Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
Did enjoy seeing the Kiwis put 50 points on the Welsh though. Having lived in Newport fo 4 yeas its always nice seeing the Red Dagon on the wrong end of a shoeing.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
I was joking but did assume you were on a wind up. I like both (used to watch Celtic Crusaders occasionally for a few seasons when they were in Super League and also one of the local RL teams that cropped up for a while. Union will always be my preferred team sport though.
Other than the rugby part of their name they're just separate sports so I don't see much need for comparing them any more than arguing cricket is better than rugby.
I like both of them...and Sevens. Only ever played Union and Sevens though. I'd have like to have tried League but being a Southern Softie it wasn't really available back in the day. I enjoy the pace of League a lot.
“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
I enjoy the 'arm wrestle' in league. When the ball doesn't go out of play for minutes at time. Even better when you get two proper teams going at it. I used to enjoy union a lot but beginning to find the constant stoppages a bit tedious. Having said that, England v South Africa at the weekend was pretty epic.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
League scrums are a bit of a farce though. Might as well make them sit cross legged in a circle as the sole purpose is to create more space for the other players.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
League scrums are a bit of a farce though. Might as well make them sit cross legged in a circle as the sole purpose is to create more space for the other players.
They are what they are. At least they don't chew up minutes of the game.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
League scrums are a bit of a farce though. Might as well make them sit cross legged in a circle as the sole purpose is to create more space for the other players.
They are what they are. At least they don't chew up minutes of the game.
That's true, and I think it is the worst thing about union. The idea that you need to be a specialist to be a prop, but that specialism just means expertise in collapsing the scrum. I think they need to introduce specialist scrum refs, then make the actual ref stand on one side and the scrum ref on the other.
I'd also abolish penalty kicks and make them drop kick it. They're too slow.
The main problem league has, in my view, is the lack of meaningful internationals. The tri-nations got to the point where it was quite competitive then they split up GB and ended the tri-nations for years.
The best thing about union is that there are long periods of sustained pressure. You don't really get that in league.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
League scrums are a bit of a farce though. Might as well make them sit cross legged in a circle as the sole purpose is to create more space for the other players.
They are what they are. At least they don't chew up minutes of the game.
That's true, and I think it is the worst thing about union. The idea that you need to be a specialist to be a prop, but that specialism just means expertise in collapsing the scrum. I think they need to introduce specialist scrum refs, then make the actual ref stand on one side and the scrum ref on the other.
I'd also abolish penalty kicks and make them drop kick it. They're too slow.
The main problem league has, in my view, is the lack of meaningful internationals. The tri-nations got to the point where it was quite competitive then they split up GB and ended the tri-nations for years.
The best thing about union is that there are long periods of sustained pressure. You don't really get that in league.
Just cut the time allowed to 30 seconds, a minute is far too long. If you made them harder to score from you would just get teams giving away more deliberate penalties under pressure.
Agreed on the last bit, the biggest issue I have with league is that you know you just have to see out the 6 sets and get the ball back (although I appreciate that's easier said than done and is the main skill of the game).
I like both of them...and Sevens. Only ever played Union and Sevens though. I'd have like to have tried League but being a Southern Softie it wasn't really available back in the day. I enjoy the pace of League a lot.
I played League a few times (in pre-season training with my Union team). As a back it was definitely more physically demanding. Although I did find tackling easier as the opposition players tend to run more directly at you so you could just get up more in their face with less risk they would kick behind or try to step you.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
League scrums are a bit of a farce though. Might as well make them sit cross legged in a circle as the sole purpose is to create more space for the other players.
They are what they are. At least they don't chew up minutes of the game.
That's true, and I think it is the worst thing about union. The idea that you need to be a specialist to be a prop, but that specialism just means expertise in collapsing the scrum. I think they need to introduce specialist scrum refs, then make the actual ref stand on one side and the scrum ref on the other.
I'd also abolish penalty kicks and make them drop kick it. They're too slow.
The main problem league has, in my view, is the lack of meaningful internationals. The tri-nations got to the point where it was quite competitive then they split up GB and ended the tri-nations for years.
The best thing about union is that there are long periods of sustained pressure. You don't really get that in league.
Just cut the time allowed to 30 seconds, a minute is far too long. If you made them harder to score from you would just get teams giving away more deliberate penalties under pressure.
Agreed on the last bit, the biggest issue I have with league is that you know you just have to see out the 6 sets and get the ball back (although I appreciate that's easier said than done and is the main skill of the game).
This is true, but there are already plenty of mitigants such as yellow cards and penalties. I really don't expect my suggestion to ever be considered, but I think it would make it better for the casual viewer.
