What Rugby League can teach Rugby Union | Rugby Pod Stories

[@TheRugbyPod]

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[@yingyang1008]

The players are so much bigger now that the game has fundamentally changed - exciting back and wing play is what people wanna see

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

No the forwards are the big hitters

[@mindingyourownbe]

You mean league fans like watching mindless play because that's what it is.

[@haydenlawrie7130]

@@mindingyourownbe The set plays in league are way more complex IMO, both games have their merits. As a forward myself, union is a way more relaxing game to play because I don't have to worry about my opposite number running at me from 20 metres away but I love the high speed and impact challenge of league

[@Bennyy19]

That's the problem w people like u, you want to see flashy things and not appreciate the defensive side of the game lmao go watch basketball if u want end to end scoring, literally shit i love the beauty of union when it comes to defending we don't want that nonsense cricket scores in our game.

[@samacw]

Union keeps taking from league anyway - defensive drills, 40/20 kicks, attacking kicks, goal line dropouts and so on. Union's problem isn't time wasting, but officiating being centre stage too often and the fact that rucks/tackles are now so weird and the stupid jackaling that goes on. I swear referees decide most scrum penalties at random.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

😂😂😂 if anything it's league who took Union players, attack drills etc... Too bad it's still a boring sport, with 6 tackles and kick Agreed on the randomness of referees though

[@dominicohearn8547]

@@NoName-hg6cc lmao... you can't even get it right. It's 5 tackles. 6 tackles and you've just turned the ball over. Clearly, you've never even watched a game of league in your life. Maybe do a bit of research next time you feel like making another thoroughly clueless comment.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

@@dominicohearn8547 I did few, I found them boring. I watch Union To say Union copy line out from League...did you guys watch Union like EVER?

[@dominicohearn8547]

@@NoName-hg6cc ohhh... riiight... you don't watch either, do you? Either that or you're illiterate. You think he was talking about the lineout. He specifically said 'goal line dropout'. Which, along with the rest of the things he mentioned, and the standard X-shape attacking structure, is something that league implemented first and rugby borrowed later (after bringing across as many league coaches as possible like Andy Farrell, Kevin Sinfield, Kevin Walters etc. - weird how that never seems to go in the opposite direction, almost like rugby really has nothing to teach league).

[@commentarytalk1446]

This sums up the problems of Union: It's a poor game design of League at this point in time. The Jackalling is painful to watch when 2 players compete a lot of the time and it ends in penalty for one or the other eg holding onto the ball or not releasing the tackler or the attacking player runs forwards and gets Jackalled thus deterring running forwards but snaking backwards to present the ball back or burrowing or just kicking-tennis... Worse than the dead-time and is the referee's heavy and random influence and penalty points score board.

[@dod6031]

Rugby League was established because the public school toffs couldn’t stand the idea of having to play and possibly lose against working class miners and factory workers so they banned professional teams and players. Thats why rugby league was invented, the rule changes took place to make it a more attractive viewing product so that people would pay to come watch it as the rugby league clubs relied more on ticket sales than union ever did.

[@Grumpy_Hobbit]

Played both union and league. Different games stylistically. I would say league is more brute force and union is more finesse but loved playing them both. No need to combine them though. Just need to get rid of the expectation that injuries and accidents can be prevented and just fucking play the game.

[@naytefors1047]

I've played union all my life. I can understand people's lack of interest. The problem is the scrum. It takes too long

[@foreignwarren7361]

😂go back to America man....the scrum is awesome, it's all strategy, the main thing league is missing.

[@rubendutoit586]

Not just that, new rules and tmo is killing the game

[@foreignwarren7361]

No its not! Only fans on losing teams say that shit@@rubendutoit586

[@moptopbaku6022]

@@foreignwarren7361 The scrums are a joke nowadays. Far too time consuming and when was the last the ball went in straight?

[@foreignwarren7361]

jeez so impatient... @@moptopbaku6022

[@Zentrum234]

As a fan from Germany I only knew Rugby Union for the longest time. Ever since I learned about 1895 and the existence of Rugby League I can‘t get enough of League. I wonder though why both codes don‘t try to reunify. The reason for the split were different opinions on the issue of professionalism. Since Union has allowed professionalism in the 90s there is no reason (imo) to keep up that split. All it does cannabilise the sport. Given that Rugby has to compete with so many professional sports nowadays, it is not a wise move have „infighting“ in Rugby. As I mentioned, I‘m not from a Rugby nation. However, a few years ago, a German TV station did broadcast the Six Nations tournament. The next year there was no broadcast anymore… Friends of mine who gave Rugby a chance told me they didn‘t like it. They thought the game was overly complicated and slow. The line-outs were cool, they said, but they hated the scrums, rucks and mauls. I‘d love to see both codes come together and come up with a mixture of the two, to form a new and faster version of the sport. Maybe make it 11 on 11 with line-outs and uncontested scrums. Keep the scoring from Union, but the six tackles from league. As long as there are two versions of the same sport, neither will be a big hit outside a few countries, unfortunately.

[@springwater5221]

The league scoring system is better because it's lower. League is simply the better code. Get rid of the set restarts, the athletes are simply more superior in league because the roles aren't as compartmentalised as it is in union and nfl. Union simply has too many players on both the field and the bench and you're allowed to be fat and play union.

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

Because you can't simply merge them. Either one sport adopts the rules of the other or you create a new sport entirely and go from 2 sports to 3. Also if you can't get enough of league like you said, you should know that the biggest difference is the play-the-ball not the tackle count. The latter is the consequence of the former, and in fact every single rule change in Rugby League can be traced back to being a consequence of the play-the-ball (the first major change League made decades after it split. The problem with your hybrid model is that when you begin to adopt only some things from League you'll just end up back to where League used to be x amount of years ago, and progress back onto a path where League is at currently. People forget that Rugby League initially adopted every single rule from Rugby Union. People also forget that Rugby Union has been getting more like Rugby League every year since 1995.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Look up hybrid rugby. There's been all sorts of matches were they play Union in 1 half then league in another half. Then there's a game where one half of the field uses union rules & the other uses league. I guess the 2 union men from each team wait at mid field. Then there's games where they use a mix of both codes.

[@benstewww]

As a young league fan i wouldn't want to merge with union for one simple reason which is the way that the union governing bodies have constantly tried to destroy league especially in northern England and southern France where the working class have constantly been oppressed varying from every league player being banned from playing union to it being banned in schools to even the Nazis trying to eradicate league entirely from France. And in no way do associate these acts to the current union players/fans (although there are still afew who would like to see the end of league) i beleive there is too much history to just throw away and forget.

