Matador attempts to put this old international sports debate to rest.
Panelists
N. Chrystine Olson’s View – From the Perspective of an American Football Official
Rugby and gridiron compete for my loyalty in September. Tri Nations winds up, American football starts. I attempted to watch both last Saturday, contacting the only sports bar known for showing “the rugby”, hoping one screen could be dedicated to the South Africa/Australia match.
I settled into a lonely booth while every other patron focused on college football. Enjoying a pint in anticipation of the scrum, I got the bad news. They no longer subscribed to the obscure cable channel responsible for rugby. The waiter brought me a free beer, switching on the Alabama/Virginia Tech game.
The sports gods were talking to me: remember your roots. You’re American: watch football. I like rugby, but I LOVE football.
Lola Akinmade’s View – From the Perspective of a Former Competitive Rugby Player turned Editor of Matador Goods
“I found it!” I remember one player announce gleefully as he picked up his lost tooth from a muddy rugby field, a bloody grin across his face.
Matching his grin was a vibrant spark in his eyes.
Having played competitive rugby for over 10 years and choosing to retire after a knee injury, there’s a certain spirit of camaraderie that’s shared by lovers of the sport. From picnicking impromptu with the entire Tongan rugby team at a park in New Zealand to those evenings spent singing songs in Midwestern Ohio clubhouses, the underlying tone beneath the sport is one of acceptance.
We accept you just the way you are. We have a position you can play, regardless of shape, size, and height.
On Complexity
Chrystine’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 0
One difference: legal forward pass. Creates exponential combinations of offense. Points can be scored quickly.
Equally complex defensive strategies may result in a “pick” (interception), changing game momentum in one spectacular move.
Effective passing and a decent running game make for encyclopedic play books. No wonder teams need sky boxes and advanced telecommunications to set plays.
Just don’t pull a Belichick and hire a videographer. Bad Coach!
Lola’s View: American Football 0 Rugby 1
You can’t just throw the ball in when it goes out of bounds, you actually have to form a human tower to win it back.
You can’t just run across the finish line, you have to touch the ball to the ground for that mad run through a human obstacle course to count.
Plus any sport that demands you only pass the ball backwards while running at full speed as a 200+ pound player lumbers towards you wins the complexity battle.
On Equipment
Chrystine’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 0
Gridiron players don’t just tackle, they collide.
Every player except the quarterback blocks after the ball is snapped. The average lineman runs 40 yards in 5 seconds, weighs 300 lbs.
Mandatory safety equipment for one player: helmet, face mask, chin strap, mouth protector, shoulder, tailbone, hip, thigh and knee pads.
Multiply by 100.
We win by sheer volume.
Lola’s View: American Football 0 Rugby 1
Just one piece of equipment recommended – Mouthguard! This by default makes rugby players bad asses on the field.
On Tackling
Chrystine’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 1
Call this a draw because rugby organizes their scoring drives by number of allowed tackles.
But all those controlled crashes and an “almost anything goes” philosophy to bring down the runner gives us the win.
Emphasis on the “almost”, otherwise I wouldn’t have a job every fall.
Lola’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 1
So both sports are known for bone crushing tackles. Can’t argue with that.
However, all tackling styles aren’t made equal. Watching a 150-pound lightweight back player take down a 300-pound forward in a skillfully executed tackle without a scratch is a thing of beauty.
On Handling Injuries
Chrystine’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 0
That’s what all those players are for. Bring off the body and put in the second string.
No one’s irreplaceable. Besides the team’s trainer will have all the Hydrocodone, Oxytocin, and industrial strength Vicodin a damaged player can handle.
Lola’s View: American Football 0 Rugby 1
In rugby, the game stops for no man. If you’re not springing back up and shaking it off after a few minutes, we only stop to roll you off the field and pull in a substitute.
Plays & Names
Chrystine’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 0
Hail Mary. Statue of Liberty. Spiritual AND patriotic.
Blitz. Bootleg, Shotgun and Sprint Draw. Reminiscent of a Western starring John Wayne. Classic.
Lola’s View: American Football 0 Rugby 1
Hooker. Scrum. Maul. Ruck. Flyhalf.
I dare you to come up with cooler names for players and plays.
Sportsmanship
Chrystine’s View: American Football 0 Rugby 1
Surprise, I’m with my Lola on this one. I’ve dated both American football and rugby players.
The starting freshman QB at Virginia Tech was an ass, the All Black’s winger an absolute dream.
But on a less personal note, all the money associated with American football has created some real brats.
Can you say “Brett Favre”?
Lola’s View: American Football 0 Rugby 1
Known worldwide as the “hooligan sport played by gentlemen”, expect a nice meal and tasty adult beverages provided by the hosting team after every game.
