Questions on Rugby/Aussie Footy

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

mcpish,

Do a google search on the official version of the 3 kinds of balls (Aussie Rules; Rugby Union; Rugby League) as they are all different.

Cheers.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

As a new fan of Aussie rules...by way of finally getting FSW...where would you suggest I go to get a good understanding of the game? I'm looking for info beyond the rules such as the history, rivals, culture, etc. I plan on doing some google searches and surfing around but I figured you guys would know the best places to start. Thanks.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

You can read this thread from the beginning, filtering out the non-Australian Football stuff. There are some good links in here.

Also see the following thread, and some of the links inside it:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113495

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

try www.bigfooty.com - you can get pretty much anythin there !!

Also www.afl.com.au - it has links to all the AFL club's sites

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Thanks. I'm looking forward to a new obsession...

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

you might want to check out AFANA. www.afana.com, The Australian Football Association of North America and become a member. They'll send you email updates regarding the television coverage via email and whatnot.

 

Percentage

I know I've seen the answer somewhere within this forum but I can't recall where...so I'll ask again.

With percentage looming so important in the final 8 in this AFL season, exactly how is percentage figured?

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

(Points For/Points Against) x 100

So, if your percentage is greater than 100%, you have scored more points than you have conceded. If less than 100% you have conceded more than you have scored.

Percentage only comes in if two or more teams have an equal number of premiership points (awarded on th ebasis of 4 for a win, 2 for a draw, 0 for a loss).

Some other leagues (particularly the South Australian SANFL) calculate percentage and award premiership points differently.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Thanks, Craig. That's way too simple for me to handle.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Yes, Tri-nations is Rugby Union

Main differences…

• Number of Players: Union 15, League 13 (2 less forwards). League also has interchange, so a replaced player can come back on (with some restrictions)
• Scoring:
* Union: Try 5 points, Conversion 2 points, Penalty & Drop Goals 3 points
* League: Try 4 points, Conversion & Penalty Goals 2 points, Drop Goal 1 point, so generally less shots for penalty & drop goals
• Field dimensions and markings: Basically League ‘end zones’ are shallower, and there is a 20 metre line rather than a 22.
• Scrums: Vital in Union – a way of asserting dominance. In League just a way of restarting play
• Lineouts: Union has them, League doesn’t, so there is less kicking for touch in League
• Play: Union is theoretically non-stop. So long as you don’t drop the ball or get penalised you can keep the ball all day until you score. When a player is tackled a ruck or maul forms and the players fight for the ball.
In League, when a player is tackled, the defenders must release him and retreat 10 metres. He then stands and rolls the ball back between his legs to a teammate, and a new ‘play’ starts. After 6 plays, if the team hasn’t scored they must hand the ball over to the defence. Most teams punt after 5. In this area it is similar to gridiron.
• Body Types: Because of scrums and lineouts, there is more variation in body types in Union, especially in the forwards. You will see 6 foot, 18 stone Prop forwards built like rectangles alongside hulking 6 foot 8 Lock forwards. League forwards are more uniform athletic 6 foot 4 or 5’ers.

Geographically league is pretty much played only in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, teh North of England and parts of southern France. Union is played in a lot more places.

League is generally a faster more explosive and body impact sport. Union is more technical and subtle.

In Union, all "penalties" (given for major infringements) can result in a free shot at goal. When a "free kick" is awarded (for a minor infringement) no shot at goal is allowed. The difference in the referees signal is that a penalty is signelled with a straight arm, a free kick with a bent arm.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

More on penalties:

The majority of the ones you will see in Tri-Nations level matches are for slowing down play, offside, playing the ball while off your feet or not releasing the ball. Of course, foul play such as head high tackles, fighting etc also attract penalties.

When a player is tackled to the ground he must immediately release the ball. If he doesn't he is liable to be penalised. By the same token, the tacklers need to let go, roll away from him and allow him to release the ball.

Once the ball is released, any player can pick it up, but only if they are standing on their feet at the time. This is weighted in favour of the team in possession, as defenders must come from behind the last feet of any of their teammates involved in the tackle - otherwise they are offside.

Also, if the referee calls that a "ruck" has been formed (meaning that the ball is on the ground, but there are players from each team wrestling above it, the ball can only be played with the feet.

You will hear the referee doing a lot of warning, eg. "hands off it number 6", "stay back", "don't touch it" etc to try and avoid penalties and keep the game flowing.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Bit of both.

Originally it was the South Pacific Championship, which had the representative teams from the most powerful Australian rugby states - New South Wales & Queensland, the top 3 New Zealand provinces from their domestic National Provincial Championship, and the top Pacific Island team (from Fiji, Tonga or Samoa). When apartheid finished the Islanders were dumped and the top SA provinces were invited to join.

The problem with this was not all the top NZ & SA players were guaranteed to play as their provinces may not have qualified whereas all the Aussies would play, and also the fact that the constituent teams changed each year which was not great for promoters/TV.

So, some artificial combined provincial teams were created in NZ & SA, and a 3rd Australian team was admitted from the Australian Capital Territory (which is basically made up of players from NSW & Qld).

After Super 12, the NZ & SA players go back to their real provincial teams in the NPC (NZ) and Currie Cup (SA) competitions, and the Aussies go back to their club teams in the NSW and Qld competitions. Of course a lot of them get pulled out of these teams to play in the national teams. As an example Wallaby flanker George Smith has played 2 games for his club (Manly) in the last 3 seasons.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Why dont they just wait to start playing the Currie Cup and NPC schedule until after the Tri Nations is over ? I guess the national team is more important than the clubs. Thats a lot different from how it is in soccer. The clubs go crazy when players miss games due to national team duty. I guess the clubs in rugby have no power because rugby's main draw is the international matches. Still I think the NPC and Currie Cup would benefit if the All Black and Springbok players didnt miss any of their club matches. The leagues could take the week off during international matches like they do in soccer.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Difference to football (soccer) is that the national rugby associations pay part (if not all) of the players' contract (same as in cricket). The players are contracted primarily to the country (eg Australia), unlike to the club in football. Then they have a "sub-contract" with a super-12 club (eg ACT Brumbies), followed by one with a regional club (eg Randwick in Sydney). Three masters, but it's well understood that the priority for the players' services filter downwards, not upwards.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

In the recent Wallabies v New Zealand match,when NZ were attacking near the W line,and it was NZ feed,when the ball was put in,the NZ pack swung round 45 deg,thus obstructing the W pack,is this legal? they did this 3 or 4 times during the match.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

45 is ok - you can't go through 90. Also, the ref may rule it dangerous play depending on how it is done.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

SPARTACUS, does the tackle have to be like a rugby tackle, im hopein u no what one is seen as ur american u may not no

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Super 12 is uk teams i think with 12 players on each team instead of 15.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

Wright-Phillips,

Look about 6 posts above yours for an explanation by Craig the Aussie on what "Super 12" is all about.

Cheers.

 

Re: Questions on Cricket/Rugby/Aussie Footy

What do we do about the cricket related posts in this thread? Should the entire thread be replicated in the cricket forum, and remove all posts related to the football codes?