Roos v T-Hawks - Thoughts

[NPK]

As for the width of the field, the unlimited interchange and the surface. Both teams played under the same condtions it's not like the US had unlimited intercharge and Australia went under the 12-4 rule. It's not like when the US had the ball all of the sudden the field was 12 metres wider.

You're kidding aren't you? Anyone with half a brain can see that shaving 20m off the width of the field has to be a massive boost to the weaker side. Do you really think the Americans were dissappointed about missing the opportunity to unveil their sweeping backline movements? Are you sure you've ever actually watched a game of football?

:roll:

Well you are a Magpies fan so brains don't usually come into the picture

What's wrong with what Yappy said? I agree with all of it.

 

[Freak]

Does anyone have any links to US media reports on the game?

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

Would love to see some local media from the game to see what they had to say.

 

[Freak]

Um not exactly what I was looking for!! :roll: #-o

http://www.pennsylvaniasport.com/


I guess there still so far away

 

[NPK]

Um not exactly what I was looking for!! :roll: #-o

http://www.pennsylvaniasport.com/


I guess there still so far away

Americans :roll: :roll: They have a Rugby Union picture (Jonah Lomu) next to the League article.
Good work boofheads.
They don't even have an article about the completed game yet..

 

[roopy]

My thoughts on the game.

When I saw the team selected I wondered where the playmaking was going to come from - the only half decent playmakers in the US are Nui and Mulvihill - and neither were in the team - maybe Vassy is the next best - but it turned out he was playing hooker.

All the Yanks selected were honest players who hit hard in defence and attack - and it turned out that is what the coach wanted - he decided to play no-frills footy just to make the Aussies know they had been in a game. I'm sure he never thought about winning.

As it turned out - the Yanks turned up to play a hard but simple game - and the Aussies turned up to have a laugh and play a bit of razzle dazzle maybe. The Aussies weren't even in the game till they decided to give the opposition the respect they had earnt by the second half - and play some serious football.

Some of the American players like Smith, Brazier and a few others have only played about a dozen games of league in their lives - but they have the rushing and blocking skills developed over a lifetime of playing American football - so the Yanks are pretty fair exponents of forward play in both defence and attack. it is really the backs where they fall down in defence - but the narrow field really helped the home side there.

In all the games I have seen the americans play in the past they have really came unstuck when a back gets into a bit of open space - because they have no idea when to commit to a tackle - but the compressed defence really helped them there.

 

[Freak]

My feedback to the Phily Media:

Was checking a handful of American media sites to see if the recently played international rugby league game between Austraia & USA in Philadelphia had received any media attention.

The USA had illustrated in the game that they had come ahead in leaps and bounds and thoroughly deserved the support of their nation they represented.

To my disbelief I had trouble finding any articles at all, but did find a small article in the Philadelphia times which headed the small story with a Rugby Union picture????

This would be like heading a Yankees story with a Softball picture????

The game itself had the potential at halftime to be the greatest ever upset in the history of any sport (EVER) with the home side leading the Australian team 24-6

Can you please rectify this embarrassing branding of the great game Rugby League, and give the USA Tomahawks Rugby League team the credit and exposure they so deserve!!!

 

[NPK]

The union picture wasn't even of Australia either!
No research done at all by them.

 

[LESStar58]

There was less than 6000 people there! I think that it is fantastic that the T'hawks were able to stretch the Kangaroos they did but they shoulda done a bit more to promote it! Jesus, if Reggie and beaussie were on this board still they'd be having a field day!

 

[LESStar58]

BTW...was this game actually considered a proper Test? I'd f**king hope so!

 

[JK]

Don't worry too much - they also have a picture of mason tackling kidwell on a story about south african RU :lol:

 

[Tidus_Raider]

BTW...was this game actually considered a proper Test? I'd f***ing hope so!

Nope. It was an 'Exhibition' match.

 

[JK]

The US are not a Test nation. France are and deserve to be :evil: over the ARL denying them recognition.

 

[carlnz]

6,000 is a great crowed for an International League match!

 

[DIEHARD]

There was less than 6000 people there! I think that it is fantastic that the T'hawks were able to stretch the Kangaroos they did but they shoulda done a bit more to promote it! Jesus, if Reggie and beaussie were on this board still they'd be having a field day!