Not sure it was trolling, Pross. I prefer to watch RL over RU anyday of the week. I've no interest in watching time being wasted whilst scrums are reset or while endless kicking ping pong takes place.
League scrums are a bit of a farce though. Might as well make them sit cross legged in a circle as the sole purpose is to create more space for the other players.
They are what they are. At least they don't chew up minutes of the game.
That's true, and I think it is the worst thing about union. The idea that you need to be a specialist to be a prop, but that specialism just means expertise in collapsing the scrum. I think they need to introduce specialist scrum refs, then make the actual ref stand on one side and the scrum ref on the other.
I'd also abolish penalty kicks and make them drop kick it. They're too slow.
The main problem league has, in my view, is the lack of meaningful internationals. The tri-nations got to the point where it was quite competitive then they split up GB and ended the tri-nations for years.
The best thing about union is that there are long periods of sustained pressure. You don't really get that in league.
I have played rugby for years and still do. The thing that I find mindbendingly confusing, contradictory and hypocritical with scrummages (more so at eleite level than mine) is this: A scrum is set, re-set, stopped, reset again, the referees spend sooo long making sure that the bind, the height, the pressure, the cadence etc etc is "by the book" and, assuming there is no penalty, then let the scrum half throw the ball into the second row! Surely one of the easier laws to referee and judge is the ball going straight down the middle of the two front rows . . . I can't remember the last time I saw any 9 getting penalised for this. Like lifting in the line out, this seems to be someting that that is being ignored and will, at some point, be another facet of the game sacrificed to the God of Continuity. Infuriating as it should remain one of the points of difference between the two codes.
Secondly, I like Rugby League but don't really watch much (I don't watch much Union either).
As far as "meaningful internationals" are concerned, I don't think I have seen any other match, game, fight or sporting contest more ferociously and selfelssly contested as the 2017 Austraila v England Rugby league world cup final - it was meaninful in every respect and fully, unapologetically brutal - no side deserved to lose it (Aus won 6-0).
Outside of the World cup and possibly the League version of the "Lions", I take your point. League seems to focus less on the international game whereas it seems to be "mission critical" to Union.
Given League is only seriously played across the M62 corridor and in Queensland and New South Wales, it's no surprise there isn't an international game to speak of, beyond England, Australia, and New Zealand. It just isn't played seriously anywhere else in the world. And even then, in the last 40+ years there haven't been that many even contests between England and Australia.
Union has certainly benefitted from League since 1995 and professionalism, and is a far bigger game worldwide. Although there is no longer much of a playing move from League to Union in the Europe (too many ex-league converts have been utter flops), there is still the move at coaching level, as Kevin Sinfield shows.
Both codes are really hard games physically, and respect to all who play. Some of the high hits allowed in league are just frightening!
Sinfield was excellent. I can't remember how many Super League titles the Leeds team he was part won, but it was a lot. And yes it is a bit of a niche sport in its own way. Great though.
womack
Posts: 566
Posts
- @ddraver
A good tough man.
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
(hence 101 miles I think)
- @ddraver
Other than the rugby part of their name they're just separate sports so I don't see much need for comparing them any more than arguing cricket is better than rugby.
I enjoy the pace of League a lot.
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
I used to enjoy union a lot but beginning to find the constant stoppages a bit tedious. Having said that, England v South Africa at the weekend was pretty epic.
I'd also abolish penalty kicks and make them drop kick it. They're too slow.
The main problem league has, in my view, is the lack of meaningful internationals. The tri-nations got to the point where it was quite competitive then they split up GB and ended the tri-nations for years.
The best thing about union is that there are long periods of sustained pressure. You don't really get that in league.
Agreed on the last bit, the biggest issue I have with league is that you know you just have to see out the 6 sets and get the ball back (although I appreciate that's easier said than done and is the main skill of the game).
Secondly, I like Rugby League but don't really watch much (I don't watch much Union either).
As far as "meaningful internationals" are concerned, I don't think I have seen any other match, game, fight or sporting contest more ferociously and selfelssly contested as the 2017 Austraila v England Rugby league world cup final - it was meaninful in every respect and fully, unapologetically brutal - no side deserved to lose it (Aus won 6-0).
Outside of the World cup and possibly the League version of the "Lions", I take your point. League seems to focus less on the international game whereas it seems to be "mission critical" to Union.
Union has certainly benefitted from League since 1995 and professionalism, and is a far bigger game worldwide. Although there is no longer much of a playing move from League to Union in the Europe (too many ex-league converts have been utter flops), there is still the move at coaching level, as Kevin Sinfield shows.
Both codes are really hard games physically, and respect to all who play. Some of the high hits allowed in league are just frightening!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_League_Tri-Nations
(Sinfield played in 2005, so on topic!)
And yes it is a bit of a niche sport in its own way. Great though.