[foot-loose]

Following todays victory (which I was sitting outside Murrayfield listening to and being given a heart attack by the unannounced fireworks!), I may start showing an interest in a sport ...

... I dont know anything about it though.

Whats the difference between Union and League?

The Six Nations - England beat Scotland last week. We beat Wales this week. What does that mean exactly? Are these like, the semi-finals or something like that? Can Scotland still beat England? ( )

The reason being - sitting outside that stadium today with god knows how many Scots inside with Flower of Scotland being belted out on the bagpipes sounded cracking (by now, you should be aware Im a proud supporter of anythin Scottish!). Plus, when everyone was coming out, and im sitting in the car park watching Welsh and Scottish fans coming out arm in arm singing each others national anthems and holding each others flags - it made me feel pretty damn proud! Why can't football be like that?

[DemonHorse]

Following todays victory (which I was sitting outside Murrayfield listening to and being given a heart attack by the unannounced fireworks!), I may start showing an interest in a sport ...

I always find it weird that a sport suddenly becomes popular in the UK when a team/player from here wins something (Rugby when England won the world cup at that, Cricket when England won the Ashes, F1 when Mansell and Hill were still winning).

(The only exception I can see is football where England fans follow, even though it is usually obvious that they will not even get to the final... and then the England fans still claim the team is the 'best in the world' and other unsubstantiated bollocks.)

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

Cricket and Rugby have always been popular though. They are "our" sports after all. They just get more press interest.

[Yudster]

Whats the difference between Union and League?

The Six Nations - England beat Scotland last week. We beat Wales this week. What does that mean exactly? Are these like, the semi-finals or something like that? Can Scotland still beat England? ( )

Rugby Union and rugby league have a few differences - in League there is no contest for the ball in the tackle - once a tackle is complete everyone gets up and starts again. In Union, you are allowed to try to get the ball in the tackle. In League, each team has six phases of play in which to achieve a score - ie six tackles. After this, the ball gets given to the opposition. In Union, you don't get the ball unless you win it. Also in League there is no scrummaging as such. There are other differences as well, but I don't know enough about League (which I have only been watching for about 6 years, after a lifetime watching Union) to be comprehensive on this. My personal preference is still Union - I like the physicality of it, the brutality if you like - and I love how if you can look past that there is huge skill and precision needed to play it well. I used to dismiss League as "rugby for dummies" but I now know this was unfair, it is a different game with different skills - it is faster, and the standard of ball handling and running is immense.

I support Sale Sharks (Union) and Wigan Warriors (League).

The Six Nations is basically a mini-league between England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France and Italy. It used to be 5 Nations, Italy only joined a few years ago. It operates just like any other league table. The ultimate achievement in the Six Nations Championship is the Grand Slam, which obviously is to win all your matches. Of course Scotland can still beat England - but only in your dreams Foot Loose, only in your dreams!

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

wow its like the poor-mans wikipedia. impressive.

[Yudster]

I prefer Rugby to football.

[bumheed7]

dont become a rugby fan footloose. join alex mcleish as we try and make our first tournament in a decade!

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

yeah I heard they were bringing back the home nations.

[foot-loose]

dont become a rugby fan footloose. join alex mcleish as we try and make our first tournament in a decade!

See, I know thats about football, and I know that guy has been in the news recently (something about aberdeen maybe?) but thats about it - i tend to switch off when football gets talked about. What tournament are we about to make?

[DemonHorse]

I prefer Rugby to football.

Same here, but then my views on football are well documented.

[Zoot]

I'm a Gloucester Boy, born and bred, and you can quite often find me in The Shed at Kingsholm...

Glawster...Glawster...Glawster...

[Ballbag]

Whats the difference between Union and League?

In Union you get the ball, run, fall over, someone else gets the ball, then he runs, falls over, someone else gets the ball, then he runs, falls over, someone else gets the ball, then he runs, falls over, someone else gets the ball.

In League you can only do this 5 times, then you have to kick the ball.

It really is a fascinating sport.

[Yudster]

Oooh, wrong on so many levels Baggie! But I wouldn't expect a sex-god like you to have time for the intricacies of that sort of ball game. Mind on higher things. Sort of.

[foot-loose]

damn, and there was me thinking he had explained it in easy words that made sense to me.

[Ballbag]

That's the way I see it.

Also in League the fans/players are burley bitter drinking northerners.

For Union the fans/players are usually called Rupert, or Harry, or have a silly nick-names like Knockers, Bockers of Chockers, and you have to shout rah! and bugger! alot, swig pints of your team mates urine mixed with fag ends whilst your chums cheer or be a big girl, be generally loud and boysterous, spontaneously dropping your trousers on request.

Row row row your boat, gently down the stream, belts off trousers down isn't life a scream.......Rah!

[foot-loose]

another blackadder reference?

[Yudster]

No, that bit was actually quite accurate......

[fish heads]

another blackadder reference?

Harry Enfield I think.

All you need to know is - League is skillful and is the more intense sport to play. Union 7s is a lot like league, as proof by my team Bradford entering a competition, despite being a league team then winning it. League teams frequently win battle of the codes as well. Union is more popular in this country though as they have sorted out the international scene, which is the only thing the media really cares about. League have messed about at internationals so much, its hard to make up the ground

[Yudster]

Its also important to remember the North South Divide is still very clear in the rugby codes.........!

[fish heads]

And all the media that counts is down south...

[foot-loose]

another blackadder reference?

Harry Enfield I think.

*cough*

George: "Permission to sing boistrously sir."
Blackadder: "If you must."
George: "Row, row roy your boat"
George and Melchett: "Gently down the stream, belts off, trousers down, isn't life a scream, OI!"
Blackadder: "Fabulous. University education. You can't beat it!"

Not that i'm more into Blackadder than Rugby!

That is followed by the brilliant quote from Melchett:

Melchett: "Bravo, now, what have we here? Name?"
Blackadder: "Permission to speak"
Baldrick: "Baldrick, sir"
Melchett: "Gooood - tally ho, yippeddy dab and zing zang spillet, looking forward to bullying off for the final chucker?"

Mad man.

[Ballbag]

I have a feeling it's also from an episode of Bottom, but I may be wrong there.

[fish heads]

another blackadder reference?

Harry Enfield I think.

*cough*

George: "Permission to sing boistrously sir."
Blackadder: "If you must."
George: "Row, row roy your boat"
George and Melchett: "Gently down the stream, belts off, trousers down, isn't life a scream, OI!"
Blackadder: "Fabulous. University education. You can't beat it!"

Not that i'm more into Blackadder than Rugby!

There is a sketch where a bunch of "toffs" (for want of a better word) go into a pub and start similar chants, then start to headbutt "commoners" in Harry Enfield though

[foot-loose]

ach - mere details!

[DemonHorse]

another blackadder reference?

Harry Enfield I think.

*cough*

George: "Permission to sing boistrously sir."
Blackadder: "If you must."
George: "Row, row roy your boat"
George and Melchett: "Gently down the stream, belts off, trousers down, isn't life a scream, OI!"
Blackadder: "Fabulous. University education. You can't beat it!"

Not that i'm more into Blackadder than Rugby!

There is a sketch where a bunch of "toffs" (for want of a better word) go into a pub and start similar chants, then start to headbutt "commoners" in Harry Enfield though

Indeed there is, but that quote sounds more like Blackadder.

Of course there was also the episode of the Young Ones with the toffs on University Challenge
"Rah rah rah, were going to bash the oiks"