RUGBY: League vs Union
Discussion
So the Boks won the World Cup; yippee, or boo-hoo. Overall it was a good torunament... good turnouts and a few surprises etc.
Channel flicking today I stopped to watch Lebanon v Ireland (Rugby League) in a World Cup (qualifier I think). The pre-match build up was the 'exciting' pool / groups and the team positions.
I lasted 10 minutes.
When I played Rugby (union [amateur] code) rugby-league was the pro sport and a few players defected 'cause there was money to be earned from playing, re: Jonathon Davies, Martin Offiah etc.
It's the other way around now isn't it? Certainly in terms of gameplay, I have never liked league... but in popularity,
League or Union?
Channel flicking today I stopped to watch Lebanon v Ireland (Rugby League) in a World Cup (qualifier I think). The pre-match build up was the 'exciting' pool / groups and the team positions.
I lasted 10 minutes.
When I played Rugby (union [amateur] code) rugby-league was the pro sport and a few players defected 'cause there was money to be earned from playing, re: Jonathon Davies, Martin Offiah etc.
It's the other way around now isn't it? Certainly in terms of gameplay, I have never liked league... but in popularity,
League or Union?
League for me but I'm from up North! I really think there is a North/South divide with regards to League and Union respectively. If you look at the teams that compete in the Super League, just about every team is from up North, apart from the London Broncos, now Harlequins.
Personally I just think there is so much more skill in League, it flows for the full 80 minutes whereas Union is constantly being interrupted by the hundreds of Scrums, Line-Outs, etc. Just my views anyway!
Personally I just think there is so much more skill in League, it flows for the full 80 minutes whereas Union is constantly being interrupted by the hundreds of Scrums, Line-Outs, etc. Just my views anyway!
182Trophy said:
League for me but I'm from up North! I really think there is a North/South divide with regards to League and Union respectively. If you look at the teams that compete in the Super League, just about every team is from up North, apart from the London Broncos, now Harlequins.
Personally I just think there is so much more skill in League, it flows for the full 80 minutes whereas Union is constantly being interrupted by the hundreds of Scrums, Line-Outs, etc. Just my views anyway!
League flows? For 80 minutes? Personally I just think there is so much more skill in League, it flows for the full 80 minutes whereas Union is constantly being interrupted by the hundreds of Scrums, Line-Outs, etc. Just my views anyway!
Yeah I think it does, the time that is wasted in Union with Scrums and Line-Outs is very frustrating when watching it. Kicking is the biggest part, some Union scores are totally made from pens, conversions and drop-goals and this is never the case in league. Just my opinions, but I prefer the points system in League, its just more exciting to watch.
182Trophy said:
Yeah I think it does, the time that is wasted in Union with Scrums and Line-Outs is very frustrating when watching it. Kicking is the biggest part, some Union scores are totally made from pens, conversions and drop-goals and this is never the case in league. Just my opinions, but I prefer the points system in League, its just more exciting to watch.
You're a league fan... me a union.So...
As a forward, I find the scrums and lineouts fascinating.
One thing I have often wondered.
Why don't the scrum in League hold the ball at the back and push the other scrum back.?
Also why don't they set up rolling mauls?
I would have thought the first lot to try it would achieve a good deal by surprise if nothing else or is it illegal in some way?
One thing I have often wondered.
Why don't the scrum in League hold the ball at the back and push the other scrum back.?
Also why don't they set up rolling mauls?
I would have thought the first lot to try it would achieve a good deal by surprise if nothing else or is it illegal in some way?
For me its union all the way. I've tried to enjoy watching league, but i just find it boring. (no offence intended). I would certainly agree that there seems to be a North - South divide. Union to me seems more multi-faceted, presenting many more options for attack. That, for me, makes it more entertaining. Plus the fact it's the only code i've ever played.
johnnywb said:
For me its union all the way. I've tried to enjoy watching league, but i just find it boring. (no offence intended). I would certainly agree that there seems to be a North - South divide. Union to me seems more multi-faceted, presenting many more options for attack. That, for me, makes it more entertaining. Plus the fact it's the only code i've ever played.
I've played Union all the way. However, I did consider American Football (trained with Slough Sliverbacks) and Rugby League (spoke to a guy who was recruiting for a London team in Brentford). I just couldn't see the attraction in League apart from (in those days) it was a pro-sport.The likes of Offiah and Hanley were the big names attracting some attention and when Jonathon Davies defected, I was seriously thinking about doing the same... only... didn't like the game; the only reason would have been for the £££££s.
I stayed with Union.
League:
League's the only game in town here - but I find it boring to watch. Union games may be broken, and lack flow, but at least there is variety. In league its a line of 13 blokes across the pitch, each line having 5 crash tackles followed by a kick. The State of Origin games here are supposed to be the zenith, and in terms of atmosphere, they're great, but the game is still the same.
A bad game of Union is easy to beat, but a great game is fantastic, whereas there doesn't seem to be much difference between a good or bad game of League.
A bad game of Union is easy to beat, but a great game is fantastic, whereas there doesn't seem to be much difference between a good or bad game of League.
