Quote ="Cronus"Sorry, but all this fawning over Union 7s is pathetic.
Yes, RU has moved on since Wigan humiliated English RU back in 1996. Their players are bigger, more powerful, and more athletic than they were. But so are RL players. Today's RL lads are more solidly muscled, faster and more powerful than even that Wigan side, and I dare say still fitter than RU lads purely due to the more demanding and involving nature of RL and the conditioning required to cope with those demands.'"
It's not fawning, it's realism. The days of Rugby League in England having a monopoly on athleticism is long gone.
If I was fawning over Union 7's I wouldn't have just said that the Australian League players could displace the entire current Sevens team, would I? This is not fawning, if anything it's an observation on the mediocre crop of players in English Rugby League.
Quote ="Cronus"There are differences between the codes. RU players tend to carry more muscle to allow them to deal with the 20+ stone, 6'10" forwards and the nature of rucks & mauls, whereas RL lads are built for explosive power and and pace, and tend to be much more lean. And if you've ever seen a RU player at RL, or vice versa, you'll know there are huge differences in the very way they take the ball in and work the impact. RU players look for the floor, RL players look to bust the tackle or find the offload. It's not as simple as "RU players have moved on, they're better".'"
I'm talking specifically about Sevens. The 15 man game has nothing to do with Sevens. 20 stone, 6'10 forwards have NOTHING to do with the Sevens game.
I know full well that in the 15 man game Rugby players submit in the tackle, looking for a quick play the ball. Rugby Union 15's is not Sevens, however.
I'm not sure who you're quoting either. I can't recall saying "Ru players have moved on, they're better". Where did I say that?
Quote ="Cronus"I watch RU 7s quite regularly and I see nothing outstanding. Good athletes, yes, but nothing all that amazing, and nothing you don't see in a decent game of League: broken field running, stepping defenders, running lines, working the defence to build overlaps. Some of the skills on show are great, some are terrible.'"
Let's keep in mind that English league is wholly mediocre. Rugby 15's has a much better crop to choose from.
Quote ="Cronus"We all know Tomkins would do well. But don't disregard the other outstanding athletes we have within our ranks. They might be several pounds lighter man for man, but in 7s your agility, fitness, explosive pace and ability to work a gap is what matters - and man for man RL lads have far more skill and knowledge to do that.'"
What outstanding athletes!?
Some of you are off your rocker. Just because Rugby 15's puts little emphasis on athleticism and core skills doesn't mean there aren't players in the game with plenty of it. If I made a dream Sevens team of the best of English players, 3 at best would come from League.
English League players are decidedly ordinary. There are ample English Rugby players who are faster, stronger, bigger and more explosive than anything in League. Forget fitness, that comes with training.
Look how many Aussie League players have been picked up by their Rugby Sevens system. The fact that English Sevens aren't interested in our players, by comparison, should speak volumes. We don't have the same talent.
The argument of skill is the only one of relevance, but that's better answered by, if anything, bringing in a Rugby League coach. English Sevens would be better off improving the skills of the athletic players available, than taking on the mediocre athletes in English league on account of their better skills. Skills can be taught, knowledge can be learned, athleticism cannot.
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And people like Him don't even know what they're talking about fullstop. Burgess, Hock, Crabtree? Are you people literally MAD? What in the hell could Burgess, Hock or Crabtree add to a SEVENS team. Who on this planet we call earth would ever think Crabtree or Hock on a sevens team is a good idea. Are you lot serious. You're all on one!
