZ met was at the World Cup in Sydney. Early in the match Jerry Collins took the ball into contact and the Welsh forwards poured into the ruck. Collins was subsequently helped from the field, folded over a little at the waist and with the agonised expression of a man who's just had his testicles massaged into his kidneys.

 

[antipodean]

Actually JC was subbed at the 53rd minute. Not quite as early as it may have seemed.

 

[Zeno]

antipodean, you are one of a couple of forum members (jay being the other) who are tiresomely pedantic in correcting every tiny factoid that comes up in every mention of NZ players. It seems to be terribly important to you to fly the (black) flag for truth and balance and counter-allegation.

In this case, either you remember the precise timing of substitutions from Test matches eight years ago, or you went away to look it up for the purpose of scoring a point. Whichever was your motivation, I ask you to do the forum a favour and go and get a life.

 

[antipodean]

Sorry Zeno, I'll leave you to post whatever imaginary shit you prefer to dream up in future. Would that keep you happy?

 

[Athilnaur]

I note our erstwhile kiwi didn't take issue with this part tho;

. Collins was subsequently helped from the field, folded over a little at the waist and with the agonised expression of a man who's just had his testicles massaged into his kidneys.

ouch.

This discussion tells me two things. One watch out for welshmen in boots. Two, playing hard in the inter web forums has a lot less consequences than playing aforesaid welshmen in rugby.

 

[light]

Cool it lads, this is a thread about Rugby spirit after all.

Zeno does have a point. There is no need to be all pedantic about little facts, what he said was more or less the way it panned out. Everyone is prone to mistakes, it's human nature to do so, correcting these minor errors which are really irrelevant to the point doesn't not make you a better person or contributor to the topic.

 

[Slim 293]

I dont think Zeno's post was in the spirit of this thread though...