I'm new to rugby, it's a great sport but can you answer some of the following questions?

Question

1.What is generally concieved as the best league in the world? What are some other leagues?

2.Who is the best rugby player of all-time? Right now?

3.What are some classic old, great teams (Like the Canadiens in hockey, Man U in soccer, Yankees in baseball etc..)?

4.I live in Canada, what channel could I see games. If not on TV, the Internet?

Answer 1

The NRL( Australia) is the best comp in the world go to www.NRL.com.au, the english super league is slowly improving.

Andrews JOhns just retired but he is the best player of all time. Johnathon Thurstons and darren lockyer would be the best still playing.

St George, Sth sydney Rabbitohs, and the Brisbane Broncos all have great pasts (thats in the Aus League)

In England Wigan would be the most famous club.

For the internet site like i said www.NRL .com.au or just type in rugby league and google it

Good luck and good choice with your sport

Answer 2

If you are taling Rugby Union:

1. In Europe the Heinekin Cup is played for by the top 20 club or regional teams in England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy - it's top quality (the final is tomorrow 18/5/07 by the way). In the Southern hemisphere the Super 14 is fantastic.

2. All-time best rugby player - definietly Gareth Edwards who was scrum half for the GREAT Welsh team of the late sixties and seventies. He was voted number one by worldwide rugby fans a few years ago but I can't remember the source.

Right Now - Richie McCaw  & Daniel Carter of NZ are awesome.

3.Wales national team of the 1970's, all New Zealand teams, British Lions 1971 & 1974 truely awesome.

4. Look up a rugby club locally and they'll show games. If you live in BC, Vancouver has a load of great & very friendly clubs. I palyed for the Melaroma Club and UBC for 1 yeat back in the mid 1990's and they were great clubs and always showed live games in their club house.

Answer 3

1) The super league but the NRL is nt far behind but on the international scene it is austrailia every time

2) andrew johns/paul deacon/stacey jones

3) wigan warriors have some great history but the sheffield hillsborough hawks are good www.hillsboroughhawks.com

4) chanell 9 australia or sky sports 1

Answer 4

As you are Canadian, i assume you are talking about rugby union, this is a NZer's opinion:

1. Super 14 is the most attractive rugby to watch as it is played in conditions conducive to running rugby, though this does not indicate that the teams are necessarily better than those of the European cup. The European game tends to be more forward dominated due to stickier conditions. I hear the IRB are trying to collaborate both hemispheres seasons which will be great for the game.

2. The best of all time beyond a shadow of a doubt is Jonah Lomu. His power and speed are second to none, but what is more significant about him is the exposure he gave the game internationally during its professional infancy. No other player has had that type of impact on rugby. Currently, it has to be Dan Carter and Richie McCaw. Both are undisputedly the best in their positions at present, which has resulted in maintaining NZs dominance of the game in the last 3years. Brian O'Driscoll is right up there in the mix too

3.The Crusaders have dominated Super rugby since its inception, they have proven to be the Sthern Hemisphere's best franchise. The North have many, but because of the nature of the comp, it is hard for 1 team to establish superiority for a length of time. Professional rugby is too young for any team to be considered like those you have mentioned. The invitational Barbarians sides are great, so are the British Lions and the NZ Maori, though they are losing importance in today's professional era(except the lions)

4. Dunno

Answer 5

there are two codes of rugby, rugby union and rugby league the answer above relates to league, i dont know much about it so ill talk about union

in rugby union club its probably the super 14 but the heineken cup is widely regarded as the best club competition in the world as it is the closest you can get to test matches. its not a league its a knockout competition, some other leagues would be the magners league made up of teams from ireland scotland and wales, the guinness premiership from england the top 14 from france. then there are international leagues like the six nations and the tri nations which will be adding argentina and pacific islands. the super 14 is made up of clubs from New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. theres the NPC which is made up of regions/provinces from NZ, the currie cup which is soth africa. there is also the AIL league which is an amateur league in ireland that is dominated by limerick clubs(because we are the best)

In my opinion Dan Carter new zealand out half is the best all round player in the world but position means a lot more in rugby than soccer. some more world class players right now are richie mccaw brian o driscoll paul o connel gordon darcy yannick jauzion. some retired players are jonah lomu (possibly the best player ever) christian cullen who has just retired and is NZ's top try scorer ever and often praised as the greates fullback ever to play

Rugby has only been professinal for about 12 years now so in the professional era id say Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Crusaders and Auckland Blues (my team munster are the best though)

Well i often see Fox cameras when watching super 14 but i dont know if that australia, setanta i think are in north america they show the magners league and have confirmed that they will be showin the ireland-argentina matches on the 26th may and june 2 and sometimes its on the bbc wales website i think but the seasons really over now

Answer 6

1 - Heineken Cup or Super 14.  They are played in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere respectively.

2 - John Eales, the World Cup winning Wallaby great.  These days some of the best are John Smit, Victor Matfield, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Brian O'Driscoll, George Smith & Frédéric Michalak

3 - Since the inception of the Super 14, The ACT Brumbies vs Canterbury Crusaders has always been a great rivalry.

4 - Check out Pay TV mate