Shaky Isles Still the Best at One Code

The New Zealand Warriors' gallant run through the National Rugby League finals playoff matches ended this past weekend with a 32-6 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles. Qualifying for the matches as the eighth and lowest seed, the Warriors fell just one match short of the final--the best finish ever for an eighth seed in the current system.

Although the Warriors' strong run seems to have boosted their following in New Zealand, its end will no doubt have all attention back on the Kiwis' favorite code. We've talked before of rugby union's proportionally massive following in New Zealand, and it's been rewarded lately with success. Americans who don't follow rugby may be more familiar with other ambassadors from the smaller nation, but the New Zealand All Blacks have been so successful over their history that they are a key national icon, though they have had suprisingly bad luck in bringing home World Cup wins--a fact not missed by All Blacks detractors. Now, they hold the top spot in the International Rugby Board world rankings, have just clinched a fourth straight Tri-Nations title, and will be the side to beat as the tour Europe in the coming months.

That ought to take some of the sting out of the Warriors' loss, also shedding a bit of light on why it's hard for rugby league to gain a foothold in the land of the All Blacks.

This video shares a few moments from the All Blacks' storied history:



Meanwhile, as the Warriors bow out of the 2008 NRL season, here's one of their greatest moments from a memorable year (if you're in a hurry, the excitement starts about 3 minutes and 30 seconds into it):

Booze and Lose

There's a lesson to be taken from the Melbourne Storm's last-minute 16-14 win over the Brisbane Broncos in last weekend's National Rugby League playoffs. Given that the match was decided with mere seconds to spare, one could argue that the teams' differing attitudes toward off-the-pitch preparations made the difference.

The Melbourne players have been off alcohol since the middle of August. On the other hand, the Broncos' recent night-time misbehavior has led to allegations of sexual misconduct for three players after a washroom incident and public embarrassment for typically well-behaved captain Darren Lockyer after he tackled a nightclub manager about a week later. Lockyer's apology was accepted by the nightclub), and the players in the other incident have yet to be charged with any crime, but the incidents clearly indicate that the Broncos were spending a lot of time out for a playoff-bound club. The last-minute playoff result is being seen by some as justice for both the teetotalling Storm and the partying Broncos, and that's a valid conclusion given that alcohol clearly exacerbates the wear and tear of a long rugby league season.

The Broncos may not have set the right example this year, but hopefully, their failure--and Melbourne's resurgent success--can show players young and old the way ahead.

To give an idea of how close it was, here's a clip of the end of the match, as well as some post-match footage. Did the clubs' differing alcohol policies make the difference? Post if you have an opinion.

Ralph Lauren Pioneers more Law Variations

Ralph Lauren could hardly be described as a close friend to any rugby code, having unsuccessfully attempted to trademark the term "rugby" for his Rugby clothing line (which would have prevented others who sell rugby-related gear from using the term).

Now, Lauren's advertising suggests that he might be keen to create his own new code. We've discussed weird media representations of rugby on this site before, but surely nothing tops the bizarre "rugby" scenes in the below video, which is also featured on the Ralph Lauren Rugby line's Web site:



Please post a comment if you have any idea what those fellas are up when they're dancing that jig to about 20 or 30 seconds in. By the way, if you do want to buy rugby-themed clothing that's a bit more fashionable than a replica jersey, don't buy it from Ralph Lauren given his attempt to take over the name. Buy it from Canterbury of New Zealand, the world-famous rugby union and ugby league supplier that now runs a fashion line that is marketed internationally, including in the U.S..

Congratulations to the World Champions: United States

Armchair Playmaker enjoys following both rugby union and rugby league, with occasional attention to variations such as rugby union sevens, but today we'll note that there is another rugby code out there...and the United States are the best in the world at it!

The United States wheelchair rugby team won the gold medal yesterday at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. The U.S. side, who also won world championships in 1996 and 2000 but lost in the semifinals in 2004, defeated Australia in the 2008 final. This may come as good news to fans of the 2005 documentary film Murderball, which followed the United States' thwarted world championsip run in 2004 and brought wheelchair rugby to a massive worldwide audience.

In case you haven't had a chance to watch Murderball, or in case you just want to see a bit more of the sport, we've compiled some videos here. For those interested in how wheelchair rugby is played (there are also other variations, such as wheelchair rugby league), the below clip provides some basic background:



Here are some highlights from the United States' win over Canada (the nation where the sport was invented) earlier in the 2008 games:



Here is a video from the 2008 silver medalists, Australia's Steelers:



Finally, here are a few big hits to show that wheelchair rugby is definitely intense:

McIntyre a Hero in Melbourne Today

The eighth-seeded New Zealand Warriors made National Rugby League history today by stunning the top-seeded Melbourne Storm in the first round of the 2008 playoffs, becoming the first ever eighth-seeded NRL team to win such a first-round matchup in the process.

