Brisbane Broncos
Last Sunday (3 September) we went to the last Brisbane Broncos rugby game of the season. We took the CityCat to Regatta in Toowong and then the train two stops to Milton and walked along the pathway and on the bridge over the road to Suncorp Stadium. We didn't have to wander very far to find our section, as it was pretty much straight in from the entry gate. We found out seats (1 and 2) in row 23 and were very happy with the view we had of the field.
We arrived less than 15 minutes before kick-off (if that's what they call it) and got to hear the player introductions for both teams and saw the players run out onto the field. When the New Zealand Warriors ran out they were greeted with boos and Val and I commented to one another "I guess they boo here, too." I think we both thought maybe they would give the Warriors a fair go, but apparently not. The Broncos, on the other hand, ran onto the field via a path made by their cheerleaders shaking gold pompoms and were greeted with waving flags and heaps of barracking (cheers).
The first half of the game mostly took place on the far end of the field because the Broncos were better than the Warriors, but we were able to figure out some of the basics of rugby. They can pass the ball with side or reverse laterals and at some points (probably when necessary for some reason) they punt the ball down the field. If a player runs with the ball into the American football equivalent of the end zone it is called a "try" and six points are posted on the board. After a try there is a field goal attempt, but it isn't straight on, rather it is from way off to the side of the field. If the ball goes through the two uprights two more points are awarded.
Similarly to American pro football, the referees can and do use instant replay review to make calls on close plays to determine if tries were scored. Trainers/medical people come onto the field while the game is still going on to tend to injured players, to give them water, etc. One of the Broncos players left the field at one point because he was bleeding on the field and the fans in the row behind us said he was probably going to get stitched up and then come back in - and sure enough a little while later he was back in the game.
At halftime four teams of school-aged rugby players came out onto the field and played in two mini-games of rugby. It was really amusing to see the little kids tackle each other. During the second half, although the Warriors scored a few more times, most of the action took place on our side of the field.
Val and I wandered around the stadium, completing one full circuit, and grabbed two Cornettos (ice cream cones similar to drumsticks in America) to enjoy during the remainder of the game. We asked the attendant for our section to take a picture of the two of us (check out the album) and it came out great (except for Val's eyes being shut) because she took it simultaneously with when one of the Broncos players scored a try in the background.
After the completion of the second 40 minute half (the clock keeps running most of the time, so it is a much shorter game than American football) and a victory for the Broncos 36-12 we filed out of the stadium and back onto the train. I wish it wasn't the end of the season, because I would have loved to see more rugby games, including some of the different types of rugby.
We arrived less than 15 minutes before kick-off (if that's what they call it) and got to hear the player introductions for both teams and saw the players run out onto the field. When the New Zealand Warriors ran out they were greeted with boos and Val and I commented to one another "I guess they boo here, too." I think we both thought maybe they would give the Warriors a fair go, but apparently not. The Broncos, on the other hand, ran onto the field via a path made by their cheerleaders shaking gold pompoms and were greeted with waving flags and heaps of barracking (cheers).
The first half of the game mostly took place on the far end of the field because the Broncos were better than the Warriors, but we were able to figure out some of the basics of rugby. They can pass the ball with side or reverse laterals and at some points (probably when necessary for some reason) they punt the ball down the field. If a player runs with the ball into the American football equivalent of the end zone it is called a "try" and six points are posted on the board. After a try there is a field goal attempt, but it isn't straight on, rather it is from way off to the side of the field. If the ball goes through the two uprights two more points are awarded.
Similarly to American pro football, the referees can and do use instant replay review to make calls on close plays to determine if tries were scored. Trainers/medical people come onto the field while the game is still going on to tend to injured players, to give them water, etc. One of the Broncos players left the field at one point because he was bleeding on the field and the fans in the row behind us said he was probably going to get stitched up and then come back in - and sure enough a little while later he was back in the game.
At halftime four teams of school-aged rugby players came out onto the field and played in two mini-games of rugby. It was really amusing to see the little kids tackle each other. During the second half, although the Warriors scored a few more times, most of the action took place on our side of the field.
Val and I wandered around the stadium, completing one full circuit, and grabbed two Cornettos (ice cream cones similar to drumsticks in America) to enjoy during the remainder of the game. We asked the attendant for our section to take a picture of the two of us (check out the album) and it came out great (except for Val's eyes being shut) because she took it simultaneously with when one of the Broncos players scored a try in the background.
After the completion of the second 40 minute half (the clock keeps running most of the time, so it is a much shorter game than American football) and a victory for the Broncos 36-12 we filed out of the stadium and back onto the train. I wish it wasn't the end of the season, because I would have loved to see more rugby games, including some of the different types of rugby.
