markpat says...

@coconut - from what I understand, NFL players coming out of college spend a lot of time preparing specifically for those tests when they come out of college, so it's not really a fair comparison.

In my understanding of nfl v rugby, the huge difference basically comes down to rugby being an evasive sport where you try to avoid contact (ideally), whereas nfl is a collision sport. That means there is a huge difference in requirements, physically, which leads to different strengths, etc.

Same way as footballers can run much further than rugby players, because rugby is a more explosive sport than football.

I certainly wouldn't suggest that the NFL has lower skillsets though. Rugby players have much wider skillsets, but NFL players are remarkably skillful at what they do.

Posted 10:07 09th July 2012

kybone says...

Just read on another rugby site that Madagascar have just played Morrocco in front of 35,000. Now thats a crowd. Maybe they might get a mention on next weeks loose pass.

Posted 19:21 06th July 2012

golden_stateNBA says...

Hated but he won a title.

Brooklyn are gonna take the smile off his face next year

Posted 19:13 05th July 2012

kiwi_n_US says...

@Golden_statenba - actually think Lebron would have made an awesome No 8 - great athlete, just universally disliked in the US because of the 1 hr long show 'the decision' regarding him going to Miami

Also must apologize, misread what you were trying to say, get's a bit boring with most Yanks saying how much tougher NFL players are than Rugby players. Funnily enough I was having a chat/drinks with a current NFL Wide Receiver the other day and he thinks rugby players are crazy because all we wear are mouth guards (I reminded him that some of us used to tape our ears also). People denigrating a sport (or country) they know little about are just proving their ignorance - real athletes appreciate the skill sets of other real athletes. Arm chair athletes tend to compete on how ignorant they can be and what reaction they can get from others.

Enough of this - looking forward to catching what Super Rugby I can this weekend (timezones make it tough to watch in the US - usually catch a streaming game from SA on Sat morning my time).

Good luck to all the NZ teams and anyone playing Australia :)

Posted 14:58 05th July 2012

Golden_statenba says...

By the way I also used to live in NZ so this is not even a biased view point.

Posted 12:55 05th July 2012

markpat says...

@tha_mai, Martin Johnson never would ahve made it as second rows aren't athletic.

You're probably looking at wingers, full backs, centres and maybe flankers or athletic number 8s having a chance.

They'be probably transition to running backs, wide receivers, cornerbacks or, more likely, safeties and linebackers because of their tackling skills.

Physicality-wise, I'd expect any of the following current players to have had a chance to make it into the NLF "if" they had developed the skills - we can only discuss physical attributes:

Nonu - running back.

Habana - defensive back.

Spies - linebacker / fullback.

McCaw/Pocock - linebacker (probably inside backer).

Beale - receiver / defensive back.

Basson - receiver.

Savea - running back / receiver / maybe tight end.

Posted 11:43 05th July 2012

tha_mai says...

one for the rugby-NFL discussion - Australian-born (Penrith) Hayden Smith, who was playing college basketball in USA, played rugby for Saracens in UK, 18 games for USA Eagles including 4 in 2011 RWC, is now on a 3 year NFL contract with the New York Jets.

How's that for a young man making the most of what his talents and sport can offer?

Posted 10:45 05th July 2012

markpat says...

To add my 2 cents to the discussion (see, already on the US theme!).

It used to be that NFL players were much bigger and faster than rugby players. Not true nowadays. As an example of a positional player that could conceivably transfer to the NFL reasonably easily (on physical qualities, ignoring the complete lack of both offense & defense skillsets), a RB is normall between 5'11 and 6'2 and 200lbs to 230lbs. That's about 14-16 stone, which is about the size of a standard international centre nowadays.

Even on a purely athletic comparison, the US would need to be able to take players away from basketball and gridiron, the rejects simply won't be good enough. Especially as they will have already tried gridiron and failed.

Rugby needs to become a viable option for kids at a young age, same as it is worldwide as an alternative to football.

Another example is Brazil, which has a huge amount of money invested in the growth of rugby, but until kids view it as a viable first option, rather than a fallback option to football, they'll never be able to compete with countries where rugby is the chosen sport of the players from a young age.

Posted 14:48 04th July 2012

APV1 says...

@ Kiwi_n_US - nice to have you on board!

And wouldn't Beale, Cipriani and Cooper make excellent Nascar drivers, such is their prowess behind the wheel? And if Danny Care and Andy Powell can stay sober long enough, they might be able to have a crack at it too!

Posted 10:42 04th July 2012

Kiwi_n_US says...

The biggest issue is that very little sport is played in US schools - most schools have 1 or 2 Football teams, maybe the same with Soccer, baseball etc. Admittedly I have not been to school for a while but back in the 80s in NZ my 750 student high school had at least 18 rugby teams + field hockey etc etc. In actuality there is very little organized sports at schools - you have to go to clubs to play. I live in Raleigh NC and the 3 main colleges here all play rugby (UNC, NC State and Duke) + they have a local club team. There is also a youth rugby program here and rugby is played at most of the military bases.

The biggest issue is $ - there cannot be the advertizing revenue in a rugby game as there are no time outs. I think the 2011 Superbowl had something like 14 mins of ball in play in a 4 hour televised event, rugby cannot compete with that thankfully. Also as a Dad I would rather my kid played soccer right now than kids Football as they spend so much time watching and not playing. I proudly support the Eagles as they play with a lot of heart (and because they aren't going to beat the ABs in my lifetime).

And the comment about a rugby player playing quarterback is just stupid - I bet Dan Carter would be a better quarterback than Tom Brady would be a 1st 5/8 - not that it really matters - both would probably suck in Nascar - different sports, different skill sets learned from childhood.

Enough from me - first time poster, long time reader and some of y'all really make me laugh

Posted 03:25 04th July 2012