All grievances end once you get off the pitch and into that clubhouse.
Final Score
Chrystine’s View: American Football 5 Rugby 2
So, Rugby isn’t skunked in my tally, gotta give credit where it’s due. Still wish I could have seen at least one Tri Nations match in real time. No offense to available You Tube clips, but it just isn’t the same.
Now I’m off to Capones; the Green Bay Packers open in Lambeau against the Chicago Bears.
Shouldn’t have any trouble catching that game.
Lola’s View: American Football 1 Rugby 6
Hands down, Rugby takes home the trophy. 80 minutes of nonstop ruggedness with gasp-inducing tackles and wow-extracting plays.
Plus any sport that gives you this spectacle instead of perky cheerleaders as pre-game entertainment rules!
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49 Comments... join the discussion!
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In complete agreement with Eva and Lola, rugby hands down. I broke a finger or two aged 14 playing rugby and wanted to come off and was told to get on with the game. After damaging my knee seriously aged 16 I was told to walk it off, I was later subjected to a week in bed, 3 months of physio and a month and a half of crutches.
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I’m not a big fan of either, but great article! Very entertaining. Love the passion.
Living in Australia for the past 2 years, I’ve definitely gained respect and better understanding for rugby. But what I really like about gridiron are the strategies. That game is like a war, with your generals and foot soldiers. And there’s not much more exciting than that hail mary in the last seconds to win the game, or a 95 yard punt return for a touchdown.
Now, go find a Melburnian and get him/her to toss Aussie Rules Football in the mix. You’ll definitely find some serious passion there!
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why are you giving ratings for equipment?? that is EXACTLY the reason why Rugby is better. Americans need to protect themselves from a tackle and are afraid to have a drop of blood spilt
Here is my point with Rugby Union and Rugby League
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_i6szEMhqk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8v-qZFVYnc
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Love this article and the varying points of view!
Wendy
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Perhaps Chrystine should limit her comments to sports she has actually watched.
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I just had to chime in
On Complexity: Evolving play requires intelligence on the part of all participants (players, refs, coaches and spectators). Continually reset play requires good memory and the ability to do as you are told. I’m sorry, Slam, but “Points can be scored quickly” happens in rugby a lot. What’s more thrilling than an intercepted pass and a 90 yard run down WITH SUPPORT? When it happens in gridiron everyone gets exited, like it’s something special. It happens in rugby all the time. And a drop goal? That’s pretty fast scoring that can happen on a moment’s notice. Rugby: 1, Gridiron: 0
On Equipment: Less is better. Makes it affordable for anyone to play. If you want tough? Take off the pads and learn the art of tackling. Rugby: 1, Gridiron: 0
On Tackling: “Controlled crashes” is not tackling. It’s body bowling. BTW, Chris: your youtube videos are a disgrace to the sport. Most of what they show is illegal by the rules of rugby – high tackles, fighting, late tackles, tackling players in the air. That is NOT the message people should get about the sport. If bleeding, broken bodies and pain is what you want watch UFC. Rugby: 1, Gridiron: 0
On Handling Injuries: “Blood replacement” is not a transfusion. Rugby let’s the trainers onto the pitch to help an injured player while play continues. I did like John Smit’s interview after the Boks/All Blacks third game, the trickles of blood running down his lip and chin not phasing him at all. That’s handling injury. Rugby: 1, Gridiron: 0
Plays & Names: Scored a “Touch down”? WHAT? Huh? It should be called a “Plane Break”. Scored on a “Try at Goal” – now that makes sense. Rugby: 1, Gridiron: 0
Sportsmanship: This is the most important of them all. Nothing to do with toughness. The very essence of rugby is respect and inclusiveness. “Elegant violence”, “A hooligans game played by gentlemen”. It must maintain sportsmanship or the violent nature of the game would cause it to descend into chaos and obscurity.
Final Score: Jay’s View: Rugby: 6, American Football: 0 (no surprise there). Rugby has enough nations playing it that a World Cup happens. Rugby Sevens will be an Olympic sport. American Football is played in… uh… I guess two countries (if the CFL counts). Come visit, Slam! I have Setanta and Tivo
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Well…my gridiron friends here in the States are being incredibly quiet. Not what I experience on any given Saturday, Sunday or Monday night. One obsessive Patriots fan said , and I quote “Rugby is tougher but football is better.” Maybe it’s all about the adjectives.
I watched a 300 lb. defensive end from Iowa chase down a full back the length of the field to prevent a touchdown last Saturday. A thing of beauty…and remember…he’s wearing all that equipment.
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Doesn’t it also depend what position you play? To me, as an ex-rugby player and fan who enjoys watching the NFL, it seems LBs and RBs take a bigger pounding than other positions I can think of.