[@mechkota]

@@Jamie-ye7fu Are this two codes in competition for the same athletes or they are different enough so you need different type of athleticism and skill to be good?

[@justgold4113]

1st Here's a small list on how to speed up the game, in no particular order. Also some points on making it more attractive. 1. If line out is uncontested and throw is not straight. Play on. 2. Allow the quick tap of a penalty anywhere behind the line of the mark. 3. 30 sec for penalties/conversions 4. Much less power to TMO. Cannot interrupt the game unless very serious. 5. Reassess the head contact rules, too many accidental head contact situations being severely punished and slowing game down due to the whole investigation thing happening. 6. Premiership ticket prices are getting ridiculous, paid £80 recently to go watch Bath. 7. Agree on reducing points for penalties/conversions/drop goals 8. Bring back cheerleaders. PC or not 9. Get rid of Player of the Match. Its Man or Woman of the Match 10. Have academy/ladies games before the main game. 11. Scrum is reset once, then free kick at next infringement, which can not be opted into a scrum. 12. Penalties can not be converted to scrums in opposition 22 13. Introduce meet the players at games after match 14. Allow public training sessions 15. Introduce competitions for spectators at half time. 16. Live stream games from respective clubs' website for a tiny fee, say £3-£5 Add on as you see fit

[@dexbarry7715]

Great list, fully agree, it’s really not rocket science

[@billbobby461]

I disagree with 11 and 12, a team with a weak scrum will happily take the free kick over a scrum penalty why punish the scrummaging team. I think a better solution is 1. Not to penalise a scrum that has went 2 meters and collapses with the ball at the back 2. Just like NFL the league should provide financial incentives for behaviour they desire, pay props for dominant scrums. I.e 10k for any prop who has 50 scrums in succession that don't collapse or reset before the ball is put in.

[@jay13thstep]

The tv coverage needs serious thought. I like union (it’s the only sport I watch), but I’ve had to cancel BT Sport as it’s just not value for money anymore. I used to be able to watch all games, but now it’s split across so many platforms I just can’t keep up. So yes that combined with how painfully slow the game is now, I’ll just go back to watching the odd international. I don’t understand why the game is eating itself alive when there’s so much potential there - it feels like the game is on thin ice atm.

[@natedonatoza]

Points 8, 10, 13,14 and 15 is already something that's been happening down here in South Africa, and I will agree, I've watched live matches here (Sharks at Kings Park) and just those points that I've made alone makes a world of difference with the live experience when watching a rugby match, truly something that needs to be implemented worldwide

[@justgold4113]

@@jay13thstep Yes same, I have had to resort to naughty sites to get my rugby, it starts getting ridiculously expensive to just watch a few games a weekend.

[@alliedatheistalliance6776]

If you could reunite the codes, how would you combine the rules? And how would you go about merging the leagues and ruling bodies etc?

[@vicophysco8885]

I don’t think you “unite the codes” Both would just whinge about it , I think you bring league under world rugby , So then world rugby controls 15s ,13s and 7s rugby . Atleast then both codes stop fighting and pool there resources to move the “game rugby forward “

[@NoName-hg6cc]

We need one set of rules: Union's

[@justinhollis5579]

@@NoName-hg6cc Why do you want do bankrupt two sport in Australia?

[@NoName-hg6cc]

@@justinhollis5579 Why would you want two sport to be an international insuccess?

[@justinhollis5579]

@@NoName-hg6cc Well I don't... short of the Pacific Islands, and that's mainly because it ensures the continued talent drain on the All Blacks and Wallabies, I have no interest in International anything in League.

[@georgebrett1738]

Would never work in Union, but the 10 metre rule in league is just class. Massive hits occur so much more. All we need now is to bring back the shoulder, and bring back the biff.

[@MoldyTableLeg]

4:33 - 4:41 this for me is so true I’m a union man and at this point it bothers me to hear the same chants over and over usually the chants are just the teams nickname on repeat and you hardly ever hear swearing that’s one thing I think league does really well

[@chrisphillips916]

Late to this, but as a dual code household (wife Union, me League) I can at least tell you where I think Union is superior and inferior. Union suffers from the following - far too much kicking. Too many impossible to understand rules. Too much time with the clock running while the ball is out of play. Too many players shambling around getting a breather while league players literally can't get going quickly enough after a whistle. Calling for the mark (this one is a particular shocker). Scrums are absurd. Mostly the trouble boils down to obscure rules requiring a PhD to comprehend and far, far too much dither and delay. League's basic conditions of fewer players and limited tackles mean it is more conducive both to good rugby and to entertainment. Its relative lack of nuance means there's less obscure specialisms - most competent big lads up front could fulfil any forward's role, minus hooker. Backs are a bit different but I find that the basic ball handling, tackling and running skills are much, much superior in League. Union has handling errors which just don't exist as often in League. This wouldn't matter so much but Union sees ridiculous delay whenever the whistle blows. League is relatively one-dimensional, but no-one ever asked for a sport to become more complicated. And this is not to give the impression that all League games end 36-28, cos they don't. This is because defences are strong. You watch a closely matched State of Origin contest and not only will the score generally be something like 6-6 at half time, but you will also be watching the most intense and high quality top level sport which exists anywhere on earth. But league is going somewhat in the wrong direction and needs to be careful, but that's another post. Most of all in union I would recommend that it goes through the rules and abandons 90% of them, punishes dithering and disincentives kicking. But most of all it is down to the referee to keep his nose out and for the players to get a bloody move on now and again.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

Scrums, lineout, kicking are part of rugby. League matches are boring, one team if often in the lead by then and that's about it.

[@kenjones6441]

Well said, agree entirely with Chris Philllips

[@kenjones6441]

@@NoName-hg6cc. You must be thick.

[@passy99]

Chrisphillips916 you nailed it.

[@moptopbaku6022]

@@NoName-hg6cc It's not called Yawnion for nothing. There is far more action in League and far more actual live ball time.

[@kennethmaguire3136]

We need just one rugby code. Both codes need to reunite. It would be good.

[@JRPete]

If that would happend I suggest keeping league rules with changes 1. 14 players, 10 interchange 6 tackles 2. Union ruck only after a scrum 1st hit up. 3. Line outs only from a 40/20 or 20/40

[@EzzyKay-eq8di]

One difference between union and league that is often overlooked is the defence line. In union the defensive line is directly behind the tackle while in league the defending team goes back 10m before coming forward to defend the next play. Correct me if I'm wrong

[@geoffhiggins742]

It's more important to find out what Union can "unlearn" from League. Mainly height of tackle /smother tackle obsession and the blatant obstruction /interference of the double attacking lineup when the ball goes through the backs.

