: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:27 pm  

When I was well past my league playing days I was asked by several (not high level) union clubs to do tackling training sessions;as I keep banging on about, they were open minded, willing to learn, and I really never encountered any snobbery (this was the early 90's).

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:59 pm  

i am a season ticket holder at salford but my lad plays ru at under 1s level and in training sessions we teach them all aspects of rugby league to incoparate into ru.bu you have to remember in ru if you have the ball the opposition cant score.with regards to the drop goal not being used i think proffesional teams are urged to score trys unless losing with a couple of points with a few minutes to go.both codes can learn off each imo.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:00 pm  

EVERTON1 wrote:

i am a season ticket holder at salford but my lad plays ru at under 1s level and in training sessions we teach them all aspects of rugby league to incoparate into ru.bu you have to remember in ru if you have the ball the opposition cant score.with regards to the drop goal not being used i think proffesional teams are urged to score trys unless losing with a couple of points with a few minutes to go.both codes can learn off each imo.

Start 'em young.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:14 pm  

under 13s i am a fool

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:21 pm  

I fear for RL to a certain extent.

RU has the POTENTIAL to be a better sport. The players are not up to league standard in terms of fitness, but they're getting fitter all the time. Tweak the rules a little, and you have a sport that resembles 'old' rugby league, which to my mind was far more interesting to watch than the British Bulldog-eque game we have today.

All you have to do is look at RU in the Southern Hemisphere. The ruck has quickened up so much that in many cases it's like the play-the-ball anyway with rarely more than 2 or 3 forwards piling in. The rules have been tweaked so as to encourage more attacking play, which has had the desired result, as more tries are now scored. They are even toying with the idea of making the defence stand five metres back from the gain line, whereas at the moment, they are allowed to stand on it. Clearly, this will encourage deep-set attacking play, just like League used to do.

Then all you have to do is look at Shaun Edwards' side, Wasps. OK, they've been less than successful this year due to many personnel changes, but also due to the fact that clubs have cottonned onto his style. He pioneered the 'move forward in a line' (rush) defence technique already common in League. All the other sides have copied it. Union never used to use dummy runners, but they do now.

I used to hate union in the amateur days. We all know what it was like. The ball used to be in the stands more than it was on the pitch. League people still call union for that - well, all I can say is that they've not watched a game of it for a few years. And if that's the case, that makes us no better than the general UK public, encouraged by the union faithful, who like to portray RL as a beer swilling, northern, mudbath.

RL needs to get its finger out. We may have the superior game, but for how long?

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:37 pm  

Quacoe wrote:

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

Correct, and my above post will no doubt lead you to believe that i think the same thing.

The thing is, I KNOW, as do a lot of people that RL is the superior game. It has to be - it's faster, easier to understand than union and the players are fitter.

We're the betamax of sport though. We have the better product, but we're being f*cked over by union's ability to market itself better. They have the media on their side, but do you really, honestly think that this is some kind of accident? Course it isn't! Union make a conscious effort to market themselves. We don't.

What gets me though, is that it isn't hard. We have a start - I speak to a lot of people from all over the country because of my job. They all know I'm based in Wigan, and therefore the conversation always turns to RL. When I tell them my wife is from St Helens, everyone, and I do mean everyone sucks their teeth and ask me how I put up with her, or if they're feeling particularly humorous, how she puts up with me! Trust me, THEY ALL KNOW about RL and they all know about the Wigan V Saints rivalry. This is a great start.

Secondly, a lot of these people I speak to tell me just how GREAT rugby league is. They don't see it much because they never think to seek it out, but when its on TV and they happen to catch it, they watch it and thoroughly enjoy it. Most say it's much better than union. Off the top of my head I can think of one Essex based bloke who said "I love Rugby League" and a pair of St Johns Wood based Jewish business partners that I deal with who said "League is MUCH better to watch". How proud did that make me feel, and I'm just a supporter!

So, we have all these people who claim to think RL is great. We have a start. All these people will read about RL if it is printed and will watch it if it's on the box. Why don't the RFL compel ALL super league clubs to release one press statement per day. The RFL should also release at least two per day. This is exactly what other sports do - the journalists in the nationals don't look for the stories; they're lazy. They rely on stuff being sent to them.

I could go on. I have loads of ideas for the RFL to market themselves that won't cost loads of money, because lets not kid ourselves, the RFL is not exactly flush with cash, are they?

RL has so much potential, but I really fear that if something is not done, and we allow RU to catch up with us, then we're going to find it harder and harder to get noticed.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:14 pm  

I agree Robinson.

Sadly I too fear for the game, and one of the reasons, perhaps predictably is our old friend the Communist Cap.

RU is currently "suffering" from losing players to the French league (where there is no CC in force).

How long before they say "enough" and scrap their cap? More immediately is the likelihood of them turning to RL to fill their vacancies.

RL on the other hand is happier cowering to the likes of Cas and Wakey and dumbing down to their levels.

Still with a chairman like ours who appears to be as tight as a fishes tight bits, then it looks like Wigan RL have no ambition in the "signing stars" department in any case.

If the cap was scrapped we would probably fill our squad with St Pats players.........

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:20 pm  

I wouldnt blame the cap as such, I mean several clubs were very nearly bankrupted, including ours.

In fact I would say that at the moment, a cap is necessary to stop things spiralling out of control.

That's not to say that I actually agree with the cap though. I would love it to be scrapped, but you can only do that if there is enough money in the sport, and you won't get that without sponsorship. you won't get sponsorship without promotion. And without promotion, you won't get fans, which means no sponsorship.

The buck has to stop with the RFL. They need to COMPEL the clubs, IMMEDIATELY to promote themselves by basically, bombarding the media with news. The RFL need to back the clubs by doing the same.

Then, and only then, will be we able to grow our sport to the potential we know it has.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:28 pm  

ROBINSON wrote:

I wouldnt blame the cap as such, I mean several clubs were very nearly bankrupted, including ours.

In fact I would say that at the moment, a cap is necessary to stop things spiralling out of control.

That's not to say that I actually agree with the cap though. I would love it to be scrapped, but you can only do that if there is enough money in the sport, and you won't get that without sponsorship. you won't get sponsorship without promotion. And without promotion, you won't get fans, which means no sponsorship.

The buck has to stop with the RFL. They need to COMPEL the clubs, IMMEDIATELY to promote themselves by basically, bombarding the media with news. The RFL need to back the clubs by doing the same.

Then, and only then, will be we able to grow our sport to the potential we know it has.

I agree there has to be some kind of regulation.

However, a simple Turnover cap (based on the PRECEEDING seasons Turnover) would help to ensure the survival of clubs. Frankly you can never 100% ensure their survival, but that's a seperate debate.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:46 pm  

i am going to upset the apple cart here the problem with regards to 2 games is when you see internationals they are sell outs,because they try and bring through youngsters and no just go for a quick fix ie overrated aussies and kiwis.i am a lover of both games because i am a season ticket holder at salford and my lad plays for orrell rufc.with regards to ru being behind i think you need take a look again they are miles in front with regards to everything media ie