Personally it's Union for me, I don't like the Stop/Start of League
I remember Bath and I believe Wigan playing each other at both codes. It was in the days before the professional Union game and Wigan hammered Bath at League and only just lost at Union.
I'd like to see another version of that now that the Union game is professional.
I remember Bath and I believe Wigan playing each other at both codes. It was in the days before the professional Union game and Wigan hammered Bath at League and only just lost at Union.
I'd like to see another version of that now that the Union game is professional.
I find the League 6-tackles rule just seems contrived, like 4-downs in American Football. Why legislate how long a team can have the ball for? If the opposition aren't good enough to win the ball in play, why should they have it?
Scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls in Union are a key part of the game, not an interuption between the "important" bits of running Rugby. I enjoy watching the power battles up front as well as backs play.
Scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls in Union are a key part of the game, not an interuption between the "important" bits of running Rugby. I enjoy watching the power battles up front as well as backs play.
Being oop North, I've watched a fair amount of league, but played Union all my life. It simply isn't true that "the North" has no union - there's a huge number of clubs, and certainly national League 1 is currently played for by Leeds (they'll be back next season 
) Rotherham and Doncaster, with Bedford having a look from time to time.
Sadly a lot of schools around here are moving away from rugby, and League was never that strong in schools anyway, but both codes are losing out to puffball. My school's greatest achievement was beating Millfield's first XV, away from home, straight after stepping off a 7-hour coach journey. They declined a return invitation
I have enjoyed watching GB beating the Kiwis at League - it's good to see GB are no longer the whipping boys for Southern Hemisphere teams, and they could win the League World Cup on current form. It is a good game, the inevitable flat defence/offence lines lead to some clever running lines in attack, but the scrums are a joke, and merely a restart tactic. The players are big, quick and fit, and young Sam Burgess is a superstar in the making, and therefore should switch codes before it's too late!
The main problem with League is it's introverted insistence on keeping it's flat-hat-and-whippets image - it's completely unnecessary as the two codes are complimentary. If League wants to expand it's appeal, then FFS lose the broad Lancashire commentaries, and also stop the creeping "footballism" - I notice that TV commentators feel it is justifiable to criticise referring decisions, and that is a slippery slope.
) Rotherham and Doncaster, with Bedford having a look from time to time.Sadly a lot of schools around here are moving away from rugby, and League was never that strong in schools anyway, but both codes are losing out to puffball. My school's greatest achievement was beating Millfield's first XV, away from home, straight after stepping off a 7-hour coach journey. They declined a return invitation
I have enjoyed watching GB beating the Kiwis at League - it's good to see GB are no longer the whipping boys for Southern Hemisphere teams, and they could win the League World Cup on current form. It is a good game, the inevitable flat defence/offence lines lead to some clever running lines in attack, but the scrums are a joke, and merely a restart tactic. The players are big, quick and fit, and young Sam Burgess is a superstar in the making, and therefore should switch codes before it's too late!
The main problem with League is it's introverted insistence on keeping it's flat-hat-and-whippets image - it's completely unnecessary as the two codes are complimentary. If League wants to expand it's appeal, then FFS lose the broad Lancashire commentaries, and also stop the creeping "footballism" - I notice that TV commentators feel it is justifiable to criticise referring decisions, and that is a slippery slope.
krusty said:
Personally it's Union for me, I don't like the Stop/Start of League
I remember Bath and I believe Wigan playing each other at both codes. It was in the days before the professional Union game and Wigan hammered Bath at League and only just lost at Union.
I'd like to see another version of that now that the Union game is professional.
Is this the one you mean?I remember Bath and I believe Wigan playing each other at both codes. It was in the days before the professional Union game and Wigan hammered Bath at League and only just lost at Union.
I'd like to see another version of that now that the Union game is professional.
http://www.sportingo.com/rugby/wigan_v_bath_lesson...
They do that quite often, don't they? It is Union cup-winner vs. League cup-winner, though I forget what it is called. It has certainly happened a few times since, and if 'the goldfish'* is to be trusted, the League team win both formats almost every time, despite the Union side being pros these days.
And for me, Union all the way (though I'm half Taff and live in the Saaafff). League tackling always seems to be 'by agreement', and the uncontested scrums are just wrong.
* my memory
ETA - this article explains how League doesn't contest for possession:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_rugby_l...
Edited by grumbledoak on Monday 5th November 10:43
I marginally prefer League (and I was born and live in the south east). I've played and watched both and like the fact that players are encouraged to run with the ball and have a go, and defences have to face up to the opposition runners.
The trouble with TV coverage is that it forces the viewer to focus in on the ruck area which in union has all sorts going on but in League its basically a release of the ball which makes it look like League is stop-start, but if you play it or watch it in person you know its not at all.
If anyone watched the minor RLWC qualifying games on TV at the weekend I can see why that would be a turn off, however the NZ v GB test was an awesome game from start to finish.
The trouble with TV coverage is that it forces the viewer to focus in on the ruck area which in union has all sorts going on but in League its basically a release of the ball which makes it look like League is stop-start, but if you play it or watch it in person you know its not at all.
If anyone watched the minor RLWC qualifying games on TV at the weekend I can see why that would be a turn off, however the NZ v GB test was an awesome game from start to finish.
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