Planet Rugby Forum

Tschussie wrote:

Bobcock wrote:There are certainly teams I used to really embrace however have been turned off them because of the attitudes of some of their modern day supporters. Now I'd rather see th em lose.

For me Japan, we made some great friends from the Japanese rugby community whilst living in Bangkok. My son played for the Bangkok Japanese club and also was the mascot for Japan when they played in Bangkok against Kazakhstan a few years ago.

I still love watching the All Blacks play, but I have little desire to discuss them other than with someone like Undies.

Turned off by attitudes online or in person?

Oh mainly in person, this place is like water off a ducks back to someone of my age..... and I don't mean younger supporters in general either, some older ones should be ashamed.

New Zealand who I respect tremendously for their sheer ability as long as they arn't playing the Bok.

The underdog normally. Don't have any loyalties outside nz.

I feel the same in super rugby. I support the team whose win best benefits the Hurricanes on the points table. Often means I'm cheering against the nz teams, which is kind of bizarre but there you go. I've never really bought into the idea of second teams.

Wales especially since I moved there

Australia

I identify with them.

kovana wrote:

Fat Old Git wrote:Samoa for family reasons and because it's just such a damn fine part of the world.

Go fcuk yourself.

I'm married, which means I don't have to do it solo. But thanks for thinking of my sexual well being. Always good to release some tension.

Ireland as I live here

alliswell wrote:Scotland as they don't win too much, they're generally sound lads and the only ancestor from foreign I am aware of is a Scottish great grandfather.

Since November last year we've won 7 out of 10 games with a chance to go 8 out of 11 this Saturday

My second team if you asked me a few years ago would've been Wales but with Gatland being a dick and players like Webb and bigger being even bigger dicks they've put me off them. I'll generally support any of the Home Nations regardless of opposition but sometimes you just can't help but support The underdog.

Argentina since the Porta era, otherwise the underdog!

Wales, since I watched the 1969 touring team play at Lancaster Park. My mother had wangled me seats in the main stand (not bad for a 15 year-old kid who had only ever been on the embankment) among the touring Welsh supporters. There must be a reason the ticket was available but I don't remember.

An AB team at the peak of its powers played damned near perfect wet-weather rugby and whitewashed the Welsh but the supporters were utterly fabulous -- never stopped singing and cheering and basically enjoying themselves, and treated this 15 year old intruder really really well.

It has traditionally been Scotland - they were great in the 80s but were never a real threat to beat the All Blacks. Them beating the Wallabies is always piss funny though.

Lately it has been Ireland - very worthy of every NZ rugby fans respect and I love to see them do well (against other teams).

Spain, and I guess Scotland.

Although both teams piss me off at times, I have a huge love for South African and French rugby because they get it.

Shrekles wrote:It has traditionally been Scotland - they were great in the 80s but were never a real threat to beat the All Blacks. Them beating the Wallabies is always piss funny though.

Lately it has been Ireland - very worthy of every NZ rugby fans respect and I love to see them do well (against other teams).

Careful, there are some sensitive ones out there to such comments. Hugs were needed on the game thread.

No-one's second team is England?

New Zealand, always a pleasure to watch them play the game that I love. I just wish Welsh rugby was half as good as them.

bessantj wrote:New Zealand, always a pleasure to watch them play the game that I love. I just wish Welsh rugby was half as good as them.

Also like watching NZ play, just wish they were involved in more closer games. Where they are 30 points ahead with 20 minutes to go it kinda makes it less enjoyable for the neutral

englishchief wrote:No-one's second team is England?

Anyone playing England is probably the best you're gonna get.

Sundy wrote:

bessantj wrote:New Zealand, always a pleasure to watch them play the game that I love. I just wish Welsh rugby was half as good as them.

Also like watching NZ play, just wish they were involved in more closer games. Where they are 30 points ahead with 20 minutes to go it kinda makes it less enjoyable for the neutral

I'm pretty schizo on NZ. I always start wanting the opposition to win (underdog) but when NZ get a few scores ahead and the game is over as a contest, I switch to hoping they pull out the razzle-dazzle.

Toro wrote:

englishchief wrote:No-one's second team is England?

Anyone playing England is probably the best you're gonna get.

Maybe we'd get the saffers support if we were playing the kiwis

france

because theyre worth it

Sundy wrote:

bessantj wrote:New Zealand, always a pleasure to watch them play the game that I love. I just wish Welsh rugby was half as good as them.

Also like watching NZ play, just wish they were involved in more closer games. Where they are 30 points ahead with 20 minutes to go it kinda makes it less enjoyable for the neutral

I don't mind that. I'd still love to watch them play if they beat everyone 78-0. It's like watching Anderson Silva in his prime, you know he's going to win the other fighter has no chance but he is so good all you want to do is watch him fight.

Whoever is playing NZ

Zakar wrote:Whoever is playing NZ

Tasty.

