Rugby!!

I've been threatening to do this for a few weeks, so here we go.

I'm going to give you all the rugby you can stomach, and maybe teach you something too.

For the uneducated, the Tri Nations rugby tournament is an annual series of games played between the national rugby teams of Australia (the Wallabies), New Zealand (the All-Blacks, famous for their "haka"), and South Africa (the Springboks). This is one the two premier international tournaments played annually in the rugby world, the other being the Six Nations - played between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales.

This year's Tri Nations is particularly interesting. The teams are top three ranked teams in the world. New Zealand plays South Africa in Durban in a few hours and the winner will be ranked no. 1. Last week South Africa beat New Zealand to end the All-Blacks eleven month hold on the no. 1 ranking. Currently South Africa is no. 1, two tenths of a point ahead of New Zealand. Australia is more than four points behind both of their rivals. For those who are curious, the USA is ranked 18th, and is generally considered a second-tier rugby team on the international stage.

The other big news in rugby this week is the announcement of the host countries for the 2015 and the 2019 Rugby World Cup. England will host the 2015 event, and Japan will follow in 2019.

The choice of England in 2015 makes sense in a traditional way. They are a traditional rugby powerhouse. Rugby has a long and rich history in England as well as a rabid fan base. Boom Roasted Sports is hoping to go on the road for this event (at least Gabe is hoping.)

To me, Japan in 2019 is the interesting choice. Currently they are a rising star on the international rugby scene and this is a great way to grow the sport in that country, and all of Asia. This will allow kids who are teenagers now to watch international rugby, and the upcoming 2011 World Cup and think that they could do that too, and have a chance to play in the World Cup in the host country in a few years.

So there you are folks. My first rugby blog. I've educated, informed, and self-indulged. I hope you enjoyed.