[@albertocabrera6880]

Soft

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

Could say the same thing the other way. The ban of the shoulder charge in League to make it look like we were taking safety as seriously as Union has only increased the volume of absorbing smother tackles because it's unrealistic to be dominant in a tackle without it thus needing another way to slow the ruck. Meanwhile, pod running is something that is in League that was influenced by Union and made tries way less satisfying.

[@bittersweet340]

Got ur fog glasses on I see 🤩There is more league influence in rugby now a days but the the two games still have their unique identity that will not change.

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

​@@bittersweet340 Union gets more like League every year and has done for the past 20. Momentum rule was the biggest one, but also speeding up the ruck to the point that it's now basically impossible to lose, the scrum were made safer making it way more annoying and pointless, plus goal line drop outs and 50/22s. Completely different game to when you watch an old vid from the 90s.

[@bittersweet340]

@@Jamie-ye7fu I agree.. the drop out are two contrasting views in my book in league u force the repeat set from the opposition, in rugby the defensive team needs to deny the opposition and hold them up in the in goal.. in rugby it can relieve pressure, in league it gives the attacking advantage to pressure the defending team.

[@kenjones6441]

Union obviously learns from League which is why there are ex League player coaching at top Union clubs and Countries and no Union players coaching in League. The best thing that Union can take from League is cut down the number of players on the pitch. There is no need for 8 players in a scrum as whoever puts the ball in gets it back. This is the same as League but in League it only takes 5 seconds to do this where in Union it takes several attempts taking minutes not seconds. Anyone watching the NRL final this year would never watch a game of Union again. Amazing really and one of life’s greatest mysteries, just how is Union more popular than League.

[@elchapothedon4967]

Pretty simple why union is more popular. The pinnacle in league is State of origin. You also have league players chopping and changing international teams as they please. One year they're playing for Samoa the next they're playing for Aus/kiwis. When they continue to put money in state of origin instead of international league. It'll never be bigger then union. Look at all the top international teams in union. NZ, South Africa, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Argentina, Australia( well use to be). And other teams like Japan, Scotland, Italy, Fiji, Uruguay and Portugal are only getting better every year.

[@Bennyy19]

​@@elchapothedon4967the fact that Chile and alot of south American countries and Portugal are making name for themselves in union shows how good and better the sport is

[@mrpappageorgio8311]

Union is older than league so how does that work?, rugby league has only recently become a legitimate sport league players are drug addict woman bashers who end up suicidal

[@mitchellsmith300]

@@elchapothedon4967 You're literally saying union is more popular because it is more competitive internationally because it is more popular. Bruh

[@ins1demanwhitaker527]

I've tried getting into Rugby Union. The game is boring. Teams pause at the ruck having a breather, then kick. The forwards are too big and heavy. It's like watching in slow motion. Too many players on each side. You need to see more 1 on 1 situations for excitement. Too many fouls, to slow the ruck. Scrums often take 2 goes to get going. Also in the UK its got a reputation as being a sport for the upper class. This doesn't help.

[@linalmeemow]

Just watch rugby league if these things are important to you...

[@ins1demanwhitaker527]

@@linalmeemow k

[@mrchico2621]

@@linalmeemow He's right though. Rugby fans often go on about the "variety" of RU as a positive thing, but the reality is nobody enjoys all the shitty elements of the game that make it slow and boring to watch.

[@linalmeemow]

@@mrchico2621 Lots of people enjoy the forward play. If you don't like it you can hardly call yourself a fan of the game.

[@mrchico2621]

@@linalmeemow I didn't specifically mention the forward play. But regardless if that many people enjoyed it that much it would be much more popular than it is.

[@AlhamdulilJesus]

Penalties 1 Convertions 3 Drop goals 2 Kicking to touch on the full in the 22 should be a free kick

[@samacw]

Watch how many more penalties that would generate!

[@NoName-hg6cc]

​@@samacwexactly

[@LomuHabana]

@@samacw agree kick and a penalty aren’t the same thing.

[@LomuHabana]

Like it, apart from conversation 3 points, let it stay at 2.

[@gv3307]

Reduce some penalties to free kicks will improve rugby, drop goals are good

[@militaryexpert9706]

brilliant podcast love it

[@mrwelshmun]

I do agree with all of this except the NFL style entertainment

[@tinasherusike7458]

Just look at NFLs ratings. No one there is complaining about entertainment unlike in union where it seems like Ardie Savea is the only one with a personality

[@LomuHabana]

That’s because the audience is different. Americans often love entertainment more (or as much) as the sport. That is different for the audiences of most other football codes. And Ardie the only one with personality? What is personality to you then? I hope not those ret*rded dances and celebrations you have in the NFL and soccer?

[@Couldabean]

The women's game is phenomenal to watch. Heaps of action, not to much time wasting. Real contrast in styles at test level and super rugby Aupiki. From a biased fan of the women's game!

[@ianarnett]

Absolutely correct, that is where rugby Union should be looking to!

[@ARandomGuy24]

It's because what's best to win isn't necessarily what's best for the fans. Women's NRL is the closer in style to 90's/80's back before players started playing more boring to win game.

[@hvalleydude922]

Time wasting is a huge problem in Union. I think the clock should stop as much as possible during a match (after tries, knock-ons, before dropouts, etc.); and refs should be aggressive in getting teams to restart play in a timely manner. As it stands now, continuous play (which I think is the most exciting the game gets) is rare, and teams actively try to stop play. If we get more ball in play , we will get more tired players, more mistakes, more variation, and more excitement. An added benefit in my opinion is that a slower game is more conducive to playing with huge players as it gives them plenty of rest time. Huge players are exciting, but also make for more dangerous collisions. A faster pace of play means you can incentivize smaller, fitter, faster players. Collisions will be a bit safer and the game will be more exciting.

[@Bennyy19]

No you just don't want to have beautiful defensive games, go watch league or basketball we don't want end to end tries and cricket scores all the time the beauty of defence is one of the main reasons why boks have the most wcs and why it essential to the sport, don't blame the sport for your 6 Yr attention span.

[@titoelcolombiano]

Rugby Union a global powerhouse 😂😂😂😂 good one

[@Richard1H65S]

Heaps of comments about how union is bigger and does not need to try and make the game more entertaining due to it being bigger. Fact- Most union comps around the world have sold of parts of the game to stay solvent. Union clubs around the world dropping like flies. Fact- there is red ink all over the club game off Rugby Union. Healthy sustainable leagues don't sell of the furniture to stay solvent. Union needs to make the game more entertaining, its time to get your head out your ass and improve the product. There is only so much furniture you can sell before the game goes broke. Time for change.