Scotland and Argentina, although I'm not real happy with the Scots at the moment.

englishchief wrote:

Toro wrote:

englishchief wrote:No-one's second team is England?

Anyone playing England is probably the best you're gonna get.

Maybe we'd get the saffers support if we were playing the kiwis

Probably not

LandOTurk wrote:It's always a tossup for me between Ireland, Scotland and NZ.

Probably: Scotland, Ireland and then New Zealand.
(Could flip the first two).

Scotland: because of fantastic Edinburgh trips in the 5/6N
Ireland: always liked the Irish, been there many times - Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Wicklow, Bandon, Skibbereen - some real good nights
NZ: just phenomenal rugby; will visit your beautiful country some day

Scotland. My ancestors where Scottish.

englishchief wrote:

Toro wrote:

englishchief wrote:No-one's second team is England?

Anyone playing England is probably the best you're gonna get.

Maybe we'd get the saffers support if we were playing the kiwis

Having compatriots like anonymous and his dogshit posts make it easy to support England's opposition.

And I'm part English.

My second team would be Scotland because I'm also part Scottish.

Third would be the Wallabies, but it changes according to how much shit talk has preceded a series.

I'm open for bribes however.

I'll usually cheer for the underdog if I'm a neutral observer.. .. or whoever the crowd around me or my mates aren't supporting.

Australia, live here, except when they are playing the Blackness

Scotland, family connections

NZ, Ireland, Wales
NZ - a cut above the rest. A test against NZ is an important test because they guard their winning record with their lives. I like the fact that they can go anywhere and people expect them to win.

- Ireland/Wales - I think the greatest thing to happen in rugby in the last 20yrs has been these two breaking through the top 5 and making international rugby interesting again. If Scotland continue the way they're going it'll be awesome.

Edinburgh01 wrote:Scotland is my first team as I am Scottish born and bred
Italy second because my mother is Italian
South Africa third because I lived there for 12 years.

It's not been a good few years.

Jeezo you've had it rough! My old man's second team is SA for the same reason as you, he also supports Aberdeen in the wendyball - life can be cruel at times...

Turbogoat wrote:I'll usually cheer for the underdog if I'm a neutral observer.

+1.

Smee wrote:

Turbogoat wrote:I'll usually cheer for the underdog if I'm a neutral observer.

+1.

England vs South Africa, world cup final 2007. Who did you cheer for?

Hawk97 wrote:

Smee wrote:

Turbogoat wrote:I'll usually cheer for the underdog if I'm a neutral observer.

+1.

England vs South Africa, world cup final 2007. Who did you cheer for?

We was robbed. A vintage SA side had to rely on a half blind video referee to not give Cueto's clear try to beat an England side from which half of the team should have been in a retirement home.

Sefton wrote:Grew up watching rugby in the 80's so watched some amazing French players and I loved the way they played.

In the days I could still claim to be a back row forward, I use to love watching Rives, Bastiat and Skrela. That would be late 70's probably through to mid 80's. What a pack the French had! And I'm sure I could still conjour up the sound of Bill McLaren rolling his r's through "Robert Paparemborde" at every available opportunity

bessantj wrote:

Sundy wrote:

bessantj wrote:New Zealand, always a pleasure to watch them play the game that I love. I just wish Welsh rugby was half as good as them.

Also like watching NZ play, just wish they were involved in more closer games. Where they are 30 points ahead with 20 minutes to go it kinda makes it less enjoyable for the neutral

I don't mind that. I'd still love to watch them play if they beat everyone 78-0. It's like watching Anderson Silva in his prime, you know he's going to win the other fighter has no chance but he is so good all you want to do is watch him fight.

I generally support the team playing NZ until NZ get about 15 points up and are obviously going to win. Then I start hoping the ABs go god-mode and I get to be wowed by their rugby skilz.

Growing up it was NZ, Oz and France because of their play and players.

Probably France now as the missus is half frog, don't really hold a grudge against any team now, even England .

I hope we are going to get more characters appearing though, the pro game has made them all a bit bland in comparison to the lads of 80's/90's imo.

Ireland (lots of Irish mates - always makes the 6N fun)

& NZ most of the time.

unless you're half and half, why the heck would you have a second team

Well everybody has their own little family/bloodline stories and nobody really cares, but let's bring up Argentina. Who doesn't have them as one of the 'good guys' ? They're too far away for you to develop friction with them, they're the gritty hard kind so big respect in the Rugby world, scrum all that, and they're basically always the underdog because they don't have a major pro league and survive off pure local talent and you wonder how they produce them.
I think all true neutrals support them in the 4N, they're the likable 'little guy' and they've got balls.

Special mention for Australia, too. Who can say (bar NZ) they wouldn't like their team to play their style ?? Velvet combinations, smooth synchronized team running Rugby, exciting mobile/skilled forwards, sexy Openside superstars...