What I find really interesting about the UK, is that "the beautiful game", Football, is a very blue collar sport. Whereas Rugby (the game for thugs) is the white collar sport.
In Canada, it is exactly the opposite and in SoCal, football was very much the white collar sport (I didn't see much rugby except for the Argentinians, Aussi's and Kiwis who played on the beach). You had to have money to play in the upper soccer ranks.
My neighbours took us to a Leicester Tigers game and I was really impressed. not the least of which was the behaviour of the crowd and there were actually families there. no bad language or anything. My son has had quite an education going to football games here.
My favourite part of the rugby games, is that when someone is injured, they don't stop the play, the medics go on the field and fix them up around the game.
When the ruggers get a good play going, it is so pretty to watch.
I will always be a die-hard fan of football though. It is in my blood. Go Wigan!
and _michelle... girls play rugby? Have you told anyone here that you played? I get enough strange looks when I tell the dads on my son's football team that I've played all my life. I can't imagine what they'd say about girls playing rugby!