Rugby League: Australia V USA

[Guest QUP2CME]

Anyone heard about this match. It was played at Franklin Field, Philadelphia infront of about 4500 fans. The game was broadcast live into both Australia and America through the Fox network.

 

It pitted Australia, the number 1 ranked nations and current world champions against the USA, the 18th ranked nation. The game has been getting tremendous media exposure down under becasue of the fight the Tomahawks put up.

 

At half-time the USA led 24-6 and the biggest upset in Rugby League history was on the cards before the Kangaroos clawed there way to a 36-24 win. I want to congradulate the USA Tomahawks. They are made up by amatuer players who compete in the local American National Rugby League as well as Americans playing abroad. They competed with the world champs and many experts predicted a thrashing but the Americans made the game more than competitive.

 

Anyway all Rugby LEague fans in Australia are interested in what you Americans or anyone for that matter that saw the game thinks of it. So if you saw it or heard about it we're very interested in what you thought of it.

 

Thanks in advance.

[iggymcfly 0]

I really like rugby, and try to catch it whenever I can, but I didn't hear about this match. If they'd just put a little effort into promoting this kind of thing, I certainly would have made it a priority to watch.

 

Also, when did the US national team started being known as the Tomahawks. Whenever I saw them on TV, I always heard them being called the Eagles. Maybe they switched it the other way because it wasn't PC, and they just still refer to them as Tomahawks in Australia. I don't know.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

You're thinking of Rugby Union, most likely, iggy.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I think it's great fun to watch but I don't understand it at all, and don't really need to.

[Guest QUP2CME]

Also, when did the US national team started being known as the Tomahawks. Whenever I saw them on TV, I always heard them being called the Eagles. Maybe they switched it the other way because it wasn't PC, and they just still refer to them as Tomahawks in Australia. I don't know.

There are two Rugby "codes" so to speak. Rugby Union and Rugby League. The Rugby League team is known as the Tomahawks and that is the more popular club competition in Australia. Similar to the NFL in America. Rugby Union at the moment relies more on their International matches. However Rugby League is beginning to realise that a competitive International matches are a real attraction hence the game in Philadelphia.

 

Rugby League is starting to get a following in the North East of the States with cities such as New York and Washington DC playing in the American National Rugby League. They are also introducing two new teams, Baltimore and Boston. If you dont live around the North-East then I doubt you would of heard of it but it's cool you like the game.

 

Anyone else hear anything about the game??

[Agent_Bond34 0]

I heard the that the US put up a good effort.

 

I missed the game, though.

 

Had I realized what time the game was, I would have made it a point to watch it.

[Guest QUP2CME]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Keep it coming. Anyone in the North East that heard about the game please contribute as us aussies are very keen to gauge the American's perspectives and thoughts on a sport still in it's infancy in the USA.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Well, I couldn't find the game in Houston. Texas is actually a pretty good rugby state, with the Dallas Harlequins usually being a very good club and several teams in the Houston area being competitive (I wish I had time to play, a couple of them have tried to get me on their teams).

 

If they would show rugby on TV sometimes (Fox Sports, ESPN2 or something) I think it could become big in the US. It's got violence and lots of action, two things that American sports fans go for.

[Slayer 0]

I've watched maybe an hour of rugby total in my lifetime, but the jingoist in me is mildly upset we didn't win