There’s a good crossover between the best Rugby nations and the best Cricketing nations; I’m assuming this is down to good old fashioned British colonialism?

Which leads me to wonder why Rugby never gained the same level of support in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as it did in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Fiji.

Or am I totally wrong and the two things aren’t remotely related?

    • 01011@monero.town
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      8 months ago

      It’s the third most popular sport, after cricket. Which most people that I’ve met in the UK have no interest in.

      • Quicky@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        And 2 million people in England are registered players. That’s 3.5% of the population. That’s just official registered players, not even fans. Your comment is absurd.

        • 01011@monero.town
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          8 months ago

          That’s because they make it mandatory at certain schools in the UK, not because it’s genuinely beloved by the populace. Nobody would ever call Rugby “the people’s game”.

          • SanguinePar@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Nobody did call rugby the people’s game though.

            I don’t give a crap about rugby either, but to suggest that it isn’t popular in the UK is stretching the truth far past breaking point.

          • Quicky@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Mate, football and cricket are mandatory in those same schools, you absolute ring binder.

      • MrsDoyle@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        I wish it wasn’t popular in the UK. I hail from NZ originally and everyone assumes I love rugby as much as they do. Any time there’s a big tournament on people keep trying to talk to me about bloody rugby. I hate it, HATE it. An English friend who’s a fanatic dragged me along to an All Black/Scotland test match - booooring. I don’t know anyone who isn’t at least interested in rugby, chats about the latest big game etc etc. Bloody rugby.

        Sorry to rant, but I’ve just put my car key fob through a washing machine cycle, so I’m not in a good mood.