Rugby World Cup 2007

[Mr I]

OK so its on the way, starting in September and everyone is in it, most countries anyway including USA.

So get up for it people its gonna be a scream, full contact but everyone shakes hands afterwards so they're all gentlemen.

Scrumhalf I know you'll be glued and so will I

USA are playing England 8 Sept so that should be awsome, I would have to be fair (not arrogant) in saying that if USA loose its no shame as England are playing very well at the moment and for USA to beat England it would be like England Beating USA at American Football, i.e. a suprise.

World cups do bring suprises though, the favourites are New Zealand, the South Africa, Australia then England then Scotland

Good luck everyone :dancingne :dancingne

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/

[mindstar]

I can't wait for the world cup...

South Africa have greatly improved over last wc's form though they are my second choice after France, who are sliding a bit.

I actually did some volunteering with Canada Rugby this summer and met a bunch of the guys...hell I even got a practice jersey from one of the guys! I know we are dead in our pool, but it will be nice to finnally see rugby broadcast over here.

[redback]

Well im aussie and i will be fucking glued to the screen

[Scrumhalf]

I can't wait for it.... I don't think we are going to have it on regular cable TV here in the US but it should be available on PPV, I think. I'll just wait for the matches to be put on youtube - there is one Kiwi that placed all the TriNations matches on youtube within 24 hours - pretty cool!

I think the All Blacks are going to put it together this time. Don't really hold any hopes for any of the Northern Hemisphere teams - France will throw the ball around a bit but while playing at home will get them a level or two higher than otherwise, I'd be really surprised if they make the semis.

[Mr I]

I just hope there are some decent referees because the one in control of this warm up freindly between england and France is pants

[Scrumhalf]

Hey Mr. I, how do you think Jonny Wilkinson will do? I haven't been following his fitness status but he is a big game player and I wonder if he will step up. What do you think?

[Mr I]

Hey Scrum, he's shown to be human lately and missed a few kicks that would have usually been guaranteed with him. He looks fit but a bit under pressure if you know what I mean and it seems to be getting to him. The guy that he is I'm sure he'll be practicing like 2 hrs a day every day on his kicking till the world cup so no worries there. He looks fit and his defensive game looks to be getting better.

One problem with him is that when the back line is in attacking formation and he recieves the ball he has a tendency to skip outward and again and again to avoid opposition but doesn't break their line of defence. This leaves the guys outside him with no space to work and they either get a hospital pass or have to come back in field and initially run backwards round some of their own in field players so we don't gain yardage if you see what I mean.

So a bit ring rusty on the international stage but he looks fit and will no doubt improve

[Scrumhalf]

I hope the Eagles do well. With Dan Lyle running the sport here, I am hopeful that we will continue to make steady progress in promoting grassroots rugby. There is serious talent here and if we can only get about 0.01% of the gridiron player base to look rugby's way, I think the US should be able to field competitive teams.

In the meantime, I don't really see why the IRB is not creating a parallel plate championship for the 2nd rung teams. I really don't want to see the All Blacks whup Kazhakhstan by a 100 points - how is that going to improve rugby in these countries?

[Bouncer]

so what channel will it be on?

[coffee-guy]

so what channel will it be on?

Most likely PPV over here bro...

[Scrumhalf]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070824/..._oDo9VBoYw.3QA

Rugby World Cup gaining wide popularity

By Stuart Kemp and Georg Szalai Fri Aug 24, 1:03 AM ET

LONDON/NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The most popular global sporting event of the year kicks off in two weeks, and no, it's not the 2007 NFL season or any soccer competition. It's the Rugby World Cup.
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Most Americans and many others in other big TV markets like Germany are not even aware of the tournament. But global viewership is expected to reach new heights -- we're talking 4 billion -- given that the sport has rapidly gained a passionate following outside its traditional hotbeds of the U.K. and the Southern Hemisphere.

.................

In the U.S. and Canada, Setanta has exclusive live rights. Subscribers of DirecTV and EchoStar's Dish can get the channel for an added monthly fee of $14.99. Setanta.com will offer pay-per-view games and subscriptions via broadband.

"Rugby is the fastest-growing sport in North America, and so we have made a real commitment to bringing all the big events and games to the expanding fan base," said Robert Ryan, head of sponsorships advertising sales for Setanta Sports North America.

Cable customers can get much of the action via programming provider In Demand, the co-venture of Comcast, Cox and Time Warner, which will offer 23 Cup matches live. In Demand has 33 million addressable homes. Consumers can pay $24.95 per game, with the final going for $29.95, or buy all matches for

$199.95.

"There is a lure here because it's a marquee event," said Mark Boccardi, director of programming and product development for In Demand.

Comcast network Versus also will show some matches.

[Bouncer]

Comcast network Versus also will show some matches. [/B]

I have Versus and the Versus HD channel. Hopefully the games will be broadcast in HD.

[Mr I]

I think if it is a good world cup and get good viewing in the US it will catch on in the US and hopefully one day begin in junior club level there. For example in Australia they have massive fan base of Ozzy rules football, rugby league and rugby union running parralel.

I would have thought it would go down well in the US as it does already in Canada, a full contact sport with strict rules and competitore that respect each other and all shake hands after the game.

[Bouncer]

I think if it is a good world cup and get good viewing in the US it will catch on in the US and hopefully one day begin in junior club level there. For example in Australia they have massive fan base of Ozzy rules football, rugby league and rugby union running parralel.

I would have thought it would go down well in the US as it does already in Canada, a full contact sport with strict rules and competitore that respect each other and all shake hands after the game.

the problem is, we don't even have a choice. i wish they would play it on the big networks (ABC,NBC,CBS,FOX) so that more people could watch and see what it is all about. Instead they set up a pay-per-view that cost an arm and a leg.

[Mr I]

Bummer, I suppose soccer is more popular over there since the world cup and we certainly get NFL on sky sports here, abbeit quite summarised unless its the playoffs