h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Rugby Union – an outsiders guide… - A4099539
Author: Fraggle - U174252

Hope this is all okay - I couldn't believe that there wasn't a detailed entry on rugby in the Guide.

Shocking behaviour!

Be nice.

Love Faggle x

Bloody brilliant piece of work, I understand the laws of rugby better than I did when I was married to a a rugby player, the humour was good to, very enjoyable it made what could have been a boring piece a lot more readable.

Just one point re wording the word Shit either omit the word completely or use S**t or Sh!t otherwise it may be chucked out of PR

Still a good piece of work I enjoyed reading it

Oh BTW the bit about the front row and the IQ is correct just don't tell my ex hubby, he played prop and hooker

Cheers matey! I'll make the necessary amendments, I guess I just swear on autopilot these days!

Glad you enjoyed the entry!

Cheers,
F

glad I could help

Just made the changes. The entry is now swear-free except for a "crap" and the odd "bloody". Anyone moans about that, and I'll set Jonah on them...

not Jonah, Brian Moore used to scare me, I met him once he's a nice guy just looks scarey

I once got groped by an All Black in a pub in Twickenham during the 1991 World Cup

Heh, I really enjoyed this entry. As a New Zealander who also happens to be male, I have been forced to learn an awful lot about rugby to the point where I was actually able to take part in conversations at my high school.

For an outsider's guide though, it needs a wee bit of work...

-The 'in most situations' sentence in the first paragraph could probably benefit from fewer commas, like
"In most situations, this would have led to a sound thrashing by the games master (and at least a free kick), but the idea caught on and the new sport was named rugby, after the school at which it was developed."

-The 'see what I mean' useages should be eliminated, as they're first person references

-The IQ reference implies that Carlos Spencer (NZ #10, going to the UK, lucky you) has a normal IQ, and I don't know if I can countenance that

-I thought the field was measured in metres, not yards (ie the 22m line becomes the 25 yard line)

-The references to different rules applying to different teams (NZ forward passes and Scotland lineouts): I understand them as jokes, but an outsider might not. Maybe say
"Passing forward is against the rules and will result in a penalty against you (unless you are the New Zealand All Blacks, in which case the referee misses it and it usually results in a try)."

-Capitalise the first word after the list numbers

-'Twatted' is a fantastic term, don't let anyone change it

-The major point of difference between union and every other form of rugby (league, American football) is that once you're tackled and hit the ground, you have to let the ball go. Don't think that's mentioned specifically anywhere. And speaking of American football, probably worth mentioning that if you don't have the ball, you can't be tackled or blocked from running after it (or indeed, away from it if that's your thing)

-An old term (dying hard in New Zealand) for the inside backs are halfback for #9, first five-eighth for #10 and second five-eighth for #12. Why they're called that I have no idea, but then I don't get 'flyhalf' either - they use drawstrings like everyone else

-In hindsight, that French try was fantastic, even if my thoughts at the time were of a more profane nature

-Maybe move the sections on rugby positions up nearer the top of the entry?

-And it'll read a bit better if put into formal sections, with subheadings and the like

I really like this entry. If you have any influence in the UK rugby world, can you just make sure nobody tackles Jonah too hard on his transplanted kidney? Ta

Matt

Oh, and probably worth mentioning the knock-on rule.

Matt

Great

No mention of differing hairstyles between forwards and backs ?

Or the 'Fat Boys' and the 'Girls' as Mick Skinner used to call them

Hi fraggle,

Great entry - lovely humour. I like it a lot!

Just a few points that had me thinking as I read down through it.

* Exactly when was it invented? The nineteenth century is a bit vague.

* I find the reference to Rugby League superfluous.

* "try line" indicated by H shaped posts? Does this need to be reworded?

* You don't actually describe the main score as a try. Maybe it should also be in the numbered section, because it's one of the best parts of rugby, especially when it's a well organised attack with loads of passing.

* In a conversion the ball does not need to bisect the posts: it just needs to sail over the cross-bar.

