Well Done England,Scotland, NI and Wales -

[WDWfan uk]

........... in their opening matches in Rugby World Cup (Sorry to pinch your subject line Karen )

I know it doesn't have the popularity of footie but it is the one sport England are ranked World Number One and I thought it deserved a mention!

... and boy do the Aussies put on a great opening ceremony

 

[WDWfan uk]

....... no rugby fans then !

 

[Mike Jones]

... is the current world cup 'league' or 'union' ?... and what the heck's the difference?!! ... I've tried over the years, but I just can't take to it... the flow seems to be interrupted almost as much as American Football, but at least they have more razzamattazz... sorry Shirley!

 

[WDWfan uk]

..... It's Union Mike

League and Union have different rules - I wouldn't know what they are but my son tells me Union is more flowing!

 

[Mike Jones]

Ta! I'll keep trying!

 

[Goofyish]

Rugby Union has 15 players a side, League has 13 a side (League teams have 2 less forwards than Union).

In League each team has 6 tackles to gain as much ground as possible and hopefully score, if they don't, the ball is automatically given to the other team. When the person with the ball is tackled, play stops and the opposing team retires 10 yards (apart from 1 player who 'marks' the tackled player). The tackled player then knocks the ball backwards with his foot to his scrum half and the game re-starts until the next tackle.

In Union the game doesn't stop when a tackle is made. The tackler makes the ball available for his team mates to pick up and carry on trying to gain ground and hopefully reach the try line to score.
You also get rucks, mauls and lineouts in Union, but not in League.

 

[irishmickey]

When did Northern Ireland get a team into the Rugby World Cup Finals?The team that is playing in Australia is representative of the entire country ofr Ireland

 

[WDWfan uk]

....... woops! (What do I know about rugby? Not a lot!!) Well...... well done Ireland then !