(20-09-2011 01:37pm)Big G Wrote:  Love the new Evoque - even better winning the rugby on Sat - come on Ireland - how the mighty fall/

(20-09-2011 02:06pm)Barneyridge Wrote:  There is always one if you have watched the form of Australia over the last 12 months it was not a surprise. Without a couple of key players we are very one dimensional. The recent tri nations win was a surprise, but then again south Africa played an under strength side. It is likely that we play NZ in the semi, and I think that winner will be odds on to win the cup. The problem is that we rev up for a game against NZ (it is tribal) but drop our intensity against other teams. Some of the best rugby, which excludes field goals and other negative play, is NZ v Aust. From a southern hemisphere view the scrums should be reduced to increase the pace and field goals reduce to 1 point. Who wants to watch a game decided on a field goal. It is like watching a scoccer ( football game decided on penalty goals) We want running rugby.

(20-09-2011 11:57pm)Barneyridge Wrote:  The scrum thing...in Australia, Rugby has to compete against 3 other football codes and TV rights. Unless you have been played rugby as a kid and love the game, it can not gain any real traction with other supporters. In the pub on the opeing night of the world cup, there was not one TV with rugby on it ! The other football codes are just so much quicker, less technical, and hence there is more support, better TV rights and therefore more money for the other codes. Australia is a little different to other markets because of the small population and the number and variety of professional football codes. I like a good scrum (but will agree we are shit at them !) but for pure selfish reasons, I would like to see the game quicken up, which would mean a bit more competition and instead of being the 3rd or 4th most popular football code it could come up a bit.

(21-09-2011 08:40pm)Big G Wrote:  

(20-09-2011 11:57pm)Barneyridge Wrote:  The scrum thing...in Australia, Rugby has to compete against 3 other football codes and TV rights. Unless you have been played rugby as a kid and love the game, it can not gain any real traction with other supporters. In the pub on the opeing night of the world cup, there was not one TV with rugby on it ! The other football codes are just so much quicker, less technical, and hence there is more support, better TV rights and therefore more money for the other codes. Australia is a little different to other markets because of the small population and the number and variety of professional football codes. I like a good scrum (but will agree we are shit at them !) but for pure selfish reasons, I would like to see the game quicken up, which would mean a bit more competition and instead of being the 3rd or 4th most popular football code it could come up a bit.

Good point - maybe we can restart the game by bringing the ball on in a new Sporty Evoque - that would get the viewers back !!

Be unthinkable here not to have the rugby on in a pub in Dublin even though the games are starting 7am the pubs full - Irish breakfast and a pint of guiness !! Fantastic. Good luck !!