Likewise in rugby, a flanker or no.8 can easily engage in 40+ contacts in a game, whereas a well protected fly half (eqv. to a QB) may only make 10 or fewer!
There are also 2 codes of rugby – playing a game of rugby league has been likened to jogging 4 miles at 60% pace and being mugged 20 times en route.
one thing – I do think the NFL looks after its players better than the professional rugby leagues. Consider this – a Guiness Premiership rugby player can play 40+ times in a season, including internationals. The average Guinness Premiership player is reckoned to spend 20% of his career injured. An NFL professional plays 18x, although because of the number of quality athletes available he might be more likely to lose his place than a rugby player.
So which is tougher?!
Richard Tardits, who played junior international rugby for France, senior international rugby for the US Eagles, Div 1 college at Georgia and in the NFL for the Pats and the Cardinals (so probably the best qualified of any man to have an opinion) had this to say:
“two completely different types of pain. American football is the more violent, rugby is the greater physical challenge”.
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Rugby every time – union if you want to be picky.
I grew up watching rugby in Ireland, then lived in Sydney and discovered the Southern way and league. Also lived in the States and I tried so hard to like gridiron. I really did.
Any athlete that gets out there and takes punishment while showing style is a warrior but I just couldn’t get past all the padding, the helmets, the hype.
A quote from Paul O Connell, an amazing Irish rugby player
” The biggest, strongest guys wear the jerseys 1 to 5. That’s the way it is with rugby. Look at soccer. If you get tackled, you pretend you are half dead. If you get punched in the face in rugby, you try to pretend nothing happened. No matter how hard someone hits you, you have to pretend it didn’t hurt and that nothing is wrong. You might take your break three minutes later and go down with a sore ankle, but you can never be intimidated.”↵ -
I totally have to agree with johnnyb on this topic. I have played both sports and even played football at the collegiate level and he has one fact right. Physically challenging rugy takes the cake but if you like blunt force trama being inflicted on others then football is your sport. People are dogging American football cause of all the pads and helmets but the first thing I learned in rugy was to unlearn how to tackle. You MUST wear protective gear in football or you will be injured, not hurt, injured! One big hit by a middle linebacker is the same as getting tackled and roughed up in an entire rugby match. Although I have the upmost respect for anyone who plays either sport I have to side with American football for two reasons: 1.) I dont want to be that guy who doesn’t choose a side. 2.) The shear complexity of American football dwarfs that in rugby. The coaches and game strategy have a lot to do with the game while in rugy it seems you just have to be the tougher team.
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I hope I’m not too late to join this conversation but the ironic thing about the helmets and pads that American football players wear is that they end up making the game more dangerous as players ram helmet first and shoulder first into opponents and target the heads of players. As mentioned American football is more violent although you’re more likely to be injured playing rugby.
Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Y9wt3XkHo
Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZxRioJDms4
Example 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIFzcK9dqj8Secondly, trying to compare rugby and Am. football is pretty useless because although both games share similar origins they’ve both gone in different directions in what they require from the players, coaches, and schemes. I can state this having played rugby in the UK and college football in the US. You might was well try comparing ice hockey with rugby for what it’s worth. Perhaps 70 or so years ago, both were similar enough you could make comparisons but no longer.
Thirdly, the demands that both sports make upon athletes are totally different. In American football strength and explosive speed are stressed while in rugby it’s strength and endurance. It’s probably not totally dissimilar to the difference between a 100m sprinter and a 200m or 400m sprinter. That’s why you’ll likely never see many rugby players suceed at American football and visa versa.
Also, the reigning rugby olympic champions (1920 & 1924) are the US mostly made of up of players from American football. Granted rugby hasn’t been played at an Olympics since then but that might give a better measure between the two sports, but as I pointed out the two games have gone in different directions so at this point its likely doesn’t matter.
Lastly, although I love rugby and the culture that surrounds it, it really doesn’t compare to American football, especially college football. Name me one domestic or international rugby team that draws 100,000+ fans? or plays in an iconic stadium? In college football there’s Michigan at the Big House, and Penn State at Beaver Stadium, and Ohio State at the Horseshoe, and Tennessee at Neyland and USC at the LA Coliseum just to name a few with many more teams drawing crowds of 80-90,000+ every game.
As for ‘Spectacle’, yes the All-blacks Haka is great fun and you get crowds singing some great songs at some of the international games, but college football has all of that and oodles more:
Watch this and the ‘Haka’ seems tame by comparison…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwmuPK9OEC4Try Michigan’s Hail to the Victors, Tennessee’s ‘Rocky Top’, Notre Dame’s ‘Rally sons of Notre Dame’, USC’s ‘Fight on’, Ohio State’s ‘Battle Cry’, Florida State’s ‘War Chant’, and many more with all of these schools having multiple fight and tribute songs.
Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l25hAn9Giuc
Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CMf2Apihd0&feature=relatedAll of these schools have 200-400+ member marching bands as well. Name me one rugby team that has their band travel to Rome and march around the Coliseum in Rome like USC’s Trojan Marching Band?
Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PaOXLMthSgThat’s all before you get to the mascots and pre-game rituals like Colorado’s Ralphie the Buffalo, Florida State’s Chief Osceala planting the flaming spear on the field, USC’s Traveler and Trojan warrior riding onto the field and throwing down his sword, Texas’ Bevo, LSU’s Mike the Tiger-that’s right a real f*ckin’ tiger, or Georgia’s UGA.
Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lQbs_3uWtA
Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV3672-REoE
Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foGHh14uvKkAll of these schools have numerous and quirky traditions as well like Ohio State’s ‘dotting the i’ at the beginning of each game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-TQcqRWbDA
or Texas A&M’s ‘12th Man’ & Midnight Yell; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEfVWw-IlVM&feature=related
There are other great aspects of college football like the cheerleaders; google LSU’s Golden girls, Oregon’s Cheerleaders, or USC’s Song-girls for the evidence or announcers like Keith Jackson and the College Gameday crew with Chris, Kirk, and Lee Corso hamming it up.
That’s all before you get to one the best aspects of college football; Tailgating. Seriously, there’s nothing like strolling along these campuses in the fall enjoying seriously bad-ass BBQ, beer, and talking football. You haven’t lived until you’ve tailgated at the Arroyo Seco on January 1st right before the Granddaddy of all bowl games, the Rose Bowl.
I could go on about rivalries like Ohio State/Michigan, Auburn/Michigan, USC/Notre Dame, Texas/Oklahoma, or the world’s largest cocktail party-Florida/Georgia or so many other things but rugby has nothing like the culture, history, pagentry, or spectacle of college football.
Then again, no other sport on the planet does either.
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Read this article and then tell me which players are tougher
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/19/MNDT1AMR9V.DTL&feed=rss.sportsI rest my case.
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To Richard: American footballl is more violent than Rugby; Rugby is more cardio, thats all, you would not make any footballl team in America, becuase you are a girly man another word your a mommas boy.
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Okay, I am an American and I feel I have to say something. First, as usual, all Europeans have to try to make their sports or pasttimes or whatever look tougher because they always want to try and make it look as though America is weak. Your focusing on all the wrong things, like the fact American football players wear pads, the plays are over after the ballcarrier is down, etc.
American football is comprised of some of the fastest athletes in the world, who (this is important) take ANGLES towards the ballcarrier and will line up a hit from 40 yards away. Running backs in football will be hit by a man who is running at full speed from 40 yards away and run right through you. When I played football, almost every play I was hit so hard that a white light would flash in front of my eyes, and I’m 6 foot 3 inches tall and weigh 225 pounds. The hits are just so much more ruthless because of the speed and the way the game is played.
In rugby, (I am from Boston, where we probably have the most rugby leagues in America) rarely do two guys ever hit each other while running top speed from very far away directly at each other. Endurance wise, yes, rugby is probably superior. But you can’t sit there and tell me that rugby is tougher and more violent, it just doesn’t make sense. Rugby fans just like to boast about the fact that “we don’t have to wear pads, oh, we’re real men.” The sport doesn’t call for it. In the old days, American football players wore minimal protection and there was several deaths occurring in the earliest seasons until they realized that the way the sport is played, helmets and the like are necessary to legitimately save lives. It really is no comparison.
I love the game of rugby it is an excellent sport, but it does not hold a candle to the viciousness that happens in an American football game. The fact that play doesn’t continuously go on has nothing to do with it, that is just how the game is played. Besides, to be effective on offense in football, players need to be running at top speed the entire play, and there is no way anyone can run at top speed continously for a 60 minute game. Futhermore, in rugby, players only tackle the ballcarrier. In American football you can get blindsided by a blocker at any time and be knocked out unconscious before you even knew someone was lining you up for a hit. Also, ballcarriers running up the middle will frequently be gang tackled by 5,6,7,8 players, all weighing between 250-300 pounds. Try having 1500-2000 pounds piled on top of you.
American football is a tougher, more violent, more ruthless sport. It is no comparison.
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Football – er, “gridiron” – loving American currently living in rugby-mad Sydney weighing in here: I concur with most of you above that the two sports are tough in their own unique ways and therefore rating their relative toughness is like comparing apples and capsicums, but I must make two points:
1) The NFL is filled with freak of nature physical specimens who have radically changed the game in the last 10-15 years (one factor in the sharp increase in injuries), and these guys could absolutely play rugby – and kick ass – if they so chose. Look at defensive ends like Mario Williams (6′6″, 295 lbs, 4.73s 40 time) and Julius Peppers (6′7″, 283, 4.74s); there are very few rugby players who combine that kind of strength, size, and speed.
