I dont hate it whatsoever. I played it and enjoyed playing it. Its just dire to watch

Am I correct in think that "JP moving to the dark side?" in the real world translates into "JP watched a rugby union match"?

But you stand by your comment that the game hasn't improved in 20 years?

That's what I disagreed with.

Yes, it would appear so.

As one poster mentioned earlier in the thread; the players on both codes will no doubt respect each other greatly but it's the fans (on boths sides i might add) that don't seem to reciprocate.

And there-in lies the difference between codes at international level. Arguably one thing league will never have until it has it's own national stadium.

People from all over the country will head to Twickenham for a day out/weekend away: the banter, the atmosphere, the whole day. I would guess the actual game for many people is just part of the day - not the be all & end all. I find union quite tedious to watch, but have enjoyed my visits to Twickenham.

As a sport live, it's not even close to league - I would never argue that. I wasn't arguing with Tad either, just offering a different way of looking at enjoying watching a game. He usually has some story after every GF of drunken louts, threatening behaviour etc.

I don't know what the England/SA game looked like on TV but live it was absolute garbage - the one try of the match summed it up along with the worst decision by any sporting captain in history in the last 90 seconds (his after match interview which was shown on the big screens was cringeworthy). But did I "enjoy waching it" - yes. I enjoyed sitting in the stand at Twickenham with a beer or two (or 3 or 4) with my lad and watching the game.

Let it go G. Let the chip slide off, let the weight be lifted before you get arthritis or end up marching in orange up and down the Falls Road (hang on, that's another long dead, pointless conflict). There will always be Inverdale's, they are not worth it.

It is at the moment. The law changes a few years ago re-spawned the rubbish kicking game. Before that when Super Rugby first started it was mostly ball in hand. If you appreciate the contact skills and the battle for the ball then the game has improved vastly in the last 30 years technically (you can't just stamp on people till they move now). The contact and ruck skills my 9 year old has been coached are way ahead of anything I had as an adult player. FWIW I wish we lived in the North and he could play league, he has the ideal playing style and he'd love it.

Where abouts do you live? Most places have some sort of league team, with junior set ups

My summation of most of the above comments is that RU internationals are a great day out only marred by the game itself.
Big occasions in RL tend to be the other way round.

Darkest Wiltshire. I may look at it when he's a little older (if he wants to do it). We joined the RU club when he was 5 because it was at the back of our house and I could coach.

Ooh... hark at Mr Cufflinks often seen lording it at several smart-attire only poncy events at Headingley in his time... all for charity and testimonials of course. The embourgeoisement of G1 took place a very long time ago.

I think for someone of my and what you are brought up with and the social and economic backgrod you come from,and the industry you have worked in at influences you.I still find union bit dull and would never consider going to watch Leeds carnegie or what ever they call themselves now,but if someone wants to watch union fair play to them,but I still dont think our game RL gets a fair crack of the whip in the media still. "RUGBY WORLD CUP"thats just one thing I think is a snipe at RL

Glad to hear Lionarmour. I was referring to the dinosaurs from both codes with signs of some RU ones dying off a bit since RU turned pro.

No. I enjoyed a few pints with "Invers" at Esher Rugby Club about 11 years ago when he was playing for their Vets and I found him to be a decent bloke.

I think Farrell is coaching the backs mainly on the defence (which was good) and Mike Catt is officially the attacking skills coach (which isn't so good)

I also think Owen Farrell was aware of the situation and right to suggest going for touch.

Union is good to watch if you take the time to understand the rules and appreciate the tactics.
I tend to find the internationals are much more entertaining watch especially the teams such as NZ and SA. Premiership games are also good if it doesnt rain! There are teams that are better to watch than others and sometimes there are dire games but that happens in all sports.

Id rather watch Union than Football.

Of course Juan.I think that JP is a very intelligent man inspite of his west Leeds Bramley/Stanningley accent which makes some people think differently.He may have to use the RU to influence the broadstream media to recognise that he is just as top class british sports star who deserves recognition

I beg to differ...I played Union for 30 years, but have watched League for over 40 years.
I understand Union rules, and it is a wholly inadequate form of rugby, players lack basic skills we take for granted in league, 15 of them cover a pitch in defense, and still tackling skills are absent even at international level. Five Nations players lack tactical nouse, and frequently take wrong options..International Union is frequently like watching paint dry.
I was a very average Union player, and chose the 15 man code as an easier option...I can't think of a single union player that I would want to see in a Rhinos shirt.

He's hacked your account again Gareth.

Well I am sorry to say, I have a long memory when it comes to Union, this is the game that would ban anybody from every playing Union again if they played the great game. The Union game is dominated by the public school elite, that is why they get all the media coverage, if the great game got the same amount of coverage as Union we would play to sold out grounds for Internationals.

Yes I was bored Saturday and watched the Union game with England and what a load of rubbish, it was slow, boring, it was clear that there were to many plays on the pitch to have an open attacking game, that is why League is a 13 aside game. All England appeared to want to do was get a pen and kick at goal. What a loud of rubbish.

100% League 0% Union

Despite playing yawnion at school & watching it before I got into rugby I am now completely unable to watch a game. When I see the highlights on the news or sports reviews I never fail to be astounded at the lack of technique in attack & defence.

Misguided opinions like this are holding back rugby league and have been for several decades.

I played Union at school, because inexplicably in west Leeds that was what we had.

I was never much interested apart from that. I watched more when I was at Uni as I had a couple of house mates who were Union types (one from UAE, one from Surrey) so we had a cultural exchange. Both are well into League now (Surrey one is a Wests fan over in Sydney, Arab chum is still in NW England but retains the Leeds loyalties I instilled). By the by. These days I watch RU when its on and I've got nowt else to do, and might watch it in a pub if mates are doing it as a social activity. I don't think the standards are necessarily as poor as some would suggest, though I don't think its caught up with League in the basic skills. This is partly because I don't have SKy so I'll watch most sport if its on the Beeb! There just isn't enough RL on there to fill the gap.

Generally, the international game has become increasingly ponderous of late. Some of the Heineken Cup games can be pretty good though. I do think people sometimes gloss over how poor the quality of some of the televised RL matches can be though. At it's best, RL is my favourite sport to watch by a country mile, but a good game of RU is still better to watch than a poor game of RL in my view.

Also, I find that round Leicestershire (where most of my pub RU watching mates hail from) the class issue isn't all that relevant. RU is widely watched and played in some pretty working class parts of the county. RL is barely played anywhere, so there isn't any divide to bother using class to explain.

Agreed. I played Union in Leics for years, and the clubs I played at weren't exactly upper class. The game may be run by toffs at the top, but at the bottom, most people playing it are like you and me