Pro Rugby Vs. Nfl Players, Who's tougher, better? Options

[Tony42077]

I've been getting into it with some europeans in the politics section, so I decided to rib them a bit in the pro sports section.


Who are tougher, better athletes?

Who would win at each others sports, first?


I think that the U.S. born NFL players would win them all, I am just trolling for some classic european (or rugby player) excuse why they are better.

[Hercules Q Einstein]

Its alot like Boxing vs UFC. The UFC (Rugby) might be harder to play, but Boxers (NFL Players) are in much better shape. They just have to be, due to the US being so big with money given to sports player. We pay more money and scount the world for the best athletes.

[Baner]

I know many accounts of pro Rugby players suffering a 3 inch gash across thier cheek, or being knocked unconcious in the middle of a game, only to get stiched up in the locker rooms and be back out on the field finishing up the rest of the game.

(NFL Players) are in much better shape.

Ya, that 350 lb blob of fat covering your QB is prolly in the best shape of his life. You won't find players like that in Rugby, 1. Cause they don't get a 5 minute rest break between every play, and 2. Every man on the field has to be contantly running to stay up with the pack.

Me seeing your typical "Manning" QB in no pads, with the rest of the other team ready to pile him into the ground, would be entertaining. Most QB are too scared to get hit head on by the other team when they are wrapped up in pads, I would love to see what they would do when they are laying on the ground having clets dug into thier chests.

Not to mention that one set of players are out on the field the entire game, with the exception of a few substitutions... ya, that means no special teams, offensive teams, defensive teams. Every player must be able to tackle, throw the ball, kick the ball, and do constant running.

It'd be fun to watch, but I'm thinking Football would have to be cancled the next season to let the players have a bit more time to rest in thier multimillion dollar houses, with thier ivory bathtubs.

[Arvarden]

NFL is not football.

Rugby players don't wear body armour.

America=0

Rest of the world=10

[caster420]

Boxers (NFL Players) are in much better shape

Having played both sports in high school, I can definetly say i was in much much better shape after rugby season than football season. You are phyical for the entire duration of a rugby game, where as in football you get too many breaks in play. You have an all out physical competition (running, weights, etc..) and i bet rugby players would win overall.

Caster.

[chucko]

NFL players are definitely better athletes, the issue of who is tougher, that may be subjective. I think though, if you put NFL linemen (defensive and offensive) in a rugby match, it would get disgustingly ugly.

[Baner]

if you put NFL linemen (defensive and offensive) in a rugby match, it would get disgustingly ugly.

Yup, and you'd have one pissed off groundskeeper trying to pull the two fatasses off each other after they passed out from running 10 yds.

NFL players are definitely better athletes

What exactly is your definition of athlete? Are you talking about having better sportsmanship? Or being able to play the game better? I can tell you that an NFL QB can't take a direct hit and be up and running in 3 seconds at 100% and a lineman can't run 10 yds up field, just to turn around and run 100yds downfield... for 90 minutes straight(How long is a period in Rugby? It's been so long since I've played or watched it... damn American Tv )

Your average rugby player will be more fit then your average football player, and will be more able to do more parts of the game... ie Offensive, Defensive, Passing, Kicking.

I'd love to see a match either way.

[chucko]

Yup, and you'd have one pissed off groundskeeper trying to pull the two fatasses off each other after they passed out from running 10 yds.
What exactly is your definition of athlete? Are you talking about having better sportsmanship? Or being able to play the game better? I can tell you that an NFL QB can't take a direct hit and be up and running in 3 seconds at 100% and a lineman can't run 10 yds up field, just to turn around and run 100yds downfield... for 90 minutes straight(How long is a period in Rugby? It's been so long since I've played or watched it... damn American Tv )

Your average rugby player will be more fit then your average football player, and will be more able to do more parts of the game... ie Offensive, Defensive, Passing, Kicking.

I'd love to see a match either way.

It would be fun to watch. Athleticism defined by footwork, agility, flatout speed, strength, coordination, balance, etc. Although I mentioned linmen, not all football players are lineman. You have cornerbacks at 225 lbs. running 4.3. 40s, you have linebackers at 250 - 260 lbs running 4.4 - 4.5. 40s and are strong as hell. Your point about running around for 90 minutes is well taken, but with broken legs 90 minutes of running would never happen. The nature of the football player would change the dynamic of the Rugby sport, hence this is kind of a silly comparison, but fun none the less.