2) I nearly choked on my drink when I read the “sportsmanship” argument about rugby players being the greater gentlemen. I won’t dispute that NFL players have had their fair share of trouble, from the idiotic (Michael Vick, Plaxico) to the truly tragic (Donte Stallworth, Chris Henry), but you should have at least acknowledged the disgusting, chauvinistic culture that is completely tolerated within pockets of the rugby world. I hadn’t been in Oz for two days before I learned the term “glassing,” and barely a day goes by where a rugby player here isn’t implicated in some sort of public fight or sex scandal. Seriously, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_off-field_incidents_involving_rugby_league_players#cite_note-107
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A little late to the dance, but my two cents:
1) Regarding Lola’s complexity argument, how a single way to throw the ball in bounds, a single thing to do when you cross the goal, or a single way to toss the ball equates to complexity is lost on me. Touching the ball on the ground and making a tower may be “one more step” you have to do, but they aren’t complex steps. Only being able to throw the ball behind you limits complexity, it doesn’t create it.
Complexity in any game comes from having many interconnected/coordinated players (or pieces) and strategic/tactical possibilities that you have to consider many steps ahead. American football is much more complex in this way than rugby. The stops between plays in American football allow coaches to call myriad formations and innumerable plays that coordinate eleven players (who are substituted for their specific skill advantage related to that play) to trap, fake, deceive, outmaneuver, or overpower eleven other players. Plays often rely on precise timing and anticipation to execute — a second off and the play busts or the offense scores. The appropriateness of a given play at any time depends on a variety of factors (tendencies, personnel on the field, place on the field, time) and planning (what have you already done, are you trying to set another play up for later). By high school in some states, and definitely by college, American football players (e.g., quarterbacks) have to study thick play books outside of practice just to understand what the coach’s strategy. Some players, even after a lifetime of playing, encounter a new coach and can’t get their heads around the coach’s system because it’s too complex or nuanced. The complexity of the sport is why you have coaching “geniuses” with their own systems and team staff dedicated to scouting and creating new systems to counter other teams. It’s a little disingenuous to discount all of this because a player has to touch the ball to the ground when he scores.
(@Cheakamus: the “intelligence” (read, quick decision-making) of a single player is not the same as overall sport complexity. In American football, the ball carrier has a same choice to “lateral” the ball as in rugby. They just don’t typically do it because they have other options.)
2) However, while the stops (and subs) in American football contribute to complexity, they also make me willing to admit that rugby is tougher in the sense of endurance toughness. Additionally, that rugby players are less specialized / play both offense and defense means they have to have some serious endurance toughness compared with specialized American footballers. I definitely have some respect for that.
One question is whether general endurance is all we mean by “tough.” Lance Armstrong is also tougher endurance-wise than probably any professional American football player, but I’d still rather ride a bike than get hit by Julius Peppers, whose specs Kate cited. You get harder hits in American football because of the pads (more reckless abandon, plus think of being on the receiving end of a helmet), the angles (blindside, hitting while in the air, e.g.), and the freaks who play . Even with pads, there were still around 500 deaths in American football between 1945 and 1999, not to mention Izzy’s article on concussions.
Rugby players, as a whole, seem to be more generalists, do everything pretty well while having high endurance. You get more specialization in American football players — faster fast guys, stronger strong guys, etc., while still having the more rugby-like linebacker, TE, running back positions. Thus, it’s tougher to catch or avoid the fast guy in the NFL, tougher to overcome the strong guy. If, like in American football, you had specific, longer-term strategic plans trying to create specific opportunities and time to adjust, you need the fastest possible guy for one play and the strongest guy for another, because they would beat the generalist in that task. But, if the game was more go-with-the-flow, you would need more generalists (i.e., rugby).
The tougher opponent depends on what you mean and on what situation you are in. Apples and oranges, I guess…
Nah, American football is tougher.
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Americans always jump in and says things such as “american football s waaaaayy tougher, the athletes way faster/ stronger/ yadayadayada”.
I doubt if any one of these people have ever watched a game of rugby, let alone played in one.
