This six nations wotsit

[Kris]

When I was a kid there was a joke about maltesers rolling off a table and Sammy Davies Jr. Thought it was hilarious at the time, but having just told it to myself it didn't seem as funny as it used to be.

The suspense is killing me...

[Dr Lecter]

The suspense is killing me...

I think it might be something about a kid in class opens his maltesers, rips the packet open sending the maltesers rolling all over the floor. Teacher looks up and says "alright, who's the comedian with the brown balls?"....

[Dr Lecter]

Over by here mun butt

Ponty?

[LordKenwyne]

It's just gridiron for poofs.

Strange that when every American I have spoken to about it cannot believe they do it without pads.

[Majorblue]

What is it? and who are the six?

It's like the United Nations but smaller.

The six are a closely kept secret as you can appreciate by you lack of any knowledge of this mysterious thing.

You will be safe but best not travel over the weekend as something may be happening but due to the media blackout details are sketchy.

[Dr Lecter]

Strange that when every American I have spoken to about it cannot believe they do it without pads.

Strange that. Every American I have spoken to has no idea what rugby even is.

[bluethrough]

I think it might be something about a kid in class opens his maltesers, rips the packet open sending the maltesers rolling all over the floor. Teacher looks up and says "alright, who's the comedian with the brown balls?"....

Sounds funny again when you say it.

[TH63]

Football fans looking down on rugby fans like they are intellectuals is always great.

Have you been to an away city match? It's like someone started running a coach from the hills have eyes ffs.

Both are enjoyable sports to watch, there isn't a competition. If you like one and not the other fair enough but there's nothing more boring than saying "my sports better than yours!"

It's not about intellect for me. Far from it.

I dislike the fact that Rugby, at least in these here parts, used to be the game of the working man but isn't any more. To get to watch Wales v England in the arms park, you either had to be a member of a rugby club or get very very lucky. It's not anymore, it's an event. And anyone can get a ticket if they've got deep enough tickets or a vague connection with someone who wants their business and invites them to their box. And don't get me started on the cowboy hats, daffodil and sheep heads.

The rule changes over the years have ruined it for me. Lifting in the line-out used to be a penalty, players needed skill and athleticism to time their jump right and win the ball. These days, players strap handles to their legs ffs. If you needed to bring a sub on, a doctor used to have to declare a player unfit to continue. Now, you change half the fecking team with 20 minutes to go. And what's all this bonus point bollocks?

I generally dislike the media treatment of the "event. John Inverdale and Eddie Butler in particular. I dislike the fireworks, I dislike the corporate snouts in the trough.

I used to like the game, hell I used to play it, but what we'll see on TV this Saturday bears little or no relation to the game I used to watch (and play) in the 70's.

[bobh]

Strange that when every American I have spoken to about it cannot believe they do it without pads.

Rugby players are NOT incontinent!

[LordKenwyne]

Strange that. Every American I have spoken to has no idea what rugby even is.

Cool.

I imagine they didn't give the slightest shit about the Euros either. And we'll be banging on about that for decades.

And NFL teams use rugby as the benchmark of how to perform tackles etc.

Rugby is used massively.

[LordKenwyne]

It's not about intellect for me. Far from it.

I dislike the fact that Rugby, at least in these here parts, used to be the game of the working man but isn't any more. To get to watch Wales v England in the arms park, you either had to be a member of a rugby club or get very very lucky. It's not anymore, it's an event. And anyone can get a ticket if they've got deep enough tickets or a vague connection with someone who wants their business and invites them to their box. And don't get me started on the cowboy hats, daffodil and sheep heads.

The rule changes over the years have ruined it for me. Lifting in the line-out used to be a penalty, players needed skill and athleticism to time their jump right and win the ball. These days, players strap handles to their legs ffs. If you needed to bring a sub on, a doctor used to have to declare a player unfit to continue. Now, you change half the fecking team with 20 minutes to go. And what's all this bonus point bollocks?

I generally dislike the media treatment of the "event. John Inverdale and Eddie Butler in particular. I dislike the fireworks, I dislike the corporate snouts in the trough.

I used to like the game, hell I used to play it, but what we'll see on TV this Saturday bears little or no relation to the game I used to watch (and play) in the 70's.

I am unsure why you are surprised wales england is now expensive.

Local rugby clubs still get priority on the cheaper tickets.

[TH63]

I am unsure why you are surprised wales england is now expensive.

Local rugby clubs still get priority on the cheaper tickets.

I'm not surprised it's expensive - the cheapest ones left are £175 each, but surely that just proves my point, this is no longer the game of the miners and steelworkers from the valleys.

[LordKenwyne]

I'm not surprised it's expensive - the cheapest ones left are £175 each, but surely that just proves my point, this is no longer the game of the miners and steelworkers from the valleys.

Now we both know ticket prices on viagago and resale platforms are not a good indication of actual sales.

Cat A - £100 SOLD OUT
Cat B - £95 SOLD OUT
Cat C - £70 SOLD OUT
Cat D - £40 SOLD OUT

When Wales England in the Euros were being sold by the truck load at over 400.

[TH63]

Now we both know ticket prices on viagago and resale platforms are not a good indication of actual sales.

Cat A - £100 SOLD OUT
Cat B - £95 SOLD OUT
Cat C - £70 SOLD OUT
Cat D - £40 SOLD OUT

When Wales England in the Euros were being sold by the truck load at over 400.

