Rugby 08

Rugby 08 for EA Sports was a disappointment to me. Although the game improved slightly in gameplay in the areas of rucks, scrums and line-outs the drop goal kicking was ruined by the new mechanic. Now the drop goal button can only be used for drop goals and not for chip kicks like on 06. So now the only way to chip over defenders is with set plays that feature it, which in my opinion kills the organic flow of RUGBY 08 as compared to RUGBY 06. The new drop goal mechanic is horrid! The game is still fun and has updated rosters....just in time to cash in on the IRB RUGBY WORLD CUP hype....way to go EA...bravo! But due to under development, under funding and under marketing of this game in North America, RUGBY 08 will not succeed here. Very unfortunate for a sport with unlimited potential. This game could be one of the most accurate, most intense and most fun games if EA would actually give HB Studios the money and time to work on this game. With minor tweaks to control, AI, scrum, ruck and line-out interaction EA RUGBY could be one of the premier sports franchises on the planet. Let's hope that EA SPORTS realize that Rugby is a sport on the rise and that North American consumers like me aren't the only ones that want accurate depictions of their favorite sports to play on home consoles. So that's an American speaking up for a European sport, I suggest you Europeans do the same or this title will wallow in mediocrity for another 2 years....or even worse, never return at all. So I say if you just want a solid Rugby game to play and don't care about updated rosters, go with RUGBY 06. If you are wanting to play with the WORLD CUP rosters go with RUGBY 08, a great game that suffers from a bad case of EA complacency. RUGBY IS A GREAT SPORT, SUPPORT IT! That means you as well EA, give HB Studios the resources it needs to deliver the greatest Rugby game on earth...and market it to the entire earth....that includes North America where it is developed! Ok, I'm out.