In most competitions' playoff arrangements, the Warriors' 18-15 win would spell doom for Melbourne, but Storm followers have been gifted a second chance by Kenneth McIntyre. McIntyre was a rennaisance man who was a lawyer, historian, and mathematician during his life and is perhaps best known for claiming that Australia was first discovered by Portugese travelers. Somehow, he also found time to devise the playoff system used in the National Rugby League since 1999 (though it was originally adopted by the Australian Football League, which no longer uses the format).

As an alternative to typical "knockout" playoff formats where winners advance and losers are eliminated, the McIntyre system presents a higher likelihood for the top two seeds to appear in the grand final and more possible combinations of sides that can appear against one another in the grand final. Here's how it works:

• Eight teams are seeded based on regular-season performance. In the first week, the qualifying finals are played: 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, and 4th vs. 5th. The two lowest-seeded losers are eliminated after this week. For example, if the 7th and 8th seeds lose, they are out. If the 7th and 5th seeds lose but the 8th and 6th seeds win, then the 7th and 5th seeds are out. If the 8th, 7th, 6th, and 5th seeds all win, then the 3rd and 4th seeds are out. The 1st and second seeds, though, cannot be eliminated.
• After the qualifying finals, the remaining six teams move on to the semifinals (which may seem oddly named given that the matches before the grand final are called the semifinals in most other playoff formats). The top-seeded winners from the first round get to sit out the semifinals while the other four sides play, which matchups determined by qualifying performances. The two semifinal losers are eliminated.
• Then, the preliminary finals begin. The sides that got to rest during the semifinals host the two semifinal winners, with the losers of each preliminary final eliminated.
• The remaining two sides then play in the grand final, with the winner named champion.

It all looks like this. The upshot is that the sides who did well in the regular season are rewarded with favorable matchups, a greater likelihood of a second chance if they lose in the first round of the finals, and a greater likelihood of a week off if they win in the first round.

Criticisms of the McIntyre system were common well before today's upset win, and they will no doubt continue, but the Warriors' shock win seems to have added some new excitement to the system by showing how much an upset win can disrupt the finals matchups and predictions.

In any case, the Storm must be pleased about the McIntyre system, as it means their season is not yet over. The Warriors, meantime, must be happy simply to be playing next week.

Nothing "Minor" about Another Storm Minor Premiership

As the 2008 National Rugby League regular season wrapped up this past weekend, the Melbourne Storm finished the regular season at the top of the table to win a record third straight minor premiership. (For those unfamiliar with the term, "minor premiership" describes the top team at the end of the regular season before the playoff rounds begin; the minor premiership winner is awared the J. J. Giltinan Shield). The minor premierships have so far led to back-to-back grand finals. In 2006, the Storm went upset by the Brisbane Broncos in the grand final, but won handily over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2007 and will be hoping to repeat in 2008.

It's easy to see why, given that Storm players have been involved in two of the most exciting tries in rugby league this year. First, Greg Inglis set up an Australia try with this magical move in a test match against New Zealand:



Then, Israel Folau scored a pair of tries for Queensland in the third match of the State of Origin series, the second of which was gravity-defying:



It will be exciting to see what these and other Storm stars will do in the upcoming NRL knockout matches. Of course, not everyone is a Storm backer, as you can see in this insurance company ad from a few years back featuring some Brisbane Broncos:

Playmaker Pals: Highlanders' Hit-Ups and Hijinks

Armchair Playmaker introduces a new feature in this post by debuting the "Playmaker Pals" category. "Playmaker Pals" are readers and friends of the site who send us news, commentary, and video for us to post here, starting with today's contribution from the Highlanders U-19 club based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Founded in 2005, the Highlanders have already established a bit of a regional dynasty by winning the 2006, 2007, and 2008 North Carolina state championships through the hard work of head coach and co-founder Rob Joseph and a great staff of assistants. The Highlanders attended the national tournament in 2005 and hope to return soon.

The Highlanders have done Armchair Playmaker a favor by passing along their 2008 and 2007 highlight videos. As we gear up for this month's premiere of the youth rugby-themed Hollywood film Forever Strong, enjoy these youth rugby highlights from our "Playmaker Pals" in North Carolina:

2008:


2007:

Thinking Outside the Box on Code-Swapping

The 53-8 thrashing South Africa gave Australia Saturday didn't affect the outcome of the 2008 Tri-Nations series, with next weekend's match still the decider, but it certainly may have knocked Australia's morale down a notch.

Meanwhile, Australia's cricket side is struggling with the uncertain future of star Andrew Symonds, who was counted out of an upcoming tour and may be looking at walking away from international competition in the sport.

We have a solution (albeit a tongue-in-cheek one, of course) to both troubles. Symonds can take a break from Australia's cricket side and help the Wallabies out. Symonds considered a career in rugby league, but given that Australia's cricket and rugby league sides are both currently world cup champions he might be put to better use in rugby union.

Consider the below clips, which show Symonds handling a streaker during a test earlier this year. Although he wouldn't be able to shoulder charge without arms in rugby union, we can sympathize with his decision not to wrap up in the tackle in this particular instance (Caution: Given that the videos include a streaker, there is some brief backside nudity):