johnnybiggs

Just curious to see if there are other rugby participants/aficionados on the site.

I'm in the US, but I started playing this spring. The more I read about it, the more I had to give it a try.

Mrs Teddy

I use to play rugby for school (I live in Australia), wasn't massively competitive but always liked the game. I've played anywhere from flanker to fullback.. but was mostly a halfback in my later years. Don't play anymore but still follow the Super 14, Tri-Nations and various other international stuff. I go for the Hurricanes in the Super 14 and the Allblacks at test level.

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Dmac

By just saying Rugby I'm guessing that you are talking about Rugby Union, in which case no. I'm a huge Rugby League fan myself.

Union is what you mean though, yes?

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Dr. Proxy

If you're talking about Rugby League, I played as a second row for 5 years, and occasionally a winger. I stopped for a while & then started playing with a locan "open age" pub team, most of them were in their thirties, and smoked heavily, so they weren't Grade A on the fitness side, so we ran rings around them.

I, like Dmac, am a Rugby League fan, I cannot stand union, which is what is referred to as just "Rugby" in the states, which is a shame as League is a much, much better game.

I see your a Wigan fan Dman, I have enjoyed many away games at the JJB, Im a Widnes fan we aren't good anymore, since Maurice Lyndsey ruined us becasue we beat Wigan in some challenge cup final, once he became the chairman of the RFL, he chose specifically for Widnes to stay down and out of the new craze which is now called Super League.

Do you also find that this years Millenium Magic weekend was lacklustre compared to the previous years, which were played in Cardiff? It had nowhere near as good reception up in Scotland than it did in Wales, shame really as it would be nice to have a Scotish team in Super league sometime, as we do have a Welsh team; and they suck, Widnes should have come up instead, we have the facillities, the avid fan base, the history (Theres a reason behind the nick name "Cup kings"), such a shame and a waste to the sport, Im pretty sure they haven't won a single game.

We have got slightly worse since that arsehold paul Cullen took over

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Dmac

Well for one this years was called Murrayfield Magic, being at the Murrayfield stadium and beleive me because I was there, it had a just as good enviroment/atmosphere up in the highlands than it did in Cardiff. The only downside to it being at Murrayfield is that most fans had to stop outside of the city and travel in on the day, which is no problem but with Cardiff you could drink around the city and then have a casual walk to the Stadium where even outside of the stadium people were having fun in the main square randomply playing with a rugby ball.

This years magic weekend stumped last years in terms of attendance records and in fact there was a lot more Scottish fans that came along to watch than Welsh did in Cardiff. I'm a pretty diehard fan so it doesn't really matter where it is, I'll be there. I've been to all 3 so far, Cardiff twice then Edinburgh this year.

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Dr. Proxy

I admire your dedication to the sport, do you go to all games, home and away?

I must admit that I haven't been to Widnes game in a while. I tend to watch both Super league & National league on Sky Sports, and I always catch Boots n' All.

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Dmac

All home games and most away games.

It all depends on away games really because I am all up for going all the way up to Hull, but when we have Leeds on say a Friday night, the traffic is horrendous and it takes us longer to get through Leeds in traffic than the game lasts.

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PeaceSells

I'm a pretty big rugby union fan. I'm glad to see somebody else is interested in it on here as there isn't usually much chat about it. I had played for my school prior to this year, and captained them to the Northern Ireland Subsiduary Shield, which unfortunately we lost. I also represented Ulster under 18's when I was younger on a few occassions.

Having finished school, I then moved on to play for my university side, and also my local club side, normally playing for the 2nds for them, due to my inexperience, but was starting to break into the 1sts until a bad knee injury, with a pretty severe amount of ligament damage.

A bad knee injury has set back my rugby career a little at present. I haven't been able to play contact sport for months, and have since took golf up more seriously. However, hopefully I'll be back next season.

Oh and I play openside flanker or out half (weird two positions I know). I used to play outhalf, but gradually moved into flanker when I got older, but my club side had started to move me back into out half again.

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Mrs Teddy

Ah, ligament damage is a cuunt.

In grade 11 I was playing for the 3rds and had already finished my game when the 2nds coach asked me to come bench for their game. I got subbed on at halfback.. everything was going swimmingly until I got hit with a late tackle behind the ruck after I passed the ball out. This big samoan guy crushed me into the ground and I landed on the point of my shoulder with all his weight on top of it.. thought I'd broken my collar bone at first, but I'd actually torn all the ligaments in the my shoulder. Sucked because all I could show for battle wounds was a lousy sling and I felt like I deserved a cast or something lol. Shit kept me sidelined for a while.

The Phantom

I’m a huge rugby union fan. During the season I am always at a game on a Saturday. I went to about 45 games this season, and 60 the season before. You could say I’m a bit of a junkie for the live action! I support the Cardiff Blues, and Cardiff RFC (semi pro team).

When I was in school I played for the schools team. I was a bit of a utility player, since I could play pretty much anywhere. I played across the back line and on occasions in the forwards, however my preferred and main position was on the wing. Unfortunately the ligaments story put price to my playing days. I tore the ligaments in my ankle, and was out of action for a long period. When I came back from the injury I was never quite the same player. I’d lost a bit of my pace, which was my main asset since I wasn’t the biggest of boys.

Going on a rugby tour to Australia was probably the highlight of my life so far, and I’ve met many friends through rugby and touring. It’s a game that brings people together, and not a lot of sports can claim that.

Johnny, the US are playing a few test matches over the next few weeks. They play Ireland today and Wales next week, before the Churchill Cup begins. I’d watch some of those games if you can, it’ll probably get you more familiar with the game. Nice to see you giving rugby a try (pun not intended!)