I'm surprised I didn't get beaten up
Background information: I am possibly the least sporty female on the planet, and I am not exaggerating. I'm also now a professional scientist, something which was fairly obvious was going to happen from the age of about 10.

For some bizarre reason one day in PE when we were about 14 our teacher decided to try and teach the bottom set girls rugby. Luckily she went easy on us and only did the basics of throwing and catching. However, I spent the entire lesson trying to explain to anyone who would listen that throwing the ball backwards is illogical using Pythagos' theorem. If challenged I simply moved onto trigonometry.

I'm now 24 and I still think it's illogical to throw the ball backwards in rugby. Nobody has successfully explained to me why it isn't to this day.

Length? Much shorter if you throw forwards!
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 17:47, 18 replies)

Logic doesnt need to come into it. Its simply the rules of that particular game, like no hands in football/soccer and no kicking the ball in netball.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 21:03, closed)

But
the rules don't make sense! It's inefficient. *head explodes*
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 21:46, closed)

yeah, and why don't footballers just pick the bloody thing up
much easier
(Duff Myver, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 23:29, closed)

Exactly
Football doesn't make sense either.
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Sat 21 Apr 2012, 11:02, closed)

It will never make sense
There is a reason the game is played by a bunch of neanderthals with no necks, using a piece of pigskin shaped into a ball that isnt even round.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Sat 21 Apr 2012, 1:15, closed)

They play it in heaven. Well, the men do anyway.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Sat 21 Apr 2012, 17:38, closed)

Don't give me that shit,I've read the bible
the only thing allowed in heaven is telling god how wonderful he is and how much you don't deserve to be there.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Sun 22 Apr 2012, 8:47, closed)

You might have a point actually.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Sun 22 Apr 2012, 20:13, closed)

I think this explains everything
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061013063252AAeGDsn
( Ghoti Fingers, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 21:05, closed)

Sheer brilliance.

(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 21:48, closed)

I believe the answer is...
Because...

Somebody a long time ago was playing silly buggers with rules like 'I know, how about you can only throw the ball the wrong way?' and somehow it stuck.

Daft sport...
(442, Fri 20 Apr 2012, 22:51, closed)

Anybody touches you Little Dog.
You let me know.
I'll make sure they ride a bicycle near Kipper Fillets.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Sat 21 Apr 2012, 12:22, closed)

Thanks
I try to keep my lectures on maths for more willing audiences nowadays though. :p
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Sat 21 Apr 2012, 15:32, closed)

life is difficult, so making sports more difficult will be good training for life.

Why write a poem, when it is so much easier to write prose?
Why make a painting, when it is so much easier to take a photograph?
Why strive for scientific progress, when most of it will end up unseen/unused in some archive?

The truth is, if we would only do things that are the most efficient and logic, life would be even more boring than it is right now (in case you haven't noticed yet, it is). And Rugby, as I was once told, is an art form, designed to generate the utmost creativity in a human, by facing him with impossible obstacles/rules to conquer. So the very reason this game makes sense, is that it does not make sense at all, which is surely more than I can claim for my reply.
( BringYourOwnParachute Meet me here on, Sat 21 Apr 2012, 16:56, closed)

I fell asleep during the only game of rugby I've ever tried to watch.
They need to add some pyrotechnics or something before it might be considered interesting. (And I am fully aware of how boring life is, I'm getting towards the end of 3 months off sick from my PhD and going mad with boredom!)

Besides, I was good at everything else at school so I basically didn't try at sport because it was pointless - my brain was going to get me through life. So in terms of making it difficult to train you for life, it didn't really work!
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Sat 21 Apr 2012, 17:30, closed)

Surely
If you haven't finished your PhD yet then you're a student, and not a professional scientist?
(rockdoctor, Mon 23 Apr 2012, 13:14, closed)

'Management Science' isn't a real science either so she's wrong on that too.

( Pig Bodine., Mon 23 Apr 2012, 15:54, closed)

Debateable
If I left without my PhD I'd get a job in science and therefore be a professional scientist. I also get paid to do science for my PhD. I suppose I'm oddly both.
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Mon 23 Apr 2012, 17:27, closed)