[@naytefors1047]

No football is a bad example of crowds

[@liammelia6843]

You skipped a lot here though in history. RL split due to professionalism, not purely to make the sport more appealing. That came afterwards. RL for about a century had contested scrums and .... rucks aka play-the-balls. Watch games from the 70s or 80s and you'll see that defenders could 'strike' at the play the ball and win the ball back. It essentially took RL a century to get where it is now where scrums are just a formality and the play-the-ball is just a restart. This was not the case from the outset. The 10 metre rule in RL means that there's a lack of nuance at times and there's no real forward play to speak of other than carting the ball up and 'winning' the ruck, ie getting up faster than the defenders and playing the ball quickly so the dummy half can steal some yards. You'll see teams in the ascendency often make 50/60 yards simply from a few quick rucks and runs from dummy half, particularly if the outside backs come in against tiring forwards. While this is fast, I personally don't find it that entertaining. Once you know what's happening, you see the relative lack of sophistication in that type of play: forward takes it up, tries to get up quicker than the defenders and play the ball as fast as possible, winger, centre or full back run from dummy half against a few front rowers. It's a bit repetitive and not that creative. I do love RL but it can get monotonous. I prefer watching games from the 90s when they still had some semblance of a scrum and they had a 5 metre rules. Attackers had to work harder, offload more etc, to work their way forward. RU: yes, the ruck and scrum rules are a mess and I really struggle to understand almost all scrum penalties and 30% or so of ruck penalties. As regards personalities. Double-edged sword, NRL may have them but off-field antics of NRL players were an absolute embarassment to the sport in the 2000s and you see a lot more outright problematic behaviour from NRL players than from Union players. If RU can simplify the ruck, make scrums quicker, easier and less of the penalty-fest that they currently are, they'll be making some progress.

[@commentarytalk1446]

League has iterated over time: Streamlining the game, the rules and increasing the spectator value. Modern NRL is overall awesome: There's a bit of a divide between top teams but the draft helps over time. A lot of people say it can be monotonous but if you play League, you realize how much fun it is to play for the players and how tactical the drives by the forwards are with quick downs. If you play it then watch it, I think League then ends up being better fun to watch as well as NRL quality being a lot higher than the English Super League (and conditions are better for handling!). 10m is 100% ESSENTIAL too for the modern athletes. If you ever played Touch Footie (league but touch not tackle and no kicks) you'd realize top athletes need 10m back as well. Union dies with the behind the no.8 defensive line and more players on the pitch and Jackalling increase risk instead of kicking tennis. Union either has to do what league did: Shed flankers or make the pitches bigger in width and length to regain space with such enormous and fast athletes everywhere. Then again League has nailed the rolling subs limitations so avoid that but Union there's usually someone scraped off the pitch each match...

[@NoName-hg6cc]

​@@commentarytalk1446Union is a great game and growing. The physicality is unmatched and it doesn't need silly rules like 10 metres or being 13 with 5 tackles and then kick There is a reason it's played in lots of countries...whereas League is played in one country

[@commentarytalk1446]

@@NoName-hg6cc One big advantage is the continuous play and another is the variety from that eg maul, recycle, set moves and phases etc. Also player body types broaden appeal across demographics. With those advantages explained, the game design currently is poor. And league is refined and more reliable spectacle. Solution is Bigger Pitches for Union - it's taht simple and then a few alterations after.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

@@commentarytalk1446 The game design is perfect with the structure of the game. League's boring. I'm intrigued on your bigger pitches proposal though. I wonder if it could be a good solution and what are the downsides of that

[@notmenotme614]

The last rugby union game I went to see, literally the last 10 minutes was taken up by 1 scrum that kept in collapsing or moving around so had to be restarted. Also why is rugby union in winter? That game was so cold I couldnt wait to leave and go indoors to get warm. Most rugby league games are over the summer months. If you’re from Yorkshire or Lancashire, rugby league also has a unique connection to your heritage

[@AHomelessShoe]

I really think that a hybrid of the two sports could work. Keep leagues fast pace, but bring in the scrum from union.

[@Raggsy_The_Wire]

So many good points made

[@blakedickenson2394]

I’ve grown up watching rugby league, so naturally I prefer it to union. But in saying that, I do enjoy union and like it. But from my point of view, the game is just way too over officiated. 95% of the time the ref blows a penalty, I don’t even know what it’s for. And then with those penalties, teams obviously go for goal because it’s 3 points. This makes for an extremely boring viewer experience. I do respect union and enjoy the tactics of the sport. But for the reasons mentioned above, I just find it too hard to fully get into

[@mindingyourownbe]

So you watch a union game and don't understand the refs calls? If you could understand the rules, you would appreciate union but because you like a simple game with simple rules, you side with League and that's ok.

[@sarutochigcp937]

"We need to learn from football". I get we want to increase viewership and fanbases, football is not what we want to inspire ourselves from. Remember fans have to be kept separate in football and abuse of players is rife. Also, I get we lack chants in English rugby, but go to France and you immediately get more ambiance. That's what we need to inspire ourselves from. Not the football mentality.

[@9NVRJC51]

Yeah but atmospheres are a lot better in football than rugby, in Britain at least. In that way rugby could definitely learn from football. Football is by far the most popular sport so to not learn from it is stupid. Doing this doesn't mean fans need to start knocking shit out of each other.

[@fumie4996]

@@9NVRJC51 just typical union snobberism

[@jeanetteglacken7004]

In Australia, the crowds for Rugby league ( and Australian Rules/AFL/ football) are close to 50 % female, hence families. Soccer attracts the hooligans.

[@devotoderamakrishna]

I think it would be very positive if you try a game of sevens, with four quarters of 15 minutes each. In this we would have sixty minutes of Union play, with the emphasis on League's hand game. That could be tried.

[@kenjones6441]

7s is boring. Try watching the NRL 10s competition which still has great tackling.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

@@kenjones6441 7s is not boring.

