I wonder is Sonny Bill would still have gotten "man of the match" if they knew he was Islamic?

Eh?

Rugby, I believe.....but I'm not sure about the thread title.

Oooops. It didn't make much sense without the video:

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/us-p ... 7109897415

Other than the obvious USian ignorance about rugby (I'm equally ignorant about it), what's your point?
There were similar reactions to ice hockey in some countries a few decades ago.

I was referring to the Haka!

They do it every time they play us, and that all the time!

That game was played here yesterday [I think] to a sold-out crowd [+/- 65,000] at Soldier Field ~ it was also all over our news ~ sorry, CM, but the Haka was VERY popular here!

Sooz

Cocky, aren't they, cm?

I actually like it as well sooz. It was a tongue in cheek comment.

They have good reason to be cocky Oskar. They dominated Rugby Union (Rugby League is a different matter) for most of the 20th century.

Not to mention that, on a per head basis, NZ is probably the greatest sporting nation in the world (we come 2nd).

I LOVE the Haka! I was fortunate enough to attend a Rugby match too many years ago to say, lol. In High School. I really enjoyed it, but I can't remember who played. It was an exhibition game.

I also love all the songs that the "football" (Soccer) teams sing in the UK and their crazy goal celebrations, the team songs of Australian "footy" and love to watch Australian rules football.

To me, all of those things make the games more fun and entertaining. It also seems to unite the fans.

A straw poll of the Americans I know reveals a few interesting results.

1. Most Americans are totally bemused by Rugby in either variety.
2. Most Americans really like Australian football. Typically more than they like Rugby.

That's interesting because there there's a far greater similarity between Rugby and American Football than there is between Australian Football and pretty much anything else (except Gallic football). Maybe its the similarity that causes the problem.

The other thing you might find interesting (or not) is that historically there were major geographical and class divisions between the three game in Australia. Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania played Australian Rules while NSW and Queensland played Rugby. Rugby Union was and upper class game, with strict amateur rules, while Rugby League was a working class and professional game.

I'm a Rugby League man because that's what I played in my youth. Its different to Rugby Union, although not so different that the transition for players is difficult.

I also suspect that the different evolution of Rugby and American football reflect significant cultural differences. They clearly come from similar roots and share a great deal, but there are aspects of the game that are totally different. Maybe its significant, but I need to think about it some more.

There's no way that you can establish rugby in the US, though.
Statistics about NFL "football" show that a typical 3 hour game could be reduced to 11 minutes actual play time, due to commercial breaks.
How do you want to keep the typical American focus on a uninterrupted rugby game?

Well, there are breaks sometimes - if someone has a major injury for example. Not for minor ones of course, it has to be something like a broken leg or being knocked unconscious.

Tape it and run it in slo-mo?