[Arvarden]

Football is a international sport played by most of the world, hell football was being played before American football was glimer in daddy's eye. When you refer to your football please add American football because that is what it is, American football.

Football is exactly what it states on the tin, you kick a ball with your foot and you do not use your hands unless you are a goalie.

If you choose to tarnish our sport with your own made up sport please use the correct terminology.

[Hercules Q Einstein]

Having played both sports in high school, I can definetly say i was in much much better shape after rugby season than football season.  You are phyical for the entire duration of a rugby game, where as in football you get too many breaks in play.  You have an all out physical competition (running, weights, etc..) and i bet rugby players would win overall.

Caster.

I dont mean Footaball players are in better shape, i mean NFL players are.

The NFL pays more money than any rugby league, so common sense says they will get the best athlets (why pay someone millions if you could get someone better).

Also you cant complain that most QBs are scared to get hit or cant take a hit without pads becuase its against NFL players who are great tacklers.

I bet Ray Lewis hit way harder than any rugby player.

This post has been edited by Hercules Q Einstein: Mar 18 2005, 02:15 AM

[Baner]

why pay someone millions if you could get someone better

AKA flithy rich idiots who can comit murder and get off innocent cause of thier millions in cash? *cough*You're buddy Ray Lewis*cough*

Just because American football teams have millions of dollars to toss around getting players, doesn't mean they are going to get the best players. Name one football player that was drafted outside the United States to play the sport for an American team. Then name all the countries that play Rugby and figure the odds of better players coming from a large number of countries to the number of football players that come from one(two if you count Canada as a country. ).

Here's another discussion like the one here about the same topic.

This Coldfuse guy made a pretty good comparison too.

[Striker911]

i dunno how rugby is played at all if you have to tackel them or not but i mean think about it would you really want Ray Lewis coming after you with no protection gear on? i mean You would get killed

[Hercules Q Einstein]

i dunno how rugby is played at all if you have to tackel them or not but i mean think about it would you really want Ray Lewis coming after you with no protection gear on? i mean You would get killed

Exactly.

[Hercules Q Einstein]

AKA flithy rich idiots who can comit murder and get off innocent cause of thier millions in cash? *cough*You're buddy Ray Lewis*cough*

Just because American football teams have millions of dollars to toss around getting players, doesn't mean they are going to get the best players. Name one football player that was drafted outside the United States to play the sport for an American team. Then name all the countries that play Rugby and figure the odds of better players coming from a large number of countries to the number of football players that come from one(two if you count Canada as a country. ).

Here's another discussion like the one here about the same topic.

This Coldfuse guy made a pretty good comparison too.

Your links have one big problem. They compare some dudes time playeiny both sports. I am only talking about NFL and whatever the best rugby players are. I belive the NFL has the best athletes in all of sports other than Boxing and NHL.

This post has been edited by Hercules Q Einstein: Mar 18 2005, 08:10 PM

[Baner]

Exactly.

So more violence makes for a better game?

Your links have one big problem. They compare some dudes time playeiny both sports. I am only talking about NFL and whatever the best rugby players are. I belive the NFL has the best athletes in all of sports other than Boxing and NHL.

Really depends on your definition of athelete.
-Rugby players play both Offence and Defense, NFL has two different teams.
-All Rugby players have to be able to pass, kick, and run the ball, NFL's setup(with breaks inbetween each play) allow for each player to have a specific job.
-Rugby players have to play the entire 80 minutes(I believe with 3 subs per game) with only a sparring amount of timeouts, NFL players have breaks between each play, 3 different types of teams per team, and breaks between quarters. Hell the even have a break when the play time hits 2 minutes.

My definition of a better athelete would be a triathelist, rather then a sprinter who can run faster then the triathelist. The triathelist is better rounded then the sprinter who specializes in the 100M or whatever.

As for NFL players having "the best athletes in all of sports other than Boxing and NHL." What makes you come to the conclusion? What about the real football?(You know, the most popular sport in the world, besides America) With your assumptions that NFL and Boxers are the best atheletes, I have to say that more violence = better atheletes to you, atleast that's the only conclusion I can draw from it.

You're right, those links are of personal experiences of lower-end leagues, but you get a better view of the game if you've tried them both. The amount of running done in a high school game of football, and a Pro game isn't going to be much different, the same is for Rugby.