[@commentarytalk1446]

7s is a much better game than 15s both for playing, spectators and sheer economy of time spent being entertained. I'd say 7s gives NRL a run for it's money but NRL has a consistent large tournament delivering every week whereas 7s has been relegated by World Rugby and other Union. Should have set up a 7s league and televised it as an alternative to Union and then professionalized it at club level. 7s tournies are better with more teams and more matches squeezed in also and eg Cup, Shield, Bowl sub-tournies etc. But aside from World Series, NRL is best rugby right now week-in and out.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

@@commentarytalk1446 Union is still the best rugby, 7s is the next best thing

[@ashleysoudah]

- make penalty kicks and drop goals two points each. - stop the clock once ball is out of play until ball is live again (thrown in lineout/ ball put in scrum etc). - no repeated scrum resets: after one reset if followed by a second automatic freekick against most obvious offending team. - have rolling replacements for forwards only like league to keep them more fresh who can come on and off as many times as coaches want (monitored by touch judge not ref to prevent delays). - max 3 players from each team per ruck - would encourage fast/ cleaner rucks and discourage mass bodies in rucks/ lying on ball/ slowing down. Offence leading to immediate quick tap freekick where ball is located. - *controversial suggestion*: successful penalty kicks get 2 points. Unsuccessful penalty kicks lose 2 points. - can only score one try directly from a driving maul per half (ie still bound to mall once try is scored). - try scored from when crossing into opposition 22 without a ruck (another phase - ie all part of same phase) scoring team gets 2 point conversion automatically (like penalty try) to encourage keeping ball alive when in "red zone".

[@stephonford1250]

Some of the ideas are great others are just bizarre but at least you're trying to innovate unlike world rugby. The laws they change year in and year out are tone deaf to the requests of fans.

[@ashleysoudah]

@Stephon Ford which ones do u like most?

[@jakeclough8090]

the first 3 are good. I mean players do need some rest bite between plays so maybe a 30 second clock for drums and line outs instead of pausing but it’s not bad. The fourth is ok but I like managers having to manage their players more and it makes forwards improve their fitness. And then sorry but the rest are stupid lol. Like teams rarely commit more than 3 players each to a ruck, and rucks these days are very quick, usually under 5 seconds, the french rucks average under 2 sometimes. The missed kick one is ridiculous sorry. The maul one is irrelevant because not many teams maul it that often and if they do they’re usually the weaker teams so it makes it even harder for them to score. And the last one is a bit ridiculous as well

[@NoName-hg6cc]

Heck no

[@ashleysoudah]

@@jakeclough8090 ye of little faith

[@johnmirabella1329]

Would rugby Union be more exciting to watch if forward passes were legal?

[@volemar]

It is called ameeican football 😂

[@danielemerson312]

One thing Rugby Union could do that would be very healthy for the sport's future - stop throwing money you can't afford to lose at headline-chasing signings and overinflated wages for massive squads. The pinnacle of the English game has managed to lose two entire clubs in one season, with a few more eying the abyss. And that's healthy compared to Wales, Scotland or Australia. The All Blacks are running out of credible opponents, with South Africa eying Europe and the Pacific Islands losing talent to Rugby League at a rate not seen before. Swallow the pride, strut a little less, accept some tough long-term decisions.

[@n-tertainmentx-tended4760]

And yet the Super league is far less entertaining than the Heineken Cup.

[@yurkshirelad]

Right, copy league where tackles are always high.

[@MbisonBalrog]

Problem with rugby union is too many games competing with each other. Autumn nations, Six Nations/Euros Champ. And too many teams over small area with less population.

[@tonyalways7174]

Time limits on everything - lineouts, scrums, penalties, conversions- and stop the tactical magic sponge treatments of ‘injured’ players and get rid of the TMO nonsense.

[@MbisonBalrog]

If Union really has so little time with ball in play why not have commercials? Players get more money attracts youth to play.

[@alexbarclay9615]

Am I the only person who finds League tedious and dull? Comparing it to union is like draughts and chess or BTECs to PhDs, there is only going to be one winner if you have the brains. Also league is simpler but there is already a massive sport that’s simple and that’s football

[@eddiebell5181]

Get rid of rolling mauls... often teams rely on these to score... basically get a penalty... kick out near the touch line, win the line out ball, create a large maul... often bringing in backs to help... and push. The rules are such that they are virtually impossible to stop... the ball is 2 players away from a defender, collapse it and you can get a penalty try and a player sin binned from the defending side. Of everything including the two sets of fat blokes taking ages to set scrums this is the thing that makes Rugby no spectacle..

[@mrchico2621]

You're spot on, the whole concept of the driving maul from a lineout is just peverse. If a team even dares try to stop it they are mercilessly punished by the referees, as you say. You have to just let them walk over the line and score to avoid being penalised 🤦‍♂ It desperately needs addressing. Of course nothing ever gets done about it, they'd rather obsess over tackles being below bollock height or whatever.

[@mindingyourownbe]

Joke - a rolling maul will show you which team has more brute and power. If the maul can move then your team isn't strong enough and aren't quick enough to stop it. Beauty of having speed and strength in a team. League only has........I don't know 🤷 I can't sit here all day and try and explain things.

[@smartiepancake]

Some good points, many awful ones and you missed the elephant in the room

[@JKMeZmA]

Agreed, a lot of ideas that are really cringe and would probably make me not wanna watch. I don’t want to see rugby chants or a muppet running about in a costume. I would like to see an NHL style gamesmanship rule set, where in hockey, if a player is seen to be diving, faking or having unsportsmanlike conduct in order to better their teams position, they are punished. No more diving after you get lightly whacked or mucking around to try milk a penalty. Would definitely keep folks focused on the game and how they’re doing than trying to get favour.

[@geoffhiggins742]

@@JKMeZmA Faking and diving and other unsporting behaviours are a direct result of yellow and red cards being introduced. Remove them and the need for such behaviour is immediately unnecessary.

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

A true indictment of Union in Australia they have a far more interesting game, honestly rugby league is almost as boring as soccer. Get your school rivalries going that is where rugby starts in South Africa

[@cooperhaynes2691]

Mate rugby league is soooo entertaining the recent gf was one of the best ever

[@MbisonBalrog]

Why keep saying need speed up? Union already continuous unlike NFL plus scrums, rucks, mauls give variation. Be boring if just run and tackle.

[@danieleyre8913]

Why would Union need to learn anything from the biggest failure of a professional sport in the world?

[@summervincent7312]

u wish

[@danieleyre8913]

@@summervincent7312 I wish _what?_

[@tomhall799]

It fails because Union has done everything to make it illegal. Look at UAE and Vichy France for examples. If they didn't feel threatened they would've left it alone

[@ThistleThings]

Only rugby union could ignore THE BIGGEST SPORT IN THE WORLD and try and learn from even smaller sports

[@SpuddersSpud-ps6dd]

Think it's more about comparing it with other collision based sports (especially with the other rugby code). It definitely could do with football's rivalry though.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

The biggest and full of hooligans

[@paulthomson2288]

There's very little that league can contribute to improve union. The statistics mentioned here are meaningless. Yes Union is in crisis but trying to emulate league will completely kill the game. Competition for the ball is what made union unique and entertaining and phoney scrums and stupid limits on possession with tackle counts is rubbish. Was league game designed by Marxists?

