Rugby clash - Northcote vs. Kumeu

[Wazza]

I was at a club Rugby game yesterday. Shot the first 20 images on my 70-300 Sigma, before it broke. And then changed to the 400mm lens I have:
http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/400_3.jpg

Used full manual, shot in jpg, and used mostly ISO 400 and 800, and shutter speed was around 1/320th. The lens is only f8, so very slow. The only problem I had, was out of focus shots, but was just dialling the shutter speed to avoid overexposures.

The home team, Kumeu were smashed, due to the incredible size of the other players. :eek:

Here are a few of the shots.

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote2.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote3.jpg
Only shot shared with Sigma 70-300, ISO 400, 1/500th

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote8.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote6.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote7.jpg
Watch those hands boys.

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote4.jpg
And a pity this shot is out of focus, with the clashing of two big guys

[Skip Souza]

Are you sure that the last one is out of focus. Could it be camera shake from the impact? :lol: You captured a lot of intensity there.
Sorry about the lens. Hope it works out OK.

[PhotosGuy]

Nice shots!

[skade]

Now thats what I like to see... some shots of some nice big Maori fella's! hehehe Cool shots there Wazza!

[RockOne]

Jeez, they're BIG lads in that second last pic ! Nice shots.

[Beeclose]

Nice shots , Typical Rugby , Always kicking the Ball.

[gmen]

Good to see some more rugby here Wazza. I really like the nice tight crops... you'll be dangerous if you ever go for some faster glass!

[Wazza]

I love tight crops also, and as it was a 400mm, on a 1.6x body (640mm), I didn't have much choice!

I would definately like to have a 400mm 2.8, which seem to be the norm amongst pros in New Zealand.

After the game, which my good mate is a trainee physio, doing some extra work, as part of his 4th year Uni degree, we had a kick around ourselves. Got a few shots of these, but it was very dark by then, and was using ISO 1600 and 3200. Very noisy. :)

The guys were only kicking the ball for conversions. I'm sure the All Blacks and Lions match will have a lot of kicking, when they're trying to get themselves out of trouble, or try and gain some territory. Still think wise running, and cunning sidestepping is the way to go. All Blacks look set to slaughter the lions. Their claws have already been trimmed by the Maoris. :p

Anyway, a couple more shots:

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote9.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/northcote5.jpg

--
And myself, I set the camera up for my mate to snap a couple of me "Trying" to kick the ball from the 20metre out, 5metre in from the side.
ISO 3200, 1/320th. My mate did pretty well for the first time. I set the focus up before he shot. :p

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/wazza-kick3.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/wazza-kick.jpg

http://wazz*****scity.com/20d/wazza-kick2.jpg

I'm not a Rugby player, and hadn't kicked a ball for 4 years, since High School. I used to be able to clear 60-70 metres, but struggled to make 40m yesterday. Technique has gone astray. :lol:

[IainB]

Very nice shots Wazza. Could swear the first is Norm Hewitt....but it couldn't be....
Sorry to hear about the Sigma.