ESPN is going to be airing the USA/Canada RWC Qualifying match LIVE this Saturday at 4:00 pm. This is the first time that ESPN has aired live rugby on it's flagship station rather than giving us horribly edited rebroadcasts on The Ocho — so set your DVRs, tell you friends and family, and let's see if we can't show the network(s) that there is a demand for more rugby coverage. I mean, if we don't watch this who will!?
You can also pass along this article that ran in USA Today about The Eagles and the unique challenges facing our amateur players versus the monied programs from the top-tier nations. There is a good chance that rugby can piggyback on the recent exposure of the US Soccer program and help drum up interest in some of the "fringe" team sports being played at the highest levels in this country.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Rugby on ESPN
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4 comments:
I watched the first half, then the McNair story broke. I dont think it ever came back on.
It went to the Deuce after McNair. Team USA put a clinic on how to knock on and waste try opportunties. Pretty exciting stuff.
The play by play coverage was neither useful nor informed. I wish rugby could get a play by play guy for the US in the style of Sonny Jergonson covering the Redskins. He knew the name of the guy getting the ball as he was getting it. He also called out the plays as they were unfolding. There's so much unfamiliar jargon in rubgy, I think it confused more of the uninitiated audience than it set straight.
@ Jimmy Bob: I kinda feel the opposite. Compared to the international coverage that you usually get I thought these guys did a good job of explaining some of the stuff to newbies. I also like that they had the little video segments from the CO training ground where they explained rucks and scrums. I will admit that they didn't have too much command of the players, but that's almost to be expected without a lot of scouting on wither team...
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