Planet Rugby Forum

As funny as some of these various videos are, it's genuinely interesting to see people who've never really seen the game reacting/commenting on the game. Much like that thread a couple of years back about an article in the US media from a sports commentator who went to NZ and wrote about his impressions.

Aside from the obvious (no padding/helmets etc) that always get's talked about, my impression of American's understanding of sport has gone up after watching a few of these 'reaction videos'.

Things we take for granted like being able to pass the ball to another team mate and keep the play alive/the open-field one on one tackling in rugby always seems to astonish Americans, yet they seem to pick up on the concept of the game pretty quickly.

EG this bloke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbvF_dW7db4


Rugby in America really is a frontier sport atm, if a few influential people really got behind it and pushed it across the country, they're a seeping giant in the sport. Not looking forward to the culture that will inevitably come, but if America really got into rugby.......

He's a good one to watch because he really wants to understand the game and seems to enjoy it more the more he understands.

I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

Not particularly constructive on this thread I know, but felt I had to say it.

Yer man is pretty good a guessing the rules & even spotting which moves were pre-planned

bessantj wrote:He's a good one to watch because he really wants to understand the game and seems to enjoy it more the more he understands.

They are highlights of the best players in the world though. Imagine how confused he'd be by the average Pro14 game

Normally i'd be on that train with you, but rugby reaction videos are interesting. That bloke is quite perceptive, but even some of the other reaction videos are pretty switched on. People who you'd probably not think were the brightest sparks in the room had some interesting comments.

It's a refreshing take on the game, makes you remember what is special about rugby. So much we take for granted about the game we forget how special it is

I've seen some crap ones, but that particular bloke starts out smart and keen to learn, and he does learn impressively fast. His videos aren't bad.

A bit unrealistic really. Usual Super Rugby optional defence.

Watching Americans see a hurling game for the first time is quite amusing.

Not a single scrum or a rampage through defense.. what a dreadful video.

FullbackAce wrote:Not a single scrum or a rampage through defense.. what a dreadful video.

From personal experience with friends and family, the scrum is the one thing they don't get.

Flyin Ryan wrote:

FullbackAce wrote:Not a single scrum or a rampage through defense.. what a dreadful video.

From personal experience with friends and family, the scrum is the one thing they don't get.

That's alright, puts them on par with the refs.

I found this one pretty funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P89Xe0dMZI0


Watched a few of these videos and I seem to get the impression thaat many of them find the gaame reaally, really violent. I wonder if we're just used to seeing big hits and blood and whatnot without realising wwhat it might look like to someone who's never watched the game.

He caught on quick, the problem for many is they keep comparing it to gridiron which is very very different, also many get confused with that other rugby sport league.

flaggETERNAL wrote:I found this one pretty funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P89Xe0dMZI0


Watched a few of these videos and I seem to get the impression thaat many of them find the gaame reaally, really violent. I wonder if we're just used to seeing big hits and blood and whatnot without realising wwhat it might look like to someone who's never watched the game.

lol rugby ball is not *that* big, I do not have the biggest hands but I can one hand hold and pass a rugby ball easily.

I remember reading a Magazine pre 1987 RWC saying the USA are the sleeping giants in rugby. Doubt it will ever take off. There's too much money and profile in other sports for top athletes to move to rugby.

CrazyIslander wrote:I remember reading a Magazine pre 1987 RWC saying the USA are the sleeping giants in rugby. Doubt it will ever take off. There's too much money and profile in other sports for top athletes to move to rugby.

They are crushing the sevens, I think if they win the olympics it might take off, it doesn't even have to be in the top 5-10 sports. A lot of good athletes do not make it into the pro leagues, guys from college could get into rugby. They have numbers and $


Their TV probably will hate it, not enough stoppage for ads, if I ever watch gridiron I always have a book or something else going 3hours+ to play out 1 hour of game clock, I like gridiron but damn the stoppages.

Bradwall Boy wrote:A bit unrealistic really. Usual Super Rugby optional defence.

Harden up!!! wrote:

CrazyIslander wrote:I remember reading a Magazine pre 1987 RWC saying the USA are the sleeping giants in rugby. Doubt it will ever take off. There's too much money and profile in other sports for top athletes to move to rugby.

