What if Rugby Champions played American Football Champions?

Question

Could the game ever be resolved at all, and if so, who would triumph?

Each team would be world champions of their sport- the rugby players must adhere only to the rules of rugby, the American Football players must adhere only to the rules of American Football. For half the game, the ball used would be an American football, the other half it would be a Rugby ball.

Scoring is rationalised so that trys and touchdowns each score the same number of points :)

Answer 1

Here's what will happen. A football player will get the ball, get tackled, go back to a huddle while the rugby player will pick up the ball and score. Repeat for 80 minutes. Football stops, rugby doesn't. I can't believe I wasted my time answering such a dumb question.

Answer 2

American football players would not be able to handle rugby players due to them not being able to sustain constant gameplay as they are used to stop start. They would be thrashed.

Answer 3

I agree its a terrible question however  give it 10 yrs and US rugby will be dominant on the world stage.  I know because I know some of the people involved.

Now if only College Kids would switch to Rugby instead of chasing a dream of Budweiser, Escalades and Bimbos.

PS A certain Boston Rugby Team is the top team in the USA..

Answer 4

A more interesting question would be what would happen if you took top American athletes and trained them to play rugby.  (I know it would take years)  The problem with American international rugby is that the Americans are all amatuer atheletes competing against professionals.  All the best American athletes are making big bucks in Football (American style), baseball, and basketball.

Answer 5

If the american players didn't have their 'armour' on the rugby players would pulverise them!!

Answer 6

Simply put ,the Gridiron boys would win at Gridiron and the Rugby boys would win at Rugby.

The question is a no brainer as one can't possibly compare the two games

Answer 7

Err... okay.

Answer 8

Unfortunately, creating such circumstances are next to impossible. Although maybe possible in theory, it will be virtually impossible in practise.

However, due to the fitness levels in rugby and the total absence of protective gear, combined with non-stop play over 80 minutes in rugby without changing the team for defence and attack, rugby players could possibly be victorious. Interesting concept.

Answer 9

I reckon us rugby boys would crush 'em. The yanks may win the football but they would not know what hit them in the rugby. Modern rugby players are fit, physically better conditioned and more powerful than they have ever been before and stripped of their pads and helmets our poor old american cousins would be run ragged in the loose, out played in the set-pieces, and would give away so many penalties the rugby boys would win by a country mile if they kick half of them.

And as for Chrysler Avenger saying that the USA is going to dominate rugby in 10 years time, do me a favour haha!!! They can't even beat severely weakened second teams at the moment. Lets face it American's are rubbish at team games, always have been, always will.

The only team World Champions they have are in their own sports American football (NFL), Baseball (NLB), Ice Hockey (NHL) and Basketball (NBA). And why are they world champions ? Because the only teams that are allowed to take part are teams in the American League. That's like saying that Kerry are the World Champions at Gaelic Football, or the West Coast Eagles are the World Champions at Australian Rules Fooball. You can't be World Champions if it's not a World wide tournament.

Sorry to go off subject but septics do my head in !!!

Answer 10

The rugby players would kick @rse!

Answer 11

First off - it would be a c**p game where each would totally dominate the other for the half that their code was in effect.

The out come - who knows.

Answer 12

rugby palers would be to fit for the fat b******s

Answer 13

The bugger boys would bend them over no probs!! Bosh!!

Answer 14

this has to be the easiest answer ever.  the american football players would dominate.  why?  because they have the FORWARD PASS and an OFFENSIVE LINE.

line up terrell owens and randy moss at the posts, with steve smith in the slot and tony gonzalez at tight end, and watch the hysterical action as the ruggers try to 'cover' them downfield.

so the american footballers would rack up a huge early lead, scoring virtually every time the ball is put in the air.  the rugby team would tire them out though later in the game and score a couple of trys.

american football 77, rugby 20

Answer 15

The american players are not durable enough to last 80 mins of non stop play. They are trained to be explosive and powerful, and not to last the rigors of constant rucking and mauling. They wouldn't be able to play both attack and defensive also. After the initial onslaught from the americans, the rugby players would run rings around them.

Answer 16

it could never been done as they are completely different sports. When they had rugby union vs league games, league players struggled with the extra skills needed in union but were a lot fitter. American football players will be even more out of their depth with the skills needed for union and even though theere's probably more time and money put into conditioning in American football, they will not be used to the pace and intensity of a league game.  Plus there is no tackling in American football, they just throw their bodies at each other so without the padding they will not be able to make a tackle without some nasty injuries.

American football is a very tactical game with every move planned for months in advance, which rugby players may get lost with, as their sport is far more spontanious. Blocking and forward passes aren't allowed in rugby (even with a Scottish ref) so there's rugby players won't be used to doing this.

Answer 17

I think the rugby champions would kick @rse. Rugby (at least in New Zealand) isn't a sport dominated by money and the players are there for love of the game not the pay packet. There is a lot of fire amd passion in rugby and that is something a huge pay-packet can't buy. In NZ (I live in Dunedin) some of the players psych themselves up for a game by watching youngsters play on a Saturday morning to remind them of their roots and where their hearts are. They are also hard enough to take bone crunching tackles without pads or anything! American football seems to be dominated by a lot of pads and a lot of money. American footballers are tough, but I think rugby players are tougher. Sorry!

Answer 18

When you say that I laugh?

Its impossible but the predictions would be

Rugby Champions 23- 21 American Football Champion

Answer 19

Can't wait to see your badmitton/squash/tennis and cricket/baseball questions.

Answer 20

Can't compare them!! Game is to different-Speed, gear, rules, conditioning, players size, etc...  I could go on and on.   I've played both and rugby players are in good shape,  But if they did play this  fantasy game??  Rugby players would get there Butts Kicked.  They couldn't hang with US Yanks.

Answer 21

rugby players

Answer 22

If the Americans take off their helmets and all that protective S**t, they wouldn't be able to handle the toughness of rugby union.

Oooh, go for that soft underbelly!

Answer 23

awful question