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Here is an interesting article from the guardian about how allowing more substitutions would hurt rugby. There are good parallels to this discussion.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/oct/02/rugby-union-rolling-substitutions
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@Mercure: Unfortunately, I played some rugby (14) in college in the US (admittedly, only on the club level, not anything really competetive) and watched rugby on tv both when I played and in the pubs I frequent. Chirs played rugby. Evan and Kate have also seen rugby matches in Boston and Sydney. Moreover, I didn’t say football players are way tougher — at least not with any seriousness…hence the smiley face (i.e., it was a joke that I would write a nuanced response and then abandon it with a sweeping statement like that)– or that all football players are way stronger or way faster than all rugby players. In fact, I was willing to admit that endurance-wise (overall fitness / physical challenge), rugby is tougher. All of this is unfortunate because while I was joking about someone who would just make a sweeping, baseless statement, you turn right around and do it.
To help you out next time, my points (echoing most of what was said by the other Americans / football supporters) boil down to saying that football rules (e.g., stoppage time and unlimited substitutions) 1) make rugby more of a general physical/endurance challenge, while also 2) making football more complex (by allowing thousands of formations, plays, counters, specific long term planning, player substitution for specific purposes, etc.) and 3) requiring player specialization (stronger strong guys who gain muscle while sacrificing endurance, faster fast guys, etc.). The combination of point 3 with other football rules that allow blindside hits, etc., makes American football a game that’s too “tough” for most of the behemoth professionals to play longer than ~3 seasons, whether because they suffer too many violent hits or lose a step. The “150-pound lightweight back” that Lola praises in rugby doesn’t even exist in American football. He would get killed. He probably switched to a 14 on the rugby club team sometime in college.
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Well I’ve had a weekend of fun. I watched the six nations rugby followed by the superbowl. We all have our favorites, even if we try to be neutral. After reading the above comments I would say this: American football is big in America, but not really anywhere else, where as rugby has the wider geological demographic. I stayed up late last night to watch the superbowl but couldn’t keep my eyes open as it took an age for them to even start. It appeared to be more like a carnival that never really got going.
As for which is tougher, I would say they are equal. I think American football would appeal to a far greater audience if they removed the ‘hype’ and over commercialised apsect. Rugby needs to pick some rules and stick to them; “can we have a rolling ruck? no, but in 2 years you can”
I like the idea of planning and tactics in American football, but I don’t have that many hours free to wait while they have their breaks and a natter, or an hour long opening ceremony. Otherwise I’m sure I would enjoy it just as much.
As for the number of people that turn up to each game, when you compare the amount of people in the U.S to that of rugby playing nations you see why the figures are so high. Plus, the sheer cost of a rugby international standard ticket (the closest comparison to state v state) you can appreciate why not as many people can go, but still the stadiums are always full.
It’s a case of ‘my dad’s bigger than your dad’ for both sets of fans, just they way it should be!
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I’ve seen a comparative video study on both. American Football player hits average about 1500 pounds of pressure per hit; Rugby players about 500 pounds. So at first glance American Footballers seems tougher. But, due to that amount of savagery, American Footballers don’t hit as often, ie can’t last the entire game (that’s why you have offense and defense and special teams. And Rugby players hit three times as oftern. So do you want 1500 pounds all at once or spread out over more hits?
As far as popularity among nations; it’s what you grow up with. I’m sure the only reason Cricket is popular globally is due to the influence of the former “Empire” not because it’s an exciting and intense game.
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I am 15 and i live in Australia.
I have been playing rugby since I was ten years old. Since then i have broken 3 fingers, my right foot, chipped my front tooth, both my big toes, broken my nose countless times (after you break it once, it gets really fragile) and have hurt myself in someway shape or form in every game. Believe me rugby is TOUGH. However, if you sit down and watch one game of American football, you will see just brutal and terrifically violent it is. This might sound a bit messed, but it is almost satisfying to see someone run it, get hit, do a triple backflip and land on his ass. But they are able to get up with all that padding they wear. I think that rugby is easier to watch, because it is more flowing and it never stops, it almost keeps you glued to the game. In my opinion I think both games are extremely tough in their own way, as in rugby is about putting the player on the ground and American football is about letting them gain as little ground as possible. So the whole way the two different games are played are completely different. But my vote still goes to rugby, hands down, no questions asked, the only protection is a mouthguard (which from experience has told me they don’t protect your teeth, they act as a shock absorber) and some choose to war headgear, and the is no stopping in games except for tries and halftime. This is just my opinion and i can’t truly criticize as I have never played gridiron in my life, however I would like to.↵ -
easily rugby
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You know, I keep hearing rugby fans say that rugby players ‘wear no pads’, and that when they watch American football all they see is the pads being worn. But truth is, rugby players can be seen wearing helmets (scrum caps), shoulder pads (under their jerseys), shin guards (no football player would wear shin guards), padded gloves, and I believe, chest protective vests beneath jerseys. Am I wrong about that? These players do wear padding, as they deem necessary, just like their football counterparts. So come on, rugby fans, it’s time to fess up!!
