Tries are worth 5 points, and conversions (think PAT but only akick is allowed) are worth two. Conversions are taken in line with where the try was scored.Penalties and drop goals are worth 3 points.
There is no ‘no-yards’ rule. What you’re seeing is probably off side players from the kinking team leaving the catcher alone. When a kick is made in play all the kicker’s team mates who were in front of him when the kick was made are offside and can’t interfere with the play until they are onside again. The kicker (and his onside team mates) are free to contest possession and can tackle the catcher immediately. You can’t tackle a player in the air though, so jumping to catch the ball is common (it also helps to secure possession if the kicker’s charging down to try and steal the catch off you).
The guy feeding the ball to the scrum is the half-back. They must put the ball straight into the scrum between the front rows. Scrums are contested so sometimes you’ll see the other team win the scrum - a sign of true forward dominance. The ball isn’t really in play until it goes into the scrum, so the halfback can’t don aything else.
I think NBC is showing some of the US teams games, they played Ireland last night NZ time and their next game is against Russia on Thursday night NZ time, Wednesday morning US time. So you might be able to catch a full game then.
Footnote: While the ball is in the scrum, no-one from either side may touch it with their hands. Normally it is moved to the rear of the scrum with the feet, where it can be released in a controlled fashion to the scrum-half.
Fairly often, the forward right at the rear of the scrum (unimaginatively named “Number 8” for the number nominally on his jersey) wll detach himself from the scrum when the ball is at his feet, which puts the ball out of the scrum and himself eligible to pick it up.
Again, sometimes one pack of forwards puts a shove on and may keep the ball in the scrum just for the sheer pleasure (and tactical advantage) of pushing the enemy backwards while keeping the ball where it can’t be touched. In extreme cases the scrum may drive right over the goal-line and as soon as the ball is in-goal anyone able to reach it may press down on it with their hand to score a try (or, if a defender is first, a “touchdown”, which doesn’t mean the same as in gridiron). A try scored this way is, fittingly, known as a “pushover try” but it scores exactly the same as any other.
Well, given that North American football is a direct descendant from Rugby Union - in the same vein that Rugby League is also a direct descendant in a different direction, it would be my pleasure to give you some background trivia which also applies to American football in general, both Canadian and American.
Firstly, prior to 1870 (I believe that’s the correct date) the only way to score points in Rugby was to take shots at goal - either a place kick given through penalties or touching the ball down behind your opponent’s goal line, or via drop goal - the latter of which Doug Flutie memorably performed in his last ever game for the Patriots. A drop goal is a difficult kick, even with a Rugby ball which is much better suited to the game of kicking than an American football - which clearly has evolved into an aerodynamic form of a Rugby ball.
If you were able to touch the ball down behind your opponents goal line - the true “definition of a touchdown” which, in my view, has regrettably left the American game, then you were awarded the right “to try a shot at goal” whereupon the ball was placed in a direct line from the point of touchdown backwards into the field of play - at a distance of your choosing to give you the best angle of shot.
Hence the name “a try” which still sticks after all these years!
My understanding is that the Ivy League schools started experimenting with the rules of Rugby in the 1870-1890 time frame - and apparently, the nature of snowy rugby fields in a lot of the Ivy League schools resulted in an experiment where the Rugby Lineout was moved to the middle of the field - a move which became the Line of Scrimmage as we know it today.
Yes indeed, there are some very VERY cool “set plays” taking place in Rugby - in particular with high speed lateral back line movements. Given the constraints of the no forward pass rule, watching a great backline movement result in a try is a wonderful thing to behold in my opinion.
And take note, on the international stage, at a Rugby World Cup? This is a game designed for, and played by, really big, strong, fast men - your typical Olympic Decathlete sort of build. It’s a perfect mix of massive strength and endurance.
It’s generally acceptaed and not argued that American Footballers, on average are slightly taller and heavier than international Rugby players - maybe 3 inches or so on a position for position basis - but definitely American footballers are much MUCH more muscular. However, the tradeoff is endurance. On the Rugby field you never, ever stop moving.
Thanks for the clarifications, everyone! I’ll try and catch some more rugby sometime - I know Rogers Sportsnet is showing part of the World Cup (though last night the channel guide was a LIE and they were showing tennis). I didn’t know about NBC. There are a few channels here and there that show rugby, though I haven’t gotten into the habit of watching it…yet. Between the NHL, CFL and NFL I already watch a lot of sports!
Well we have three more games today; Samoa v Namibia, Tonga v Canada and Scotland v Georgia.
Samoa should comfortably win over Namibia, despite Namibia’s decent showing against Fiji. I’d say the score will be something like 42-12.