* The bit about Gavin Henson and Jamie Noon is a bit too much information. If you are reading it as a non-rugby person you would get a bit lost. I would take it out.

* "suicidally stupid" - murderously stupid more like!

GuideML would help a lot in this case. Some of the comments in brackets would make great footnotes. I love the one about the props and their intelligence.

Regarding GuideML, it's actually really easy. All you have to do for a start is to put the tag before all your paragraphs, and at the end, so "Simple, huh?" becomes "Simple, huh?"

Then, where you have headers, put the tag before it, and afterwards. Actually it doesn't look as if you have headers here. Pssst: They are a good idea.

Where you currently have items in brackets, I would change these into footnotes. Guess what? It's simply a matter of turning this: (or woman – see the entry on Women’s rugby) into this: or woman – see the entry on Women’s rugby

Then, just change the format to GuideML (you'll find the button at the bottom of the Edit Guide Entry page) and voila! A masterpiece!

Where do I find out more, I hear you say (presumptively). Well, good question! Here you go: <./>GuideML-Clinic</.>

Hope that helps. Love the entry!

Woodpigeon

Cheers Woodpigeon. Will make the GuideML changes. Took me bloody ages on my last entry, but got there in the end.

Matt - Love the comments! Thanks matey. I guess I could mention the knock on rule, but I think it would confuse matters even more! Will try and slip it in, as the bishop said to the actress...

I checked the yards/metres thing - you are correct. I am wrong and a fool. About to do a bit of updating, so watch this space...

After the sorry performance on Monday night, I think you Kiwis are going to make extremely fine mincemeat of the Lions when they get to NZ. Be gentle with us...

Frag x

Job done, Ladies and Genitals.

Have a look and see what you think now it's in GuideML and I've made some amendments.

Matt - do you want me to reference you on the All Blacks footnote? Very concerned that I don't get accused of plagarism or unbridled ideas-pinching. What do you reckon? Let me know.

Enjoy.

F x

Looking great You mention the Entry on Women's Rugby, unfortunately if this gets picked for the EG then you'll have to take that out because the Women's Rugby Entry isn't Edited (Editorial matter, we can't mention or link to Unedited Entries )

However, you mention Jonah Lomu and he DOES have an Edited Guide Entry all to himself. To link it in your Entry simply do this Jonah Lomu. Of course the Guide ML 'tags' go around his name in your text...

All in all I love this
Frood

The guideML is a great improvement

Thank you my friend. Only took me until Hell got a bit frosty to get it sorted, but I think it rocks. Later matey!

Frag x

It's a very interesting piece it deserves to be in the guide

"Matt - do you want me to reference you on the All Blacks footnote? Very concerned that I don't get accused of plagarism or unbridled ideas-pinching. What do you reckon? Let me know."

Doesn't worry me in the slightest. All I did was add a couple of words, the idea was all yours. Although it now has a first person reference that needs to be removed...

Like this Entry a lot. Carry on then.

BTW, nobody in NZ is taking the Argentina v Lions result that sreiously, looks like the venerable Sir Clive is offloading a lot of his second-string players on that game (Saint Wilkinson excepted).

Matt

Hmmmm... Could be right, but why risk Wilko geting twatted (there you go, just for you, Matt!) by some bloody huge Argentine? Maybe just to get match fitness. I dunno.

Thanks for the reference thing, I guess if anyone has a pop at accusing me of nicking ideas, I can just point them to this thread.

Will remove the offending first-person now. Enjoy the Lions tour (I don't have Sky and Murdoch's bought the whole series, so it'll be good old BBC radio coverage for me), and don't let anyone hurt any of the Welsh players. We got a Six Nations to defend in a few months' time...

Jonah was on the news today - doing a kiddies' coaching session with Martin Johnson. He looks bloody good for a transplantee. I think I hear the snapping of bones on Saturday, and I don't think they'll be Jonah's...

Cheers,

Frag x

Not that transplantees can't look good, he just has that, erm, "air" about him that he had when he was really on fire in the 90s. Scared the shite out of me and I love the bloke!