Korean Job Discussion Forums

[decolyon]

I'm looking for a new sport to get into. Being American and having played football all the way through high school, I'm naturally drawn to rugby.

I know there is a rather well organized ladies rugby team (Seoul Sisters) but I don't know anyone on it. Is their a male counterpart? I'm sure there is.

But, here's the thing... I've never even seen a rugby ball in real life before. I know what they look like and I've watched a few matches on TV before, but I've never been played or even understand the rules. So, if there was a team that just likes to play because it's fun and doesn't mind taking on a newb and show the ropes, I'd certainly want in.

I also think it would be a good workout. I like how rugby players are all big and nasty but also trim enough to be able to run around a field. They have what we'd call in the States a "linebacker" build. I want that.

Anyways, any help would be much appreciated.

deco

[chest rockwell]

Google seoul survivors. Sign up to their yahoo mailing list. They don't play rugby league though they play rugby union. Good luck.

[wiganer]

You want to try rugby league. I like rugby union, don't get me wrong but rugby league is a very exciting sport, continuous action - when played between two well matched teams - as far as spectator sports go - it is hard to beat.

Surely there is a team of expat Australians around Seoul who have a rugby league team? Good luck with that - you'll love it!

[decolyon]

Whoa, wait... you mean there are two different sports of rugby?

Please explain.

[Junior]

[StavvioD]

I know there are a few touch rugby teams/leagues in Seoul. I haven't played for any of them (really need to get back in shape!), but have spoken to some lads who have/do and they tell me it's basically league (5 tackles and turnover) except without the heavy hits...

But, yeah - get on the Seoul Survivors page and they'll have all the info you'll need. They're even on facebook now too...

[wiganer]

[WilliamThomas]

I prefer to watch Union but both are decent. Union is the one with a bit more prestige, more coverage, bigger attendance etc. You will be fitter playing League as there is more running and more of the field to cover as its 13 players instead of 15.

Still you should try watching a game of both and see what you think. If you've seen any international matches chances are it was Union

[samd]

Rugby Union - Played and watched by rich wankers. As wiganer says, the players are fatter softer and slower. More money in and behind the game means that it's more international, the Rugby World Cup and the World Sevens are huge events. The biggest game in New Zealand, the nation falls into a deep depression whenever the All Blacks lose.

Rugby League - Played and watched by violent psychopaths. More popular in Australia than Union, especially among the working classes. Popular in the North of England, and huge in PNG. A quicker game, but has been ruined in recent years in my opinion by the banning of violent tackles and the overly defensive natural of the game these days. I blame the interchange rule and the desire to try to make the game more family-oriented. I miss the swinging arms, brawls and spear tackles.

[Kurtz]

One of the gentlemen of the League game.

http://www.sportsgrid.com/media/rugby-player-photo-simulating-sex-with-dog/

[wiganer]

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

I think this old adage sums it up best: 'Rugby Union is a thug's game, played by gentlemen. Rugby League is a gentlemen's game, played by thugs.'

I grew on the North Shore of Sydney, an affluent path of Sydney, but grew up following League as my folks, Mum in particular, were Westies come good and I went to a public school. My grandfather loved the Western Suburbs Magpies. All the toffs wearing Victorian-era uniforms went off to play Rugby Union or row on the weekends, whereas the other kids played soccer or Rugby League.

This was also during League's halcyon days of the late 80's/early 90's with the likes of Sterlo, Big Mal, King Wally, Blocker, Backdoor Benny Elias and Siro playing. The game was locked in a messy civil war for the best of ten years afterwards and ever since my beloved North Sydney Bears have disappeared I've taken less interest and am more into Aussie Rules and soccer.

I've been amazed at how well our national Rugby Union team, the Wallabies, have been for the past 20 years considering Rugby Union is the least played football code in Australia (behind soccer, Aussie Rules, and Rugby League). I appreciate both rugby codes despite still not fully knowing just what they're doing half the time in Rugby Union. Once the Central Coast Bears start up, I'll jump back on the Rugby League bandwagon.

Rugby League would be an easy game to get the hang of, though I'd imagine there'd be more Rugby Union players about as it's played in all parts of Britain & Ireland, NZ, South Africa, the Pacific Islands & parts of Europe & Latin America (France, Ireland & Argentina) whereas League is only really played in northern England, the Australian eastern seaboard, PNG and the Pacific Islands (and to a lesser degree in France & NZ).

[soul rebels]

rugby league is my number 1 sport, rugby unions ok but a bit slow they take 5 minutes or more to set up scrums and lineouts.... but i dont want to get into the league verses union debate check both codes of rugby out on youtube and make up your own mind! rugby league is not currently played in korea, if i ever head back to korea i'd make it my mission to get rugby league up and running in korea! koreans would be better suited to rugby league than rugby union in my opinion.


there is the seoul survivors rugby union team for expats, i went to a couple of there trainings and we had a game of rugby league as training (late 2008 i think it was)! touch rugby is played in korea and it is a basically rugby league with no tackling or kicking!

new zealand are the current rugby league world champions and the 2010 4 nations champions check this out!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6SA59d_z5g

[decolyon]

[wiganer]

If you check out any game between France and the All Blacks of New Zealand - they always make great games as you pit French flair against Kiwi ruggedness.. look up on you tube for the 1999 and 2007 world cup games between France and New Zealand.