...but i'm not sure I agree with it. The Roar has said that Rugby League and Union should merge.



I wait to see what people say.

if by 'merge' he means (with regards Union) 'stop fannying around at scrums, get rid of flankers, retreat ten meters when a tackle is made, get rid of line outs, have a limited number of tackles and a controlled recycling of the ball after a tackle' then im all for it. they could even just call it 'Rugby League' and it would be fine

Want he means is Union in Aus is on its collective .

Don't doubt it would give the "game" of rugby a lift world wide.

But will a combining of the codes assist the following problems for Rugby League;

* risk in expansion within Australia
* it’s lack of professional media presentation
* need for a more revitalised and more entertaining style of play

Don't doubt the benefits for Rugby Union in its present form would be;

* domestic club rugby would be re-born using a revamped NRL structure as the base
* large expansion of junior territory and resources
* improved pool of players at international level
* a more revitalised and entertaining style of play

Looks like a land grab for RL's Aus juniors to me because they can't produce there own. RL has survived for 100 years despite the limitations, whereas Union is struggling despite all the quoted strengths?

No it's about compromise, so what we do is all of your idea but call it Rugby Union

I just can't see myself gorging on a hamper in the car park before a match. It"s just never going to work.

and i wont be drinking pimms with Tarquin and Gabriella

Hmm...is April 7th the new April 1st?



Outside of the NRL, Rugby League plays second fiddle everywhere...internationally, TV deals, media coverage etc....I read a story today about Spanish Kids drawing pictures of Richie McCaw and sending them as messages of support to christchurch...there are 24,000 registered Union players with over 200 clubs in Spain......fu(king Spain

RL is the better sport......but seriously...a few arab kids throwing a bball about isn't development of the game.

Until the International game is sorted, then Union will always be the stronger, richer and more popular code.........but given who runs the international game, I don't see the IRB losing much sleep.

BTW.....If you are in any doubt as to how insecure NRL fans are when confronted with another code...drop by the ARL/NRL board.....every second thread is about how Union is dead and how it's payback for what they did to them there frenchies during the war

In all honestly, it would be the best thing to happen despite the struggle for years to sort it all out.

A joint code could be huge in this country!

And who said all university kids were as thick as schitt???

This guy has got it right.

behave!!

I never said I wanted it to happen

13,300,000 is the BARB reported viewing figure for the last RUWC final which England Lost. 4,600,000 was the BBC Average viewing figure for 15 games of the 2011 6 Nations.......anyone care to announce the viewing figures for the 2009 4 Nations final? (it's less than 610,000 BTW).....

The only reason this has been mentioned is because Young Australian Men are turning their backs on League with Pacific Islanders and Maoris becoming the norm......in a few years, AFL, which already has a healthy 100% lead in crowds will be licking their lips and the NRL will increasingly need to rely on their "beloved tv viewing figures" to survive.

Penrith have announced losses of over $11,000,000 for the second straight year.........makes Harlequins RL look like a bargain

Penrith are not alone......and the NRL, after a record opening attendance are seeing fans stay away.....Sydneysiders aren't so in love with the game as some on here would have you believe.

Merger.....yeah right! the IRB could afford to buy league in its current state with change they found down the back of their sofa....IMO that is.

its comments like this that make me realise why i hardly ever come on this site

Thats mild compared to some of the garbage people spout on here

Why? Because it's inacurate? Because it is factual and you don't like that it is? Seriously...why?
Like it or not (and I don't as it goes) of the 2 rugby codes, one is well run and extremely profitable, especially on the international and global stage...the other is Rugby League.
Why would Union want to merge with a game that relies on 30 professional clubs in 2 countries to generate 100% of it's revenue.......and of those 30 clubs, about 10 make a profit


INSULAR RL FANS WITH CHIPS ON THEIR FRIGGIN SHOULDERS IS WHAT HOLDS TGG BACK........look at the whinging going on regarding the double header and the exiles game.....if it's not at the end of your street you're not interested

Only as long as we get to play using rugby league rules, defunct every existing union club, wipe the record books so every union game after 1895 didn't matter, set fire to twickenham, toilet paper Will Carling's house and send John Inverdale a prank pizza delivery from every pizza delivery service in the country, and then and only then maybe there can be a merger.

A merger of a gigantic rugby league fist right up rugby unions . Fight the power!

If I'm the only one here man enough to admit he has burnt a gigantic wicker man effigy of John Inverdale whilst praying to the god of thunder to smite him down whilst he is on the toilet or something then so be it.

Calm down CD......you'll do yourself a mischief


Oh...and I wouldn't burn Twickenham...I turn it into the worlds largest spearmint rhino...

...that would sort property prices out in TW2 and maybe Quins RL could pick up some "passing trade'

I can only imagine a rugby union themed strip club.

The ladies come out to do their thing, but everyone is too busy in the bar to witness any action.

If you look at this from the outside a single code makes sense. Originally it was a single code irrespective of what has happended over the last 100+ years. So if rule changes were made to both codes then the games wouldn't be that far apart. Its a bit like boxing which started as a single body, then became the WBC and the WBA and over recent years has expanded to become about 10 world champions per weight division which is a nonsense.

Personally I am a huge League fan and I'll watch my own team (Warrington) and any other games that are on whether its SL or NRL. I don't have any interest in Union as a sport but my 3 kids all play Union because its the only game available to them although the youngest play U10's and U8's Union 7's which is closer to League than Union.

So for me if you only look forward, everything makes sense to have a single code, do I think it will happen in the next 10 years, no.

If you look at this from the outside a single code makes sense. Originally it was a single code irrespective of what has happended over the last 100+ years. So if rule changes were made to both codes then the games wouldn't be that far apart. Its a bit like boxing which started as a single body, then became the WBC and the WBA and over recent years has expanded to become about 10 world champions per weight division which is a nonsense.

Personally I am a huge League fan and I'll watch my own team (Warrington) and any other games that are on whether its SL or NRL. I don't have any interest in Union as a sport but my 3 kids all play Union because its the only game available to them although the youngest play U10's and U8's Union 7's which is closer to League than Union.

So for me if you only look forward, everything makes sense to have a single code, do I think it will happen in the next 10 years, no.