Check out some UK online rugby pads shops, and you can see what’s available. The padding argument comes to an end.↵ -
Biased?
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Tougher? I’m an American that’s played both competitively, and from a purely endurance perspective it would be rugby.
But overall?
It’s not even close. American Football. Gridiron. Whatever. Hands down.
Enough with the idiotic “they wear pads” denigration. Anyone stupid enough to actually use this as some sort of “argument” for rugby just simply has not played American football. Because if you had, you would know the pads allow for much harder/violent hits than you ever get in rugby. A rugby tackle is basically a Greco-Roman / Judo takedown. Yeah it can get pretty rough, but it’s nothing more than the tackle football we’d play down at the neighborhood park or at school when we were kids.
An American Football tackle is a freaking car wreck. How ’bout one of those blindside hits on a QB from a 285-lb Defensive End, or the 250-lb safety blitzing at full-speed? Those don’t happen in rugby. Or what about the “de-cleating, earhole” blocks on a punt return in football? Oh that’s right, there’s no blocking in rugby. American football has violent collisions occurring all over the field, and they don’t all involve the ball carrier.
And some of you want to complain about the “breaks” between plays in American Football? It’s germane to the strategy. You call a play based on the down/distance, time on the clock. Every play is full-speed and violent. Let’s not pretend every second of a rugby match has every player going balls-out and hitting/getting hit.
Sure, rugby is nice, takes some grit, and is gads more watchable/fun than the dreadful game of soccer. But there is simply no comparison to American football when it comes to complexity, speed, skill, and yes, overall toughness.
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every one’s comparing a sport that is played by 131 countries according to world rankings with a sport played by one country. rugby is more superior by far.im playing rugby n the game is really physical! dea are things that the reff cant see! punches n uppercuts , eye pokin thrown in the ruck! i got stamped on with an iron stud boot. ma team mate streched off with serious neck injuries.! has an nfl game ever been called off coz da reff could not control a fight. cops had to get involved. does nfl have a blood bin. a blood bin is wea players go to get blood cleaned. never have a seen a player enter the blood bin and not return bak onto the pitch. all this talk about hail mary passes for easy points. all nfl games ive watched ive never seen a team score 35+ points. rugby has had teams that hav scored ova a hundred points. dea was a game dis year in the super 14. the chiefs 63 the lions 53. how exciting is that.
rugby by far the sport to play. oh n u play 7’s u’v got a shot at the next olympics! after the upcoming one.
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and another thing, you guys supporting american football say you guys have massive people and stuff, well im sure they are. but i would like to see you go up against a 6ft 4 ,110kg 15 year old samoan, tongan, maori, fijian or aboriginal
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I got to say prefer Rugby union and League. I am a Soccer player but I started fallowing Rugby on Setanta. What initially got my attention was that the format was similair to Soccer two 45 minute halves, two 40 minute halves. I also liked the running and passing which ever since I was little I knew was something intrinsic missing in American football. Another thing I like about rugby is it has all the international drama that Soccer has. Its played on one level or another on just about every country in the world so you have big international competitions. I am also glad to see they are now showing Rugby League from Austalia on Altitude sports. My two favorite Leagues to watch are the NRL and Magners League.
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What about the fact Rugby is boring as hell to watch?
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It is obvious that these Rugby stars no nothing about football.I have never had a
coach hand me a set of pads and told me these were for my protection, more like
shoving themin my gut and told “go hurt someone”. The best tackle I’ve ever seen in Rugby would get you taking out of the game and put on the bench in football.
Taking breaks in football? You have forty five seconds between plays in football,
you are not taking a break, you get in the huddle,call the next play and get up to
the line,football also has the no huddle offense, it similar to rugby, the next play begins immediately.
I have no doubt that it takes alot of endurance to play rugby,if a person perfers rugby to football thats fine,but don’t be so stupid as to think a game played in
shorts,similar to what is worn in soccer,is anywhere near as brutal as football,
rugby has too much shoulder and arm tackling, no-no’s in football.↵ -
Something to think about, Can you imagine any Rugby player,running over any
Pro Bowl linebacker, in a one on one open field tackle.Rugby player will find out
what pads are all about.Brutal.↵ -
i was the quarterback at highschool, the pads are meant so that you dont get killed. football players dont tackle they collide. Mike said it any 300 pound linesman could take out a rugby forward imo. secondly football is way more technical i cant see rugby players running the screen plays or the double reverses do. Oh and american football is played with grace.
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i was the quarterback at highschool, the pads are meant so that you dont get killed. football players dont tackle they collide. Mike said it any 300 pound linesman could take out a rugby forward imo. secondly football is way more technical i cant see rugby players running the screen plays or the double reverses do. Oh and american football is played with grace.
