: Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:22 pm  

Union is helpful. I dont know why there is a forum post on it.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:28 pm  

Then don't bother with it.

Many rugby fans RL or RU like to discuss both codes in contrast.

But I do much prefer RL hands down.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:38 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

I simply think, on a game level RL is more enjoyable to watch.

The PR machine with the more established RU is RU's advantage. I'm openly biased towards RL and can't understand why a neutral with sway towards RL or RU could or would prefer the game of RU, Ignoring the platform it's been put on.

I agree with this.

On Saturday I had nothing else to do so I sat and watched the Wales - England RU game. It wasn't as good as a decent Rugby League game but I quite enjoyed it.

I am now worried ........Does this mean RU is improving or are my standards falling? Or am I just getting old and Knackered?

Answers on a postcard.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:40 pm  

King Johns II wrote: English Rugby Union will soon be brought to its knees. With french super 14 comp not having a salary cap. English players are transfering across to France and trebling their wage. This will obviously ruin the English competition. But this could also mean that English Rugby Onion clubs pick off Rugby League players It's started. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 893734.stm

King Johns II wrote: English Rugby Union will soon be brought to its knees. With french super 14 comp not having a salary cap. English players are transfering across to France and trebling their wage. This will obviously ruin the English competition. But this could also mean that English Rugby Onion clubs pick off Rugby League players It's started. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 893734.stm

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:45 pm  

On Sky sports news they said Dan Carter is on a reported 35k a game for his 6 month contract

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:04 pm  

Lots of good points here, and several open minds.

Having brought up in and played league I am concerned at the game these days; it's just about power, percentages and no risk. Consequently there are very few game breakers, it's usually just an arm wrestle until one team overpowers the other. . Even worse, the basic skills seem to be forgotten, looking at the number of basic mistakes made when I've seen recent games. In my view it is not as entertaining as it was.

I agree with most of the points made about Union, but I would point out it's no longer just a game for toffs; there are a limited number of public schools! Obviously the media is full of Union types but that's as much about where it's based as anything else. My honest view is that many genuine League fans are parochial, and many I have spoken to don't want a team in London (though they don't mind an annual trip to see les Cats!)
Likewise many of the officials, are club-centric and don't want to commit resources to Inetnational Rugby. Like them or not, lots of Union people are open minded, happy to steal ideas from league and other sports, and willing to work to support their game.
In the 90's a very senior Union figure told me that Wigan was the greatest Rugby club of any kind anywhere in the world; would that it were still true.....

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:09 pm  

One of the big differences between the codes is the way the people involved think of themselves, if that makes sense.

Union seems to be far more confident in itself, whereas in League it is truly shocking how many people want to talk the game down The fans, media and even administrators all do it

Union people understand the need to project a positive image, lots of League people act like the game is going to hell in a handcart

On this thread and a couple of others recently people have been going on about various Union players being far superior to anything on show in League, thats just another example of the doom and gloom that seems to engulf our sport

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:18 pm  

Hoofer wrote:

Lots of good points here, and several open minds.

Having brought up in and played league I am concerned at the game these days; it's just about power, percentages and no risk. Consequently there are very few game breakers, it's usually just an arm wrestle until one team overpowers the other. . Even worse, the basic skills seem to be forgotten, looking at the number of basic mistakes made when I've seen recent games. In my view it is not as entertaining as it was.

I agree with most of the points made about Union, but I would point out it's no longer just a game for toffs; there are a limited number of public schools! Obviously the media is full of Union types but that's as much about where it's based as anything else. My honest view is that many genuine League fans are parochial, and many I have spoken to don't want a team in London (though they don't mind an annual trip to see les Cats!)
Likewise many of the officials, are club-centric and don't want to commit resources to Inetnational Rugby. Like them or not, lots of Union people are open minded, happy to steal ideas from league and other sports, and willing to work to support their game.
In the 90's a very senior Union figure told me that Wigan was the greatest Rugby club of any kind anywhere in the world; would that it were still true.....

It never has been. As you said, it's just that a lot of people in the "media" who are associated with RU, happen to give off that impression (or more accurately like to think they do). Around Northampton or Bristol RU is very much a "working class" (if you subscribe to that terminology) game.

ru : Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:20 pm  

Their (ru) tackling used to be laughable but now proably due to ex league players their techniques at international level are now proabably as good as rl.
What is amazing is how the drop goal still worth 3 points is not used very often

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:26 pm  

One of the big differences between the codes is the way the people involved think of themselves, if that makes sense.

Union seems to be far more confident in itself, whereas in League it is truly shocking how many people want to talk the game down The fans, media and even administrators all do it

Union people understand the need to project a positive image, lots of League people act like the game is going to hell in a handcart

On this thread and a couple of others recently people have been going on about various Union players being far superior to anything on show in League, thats just another example of the doom and gloom that seems to engulf our sport

Got to agree with that. There is almost an apologetic attitude when it comes to talking up the game of RL from certain adminstrators. The M62 corridor is often used when discussing RL and the game seems to have accepted this and it often comes across as a negative.

As a League fan living in Shropshire, whenever i talk to friends or family about Rugby, the six nations is always mentioned. No matter how often i've tried to explain that there are two forms of Rugby, i always get a shrug of the shouders and a shake of the head, followed by i don't understand rugby anyway.

The game itself or the image has struggled since the last World Cup in 2000. Since then the administration side of the game has been very coy about expanding the game outside the heartlands and appears to like to keep alot of what happens "in house". Even the SuperLeague show has only just been launched nationally, albeit in the early hours! Having said that, any matches played on a Sunday will never get coverage due to the programme being recorded Sunday morning/lunchtime. Compare this to the coverage that the Guinness Premiership gets on ITV4, it's head and shoulders above Boots n All and the SL Show.

If you compare the Sky TV coverage between the two sports, th RU shows always come across as far more proffessional, has more in depth analysis and the commentators are enthiastic about everything in the game. Eddie and Stevo however, rant and rave on about their own thoughts and theories without actually commentating on what's going on on the pitch most of the time, often picking up on the bad points or errors.

With the French Super 14 having no salary cap and having the ability to seemingly throw money at any English RU player wanting to make the move, this could spell danger for RL, as RU clubs could well come a knocking for young RL talent. Their salary cap is already in excess of RL anyway!