A Golden Age for Rugby Analysis

I just wanted to say that finally, the new meedja is producing the type of top quality rugby analysis that has been missing from established papers and droning pundits for a long time (forever!). Some of these bloggers are fully amateur and they are producing fantastic analysis and also building real communities online. Examples include:

whiffofcordite.com
dementedmole.com
and last but not least Murray Kinsella's #Analysis articles, such as this one: http://www.thescore.ie/analysis-ireland-wales-kicking-1314533-Feb2014/
Murray's use of the GIF to tease out patterns from games, is brilliant.

Anyone have any other examples, particularly with a not solely-irish bent?

I've always considered my own work on here to be of the highest order.

I may start a blog, if I can figure out what one is.

Green and gold rugby does some excellent analysis,it's an Aussie site so very Super Rugby and Quad Nations focused but they have some really good stuff.

Scott Allen produced a lot of analysis for Green and Gold but has now switched to doing so for The Roar.

In his recent post, he appears to be in conversation with someone called biltongbek (nice one, mate)

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/02/20/roar-rugby-show-episode-1-for-2014/

The sound on that one is terrible. When he has produced his own videos, rather than a roundtable discussion, they have been very professional. His analysis of the Australian scrum has been linked to here on more than one occasion.

The big boost for online analysis has been access to match footage. Using clips to illustrate a point appears to pass the "fair use" test - or else the copyright holders can't be bothered to close down this cottage industry.

Since teams of all flavours do so much video work, I'd like too see more of it in mainstream rugby coverage. We do get some during a match but I think these media outlets are missing a trick by not posting more of it themselves online. Perhaps they are more constrained by rights issues.

Casartelli wrote:I've always considered my own work on here to be of the highest order.

I may start a blog, if I can figure out what one is.

A Blog is the place where failed journalists/gossips go to pretend they're working for CNN

Rugby Fan wrote:Scott Allen produced a lot of analysis for Green and Gold but has now switched to doing so for The Roar.

In his recent post, he appears to be in conversation with someone called biltongbek (nice one, mate)

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/02/20/roar-rugby-show-episode-1-for-2014/

The sound on that one is terrible. When he has produced his own videos, rather than a roundtable discussion, they have been very professional. His analysis of the Australian scrum has been linked to here on more than one occasion.

The big boost for online analysis has been access to match footage. Using clips to illustrate a point appears to pass the "fair use" test - or else the copyright holders can't be bothered to close down this cottage industry.

Since teams of all flavours do so much video work, I'd like too see more of it in mainstream rugby coverage. We do get some during a match but I think these media outlets are missing a trick by not posting more of it themselves online. Perhaps they are more constrained by rights issues.

we did it on skype, my first one, I didn't realise without a headset there will be so much feedback.

Biltong wrote:we did it on skype, my first one, I didn't realise without a headset there will be so much feedback.

Keep doing them. The 606 rugby podcast often sounded dreadful but, when people have something interesting to say, you can get over it. I listen through speakers, though. I suspect dodgy sound quality is more of a challenge through headphones or ear buds.

Rugby Fan wrote:

Biltong wrote:we did it on skype, my first one, I didn't realise without a headset there will be so much feedback.

Keep doing them. The 606 rugby podcast often sounded dreadful but, when people have something interesting to say, you can get over it. I listen through speakers, though. I suspect dodgy sound quality is more of a challenge through headphones or ear buds.

apparantly their's are all done with headphones, so I will know next time.

Just a question. Does anyone know of good stats sites. I know that Opta collect a lot of info and some it goes on widgets that rugby apps can use. It's great the info that they get (e.g. location and time of each action on the field), but most of the sites I see only show you limited info none of which really help you really understand the game.

I know that working with companies to create apps: e.g.
http://aigrugby.challengepost.com/

The question is does anyone know of any good sites.

analysis, and resulting successful prediction will of course always be a special art for which some are more capable than others. For instance using the natural ability to read the game, team strengths and weaknesses in order to foresee who might win, say, the first nine six nations clashes.

That's a special empathy for the game, and anyone with this ability should be highly lauded and their opinions held in the highest regard.