Where do you see rugby in..50 years? 20? 10?"

[norcalbuff]

NBA: It seems there is such a gulf between USA and Spain and teh rest of the world that I almost want to say I still don't consider it a 'world sport'. IE my definition would be that more than 2 countries could concievably win a 'world cup'. Sure a lot of countries play the sport. For example SA has an America football team. I am sure many other countires do as well. I doubt anyone would call American football a world sport.

This is some pretty bizarre logic. That one country is dominant over others does not make the sport any less global. If the US dropped American football and took up rugby en masse from a young age, we'd dominate world rugby within 15 years. Would that make rugby a less global sport, even though it was more popular than before? Of course not.

And comparing the South African American football team to the Argentina basketball team or any other decent national team is equally idiotic. Good lord. Here's this comparison in rugby terms:

South African National American football team = Mexico/Austria Rugby
Argentina basketball = Australia/Wales Rugby

Comparing some park league team to a fully professional outfit with top players in the top club competition in the world is either horribly ignorant or disingenuous.

 

[Aristodemus]

I see you like to insult anyone who doesn't share your faultless logic, classy.

 

[irelandfan123]

I don't reckon it'll be a sport for everyone in the years since professionalism players like Williams and Stringer, are getting replaced by the Norths and Murray's of the world.. I'm in my first season of proper senior rugby and the pressure to become bigger is slightly annoying as I find it difficult to pile on the pounds and I'm not the tallest either, and this pressure is from the junior division 4 in Ulster really basic stuff. And when I was training for Ulster Development sides the amount of pressure to get bigger fitter and healthier somewhat takes away from the fun of just playing the games (me not being able to put on the bulk got me dropped from Ulster 18's and almost made me quit rugby altogether, its a cruel world out there)
I reckon soon us under 5'10 will be stomped out of the game in counties like Ireland in 20 years

 

[LittleGuy]

I don't reckon it'll be a sport for everyone in the years since professionalism players like Williams and Stringer, are getting replaced by the Norths and Murray's of the world.. I'm in my first season of proper senior rugby and the pressure to become bigger is slightly annoying as I find it difficult to pile on the pounds and I'm not the tallest either, and this pressure is from the junior division 4 in Ulster really basic stuff. And when I was training for Ulster Development sides the amount of pressure to get bigger fitter and healthier somewhat takes away from the fun of just playing the games (me not being able to put on the bulk got me dropped from Ulster 18's and almost made me quit rugby altogether, its a cruel world out there)
I reckon soon us under 5'10 will be stomped out of the game in counties like Ireland in 20 years

Perhaps there will at least be a niche in the 7's game if this comes to pass, I would really hate for Rugby to become like Ice Hockey has become where under 6'0" and especially 5'10" you are simply ignored.

 

[norcalbuff]

I see you like to insult anyone who doesn't share your faultless logic, classy.

No, I insult people who make absurd arguments from a point of ignorance. Rather than learning something from this thread, you seem determined to fight on blindly.

 

[norcalbuff]

Perhaps there will at least be a niche in the 7's game if this comes to pass, I would really hate for Rugby to become like Ice Hockey has become where under 6'0" and especially 5'10" you are simply ignored.

Martin St Louis has had a pretty great career at 5'8 but he's a freak. In general, you're right about the guys getting ignored. Sometimes those guys work hard enough to make it but even guys like Datsyuk are overlooked in the draft and drafted in the lower rounds.

 

[lucky number 7]

50 years.
The game will likely have evolved massively.Rules changed , stricter on hits etc.

Much more global , and as snoop said far more club and money orientated.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

This is some pretty bizarre logic. That one country is dominant over others does not make the sport any less global. If the US dropped American football and took up rugby en masse from a young age, we'd dominate world rugby within 15 years. Would that make rugby a less global sport, even though it was more popular than before? Of course not.

And comparing the South African American football team to the Argentina basketball team or any other decent national team is equally idiotic. Good lord. Here's this comparison in rugby terms:

South African National American football team = Mexico/Austria Rugby
Argentina basketball = Australia/Wales Rugby

Comparing some park league team to a fully professional outfit with top players in the top club competition in the world is either horribly ignorant or disingenuous.

