Loading ...A Dire World Cup Final
Rugby is still not a popular sport in relative terms, when the viewing figures for the rugby world cup final get released I’d be amazed if they are even 10% of the football world cup or even the Super Bowl for that matter. The trouble is that Sundays final won’t do anything to help that popularity going forward.
I spent a lot of time telling a lot of people how good some of the games over the world cup were and how they should really watch the final. Even my wife for christs sake was up early, eager for her spot on the sofa. We had the perfect scenario in the hosts and rugby heroes, The All Blacks versus the shockingly bad French, a team that had knocked a piss poor England out but then beat Wales after the apparant injustice of Warburten being sent off. The French rear guard action for the majority of the semi final against 14 men did nothing for their popularity and a lot of people were tuning in to watch the final just to watch them get the stuffing they deserved. This was setup perfectly to introduce people to the joys, skill and physicality that rugby union can bring….and then the game happened.
Lets be honest, there were more big hits in the recent football world cup final! As for skill, the majority of the game was either spent with forwards scratching around on the ground or the ball being booted of for territory. It was almost like watching England! When the backs of either team did try and open it up we were treated to an array of misplaced passes or slips. Even the penalty kicking was crap. There was no spectacle, the only tension in the game was for the occasion, not the play, and I imagine the only people who enjoyed it were ex forwards who could have an excitement fit every time a counter ruck went in as if it was some masterstroke of actical play (hint – this doesn’t make good viewing). I’m a massive rugby fan and even I was struggling by half time to say something positive about it. Enthusiasm was ebbing. My wife had no chance and was off doing house work by the 30 minute mark.
It was a final and there were nerves, but there are also big questions being asked of the finances in the world game and the 2011 Rugby World Cup final will not have helped with the product they have to promote. The final words go to some of my friends on Facebook who I’d convinced to watch it:-
“RWC, worst world cup final in ANY sport EVER. And I’ve sat through the cricket world cup!!!”
“80 minutes of rolling around on the ground, what the hell do people see in rugby?”
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