a whole different ball game

I'm not a massive rugby fan, which being Welsh immediately marks me out as strange!  I played the game in school, because you had to, and then in college before deciding at the age of 19 that getting beaten up every Wednesday afternoon was something I could really do without in my life.

I used to go to watch Wales play sometimes, but it was more for the social aspect than the actual spectacle of the matches themselves.

And watching some of the current Rugby World Cup hasn't really rekindled any (well) hidden internal flame in me.  In fact, I find the whole thing rather confusing, and a much, much different game to the one I played 40 or so years ago.

For starters, rugby was always marketed as a game for everyone, regardless of shape or size here was a position you could play in.  Well, not any more judging by the absolute giants of players at this tournament.  I don't think I've seen anyone smaller than around 200 pounds in weight, 99% of which is pure muscle.

The speed they play at and the ferocity of the tackling is terrifying.  Looking back at the Welsh teams of the 1970s, full of flare and guile with a base instinct to fight anybody,  I don't think any of the forwards could rival the size of the backs these days.

Then there are the rules.  They are so utterly complex and change so regularly, that it's the only sport I watch where the referee will verbally warn a player not to do something, as if they do it's an offence that will be penalised.  And when an offence is committed, the player concerned is usually completely unaware of what they have done wrong.  As is the majority of the onlooking crowd.

No, I honestly feel if I played the game now I'd be broken in half by the smallest person on the field within around two minutes.  And then probably penalised for doing so!

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