How hard is it to explain the rules of RL?

[Willow]

I have a friend visiting my house at the moment and he knows absolutely nothing about Rugby League.
He decided to watch the Friday night game with me between Saints and Parramatta and after I explained who the teams were and the basic rules he asked me 'why are the crowd booing Parramatta?'
I said, 'no, they're booing St George'. He said, 'but Parramatta have the ball... everytime they have the ball, the crowd boos them!'
I explained to him that the crowd was appealing for offside and he said 'what, on every play?' I said, 'yes, they're very vocal'
After a minute or so my laughed and accused me of sending him up.
Finally he said 'St George can't be offside that much! No, this crowd is definitely booing Parramatta!'

For I moment he had me thinking that the casual observer it did indeed look like the crowd were booing their own team.
But in the end I told him just to get a beer and keep his comments to himself.

By the end of the match he had a basic understanding and I think I even converted him but the truth is, I had to battle to explain the rules and tactics to him.
Maybe I'm just a bad teacher but I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences and how they overcame the basic problems of introducing someone to the game of Rugby League.

 

[imported_bronco]

Had a similar experience when i took my grandad along to the Bulldogs match and the test at the Wellington stadium this year. Hes been to a few union games so he has a basic understanding of rugby but it was hard explaining the tactics to him.
He keep asking why they don't throw it out wide and pass it more. Its hard to explain the need for hitups and playing it in the forwards in league. It was actually quite annoying to have him saying all game why don't they pass it. I think in 4 years time when the bulldogs contract with wellington is up i'll have him converted.

Cheers
bronco

 

[legend]

I had the pleasure of explaining the game ot a Canadian friend of mine and it really was'nt that tough because he understood the nuances of NFL. I told him the team with the ball has six tackles(downs) with the ball and if they can't score they usually punt and turn the ball over to the opposition. However, you can not pass the ball forward. The object of the game is move your team down the field in six plays whilst always passing the ball backwards. You can kick on any tackle and if the ball travels over the sideline without bouncing the opposing side starts play from where the ball was kicked, not where it landed. If you kick the ball on any play and the ball bounces before it travels over the sideline then a scrum is the next play etc...........

 

[Bebeto in Japan]

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago when I was back in Sydney. I had a Brazilian tourist staying with me and I took him to see the Parramatta v Canberra game (not the greatest fixture but as I had not seen a live game in 2 years, anything was a good specticle). My mate was confused as to why they tackle the player and then get off him right away. In simple terms, i explained that the team with the ball had "6 chances to do something with the ball". Coming from a soccer country, he could not understand how you can be offside in Rugby League and he said they can't be offside when I explained how offside works in Rugby League. When a player was held up in goal, I found it difficult to explain to him why it was no try and later in the game, Parra scored from a kick and a person grounding the ball after it was rolling in the ground, he could not understand how that was a try. The concept of downward pressure and actually placing the ball is not so easy to explain.

I can't think of anymore challenges but that live game is one which i will not forget LOL

 

[stormsally]

It happens to me all the time.

I think I know about 3/4 of the rules but some really baffle me. It's not that I haven't been explained them, but I haven't got them on automatic recall.

My youngest son likes to pipe up in a really loud voice, "Mum, what was that penalty for" etc, and there is always some oposition supporter (probably an ex-pat) who rolls their eyes and explains it in a patronising way when I mumble a lot. Without the radio broadcast (which he uses for AFL games to understand (a bit) what is happening) we have to rely on the voice-over guy to explain some of the happenings to no-brainers like me.

I also have a friend who supports Brisbane Lions (ex-Fitzroy supporters) who go to about 5 Storm games a year. She has told me that she can never work out what happens when the ball is kicked out. (on the full, not on the full, 40-20 (haven't seen many of those since Noddy left) in goal on the full, in goal not on the full, kicking for the side at kickoff, kicking too deep at kickoff . . . )
I just told her, when the crowd cheers, you cheer!!

 

[Dog]

I agree, but I believe it's exactly the same as any other sport. Believe me, when I asked my Grandad to explain to me the purpose of AFL and it's rules, it took him a while to get it through to me.
It's the same for every other sport so I wouldn't worry too much - we're all in the same cramped little boat.

Dog

 

[pepe]

stormsally

good to see you over here,yes we don't have to worry about explaining 40/20 these days,have'nt had one all year,plenty against us though,no disrespect to orford but he would be flatout kicking it further than my 4 year old daughter.

willow

fancy having someone asking you the rules when your team is playing,i thought you were smarter than that,if someone shows up on my doorstep at kickoff time they are quickly sent on there way.

i was watching the wallabies at a party not long ago and as is the case down here the victorians sit down and pay out on the game without even trying to understand it,i told the goose to not watch it then,unbelievable!!!!

try explaining the rules of rugby union,the players don't even understand them,does anyone?