Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
With rugby players get given heaps of free gear etc. Unless you really make it in cricket you pay huge money for gear.Yes also anecdotally I've heard similar. And team sports have become extremely expensive too.
With rugby players get given heaps of free gear etc. Unless you really make it in cricket you pay huge money for gear.Yes also anecdotally I've heard similar. And team sports have become extremely expensive too.
Damn, wanted to see that original video again but she's disappeared
He's only six
They have done a decent job on the female side of things though?Yeah. CA is fudging the numbers in some weird ways too.
Dude pleaseIn rural nz it's also relatively easy to get a semi-professional contract to play rugby, or at least a club role tied to a cushy job. Partly because of the way nzr likes to have potential players spread out around the regions to have more even competition, and partly because of how insane local rural businesses are about supporting their local club.
If you grow up in rural nz and don't play sport you are going to have a very tough time at high school.
I think in NZ, particularly rural NZ, there is quite a bit of mobility between amateur and professional and semi professional levels.Dude please
You have to be seriously good at a game to be paid
Yep. There are plenty of club rugby players who get paid. Pretty bog average ones, too. There's always money in rural clubs (generally farm money) to either poach or keep players, and the fervour that these people have for their rugby club ensures they see value in doing it.I think in NZ, particularly rural NZ, there is quite a bit of mobility between amateur and professional and semi professional levels.
It helps that grass roots coaching is strong
Maybe, but one thing I love about NZ culture (which I think we are all saying is fading away) is the ability to play completely non-professional, inconsequential but competitive sport even though you suck.Fewer people going/planning to go into a career as a professional sportsperson is probably a good thing, overall.
Not sure how much that has to do with amateur participation.
But in general australian and nz culture has placed way too much emphasis on sport.
Is there a lack of grounds or parks to play in, in NZ, due to urbanization or whatever? This is a problem in India. The kids definitely wanna play but there are lesser and lesser spaces to play sports in.Maybe, but one thing I love about NZ culture (which I think we are all saying is fading away) is the ability to play completely non-professional, inconsequential but competitive sport even though you suck.
My American ex-GF was so confused by my playing cricket because I think she struggled to conceptualise someone playing in an organised sports league for fun in their 30s, completely disconnected from any aspirations or even any ability. Replacing cricket with the lads with ‘going to the gym’ makes me want to jump off the nearest tall building, and I say that as someone who openly prays for rain every Saturday.
I’m sure it’s not comparable to India at all, although perhaps not quite the green paradise you might think. The population in NZ is still relatively highly concentrated in a few small areas, there would definitely be areas in Auckland where access to cricket facilities would be sub-optimal.Is there a lack of grounds or parks to play in, in NZ, due to urbanization or whatever? This is a problem in India. The kids definitely wanna play but there are lesser and lesser spaces to play sports in.
No, there are heaps of grounds and parks. Also most schools are open at weekends so it is easy to play there (or find a cricket net).Is there a lack of grounds or parks to play in, in NZ, due to urbanization or whatever? This is a problem in India. The kids definitely wanna play but there are lesser and lesser spaces to play sports in.
Also quite a few are soccer (football) grounds as well.Dunno if it's changed, but almost all the grounds I played on were also used for rugby in the winter so there was never really a lack of facilities for that.