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Mike, you’re conflating rugby union with rugby league – the best comparison is between league and football: league is considered to be the toughest sport in the world (these two reviewers above are talking about rugby Union). There are many differences, for example there are 13 players instead of 15 on the same size pitch, there are no lineouts and there are fewer scrums, you can also shoulder charge in league which you can’t do in union.
There hasn’t been any crossover (I think) from league to football, but there have been a few from football to league: most notably Philip Gardent of the Washington Redskins moved to the Celtic Crusaders – he did well but was recently released following a massive head injury which required emergency treatment; likewise Manfred Moore of the Oakland Raiders moved to a minor rugby league side in Australia and lasted four games before he had to quite and rejoin American football due to excessive injuries.
These two guys weren’t lightweights, they were professional football players that had been part of winning Super Bowl teams.
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Ok, I grew up in Houston Texas and played american football (outside linebacker) for 13 years. I have also played rugby union (outside center) for 4 years and rugby league(center/fullback) for 2 years. I may be able to clear this up a bit. Football and rugby union and rugby league are three very different sports and each have their pros and cons, however, I would say the most crushing tackles and hardest feeling hits come from rugby league. It is a 15 meter full speed ‘line up across from the offense and bash fest’, and it can hurt. So can American football though, the difference is the pads. I would honestly say that the hits are just about as hard in each sport, even with the pads. The jacksonville axemen (semi-pro rugby league) team played against the Jacksonville knight(semi-pro american football) team about a year ago, one half american football and one half rugby league. I played for the rugby league team and we were only given shoulderpads and helmets, no leg pads, during the american football game. the hits were hard, expecially the blind sight blocking we were recieving during the american football game (you forget that they are coming after taking some time off of playing football). Regardless, I will admit that i got laid out several times during the american football match, but it never really hurt much at all. When it came time for rugby league, the hits felt like just as much impact but they hurt a lot more, and you are not done after the tackle. And rugby league is not a bunch of arm tackling. Bottom line is I think rugby league is just a bit tougher sport than af. That being said, rugby union, which is probably my favorite game to play does not have as many hard hits. it does have the dirtiest play however (such as raking peoples backs with your cleats, fighting and what not) and the best comradery (beers and singing at the bars after games) Players of all these sports can be tough, most football players dont even know what rugby is but may well be as tough as rugby players. Thats all.
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No question, American Football is a man’s sport and rugby is for average athletes. American Football players (NFL) are much faster, stronger and larger than their rugby counterparts. Don’t believe me? Just check out the picture at the bottom of the article – the rugby players screaming look like the guys in the stands at an NFL game, not the guys on the field. Small, scrawny, slow…
I’d like to see how long a rugby player would want to go without pads after an NFL linebacker ran him over. Imagine a 340 pound (154kg) lineman, 6′8″ (2.032m) tall, who can run 40 yards in 5 seconds, bench press 480 pounds, and has a vertical leap of 28 inches. There isn’t a rugby player on the face of this earth that could stop him, but that’s about par for the course with regards to offensive lineman in the NFL.
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Australian Rules Football anyone? (www.afl.com.au)
360 degree hits, non-stop football, huge bumps, bone crunching tackles, high flying marks, high scoring games.
Exciting much?
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I’ve been waiting for 8 months for SOMEONE to mention Aussie Rules. Think it beats both on the “toughness” scale”…and I wrote the gridiron side of this piece
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Agreed 100%. If you’re looking for out and out violence, though, you have to talk about international rules (fusion of Celtic football and Aussie rules). The games always seem to just degenerate into huge brawls.
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The team in that picture there is Middlebury College, a division 2 university side from Vermont that has no business doing a haka.
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RUGBY IS THE BEST, IT CAN NOT BE COMPARED WITH A SPORT THAT AMERICANS MADE UP.american football never will be recognized nowhere but US.
Rugby is the best sport ever!!!!! no needs explanation
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American football all day (and im English). The hits in American football are WAY! harder than in rugby thats why all that equipment is nessasary, there alot more momentum in the tackles and if they didnt have that equipment then players would gt injured on every play. Rugby players dont need all that gear because theres no momentum in the tackles there all soft wrap up tackles. And as far as sportsmanship i can’t turn on sky sports news without hearing something about a ‘fight on a rugby pitch’, ’stamping in scrum’, ‘eye gouging’, ‘drug taking and stuff like that.
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I bet my house if you took a that a team of NFL players and put them in a rugby match, they would win HANDS-DOWN!, some of these NFL players are physical freaks of nature. Infact Julious Peppers, Chris Johnson & Ray lewis could beat a whole rugby team by themselves
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If you use too much of body armor, you’re probably a lady.
Rugby is tougher.
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