I see it's a touchy subject for you. I'll leave it alone as I really couldn't care.

 

[profitius]

In America they only need a small percentage of their sports market to be able to match tier 1 teams. The main problem for them is starting up a league. The country is so big and travelling is expensive. Still they won't dominate the sport. It takes more than a large number of players to be successful.


Rugby is growing but at a slow rate. If the IRB can keep it growing then you could have many countries with good rugby teams.


Whatever about 50 years time in 10 years time I'd like to think that countries like Germany, Belgium, Spain are where Georgia are now and Georgia, Romania, Canada and USA etc would be stronger.

 

[Kapa O Pango]

Well, 50 years later, Richie McCaw will still be playing.

 

[Packman]

Seriously? I see the All Blacks being the big fish in a small pond exactly the same as Australia's Kangaroos. I see the sport going amateur in Scotland and Italy and union will be a closed shop because no TV channel will pay to see some developing nation get trounced by 100 pt margins. I see an Anglo French super league full of south sea islanders, Welshmen, Argentinians, Kiwis and South Africans. Football will still be England's national sport, and union's profile, which is based on a competitive England, will drop because the national team plays second fiddle to the super league and wouldn't won squat for years. Union will be a rugby league clone. The world cup will be covered on the radio 5, if you're lucky, because the All Blacks would have won the last six on a trot. Welcome to Premiere Rugby Limited's dream future. If you don't like it then you better pick a side right now.

 

[Da Grappla]

Seriously? I see the All Blacks being the big fish in a small pond exactly the same as Australia's Kangaroos. I see the sport going amateur in Scotland and Italy and union will be a closed shop because no TV channel will pay to see some developing nation get trounced by 100 pt margins. I see an Anglo French super league full of south sea islanders, Welshmen, Argentinians, Kiwis and South Africans. Football will still be England's national sport, and union's profile, which is based on a competitive England, will drop because the national team plays second fiddle to the super league and wouldn't won squat for years. Union will be a rugby league clone. The world cup will be covered on the radio 5, if you're lucky, because the All Blacks would have won the last six on a trot. Welcome to Premiere Rugby Limited's dream future. If you don't like it then you better pick a side right now.

- Rugby amateurism in Scotland and Italy
- Heading towards League spirit.

Two good points.

Rugby Union is an elite sport. Built and played by elite people.

Elites are not going to be regarded as behaviour models in our near future...just as Olympics in the Roman Empire being replaced by gladiator games and, specially, horse racing; fast, violent and easy to understand.

 

[alexrugby]

In 50 years I see rugby played in space.

thats pretty possible from todays perspective

 

[Flippikat]

I think a lot depends on how well the seasons can be co-ordinated between northern & sourthern hemispheres.

The obvious solution is to run them concurrently, but that would take the north or the south to switch to summer rugby.. There's a lot to be gained if the global season ran roughly march-to-october.. There'd be no clash with the European football leagues or NFL (which would give it a clear run in the lucrative US market)..

 

[alexrugby]

- Rugby amateurism in Scotland and Italy
- Heading towards League spirit.

Two good points.

Rugby Union is an elite sport. Built and played by elite people.

Elites are not going to be regarded as behaviour models in our near future...just as Olympics in the Roman Empire being replaced by gladiator games and, specially, horse racing; fast, violent and easy to understand.

rugby had always being played by elites

I hope that this amazing sport will not head to league spirit, don't know, don't like league and thats the reason and basis of my hopes

somehow rugby's spirit wont change I guess with time

but teams will make progress, that's a rule of life and it will add more interest to this amazing play

well about McCaw playing rugby after 50 years )) that's quite possible you know

 

[Big Ewis]

Well, 50 years later, Richie McCaw will still be playing.

don't joke too much about that buddy, ya never know !!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

in 50 years time scotland is going to be 1st in the irb rankings and win the world cup

 

[Big Ewis]

in 50 years time scotland is going to be 1st in the irb rankings and win the world cup :d

...that's the spirit !!!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

...that's the spirit !!!

what u mean ? its true its going to happen

 

[Rich Taff]

Well, 50 years later, Richie McCaw will still be playing.

And still won't have released!