Could someone please answer a science question for me, because it has puzzled me for a while.

At the Bulls game, Brough was through and in front of the posts, albeit about forty yards out. Semi was alongside him. Now I reckon Brough was nearer to the posts than Semi, and therefore you would think that he would get there first, but I have no doubt that had he not "run the arc" (to quote the bald oaf from Dewsbury) he would have been caught. If Semi is faster than Broughy (although maybe not

), why does running away from him for longer to get to the corner make it less likely that he would be caught. If the chasing man is faster, you would think that running for longer would increase the chance of being caught, but it never seems that way.

Or have I got too much time on my hands?

You could try getting a proper job

If Danny had headed in a straight line to the posts he would have been running parallel with Semi who would have only had to divert his course only slightly. By heading for the corner Danny was maximising the distance between him and Semi by also partly running away from him.

I presume it's because Semi wasn't directly behind Broughy so they actually ran different lines to a distant point. A bit like a scalene triangle with Semi having the longest side to run and Broughy the shortest.?????

The other reason could be that whilst Brough was running an arc (if he was?) it made it harder for Semi to time a tackle?

you all have tooooooo much time on your hands.

who cares he scored and kicked it

Exactly, particularly the second point. Almost impossible to fend somebody directly from behind - if they are quicker than you all they need to do is to get right up to you and grab your collar for an ugly but effective tacking method. Running away brings the hand off into play and gives the ball carrier (if the ball is in the correct hand) another option when the defender gets within range, its probably much easier too to judge the Martin Offiah style hitch kick if the defender dives for your legs from an angle, rather than directly behind.

cas fans use the same technique when running from the old bill

I is all about shifting the trajectory of your momentum in order to evade being tackled. Action from one player will always be quicker than reaction from another.

Broughy is the one who decides to "shift" and in doing so he gains a split second advantage over Tadulala which translates in to a greater distance between ball carrier and defender.

There are many occasions when you will see an attacking player shift trajectory a number of times which has the effect of completely throwing the defender off track.

One of the most scientific threads ever appeared on rlfans

its got naff all to do with scientific theories, I was shouting over here and he just brought to our corner

The corner was nearer for Danny than for Semi, hence he got there first...simple..


I wondered what happened to the winger on the other side who was surely nearer to be able tackle him..

hoping that semi could catch him

Just been lazy, he will get a kicking from the coach when they view the tape.

I like it. I'm not hot on science (or is it maths), and I'm one of those people who thinks that when the petrol gauge is on empty, it is better to get to the garage as quickly as possible rather than drive slowly, but now Broughy's run to the corner makes perfect sense.

I feel proud that I was the cause of the words "scalene triangle" being used on RLfans. Who would have thought it.

i just assumed he was heading for the exact spot that he had pre determined he could guarantee the conversion. semi knew this and was defending the area under the sticks where danny would have less chance.

it was of course my first ever game and im 4

Slugger I'm afraid it's another Douglas Adams moment.

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be".

Man, now we've gone all profound! This forum ain't what it used to be.

you not finished that bloody book yet?

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer.

and i, refuse to be drawn in so easily to the obvious answer retort!

but its er 7 converted tries!

Basically he wanted to prove that he can kick from anywhere and the only way to secure this was to score out wide himself as he had already kicked two (I think it was at that stage) from the other line

Challenge for you Slugger

Use a scalene triangle to solve a crime in your next book

Hence the sidestep sir? A level Physics i wouldn't mind studying



Maybe Hendo could tell us the Physics behind it?....Or maybe not!

Also, if he(Broughy) had turned to go nearer the sticks, he would have changed his running curve from an outside arc, into an inside hyperbola, thus allowing Taddy the opportunity to run an inside parabola, and the point of intersection would more than likely have been the in-field side of the try line.
Danny was obviously remembering his invaluable A level maths lessons when taking on the matter of crossing the said try line, and doing his Calculas, Archimedes, Pythagoras and Quadratic Equations in his head with a huge grin on his chops.