[@summervincent7312]

god save the queen! oh its the big eared king hey.

[@MichaeldeSousaCruz]

This is ridiculous 🤷‍♂️

[@elis352]

Just get rid of penalty kicks, conversions and drop goals all together. No one wants to watch a player kick the ball from 40m out. It will make the score system easier. You shouldn’t lose a game of rugby if you have scored 3 tries and opponents have scored 1 but kick 5 penalties

[@elis352]

And the referee is ruining the game by looking at the TMO every decision. It should only be used for a try

[@elis352]

Get rid of all kicking for points, drop goals, conversion and penalty kick. No wants to watch a player kick a ball from 40m out. You shouldn’t lose a game if you scored 3 trys and opponents have scored 1 try and 5 penalties kicks

[@NoName-hg6cc]

Yeah no. How about league start contest for the ball? And it get rid of the 5 and kick/6 and turn the ball snore fest. Moreover, kick should be worth more, you don't want people to get away with fouling

[@summervincent7312]

in other words union suks. why flog a dead horse?

[@MbisonBalrog]

Rugby league is more boring than Union. Is just run tackle run tackle. No variation on affecting game.

[@stevedavidson666]

So right. "Five tackles, kick; Five tackles, kick ad freaking nauseam".

[@garethsimpson9821]

Not getting this, league is played by two countries in a serious way and another 2 countries to a lesser degree. Hardly a successful international game. The game in the northern hemisphere is going well, it's the sh that's the pro len

[@adhamh3666]

Northern England and Eastern Australia for the 2 serious ones. Nz for one of the other. What's the other one?

[@tomhall799]

It's PNG's national sport. France also has 2 divisions

[@linalmeemow]

If you want to watch Rugby League go and watch Rugby League but don't try to turn Union into a watered down version of it. You must have noticed that RL is dying on its arse and has been for years? I say this as a former RL fan, I had a season ticket at Central Park in the late 80s and early 90s - there were routinely 20-30,000 in attendance. Now at the DW the average attendance is about 12,000, across Super League it's about 8,000. The game is also a shadow of its former self, and is sorely lacking in terms of entertainment. It's become incredibly one-dimensional, I can barely get through a game any more. As for bringing in "entertainment"? Honestly, you really think people go to the rugby for a shitty chart act and some fireworks at half time? And moaning about fans being too nice to each other? Again, if you want to call someone you've never met a c*nt and try to fight them go to the football, I like not having to deal with that nonsense when I go to a match. The most important change that could be made is getting live rugby on the TV on a weekly basis. If bystanders can see the game without having to pay through the nose for it they'll take more of an interest. Fix the scrum - make it about restarting the game rather than an opportunity to win a penalty - 3 seconds from the scrum being set to get the ball in and out or it's a free kick to the opposition. Speed up the lineout, 10 seconds from the ball going out the being thrown in or again, a free kick to the opposition. Maximum squad weight and a reduced number of substitutions, make players lighter and faster. There are loads of easy fixes.

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

Go watch NRL and tell me that. RL in England has a tenth of the participation pool that Union has, likewise fewer sponsors, funding, infrastructure, and is played in towns like St Helens vs cities like Leicester in Union. Despite this the club game rates better on TV viewership than the Rugby Premiership and only has a couple of thousand lower average attendances despite the obvious gulf in the proportionate demographics that it is played.

[@linalmeemow]

@@Jamie-ye7fu Why would I want to watch the NRL? I find RL dull these days.

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

@@linalmeemow You are basing RL on a second rate comp with a massive talent drain. It would be like me saying football is rubbish and basing that assertion on the Scottish Premier League. You say RL is dying but that is literally the opposite in Australia. You clearly don't know anything about the NRL which is quite poor for a former season ticket holder in rugby league.

[@linalmeemow]

@@Jamie-ye7fu So RL is only worth watching in one league in the world then? Doesn't sound like a great game to me.

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

​@@linalmeemow RL in England has a tenth of the participation pool that Union has, likewise fewer sponsors, funding, infrastructure, institutional backing and is played in towns like St Helens vs cities like Leicester in Union. Despite this the club game rates better on TV viewership than the Rugby Premiership and only has a couple of thousand lower average attendances despite the obvious gulf in the proportionate demographics that it is played. Embarrassing. It shouldn't even be close and yet it is.

[@JohnSmith-vy4lh]

If you applied union laws to rugby league matches, there would be any players left on the field.

[@caintindal1671]

I would rule out scrumming and Rugby League is not faster than Union.

[@jackthelad5366]

Oh but it is, it’s obvious you’ve never played league and you’re an armchair pundit

[@caintindal1671]

@@jackthelad5366 I played League up until 18 then played Union up to 48 Years old so not a amchair pundit.

[@jackthelad5366]

@@caintindal1671 only played league till you were 18 but you could play union until you were 48 says it all

[@caintindal1671]

@@jackthelad5366 just like the game better

[@merthyrboyPS3]

Some cracking ideas, but union is already a bigger sport than league. Why not set the bar higher and try and learn from the greatest American export. The NFL, the NFL is all about fan experience something union is lacking. How incredible would it be if during the World Cup final their was a Rita Ora half time concert. Would really set union apart from other sports. How about there time format? Why not have 4 quarters instead of 2 half’s. Allowing the big fellas up front more recovery and allow for more coaching tactical input.

[@barrnycharlton8951]

The NFL half time performances are a joke mate

[@jawhitby345]

The NFL is all about advertisement. Every 20 secs there is some kind of advert. Rugby should learn absolutely nothing about the stop and start nature of the NFL. Want to speed the game up, not slow it down exponentially.

[@linalmeemow]

Yeah, these are all terrible ideas.

[@soundscapemusic8980]

Rita Ora concert at half time what u on about mate 🤣🤣

[@merthyrboyPS3]

@@barrnycharlton8951 I’ve got a good joke for you, Barnaby Charlton now that’s a joke

[@Cory99-f8j]

Why does rugby Union has to learn anything from rugby league? Why does a bigger sport like rugby union need to learn anything from a sport that is struggling to find a host nation for their world cup? 😂

[@JRPete]

Simple answer rugby Australia

[@tomhall799]

Tories dont like being taught by the working class 🤷‍♂️

[@MentasmUK]

Just no.

[@henryb160]

The reason RL moved far from its rugby roots is solely to do with the need to get paying customers through the turnstiles to boost the coffers of club owners (think of stereotypical businessmen like Maurice Lindsey). But after 130 years of tinkering with the game it still has no widespread appeal and the RFL has failed miserably in its mission. Constantly changing the nature of the sport to make tries more likely in the hope that the game will then be "more entertaining" simply has not worked.

