Football and Rugby are worlds apart

By Kevin Halls on Mar 1, 11 08:15 PM in Fans

THE latest blog from West End Boy makes very interesting reading,in which he asks can football learn from Rugby ?

I played Rugby Union myself for two seasons in the eighties after playing football for many years,and even then the code of conduct between the two sports was so different on and off the pitch.

On the pitch it didn't matter how physical and bloody the game had been you shook hands with the players and the bloke who was trying to rip your head off for eighty minutes,was the first to buy you a pint in the bar afterwards.

in other words what ever happened on the pitch was forgot about when the whistle went for the end of the game,no animosity or wanting to see him in the tunnel,you shook hands and that was that.

Another thing I noticed was how much respect the referees got from the players no swearing at his decisions or backchat, his word was final and because most Rugby referees are ex players themselves this earnt them their respect.

As for the spectators as West End Boy saw for himself in Rugby both sets of fans mix in together no segregation,and they enjoy the banter between each other whilst having a drink during and after the match.

But personally I think football is the more exciting sport of the two codes,that's when it's played at it's best,and that's why it attracts more spectators at club level than rugger.

Why violence comes with it more so than the oval ball game is a tricky one to answer,but it has always been there and has never really gone away has it ?

That's not to say it's right far from it in fact it is a problem that will never be eradicated I feel,but there's a saying about Rugby that I think goes something like: Rugby, a violent game for gentlemen.

And the opposite words used to describe football if I remember correctly, but as I'm a lover of both codes I neither agree or disagree, but it would be great if football did embrace some of Rugby's codes of conduct on and off the pitch.