They are crushing the sevens, I think if they win the olympics it might take off, it doesn't even have to be in the top 5-10 sports. A lot of good athletes do not make it into the pro leagues, guys from college could get into rugby. They have numbers and $


Their TV probably will hate it, not enough stoppage for ads, if I ever watch gridiron I always have a book or something else going 3hours+ to play out 1 hour of game clock, I like gridiron but damn the stoppages.

Sevens is different because of the open space and easier for a pure athlete to pick it up. 15s really needs a few years of development in the game to get a feel for it. The problem is at junior level they can never compete with the popularity of other sports.

Harden up!!! wrote:

flaggETERNAL wrote:I found this one pretty funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P89Xe0dMZI0


Watched a few of these videos and I seem to get the impression thaat many of them find the gaame reaally, really violent. I wonder if we're just used to seeing big hits and blood and whatnot without realising wwhat it might look like to someone who's never watched the game.

lol rugby ball is not *that* big, I do not have the biggest hands but I can one hand hold and pass a rugby ball easily.

Compared to the ball used in NFL it looks pretty bigger.

flaggETERNAL wrote:

Harden up!!! wrote:

flaggETERNAL wrote:I found this one pretty funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P89Xe0dMZI0


Watched a few of these videos and I seem to get the impression thaat many of them find the gaame reaally, really violent. I wonder if we're just used to seeing big hits and blood and whatnot without realising wwhat it might look like to someone who's never watched the game.

lol rugby ball is not *that* big, I do not have the biggest hands but I can one hand hold and pass a rugby ball easily.

Compared to the ball used in NFL it looks pretty bigger.

yeah its wider, balance is different, though a rugby ball is around the same weight its not much heavier if it is heavier but its not like its twice the size of a american football.

Also seems like a lot of the videos are made by people who never played contact sports,Murican football can be very very violent too, and a lot of it is off the ball, blindside blocks can be brutal, I remember hines ward getting some beautiful blindside blocks on linebackers.

"laterals"

Harden up!!! wrote:

CrazyIslander wrote:I remember reading a Magazine pre 1987 RWC saying the USA are the sleeping giants in rugby. Doubt it will ever take off. There's too much money and profile in other sports for top athletes to move to rugby.

They are crushing the sevens, I think if they win the olympics it might take off.

That's not how sports here work.

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

Not particularly constructive on this thread I know, but felt I had to say it.

This is me reading your post

www.youtube.com/watch.mrjonnoreadspost/orsomething

Harden up!!! wrote:

flaggETERNAL wrote:

Harden up!!! wrote:

flaggETERNAL wrote:I found this one pretty funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P89Xe0dMZI0


Watched a few of these videos and I seem to get the impression thaat many of them find the gaame reaally, really violent. I wonder if we're just used to seeing big hits and blood and whatnot without realising wwhat it might look like to someone who's never watched the game.

lol rugby ball is not *that* big, I do not have the biggest hands but I can one hand hold and pass a rugby ball easily.

Compared to the ball used in NFL it looks pretty bigger.

yeah its wider, balance is different, though a rugby ball is around the same weight its not much heavier if it is heavier but its not like its twice the size of a american football.

Also seems like a lot of the videos are made by people who never played contact sports,Murican football can be very very violent too, and a lot of it is off the ball, blindside blocks can be brutal, I remember hines ward getting some beautiful blindside blocks on linebackers.

football = 15oz, rugby ball = 16oz - good effort

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

I once saw a YouTube video of two stoners reacting to a video of a comedian reacting to a video of those two stoners reacting to one of that comedian’s very own videos.

This post is reaction to that, maybe I should have videoed it.

naki wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

I once saw a YouTube video of two stoners reacting to a video of a comedian reacting to a video of those two stoners reacting to one of that comedian’s very own videos.

This post is reaction to that, maybe I should have videoed it.

I think you were just stoned and reacting to your monitor that was turned off.

bessantj wrote:

naki wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

I once saw a YouTube video of two stoners reacting to a video of a comedian reacting to a video of those two stoners reacting to one of that comedian’s very own videos.

This post is reaction to that, maybe I should have videoed it.

I think you were just stoned and reacting to your monitor that was turned off.