[@Richard1H65S]

It seems to be working in the NRL. 650m a year in revenue from 2023. The best union competition (Top 14) brings in half of what the NRL brings in.

[@henryb160]

@@Richard1H65S I'm very happy for you. How's it doing in NZ and SA?

[@Richard1H65S]

@@henryb160 Well RL is banned in SA, and in NZ NRL has never been more popular. 70% rise in tv revenue from Sky NZ tells me its doing very well.

[@henryb160]

@@Richard1H65S Stop telling lies. RL is not banned in SA. There's even a SA international side called the "Rhinos" Quote... "Rugby league is a team sport played in South Africa. There has been three dynasties of rugby league in South Africa that attempted to establish a thriving rugby league. Not all attempts were in the interest of South Africans; rather an interest in financial windfall. Others took to the townships and promoted the league at the grass roots, which saw some of the most successful periods of rugby league in South Africa. The game has changed over 50 years of involvement in South Africa and today is played by a small number of teams in 3 competitions, the Rhino Cup, Protea Cup and Western Province Rugby League which is administered by the South African Rugby League."

[@Richard1H65S]

@@henryb160 RL as a game proven by the NRL can pull in more money domestically than the game of union. The NRL proves as much, its a better entertainment product when played at a decent level. Union local comps around the world selling of parts of the game to stay afloat. How good is the game of union when it has red ink all over the club game world wide. Answer, not very good not very entertaining. Adapt or perish, your choice.

[@razeenmeyer9728]

Union > League

[@RabbitholeIsrael]

rugby league isnt exciting. Its bloody boring. the same shit the whole game. unwatchable

[@mindingyourownbe]

League can't teach Union anything because its mindless play. If you are a Union fan you will understand that the game is complex - not for cavemen who just run and tackle without any strategy. It bores the hell out of me.

[@Bennyy19]

That's what I been saying these guys have an attention span like 3 Yr olds they want end to end scoring like cricket scores lmao they don't understand the beauty of defending in union and are probably salty cause Boks play the rugby game physically as it is played i dont want end to end scoring everyweek, or maybe they are salty kiwis who have seen other union nations like France catch up to them and now they can't have easy games anymore lol

[@commentarytalk1446]

You say that and yet Union keeps on taking rules and tactics from league...

[@mindingyourownbe]

@@commentarytalk1446 if Union existed before league then league takes plays from union not the other way round 🤦

[@commentarytalk1446]

@@mindingyourownbe The levels of obtuseness are high: Bot, child or monkey? And that's not a version of rock-paper-scissors. Since RL went professional it deviated into a new code and formulated it's own set of rules... follow? Since RU went professional it has ended up experiencing the same pressures league went under and adopting a large number of the training, tactics and rules of league.

[@robmcrob2091]

I played and was obsessed with union but am falling out of love with it. I think Union's problems are mostly cultural. Its values and culture are out of synch with its audience. Theyre sanctimonious and hypocritical. The 'Rugby values' bullshit that insists the game should somehow be privileged and judged by different standards from other pursuits, so a bloke like Joe Marler goes unpunished for racist sledging because he's a character and if he is going to be punished it should be dealt by an enforcer on the opposite team. As for what Union could learn from League..... I am impressed by how League is trying to reinvent itself as a progressive and inclusive participation sport. Look at the attention men and women's wheelchair RL gets from its governing body and its World Cup as an example of what I'm talking about.

[@chrisr5499]

Also it was Rugby League who invebted Touch and Tag Rugby and Union has caught on that and made it it's own.

[@robmcrob2091]

@Chris R it is a more progressive sport than union. I honestly believe that in places where RL is big the sports are heading for a de facto merger if not an official one. I don't think there will be anything like a hybrid code, I think the 2 games will remain distinct but they'll realise slowly that they face similar issues and work together to grow the player base especially among youngsters from which they will both benefit. They will start working closely on coaching and concussion protocols. It's already happening at grass roots. I'm involved in both sports at that level and to some extent we help each other out with player referrals and so on. It's not a full embrace yet by any means but it's growing.

[@chrisr5499]

@@robmcrob2091 The old USSR and now Cuba are now part of Pro Boxing so why not League and Union...silly having 2 codes and silly we had a split back in 1895 and don't forgot we lost Canada too and that game now CFL is dying.

[@chrisr5499]

@@robmcrob2091 Great posts mate :) I do think a merger will happen at all levels due to the problem of raising teams numbers at local club level. Looking at the crowds in for Super Rugby is a concern and also the English Premiership clubs debt as well and having a cut of 10 team Premiership is not going to grow the sport. and Super League is still in it's catchment area apart from the Catalans. I think both codes would bring in more Tv money and sponsership if we had 2 full time pro Leagues with a Premiership and Championship in England or even better Britain and Ireland and it be great to see Wigan v Bath again but on a regular basis alongside St.Helens going to Dublin in the HEC Cup, Warrington and its fans going to La Rochelle, Hull going Treviso etc. The Rugby League Challenge Cup which has falling down the sporting rader would be revived as the Rugby Union clubs would bring life to it be it Bristol, Bedford, Plymouth or Tynedale. We could also follow the French model outside the Top14 and Pro 2 and have a Federale 1 so gives clubs in Limbo like Melrose, Neath, etc play against clubs like Batley and Workington or have it on geographically status semi pro North/South/East and West. Also every amateur club need to have a Touch Rugby ( Not a fan of it now) and Tag section and maybe a Semi Contact form like X-League for people who don't want to commit to the full contact form and that means declining numbers will bounce back for the clubs with above forms of Rugby as well as money over the bar of the club house all year round. Thats my nuts view and I like it ;)

[@robmcrob2091]

@Chris R yeah it could happen. The issue against it (besides residual animosity) is that they are now quite distinct games with distinct athletic requirements and rules albeit the basics are identical. I think where you might see a merger is at mini Rugby level- growing the base of the pyramid. At that level the 2 games are abridged and consequently very similar. The minis I coach have no problem going from union to league and back - literally 2 training sessions to get them back into playing the ball or rucking and you're done. At that level the game is all about participation numbers and basic skills development so there I think you could see cooperation quite easily, as union has huge participation but patchy basic skills dev while league has huge participation in the places union is weak and great basic skills dev, so there are synergies at that age group. Beyond that I feel might be tougher as the games diverge and I think the attitude might be that at ages 13-20 players start to specialise. But money talks and your vision is in no way impossible to foresee.

[@pn9468]

Everything but the silly entertainment. Football style fans is good and bad.

[@henryb160]

Let's be clear on this; the League game actually stops when the tackle is completed and is not in play again until the tackled player rises and "plays the ball". Take that fact into account and then tell us how much the RL ball is really in play.