I was looking at the WRU re-sale section, you know the official legal touts as opposed to the unofficial illegal variety

[City123]

As everyone watching football is a classy, knowledgeable person.



I regularly go to games at the millenium and the audience that sits by us have far more of a clue than the stick it in the net brigade, throwing vitriol at opposition players and the ref at football. There is more to watching rugby, a lot more.

Football fans giving it the big one about the civility of rugby fans will never not be funny.

And the cardiff ground is filled to the rafters with glory hunters who didnt give the welsh team the time of day a few years ago.

I'll be at the england game and itll be far better than any welsh game baring maybe belgium.

I'll always prefer football but I wont lie to myself that it is better. Cardiff is immense welsh gameday.

I've always found this argument to be a strange one. Mainly because Wales had pretty good attendances up until around 2006 when shit really hit the fan, also comparing the attendances of the Six Nations to qualifiers is grossly unfair. Wales' games in rugby are often against big hitters like France, England, Scotland and Ireland

I'd like to see how many people would bother going to watch a Rugby World Cup Qualifier against Andorra after half the squad had pulled out already

[Dr Lecter]

Cool.

I imagine they didn't give the slightest shit about the Euros either. And we'll be banging on about that for decades.

.

So if they don't give a shit then why would they make an observation about them not wearing 'pads'?

Be honest, you don't know any Americans and you havent spoken to any either have you?

You just thought that a little bit of bullshit would make a good sound bite for your post?

No shame in that.

[City123]

Cool.

I imagine they didn't give the slightest shit about the Euros either. And we'll be banging on about that for decades.

And NFL teams use rugby as the benchmark of how to perform tackles etc.

Rugby is used massively.

Yes, because football DEFINITELY isn't a growing and popular sport in America...

[life on mars]

I have experienced both sides of the Wales games , befroe it was commercially controlled, working class folk had a real affordable chance to go ,they were very knowledgeable , would sing for 80 minutes, advise you of the rules , name every squad player, now it a false environment with very few real ruby fans in the ground , tickets are sold to people who think they are going out on a news years eve type party .

I'm sure there are scattering of real rugby fans in the ground , and some may even attend and support their local club , most however are priced out of this piped music circus.

Its an occasion rather than a sporting event now

[TH63]

I have experienced both sides of the Wales games , befroe it was commercially controlled, working class folk had a real affordable chance to go ,they were very knowledgeable , would sing for 80 minutes, advise you of the rules , name every squad player, now it a false environment with very few real ruby fans in the ground , tickets are sold to people who think they are going out on a news years eve type party .

I'm sure there are scattering of real rugby fans in the ground , and some may even attend and support their local club , most however are priced out of this piped music circus.

Its an occasion rather than a sporting event now

This this this

[Colonel Cærdiffi]

Of course, this modern malarkey is a far cry from the sport of my youth.

I remember when rugby didn't have fans at all, because the entire town used to be actively involved in the game. To score a try, one half of the town had to transport a raw pigs bladder from Griffith's farm gate all the way across the village to Penrhys bridge while the other half of the town had to stop them at all costs.

Sometimes the game would last up to 4 days as hundreds townsfolk wrestled and rolled around in the mud, punching each other in the mouth and kicking each other to death.

Of course, things were black and white in those days so there were plenty of comical moments where one team thought they'd scored a try only to find the 'ball' they were using was old man Blenkinsop's colostomy bag!

'Ow we laffed as we tended to t' injured and dying folk who had taken part in t' game.

[PerryJason]

Of course, this modern malarkey is a far cry from the sport of my youth.

I remember when rugby didn't have fans at all, because the entire town used to be actively involved in the game. To score a try, one half of the town had to transport a raw pigs bladder from Griffith's farm gate all the way across the village to Penrhys bridge while the other half of the town had to stop them at all costs.

Sometimes the game would last up to 4 days as hundreds townsfolk wrestled and rolled around in the mud, punching each other in the mouth and kicking each other to death.

Of course, things were black and white in those days so there were plenty of comical moments where one team thought they'd scored a try only to find the 'ball' they were using was old man Blenkinsop's colostomy bag!

'Ow we laffed as we tended to t' injured and dying folk who had taken part in t' game.

[Rhiw-Blue]

More believable than the OP nqat

[Organ Morgan.]

This PerryJason character is a full-time snide kent and less amusing than a fecking wart or verruca.

[Dr Lecter]

Of course, this modern malarkey is a far cry from the sport of my youth.

I remember when rugby didn't have fans at all, because the entire town used to be actively involved in the game. To score a try, one half of the town had to transport a raw pigs bladder from Griffith's farm gate all the way across the village to Penrhys bridge while the other half of the town had to stop them at all costs.

Sometimes the game would last up to 4 days as hundreds townsfolk wrestled and rolled around in the mud, punching each other in the mouth and kicking each other to death.

Of course, things were black and white in those days so there were plenty of comical moments where one team thought they'd scored a try only to find the 'ball' they were using was old man Blenkinsop's colostomy bag!

'Ow we laffed as we tended to t' injured and dying folk who had taken part in t' game.

When did Wales become part of Yorkshire?

[Gofer Blue]

As Jason Perry once famously said: rugby internationals in Cardiff have become the national "day out". Says it all really.