Rugby, called "The Game Played in Heaven" by supporters and players alike, comes in two flavours; League and Union.
League is a rapidly moving game with the emphasis on skillful passing and kicking. Tackles are limited; running out of tackles results in the ball changing hands. The game is more glamorous and enjoys plenty of success on TV.
Union is slower but allows for more continuity, with play only stopping if someone stuffs up or goes outside or scores etc. Forwards have a more emphasized role in that they are expected to maintain control of the ball (using brute force) if the ball-carrier is tackled.Both games are brutal and hard-hitting, using very little body armor when stacked up against comparable games like Gridiron, and several deaths have occurred on the field, even at schoolboy level.
Despite the game's obvious merits, some people tend to misconstrue the high-intensity play as being a homosexual act. This can usually be linked to their own (latent or otherwise) homosexual tendencies. Also, the misconception that Rugby is played by 'preppy blokes in private schools' is a fallacy- Rugby can be played by preppy blokes, bogans, drongos, jocks, academics, farm boys, yuppies (i.e. everyone- as long as they’re not wimps or averse to copious amounts of pain).
Unlike many other sports, rugby has succeeded in maintaining as part of its culture respect for both the opponents and the referee. Players are seldom heard to argue with the ref and after the game, both teams and the ref can usually be found drinking and socialising together in the clubhouse.
No comments:
Post a Comment