Walrus... "The game is okay when it's moving...". Well, it does move, for sixty minutes. Between "plays", the action stops for a set period of time. During play and between plays, a tremendous amount of analysis and srategy is involved. This ADDS to the game for the fans.

I enjoy rugby too. Although, I find the game sometimes stops far too often. A player is tackled and play is held up for five to ten seconds (depending on code), only to have another player run three yards, or less, and be tackled, stopping play again and again and again. When this happens, for a lot of the 80 minutes, there is a lot of "standing around" for half of each team. As well, I have been a rugby fan for over thirty years and I still have trouble understanding some of the rules, which, apparently, can be "interpreted" by the referee.

In American football, every player is at "top speed" for a full sixty minutes. It is this explosiveness that requires the use of protective gear. It is as much of a game of chess as it is a game of physical prowess. The rules are well defined and calls by the referees can be challenged, with penalty if the call was correct.

I suppose it's like any other game. If you watch it long enough, you begin to understand the skills required. I like both sports.