German Rugby

[germanbullsfan]

The german XV beefs up its troops ahead of the last group game in DIV 1B against Sweden at the 26 of April!

http://www.saracens.com/germany-call-up-for-melck/

 

[Thingimubob]

Nice to see them picking up another pro player! Even better to see another German poster on here too, quite a few have joined recently! Where are you from?

 

[germanbullsfan]

Stuttgart!!! Twin Sister City of Cardiff!!

 

[Thingimubob]

Nice! So it is! Just as it's neighbour Mannheim is twinned with Swansea I'm currently finishing off a degree in German at Swansea Uni, came across a mini replica of the Wasserturm the other day! What got you into rugby then?

 

[germanbullsfan]

My sisters pen pal from Devon!
She gifted me with a rugby book and i was hooked!

 

[Thingimubob]

Haha glad to hear it! lived in Bavaria last year, there was a small interest in the sport there, but not as much as in Baden-Württemburg and Rheinland-Pfalz from what I know anyway.

 

[germanbullsfan]

Quiet right ! Baden -Württemberg is Nr.1 when it comes to Rugby in D!!

 

[Jaguares]

Why Rugby isn't popular in Germany? Given that their neighbors the French love this sport and the English are also their neighbors. It's very strange

 

[ratsapprentice]

American Football, Basketball and Handball are quite big in Germany so there is less space for Rugby than there is in some other countries.

 

[Big Ewis]

at least they play a little basketball there...big fan of Nowitzki here, not that he represents the state of basketball in the nation but...
I've always wondered why it never took there in Germany...would've been really nice to see their profile in Tier 1 mode. The big caricature of course is we'd all imagine their Rugby to be pragmatic, well calculated...

 

[norcalbuff]

American Football, Basketball and Handball are quite big in Germany so there is less space for Rugby than there is in some other countries.

Hockey, or ice hockey as you heathens call it, has a good sized following in Germany too. I'd love for Germany to break through, but some of the Eastern European countries where there are less competing sports, such as Moldova, are more likely to break through. If you're looking for a Western European country who could come on strong, I think Belgium is a good candidate.

 

[goodNumber10]

Hockey, or ice hockey as you heathens call it,

Hockey is played with a stick and ball, Ice Hockey a stick and puck and skates.

I'll accept Hockey being called Field Hockey to avoid confusion, but i will not accept Ice Hockey being called just Hockey.

No arguments for I HAVE SPOKEN!



Hockey is pretty big in Germany - nothing quite like a Netherlands vs Germany hockey match. Brutal!

 

[SimonG]

Football is the only major team sport in Germany. If England is about 80% football dominated Germany is about 95%. Nothing else gets a look in. It is quite possibly the most football dominated country on the planet.

 

[Jaguares]

American Football, Basketball and Handball are quite big in Germany so there is less space for Rugby than there is in some other countries.

American Football??? It's a joke? Because it isn't even professional in Germany and they don't have a lot of tradition in that sport. I only know a handful of German players in the NFL

 

[SelimNiai]

American Football??? It's a joke? Because it isn't even professional in Germany and they don't have a lot of tradition in that sport. I only know a handful of German players in the NFL

Just because a sport isnt a professional in a country it doesnt mean it cant be popular. American Football players here arent pros and yet the UK is the NFL's 2nd biggest market. Dont forget rugby only went pro here less than 20 years ago

 

[ratsapprentice]

As far as I am aware the contact sports niche is currently filled by the NFL - at least as far as spectators go.

 

[Big Ewis]

Handball is actually German. But I'm not sure about their presence in the game...I'd say maybe that's another team sport they're good at.
Oh, also, is the economy considered a teamsport ? Coz if so, I heard they're quite okay at that...

 

[SimonG]

Just because a sport isnt a professional in a country it doesnt mean it cant be popular. American Football players here arent pros and yet the UK is the NFL's 2nd biggest market. Dont forget rugby only went pro here less than 20 years ago

Hmm..well it ain't played by anyone, and has a niche viewing audience. Being the "2nd biggest market" outside the only market where its played is hardly a ringing endorsement. The Mori poll of the top 18 most popular sports in the UK didn't have any North American sports.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Why Rugby isn't popular in Germany? Given that their neighbors the French love this sport and the English are also their neighbors. It's very strange

thats like asking why spain isn't poplular for rugby when they're bordered with france and italy

 

[SimonG]

Agree it's poor logic to question why a sport ain't popular in a country when the neighbours play it. Even within countries there are sports played in certain areas that have little or no popularity...England; RL (north), RU (south)....in Ireland there is a sport called hurling...popular in about 4 counties out of 32. Being from Tyrone, I still have chills thinking about when we played it briefly for PE at school...lottery ball. Flick up the sloithar (ball) and whack the thing as hard as you can.