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The Clubhouse Bar
Rugby VS. American Football
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<blockquote data-quote="Bruce_ma gooshvili" data-source="post: 874857" data-attributes="member: 74121"><p>Howdy. As a longstanding NFL fan who has switched to rugby union it is the rule changes in the respective sports that have made me switch. </p><p></p><p>I've typed at length about this before so will keep it a little briefer. </p><p></p><p>The NFL rule changes over the past two decades have reduced the importance of the physical battle of running back & O-line versus the defensive "box". We see empty backfields on 3rd and short when there used to be jumbo packages. </p><p></p><p>They also created two tiers of players, with QBs getting all manner of special treatment. I watched the London game last weekend, Dolphins vs Saints; the commentators at one point stated, without apparent humour, that current QBs like Brady and Brees could play into their 50s in the current NFL. Whilst that is an exaggeration, I think a supposedly physical contact sport having non-kickers playing into their late 30s (and beyond) is a bit of a joke and another example of how the sport has changed from one I loved in then 80s and 90s. </p><p></p><p>Perhaps hypocritically I find myself enjoying rugby union more as the emphasis on the set piece (scrum and lineout) is reduced a little and a greater percentage of the game involves the ball being in play and the aspects of the game I enjoy most (running, tackling a runner, passing out of contact) are increasingly prominent. The rule changes balance the contest more evenly between offence and defence in rugby more than in the NFL and in rugby no quality team should ever be looking to have a player in their mid to late 30s playing, because they will be so far from their physical peak. You can tackle a flyhalf the same as any other player. Every position gets the same treatment in the rules and teams without an "elite" flyhalf can compete better than teams without an "elite" QB. </p><p></p><p>Both games have sped up to chase excitement and marketability. I just think rugby has gone about it in a way that is more true to the roots of the sport than the way the NFL did. All of course a personal preference!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bruce_ma gooshvili, post: 874857, member: 74121"] Howdy. As a longstanding NFL fan who has switched to rugby union it is the rule changes in the respective sports that have made me switch. I've typed at length about this before so will keep it a little briefer. The NFL rule changes over the past two decades have reduced the importance of the physical battle of running back & O-line versus the defensive "box". We see empty backfields on 3rd and short when there used to be jumbo packages. They also created two tiers of players, with QBs getting all manner of special treatment. I watched the London game last weekend, Dolphins vs Saints; the commentators at one point stated, without apparent humour, that current QBs like Brady and Brees could play into their 50s in the current NFL. Whilst that is an exaggeration, I think a supposedly physical contact sport having non-kickers playing into their late 30s (and beyond) is a bit of a joke and another example of how the sport has changed from one I loved in then 80s and 90s. Perhaps hypocritically I find myself enjoying rugby union more as the emphasis on the set piece (scrum and lineout) is reduced a little and a greater percentage of the game involves the ball being in play and the aspects of the game I enjoy most (running, tackling a runner, passing out of contact) are increasingly prominent. The rule changes balance the contest more evenly between offence and defence in rugby more than in the NFL and in rugby no quality team should ever be looking to have a player in their mid to late 30s playing, because they will be so far from their physical peak. You can tackle a flyhalf the same as any other player. Every position gets the same treatment in the rules and teams without an "elite" flyhalf can compete better than teams without an "elite" QB. Both games have sped up to chase excitement and marketability. I just think rugby has gone about it in a way that is more true to the roots of the sport than the way the NFL did. All of course a personal preference! [/QUOTE]
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