[@DaisyChesneysGirlfriend]

Look at the top tackler in a league game and compare the number of tackles to the top tackler in a Union game, A set of six tackles is completed in around 40 seconds. Union is nowhere near that.

[@DaisyChesneysGirlfriend]

Scotlands back row against England on Saturday made 29 tackles between them, Blayke Bradley the Cronulla sharks hooker averaged 42.5 tackles per game himself in the nrl last year. yeah mate the ball is in play much more in league,

[@henryb160]

@@DaisyChesneysGirlfriend Really?....The game stops at almost every one of those "tackles" while a ridiculous replacement for competitive rucks and mauls called "the play the ball" is enforced. Do you find this ludicrous pretence that the ball is still alive good to watch? It's six 'tackles' with no competition for the ball allowed and then a predictable kick or (the worst sight in a team sport) a handover! No competitive scrums (which is the other worst sight in sport and in breach of the still current RL rules) no rucks, no mauls and no lineouts for your oh-so industrial forwards who never prop or hook nor push, lift or jump, and seldom wrap their arms when they "tackle" meanwhile playing in a more open space due to there being four less players on the park. Do you really think there's actually much left in common with rugby? You've evolved a game of repetition that's now more netball than "rugby"....That's netball on steroids of course!

[@DaisyChesneysGirlfriend]

@@henryb160 yes if you watch a rugby league game you will notice teams play the ball fast, due to the fact that the defenders have to retreat 10 metres, so faster play the ball will result in you catching the defenders offside restarting the six tackle set. It’s only really when a team is trying to close out a game where they start to implement slow ball. Why do you think rugby league coaches like Andy Farrell, Shaun edwards and Kevin sinfield can adapt to Union as defence coaches so well? Because league is far more physically demanding to defend in.

[@DaisyChesneysGirlfriend]

@@henryb160 plus I reason I prefer league comes down to when a team is attacking on the opposition try line, they have a max of 6 tackles to score or else they lose the ball, I don’t really like when a Union team had to defend for countless phases, maybe world rugby introducing a law that you only get a certain amount of phases once you are within 10 metres would help make the game elite exciting.

[@NoName-hg6cc]

Nothing. League has nothing Union can be interests in

[@thomascoughlan3316]

My god, please don't let Union turn to Rugby league anymore than it already has. Just take a look at the League world cup, it's farcical. Only one country really gives a crap about League; Australia. And half the players from the other teams are made up of NRL players. It's about time time union stopped looking at an inferior sport for improvement ideas. Compare the revenue of the League World Cup vs the Union one. There's no comparison. The rush defence came from league - can anyone tell me how that has somehow improved Union has a spectacle?

[@NTL578]

Sorry, but the reason the RL wasn’t particularly impressive, was the fact that their aren’t enough countries it’s played. Using that there were lots of one side games as a justification that the game shouldn’t be like RL makes no sense. The game between the two teams that are really in to it NZ vs Aus was incredible. I have no bias towards either code by the way.

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

The Rugby League World Cup isn't farcical because of the rules, you doughnut. It's because no one is even aware of it. Casuals see a clip of Rugby League and think it's the sport the All Blacks play. If it wasn't for the product, why would anyone who currently watches League still watch it? Union has the player pool, the international exposure, the content, the coaching, and the infrastructure. The only thing we have is the on-field product.

[@desmondesera9540]

League is better to watch union is more fun to play

[@Jamie-ye7fu]

​@@desmondesera9540 Union is only funner to play if you're a forward, definitely not if you're a back.

[@mindingyourownbe]

So you enjoy watching a simple minded game to an actual professional rugby game? You must be a crap union player lol @@desmondesera9540

[@elnick1000]

It definitely needs to merge. It is crazy to me that it has not. I find the rugny Union actually more entertaining, when i watch Rugby league, it looks like repeat repeat repeat. Also the scoring is silly, only one point for a dropped goal. that is why most of the scores are always even numbers. Personally I would make a drop goal a 4 point score. Certainly 13 men a side might make a better game.

[@SpuddersSpud-ps6dd]

Dont think it could learn anything from rugby league in England. As the video mentions the one thing both rugby codes need what football has in abundance is rilvary.

[@trilli7914]

I use to love League I grew up watching it N wouldn't miss a game of Origin or the broncos playing but when my brain developed with age I also developed an acquired taste for a more complex form of rugby. Now I find league super boring and lame and brainless to watch. Rugby Union is this best rugby and should be the only rugby played in the world. Sorry if i offended any League fans but it's true once you understand half the rules of Union you will realise how lame League is and how much better and competitive Union is.

[@cooperhaynes2691]

Rugby Yawwion league is way better than union in Australia mate NRL is probably the most popular competition out of both Codes tell me I’m wrong

[@trilli7914]

@cooperhaynes2691 hey mate thanks for commenting 👍 appreciate it the opinions and thoughts.. I agree that NRL or RL is much more popular in Australia then Rugby Union in Australia.. I'm just saying if you follow League and then give enough time to follow Rugby Union to understand how its played, you will then realised how much more dynamic the game is compared to League.. Obviously it's played on a professional level throughout more countries. So much more competition across the world, so much more diversity with the players. Aussies, Poms, French, Scots, Welsh, Japs, Irish, Fijians, Georgians, kiwis , Africans, south Africans, Americans, Argentinians, south Americans, and the list goes on.. They have competitions similae like NRL level and fans...in Japan and France there's 2 divisions where you can get decent pAY.. the fans are wild about supporting their countries it's great to see the world show8ng love and passion for rugby not just in Australia ... There's so much more ways to attack and score tries with different types of set piece plays. It may not be as fast pace and flamboyance as League but it's definitely played with much more complexity and tactics.

[@cooperhaynes2691]

@@trilli7914 u made some good points there mate but I just don’t see how union is entertaining because they only average 32min of play out of 80min and some of there plays when they are about 5min away from the try line they just try and push there way through and I just don’t see that as entertaining as league when u gotta put a set play to score

[@NoName-hg6cc]

​@@cooperhaynes2691Mungoball has not 80 minutes, unless you count humping on the floor and the ridiculous hook "alive ball" which is ridiculous. And frankly 5 tackles and kick are boring as hell

[@raeputakdyer-tutai3186]

Nothing can be learnt from league as 2 men short,in the game, as union Zero tackle can't be beaten...as league to many tackles.

[@jimbaker7277]

Rugby needs to return to Club comp. Seeing States sides play is so stupid . SA pull out from Super Rugby to rebuilt their Club Rugby because their Fans Wanted it