Tonga will also comfortably beat Canada, by around the same margin, say 47-15.
I think the Scotland v Georgia game will be the closest contest. Georgia will have seen how Romania’s pack outplayed the Scots and seek to emulate their performance. But a late try will bring Scotland home to a 23-19 victory.
In other news England lock Courtney Lawes has been suspended for two matches for his nasty kneeing to the head of an Argentinian player. Personally I’m surprised his suspension wasn’t longer, it looked to me that there was plenty of opportunity for Lawes to avoid the prone Ledesmo (or at least not slide into his head knee first). As it is he’ll only miss two rather easy games (England v Georgia and England v Romania) so its not much of a punishment in my opinion.
Tonga didn’t play 11 of their starters, which was perhaps interpreted as a bit of a snub by Canadian players. Or, at least, it’s what TSN wants us to believe! I didn’t watch the game, as it’s in the middle of the night, but I wish I did. I had trouble sleeping anyways and could probably have just gotten up and watched it!
Many of the games will be on Universal Sports Network which is, I think, an NBC station. The Ireland/USA game was on NBC and later on USN repeatedly. USN will be showing all the USA games, the semis and the final. Last World Cup there were no games shown on any US channel unless you were willing to pay through the nose, so this is a big improvement.
The US isn’t going to do a whole lot. They played a good exciting game against Ireland, except for a small lapse where they let in two quick tries, on Sunday and have a good chance against Russia on Wednesday. After that, not so much. Still going to be good though.
I don’t have USN. It’s not available through my cable provider (Videotron).
The only sports channels I have are TSN (and TSN2), RDS, RDI, Rogers SportsNet and the NHL Network. That, and the CBC, pretty much ensures I get a hockey game nearly every night from October through June, which is really all I need I’ll occasionally catch something on NBC, but the vast majority of those games are also covered in French on RDS, which is my favourite hockey-watching channel.
It seems TSN had last night’s Canada-Tonga game, not Rogers, though I know Rogers often shows other league rugby.
Well the Georgia Scotland game sounds like it was a dour affair down in Invercargill. Still the Scots got their win and can still make the quarters if they beat either Argentina or England. I’d love to see a three way tie in that group (Scotland beat England but lose to Argentina could bring that about).
Just the one game tonight, Russia v USA. I know nothing about Russian rugby but if USA can play as well as they did aginst Ireland this should be theirs for the taking. I’ll guess 24-9 to USA.
I can get a dozen soccer games at any given moment, replays of decades old football games, beach vollyball (well, that is worth watching), hunting and fishing shows out the ying-yang and even high school football but I can only get a few of the fricken Rugby World Cup games and only two of those will be in HD (USN is not HD.) :mad:
Invercargill’s not that bad, it’s basically the Wanganui of the South Island without the river.
Looking forward to this weekend’s tranche of games (arranged by pool).
Pool A
Tonight sees New Zealand v Japan - barring a catastrophe wiping Hamilton from the Earth New Zealand will win, perhaps by not as much as might be expected though, I say 56-12 with a brave Japan conceding a flood of points in the second half.
On Sunday France play Canada in Napier (so presumably not in the rain). Buoyed by their win against Tonga Canada will have a strong first half but fade in the second to lose 47-23.
Pool B
Saturday sees Argentina v Romania at Invercargill, probably a match for fans of forward play. After a game of attrition up front I expect Argentina to win 23-15 and crucially fail to secure a bonus point.
Sunday’s game between England and Georgia in Dunedin will be won by England, although the Georgians will score a try to lose 43-10.
Pool C
Just the one game here - Australia v Ireland on Saturday in Auckland. The winner looks certain to top the group. Ireland may lead for a time but Australia’s superior class will prevail in what should be a fine match 27-21.
Pool D
Two crucial matches here. Saturday sees South Africa play Fiji in Wellington. If the Fijians can score early and often they might produce a massive upset, but sadly I think the more structured South Africans will grind them down with superior tactical kicking and set piece work winning the game 34-17 in a match largely played in the Fijian 22.
Sunday sees the match of the round in my opinion - Wales v Samoa in Hamilton. Wales impressed my in their loss to South Africa and Samoa are without their first choice first-five. However, I still think Samoa can do it, with Kahn Fotuali’i starring in their 27-22 victory.
The Canadians flew in last night to an official welcome. Apparently they seemed a bit tired and withdrawn, but that just may be an overdose of Powhiri and ‘locally notable’ handshaking. Mind you, if it’s that cut and dried that they’ll lose…
On the way to school and work, the kid and I saw the Sky network truck heading towards McLean Park and felt a thrill of anticipation.
