Question from a newbie following the game...

[tjung0831]

Well first of all i'm from the states so, there isn't much rugby coverage over here. I am however hooked on the game since I started following it last year. I would say that the Super14 is my league of choice and I watch every game that's on Setanta sports which is usually 3-4 every weekend. Why and how I got hooked on the game, i'm not really sure but I have to admit I really really like the game. I think alot of it has to do with the culture of the game as well as the fans and the fact that league is played in three different countries. It's interesting seeing fans support the game in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. My friends back here in the states think i've lost it though.
Anyway I have a couple of questions about the game that i don't understand still after watching numerous matches.
How does the ref decide who gets the advantage and what does that really play when in a ruck?
What are the rules for actually removing the ball from the ruck? i've seen numerous plays that will look the same but the sometimes a team will be penalized for which I assume is "hands in the ruck" What determines this?
Since thes super14 season only runs until May, what do the Super14 players do the rest of the year? Not all of them play for their international teams.
What kind of salaries do these guys make?
If anybody has the time to help a newbie out, I would appreciate it.

Tim

 

[The Flash]

All really good questions from a newbie. I'm at work so might not give the best answer at the moment, but in regards to rucks, here are a few things to watch out for:

A defensive player must be completely onside when trying to enter a ruck and this also includes trying to come in from the side or even a 45 degree angle.

He shouldn't use his hands unless he is one of the first 3 defensive players (including the tackler).

He can't go into the ruck off his feet or on his knees.

No defensive player should try and stop the ball coming out of a ruck either

 

[THE CHIROPRACTOR101]

^^^ true indeed..ill try and add to that

How does the ref decide who gets the advantage and what does that really play when in a ruck?

when any penalty has occured an advantage is played against the team who forced the error..the team who the ref has given the advantage too(opposition).. if they still have the ball in possession then they may continue playing untill the ref calls "advantage played" which means the advantage is over or he blows the whistle to stop play and gos back to the original penalty and where it started...

if the ref calls "Advantage played" it usually means the team with the advantage have made enough considerable ground..for example from an "advantage" they can kick the ball down the field and that is enough reasons to give advantage away..however if the opposing team regather the kick then the ref can determine whether or not it is advantage playd...in the 22 sometims the advantage can be dragged out for long periods of play due to the ground that can be made so the team with the advantage usually have potential points on hand...what determines it at ruck time? the ref does..if the ball is not coming fast enough from the ruck of the team with the advantage he usually blows his whistle

Since thes super14 season only runs until May, what do the Super14 players do the rest of the year? Not all of them play for their international teams.

train and train for the provincial season..the provincial competition is the breeding ground for our super14 teams...while international season begins...the australian league,curry cup and nz cup begin later on in the international season..picture our provincial cups like american colleges and how those players get picked for higher honours like nfl...the only difference is that our provincial tournaments breed players from within our pronvincial territories and are feeders to the big state teams...eg northland,auckland,north habour in the npc >>> feed auckland blues...bay of plenty,counties manukau,waikato >>>> feed hamilton....ALL super14 players have a team to go to

What kind of salaries do these guys make?
salary caps are different in the other countries i believe...but they are quite small compared to european teams..the thing is though you can go over seas and score big money..its easy as for the international players and various other players in the super14 but i guess the draw card for them is the competition and the love of playing southern rugby and playing for there international team..and another thing is that it is harder to make any trinations team if you are not playing in the southern hemisphere...

the highest paid players in each nz super14 team would make 80 - 100 grand..and i think the average pay is 60 grand

 

[The Flash]

Thanks Chiro. Was busy as at work and couldn't put in the time to define it as well as that.

 

[ak47]

the highest paid players have international contracts for being internationals........ie they represent their country

i would assume they earn alot more than $100,000

although i cannot distinguish what payment is super14 based, and what payment is for their international duties

players that will play in the world cup - all would earn a substantial amount above $100,000 per year

Matt Giteau is on a motza!!! (slang for a shitload of money)

 

[esoj]

yeah defintely the top international guys are on some nice money. I think from memory the minimun ammout of an nz super 14 player was 1ike 100,000-140,000 can't remember exactly on top of this is things like the all blacks so some guys will be easily over 200,000 a year.

this is fairly similar in australia and south africa where the players are contracted to the unions. It is different up in the northern hemisphere in places like france and england where the players are contracted to clubs who pay the players wages.

 

[melon]

Theres a dozen or so Super 14 players on money 300 000 or more a year from contracts with their home states plus top ups from the ARU

 

[tjung0831]

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it and that will definitely give me a better understanding when I watch round 3 next weekend.

Tim

 

[THE CHIROPRACTOR101]

proberly laughin at the salaries ay tim?...lol...nfl kickers make more money then these guys..lol

 

[melon]

Kickers make millions a year just for kicking the bloody ball in NFL!

 

[tjung0831]

proberly laughin at the salaries ay tim?...lol...nfl kickers make more money then these guys..lol
[/b]

Not laughing but definitely suprised they are low but it's also good to know because you know that these guys are playing rugby because they love the game. I love the sports over here in the states but in this day and age, high salaries kind of ruin it for me just a little bit...not too much though.
Rugby is good stuff though and I think the fact that I don't have a total understanding of all the rules just yet plays a big part in why i like it so much right now. it's a challenge trying to learn and understand the game. When i started following the game this time last year, i was pretty sure that i was going to follow the Guiness premiership but I got hooked on the Super14 instead...so far so good plus my 4 year old likes the game as well and watches it with me.

Tim