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

We haven't had a little quiz for a while, have we?

OK, the Rugby World Cup event starts at the end of the week. It's hosted in England, but the pre-tournament favourites must be the All Blacks (New Zealand). Other fancied Southern-hemisphere teams are the Wallabies (Australia) and the Springboks (South Africa).

This quiz is about those nicknames.

Can you identify the international rugby teams with the following nicknames? (a few are translated)

1. The Sky Blues
2. The Sea Eagles
3. The Oaks
4. The Pumas
5. The Brave Blossoms
6. The Lelos
7. The Welwitschias
8. The Southern Lapwings
9. The Eagles
10. The Blues

You can choose from the following teams:

Australia, England, Wales, Fiji, Uruguay, South Africa, Samoa, Scotland, Japan, United States, New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga, Georgia, Namibia, France, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Romania.


I'm sure some of you will find this easier than others, but if so, can you name all ten?

Answers and smiley prizes to follow

I can only name one: the Eagles are from the U.S.

Is rugby more like field hockey or hockey?

Sorry, field hockey or *soccer*. It might not be like either, but I played both in high school physical education, so I can at least summon up a little memory as to what they were like....

I think it's like football, Paul. Only with less elaborate armour?

Rugby football is like American football but with the additional rule that you can only tackle someone if they have the ball. This means there is more passing and chasing than in American football.

The other main difference would be that in rugby your offence and defence are permanently deployed.

Oh, and that many teams from the Southern Hemisphere perform a Polynesian war dance before the start of the game (Google 'haka'). Don't miss this.

Oh, now a Polynesian war dance was just what football needed...

Polynesian war dance and football, same thing!

Ok, The definites are:
The Pumas - Argentina
The Brave Blossoms - Japan
The Eagles - United States

So 3 out of 10. Poor for a Rugby Union fan, so here are my guesses on the others (no Google used, as you'll probably notice).

1. The Sky Blues - Tonga
2. The Sea Eagles - Fiji
3. The Oaks - Romania


6. The Lelos - Namibia
7. The Welwitschias - Georgia
8. The Southern Lapwings - Samoa

10. The Blues - Uruguay

Be interesting to see the correct ones.



Here's to the best egg-chasing team.

of course!

MMF

It all starts tonight, so let's call a halt to this quiz.

Your guesses weren't great, MMF - my translations probably threw you there. The correct solutions are:

1. The Sky Blues - Italy ("Azzuri")
2. The Sea Eagles - Tonga
3. The Oaks - Romania
4. The Pumas - Argentina
5. The Brave Blossoms - Japan
6. The Lelos - Georgia
7. The Welwitschias - Namibia
8. The Southern Lapwings - Uruguay
9. The Eagles - USA
10. The Blues - France ("Les Bleus")


Smiley hall of fame:

MMF
Paulh

Whoops:
MMF

Hakas are in the news today

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-34272634?post_id=1772950459599009_1772961436264578

I'm only a short bus-ride away - I'd have gone along to see that had I known

The office has gone wild for the rugby - we have all the nations' flags hanging from the ceiling. Brightens up the place no end.