The TV audience in OZ and USA are far far more important. It proves RL in the USA has potentional and everyone that reads the reports in today's Aussie papers will come away thinking international RL and USA Rl are on the way up.

At least there was a crowd. It is one of the least important factors in the equation. I just hope we have Liberty Bell Cup II so we can build on it.

 

[LESStar58]

BTW...was this game actually considered a proper Test? I'd f***ing hope so!

Nope. It was an 'Exhibition' match.

What a cop out! Colin Love should bring it up at the next International Federation meeting! First France was not a Test now this! How is league supposed to be international when we don't give emerging nations the chance!?

 

[Eelectrica]

Um not exactly what I was looking for!! :roll: #-o

http://www.pennsylvaniasport.com/


I guess there still so far away

I, like a few people of launched a futile attempt to find US post match comments. The impression I get is that Americans see rugby and automatically think of union, and are immediately put off. We have to somehow undo the damage that Union has done over there.

I found a small forum, and one person said he'd seen rugby and preferred soccer. This person didn't realise that their are two different 'rugby' codes.

Although I thought this article was quite good:

US Tomahawks and Australian Kangaroos will be televised on Fox Sports, Nov. 30, at 7.30pm.
You won’t hear the Rugby League players sing to you, but they will entertain

you all the same.



If fast exciting sports is your thing…



If you like to see big men crashing into each other…



If you like to see a new sport that is easy to understand….



Then watch. You will not regret it!



I have often thought about how I would try to describe the game of Rugby League to an American. Obviously I would have to tell him or her that it will probably be one of the fastest, most intense and physically demanding games they will ever have the pleasure to witness, but that isn’t enough.



Think of Rugby that is often played here in America. Well, Rugby League is much more exciting, with bigger hits and is much more like football. :lol:



I like to describe it as a game that is a combination of football and wrestling and all the players have the ball handling skills of the Harlem Globetrotters.



Description of the game



Much like football, in Rugby League you have six tackles (downs). If you have not scored within these six downs then the ball is given to the opposition where you have been tackled. Because of this it is very likely for the team in possession to punt the ball on the fifth tackle so as not to be caught in possession.



The second major rule you should know is that the ball must be passed backwards. To pass it forward is an infringement.



The third rule, you cannot fumble the ball. If you do, it must go backwards or the opposition will get the possession.



There is one major point apart from not being able to pass the ball forward that differentiates this game from football -- all players defend and attack for virtually the full 80 minutes. There, of course, are more rules, but the fun is in being at the game and learning as you go along.



If that has not whetted you’re appetite for what we fans of Rugby League like to call –“The greatest game,” then perhaps this last snippet of information will?



These guys don’t wear pads or a helmet. That is correct, you heard me right. They don’t wear them.



Now, I know you are thinking that these guys must be crazy. Well, go along, watch and find out!

http://www.e-sports.com/web/PrintArticle.aspx?ArticleID=151

 

[Hurriflatch]

If you read the article he is saying that a lot of Yanks know about Union already but he is saying League is better

and the football he refers to is gridiron

try reading thing 1st

 

[Ari Gold]

and 20 million people watched the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 20 million!!!! do you realise how big that is??????? it was on prime time tv in the states and it was brilliantly publicised..........i think we chould invite Reggie and Johnnie Wilkinson to this forum and lets see if they can say the same thing about their codes :lol:

 

[Eelectrica]

If you read the article he is saying that a lot of Yanks know about Union already but he is saying League is better

That's my whole point. Many people in the US are aware of Rugby, but are unaware that their are two different 'codes' and are put off by union. This person was attempting to set the record straight.

and the football he refers to is gridiron

Correct, he was using Gridiron as a point of reference. So people could better grasp the rules of League.

 

[Rednecked Yobbo]

I'd just like to congratulate the Americans on their attitude, commitment and enthusiasm to the game. They played the basics well and showed that they weren't to be taken lightly. Hopefully it has laid a platform for them to build on.

And their fullback, Hollingsworth, was fantastic in his postional play, takes etc... I'd like to see him and a few others come over for some development.