# you need leather balls to play rugby



## squirl033 (Jun 14, 2009)

some shots of a local amateur club rugby game...


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## B Kennedy (Jun 14, 2009)

1st one doesn't do much for me.  Love the 2nd capture and that the "picture" is pure in the sense that you got him in the air after the ball.  Kinda makes you wonder what craziness is below him.

Now the 3rd picture, I think really captures the essence of rugby.  Now I don't know much about the sport other than its INSANE  But dude I LOVE this picture and I don't even understand rugby/don't even enjoy to watch it.  It shows speed, agility, and the poor guy with the ball running for his life lol.  Love the panning and thanks for sharing!


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## squirl033 (Jun 14, 2009)

thanks, B. i played for several years in high school, and a couple more in college, so i have a bit of a soft spot for the game, even many years later. but it's definitely a bit confusing to watch for someone who's not familiar with it...


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## B Kennedy (Jun 14, 2009)

YA! I was in a bar over the weekend after a wedding and they had a game on.  Punching the ball, tackling, kicking the ball.  It was insane, and I can only imagine how fast the game is so I can definitely appreciate the technique and difficulty you used in getting that last shot.  Not to mention that I think in the time span of me watching for about 20 min. I think they stopped the game like 3 times to take hurt people outta the game


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## squirl033 (Jun 14, 2009)

yeah, it can be a bit on the rough side. the amateur club matches these days - at least around here - allow substitutions, but when i played in high school and college, there were none allowed. if you got hurt and left the game, your team played one man short. still, in 5 years, the only injuries i had were a bad ankle sprain (made worse by taping it up and playing most of the second half on it!) and a busted up hand. then again, i was one of those speedy little scared-rabbit guys on the outside, and didn't get caught up in the scrums too often, so my odds of escaping owwies were much better...


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## Josh66 (Jun 14, 2009)

Wow, I love the last one.


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## squirl033 (Jun 14, 2009)

thanks, Josh... sometimes i get the pan just right...


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## gsgary (Jun 15, 2009)

#3 is my favourite, what lens are you using because the 5D needs top quality lenses


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## c.cloudwalker (Jun 15, 2009)

Leather balls? It has been a long time since I played in high school in Europe but I believe you are somewhat correct. It can get rough on that field. When I came back here and watched football I thought all the padding was kind of ridiculous and never really got interested in the sport, lol.

I did break my arm once (didn't even know until after the game was over and it still hurt) but, to be honest, the game is not as violent as football overall.

Photo #3 is very nice.


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## Big Mike (Jun 15, 2009)

> YA! I was in a bar over the weekend after a wedding and they had a game on. Punching the ball, tackling, kicking the ball.


Are you sure that wasn't Auzzie Rules Football rather than Rugby?  There isn't a lot of punching the ball in Rugby.

I played for a while, back in high school and afterward for a club.  It's a lot of fun but pretty insane.  My body would be a lot more beaten up if I had continued to play.  I've had broken fingers, sprained ankles & wrists, and I've got at least one great looking scar over my eye that probably came with a concussion.  
I liked football better, but playing rugby was more fun.  Not to mention that the camaraderie between teammates and even opponents in rugby, is really hard to beat.


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## squirl033 (Jun 15, 2009)

gsgary said:


> #3 is my favourite, what lens are you using because the 5D needs top quality lenses



that was shot with a Tamron SP24-135. i don't think they make it anymore, it's an older design, but seems to work quite well on the 5D. perhaps not as sharp as the 24-105L (though i've never used that one), but it does seem to produce decent overall sharpness and clarity, even in the corners, which is where the 5D will show up any problems....


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## B Kennedy (Jun 16, 2009)

Big Mike said:


> > YA! I was in a bar over the weekend after a wedding and they had a game on. Punching the ball, tackling, kicking the ball.
> 
> 
> Are you sure that wasn't Auzzie Rules Football rather than Rugby?  There isn't a lot of punching the ball in Rugby.
> ...



Yikes...ok so I have no clue the difference between Rugby and Auzzi Rules Football.  I just know a bunch of people were kicking the ball to each other, and kinda punching the ball (not throwing it) when they were close to each other, and then they were kicking the ball through the field goal (uprights).  Whatever it was, it was crazy!!


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## squirl033 (Jun 16, 2009)

actual "rugby union" football doesn't involve punching the ball... that's called a "knock-on", and gets a penalty kick for the  other team. you can kick the ball ahead of you then run and recover it, or you can pass - laterally or backwards only - to one of your teammates. or you can hang onto it and charge full-tilt into the other team, and hope you don't get clawed to death in the loose ruck that follows your inevitable impact with the ground...


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## gsgary (Jun 16, 2009)

squirl033 said:


> actual "rugby union" football doesn't involve punching the ball... that's called a "knock-on", and gets a penalty kick for the other team. you can kick the ball ahead of you then run and recover it, or you can pass - laterally or backwards only - to one of your teammates. or you can hang onto it and charge full-tilt into the other team, and hope you don't get clawed to death in the loose ruck that follows your inevitable impact with the ground...


 

Only if the ball goes forward, if it goes behind it's ok


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## Big Mike (Jun 16, 2009)

> I just know a bunch of people were kicking the ball to each other, and kinda punching the ball (not throwing it) when they were close to each other, and then they were kicking the ball through the field goal (uprights). Whatever it was, it was crazy!!


Ya, that certainly sounds like Auzzie Rules Football.  That is one sport that is over the top crazy...way more that even Rugby.


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## gsgary (Jun 16, 2009)

Big Mike said:


> > I just know a bunch of people were kicking the ball to each other, and kinda punching the ball (not throwing it) when they were close to each other, and then they were kicking the ball through the field goal (uprights). Whatever it was, it was crazy!!
> 
> 
> Ya, that certainly sounds like Auzzie Rules Football. That is one sport that is over the top crazy...way more that even Rugby.


 

No Rugby Union


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## polymoog (Jun 16, 2009)

That panning shot is excellent


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