# The Rugby world cup - do the Americans know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046 "2003-10-12T21:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/101 "2003-10-22T08:27:45Z")
[Here’s](http://www.rugby7.com/) a site devoted to sevens, and [here’s](http://www.rugby7.com/03oct01.asp) their take on the Los Angeles sevens I talked about on the first page of this thread. Sevens is definately the game for rugby newbies to watch, closely followed by League as someone pointed out above. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/102 "2003-10-27T13:13:29Z")
[The USA win their first match](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3214023.stm) - Well done!!! Will it make the sports pages d’ya think?? Grim ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/103 "2003-10-27T13:45:46Z")
That’s a good effort from the US. I didn’t see the game, but I’ve seen a bit of Japan, and even if they were a little tired from the schedule, they’re a pretty good side. I went to England/ Samoa last night and it was the best game I’ve ever seen in the flesh. Those Manu Samoa guys have done a lot for rugby in this Aussie rules state. I haven’t seen blokes run from inside their own 22 for yonks. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/104 "2003-10-27T14:32:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grimpixie \* > **[The USA win their first match](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3214023.stm) - Well done!!! Will it make the sports pages d’ya think??** Yep. Nice little article in the [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23037-2003Oct27.html) about the win. Of course, it’s not headline material, but still… It doesn’t look like the _Los Angeles Times_ carried anything on it. The [Boston Globe](http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2003/10/27/us_beats_japan_39_26_at_rugby_world_cup/) carried a story about it off the AP wire. I don’t think it’s getting major coverage, but it’s a nice backpage story for some papers. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/105 "2003-10-27T14:42:47Z")
The Samoa v England game was awesome! Am I horrible for wishing the Japanese won? They have played like Trojans in all their games and deserved a point. Well done the US though. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/106 "2003-10-27T14:57:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by calm kiwi \* > **The Samoa v England game was awesome!** Indeed - colour me one frightened South African!! If we can’t beat Georgia convincingly, we are going to struggle against these boys… Grim :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/107 "2003-10-27T16:25:53Z")
Australia 142 Namibia 0 This leads me to believe there are not enough legitimate rugby playing nations on earth to round out this field. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/108 "2003-10-28T00:11:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grimpixie \* > \*\*Indeed - colour me one frightened South African!! If we can’t beat Georgia convincingly, we are going to struggle against these boys… > > Grim :eek: \*\* Watching the delight on the Georgians faces when they scored their try makes you realise how much it means to them. There have been some terrific games involving the “minnows” I hope some of the profits gets allocated to countries like Samoa etc. to keep them involved. There haven’t been any major upsets so far, but I’m expecting one on Sunday. I’ve got a feeling New Zealand will manage to sneak past Wales by the odd point or two. 🙂 V ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/109 "2003-10-28T01:03:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vetch \* > \*\*There have been some terrific games involving the “minnows” I hope some of the profits gets allocated to countries like Samoa etc. to keep them involved. \*\* But for a lack of money the minnows might have been able to raise stronger teams. For example, Celtic Warriors wing Aisea Havili pulled out of Tonga’s squad because he was expected to pay his own way Down Under, and several players from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa were [unable to take part](http://oneworldcup.nzoom.com/story/224993.html) because their home Unions couldn’t afford the compensation due to their clubs (among other contractual problems). ---
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/110 "2003-10-28T09:17:53Z")
The minnows have provided some of the highlights of the tournament so far, despite being knobbled by the way thier games have been fitted around the seeded teams. In pool D for example, Italy played all their four games in fourteen days, and Tonga had three games in nine days while New Zealand and Wales got a week between each game. On th epositive side, it’s been great to see how the Aussie fans have been cheering on the little nations. Georgia must have felt back in Tbilisi when they took on South Africa… ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/111 "2003-10-28T10:39:09Z")
One very relieved Irishman here. We’ve scraped through to the quarter finals despite a poor performance against Argentina. After we get our defeat to the Aussies out of the way this weekend, hopefully we’ll give it a right go against France. We’ve won three of our last four matches against them but they look stronger than at any time since the last world cup. Still it’s not a bad draw in that France won’t intimidate us in the same way as England, New Zealand or Australia. Just as my heart rate settled back to normal, along came the Samoans. While the last quarter kickstart for the chariot was inevitable, it was fun while it lasted. England will have to step things up for the semis and final - Wales won’t push them too hard in the quarters unless they are suddenly possessed by the ghosts of Bennett, Edwards, Williams, Quinnell etc. While Hill and Greenwood will make a big difference, if the breakdowns are refereed as keenly as they were in Sunday’s match England will have to be very careful as the thing progresses. Oh, and congrats to the USA. Japan were a bit flashy for my liking - I’m glad you won. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/112 "2003-10-28T11:32:48Z")
I missed the Ireland match (Bank holiday weekend hangover, I was in Donegal, and it was on at 7:30am) but I’m so glad we won (was convinced we wouldn’t). Argentina have the best front row in the world, so we didn’t do too badly. Saw Samoa vs England. So near, and yet so far. I, like most Irish people, am an ABE- Anyone But England, so I was really glad that Samoa actually got them scared…and if Coen had got those 4 penalties in the South Africa match, things could have been different. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046/113 "2003-10-28T16:02:44Z")
Reading from the site that **everton** has linked to above, it seems the club/country problem is not as straightforward as has been suggested by commentators etc. Rather a murky situation emerges. Very similiar to what happens in football actually 🙂 I must be unusual in that if Wales is not going to win the cup then I hope England do so. Probably something to do with living here for so long.:eek: V [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rugby-world-cup-do-the-americans-know/207046.md?page=5)