Possibly. Maybe I’m over reacting

God the YouTube standard blurb is f**king mind numbing...

Hey guys, it's me, Crappy YouTube Guy. Thanks for checking our my video, you guys have asked for a video about innane topic, so that's what I've done today. I love all the comments guys, wow thirty views. Really looking forward to checking out innane topic a bit more today, hope you guys do like it. If you like my videos, don't forget to Smash that like button, or subscribe. Anyway, back to innane topic, I'm really interested in your thoughts so if you think I've missed anything, or would like me to check out a different innane topic, please comment below. I do read them all, and try to respond to as many as I can. Anyway, on with the video, where I'm going to give you my malformed opinion on inane topic, and you guys, you'll probably note it's been nothing but 2minutes of my stupid American head so far, so you shouldn't be surprised my country is going down the shitter.

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

Not particularly constructive on this thread I know, but felt I had to say it.

+1 massively.

naki wrote:

bessantj wrote:

naki wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

I once saw a YouTube video of two stoners reacting to a video of a comedian reacting to a video of those two stoners reacting to one of that comedian’s very own videos.

This post is reaction to that, maybe I should have videoed it.

I think you were just stoned and reacting to your monitor that was turned off.

Possibly. Maybe I’m over reacting

Which reminds me of the story that Scottish golfer Sam Torrance told of an unnamed fellow pro golfer (back in the day) who showed all his colleagues a vid he took with his cam of a porn movie in his hotel room. Unfortunately, unnamed didn't realise that him knocking one out was also reflected on said TV.

I reckon he is alright.

At least he is open minded, which is more than you can usually hope for with Americans.

Pretty good at guessing the rules as well.

And he is actually asking for more info, rather than ranting

Watched his first time seeing Lomu one afterwards, which is also quite humorous

LandOTurk wrote:

naki wrote:

bessantj wrote:

naki wrote:

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

I once saw a YouTube video of two stoners reacting to a video of a comedian reacting to a video of those two stoners reacting to one of that comedian’s very own videos.

This post is reaction to that, maybe I should have videoed it.

I think you were just stoned and reacting to your monitor that was turned off.

Possibly. Maybe I’m over reacting

Which reminds me of the story that Scottish golfer Sam Torrance told of an unnamed fellow pro golfer (back in the day) who showed all his colleagues a vid he took with his cam of a porn movie in his hotel room. Unfortunately, unnamed didn't realise that him knocking one out was also reflected on said TV.

CrazyIslander wrote:

Harden up!!! wrote:

CrazyIslander wrote:I remember reading a Magazine pre 1987 RWC saying the USA are the sleeping giants in rugby. Doubt it will ever take off. There's too much money and profile in other sports for top athletes to move to rugby.

They are crushing the sevens, I think if they win the olympics it might take off, it doesn't even have to be in the top 5-10 sports. A lot of good athletes do not make it into the pro leagues, guys from college could get into rugby. They have numbers and $


Their TV probably will hate it, not enough stoppage for ads, if I ever watch gridiron I always have a book or something else going 3hours+ to play out 1 hour of game clock, I like gridiron but damn the stoppages.

Sevens is different because of the open space and easier for a pure athlete to pick it up. 15s really needs a few years of development in the game to get a feel for it. The problem is at junior level they can never compete with the popularity of other sports.

I wonder about that last point as well. I belong to a fb group that is mostly US coaches. Whenever someone shares a vid of high schoolers, they often look full of kids who weren’t going to make the varsity football team.

We’ve got it a bit better with rugby season being well away from football season in school, but top athletes even here are attracted by ice hockey, football, basketball scholarship potential in the US or even just being on those teams in a Canadian uni (next to no scholarship but much higher profile and prestige)m even if they’re not going to ‘make it’ and may end up giving rugby a shot later in life... lots of good development years lost.

Margin_Walker wrote:I hate 'reacts to' videos on YouTube.

Not particularly constructive on this thread I know, but felt I had to say it.

Yeah, I find them a little bit of vanity projects and fake. Most are boring. It was only great when people were filming reactions to stuff like 2G1C and the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones. I did see one good reaction video to rugby when it was women's game and he saw a lineout to maul and thought it was wicked. It's a 'genre' with to few nuggets in a sea of shite.