"Early Next Year" apparently to be played at Wembley Stadium.



This is in relation to an article in the Australian "Telegraph" Newspaper about a proposed Australian Rugby League v Australian Rugby Union "Hybrid" Game.

Link: [url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/kangaroos-and-wallabies-could-mate-for-15m/story-e6frexnr-1226205354186=#FF0000www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/kangaroos-and-wallabies-could-mate-for-15m/story-e6frexnr-1226205354186[/url

Sounds like their is plenty of cash involved for Wigan on this venture.

Under what rules then?
40 mins of League then 40 of Union? League under the 6 tackle rule and Union under unlimited tackles (phases). If that's the cases Sarries will declare their innings at half time. Either 6 tackles each or unlimited each.
Alternative is the Hybrid game suggested by Bob Dwyer.
AFAIK it's 13 a side with no line outs but contested scrums and rucks and mauls.
Will have to know a lot, lot more about this before I spend train fare etc to Wembley.
15 years too late really, its probably more about building the Wigan brand more than anything which is great but as for a cross code game, just not convinced.

Hope its 40 mins of each, we will absoulutely murder them.

I'd prefer one match League and one match Union, as in the Bath Challenge but if its a Hybrid game then maybe the one game.

40 mins of each would save arguments but a hybrid game would be the best and possibly fairest way of working out who's better 'if' we could work out a decent set of rules.

No way could we could with rucks, scrums and line outs but then they'd get ripped apart if we play 6 tackles and the ball stays in play for as long as it does in a normal league game.

I won't even attempt to come up with some rules.

"champions Wigan"?

Sums up the whole article. All the people involved are rugby union people who know that rugby union is losing revenue hand over fist to its competitors across Australia. Its like Gary Hetherington and Gary Schofield going to the RFU with a proposal for Engand RU to play a game against England RL. What's in it for the RFU?

Once you read past the first two paragraphs it all un-ravels and the story basically consists of these chancers "door stepping" players in the hotel lobby.

As for a game between Wigan and Saracens at Wembley in January - it will be interesting to read the views of those who slated 40,000+ for the international there considering the crowd this (if it goes ahead) would draw.

Very few..... Stupid idea, we have a difficult league to be succesful in, we don't need this.

Are hybrid internationals on there way ?

With that sort of money being talked about do not be surprised if we aus RU/RL v Eng RU/RL as media will throw money at it

I would consider going if it's 40 minutes of each code. I ain't going if it's hybrid rules. Pointless is what it is.

I'm hearing that it is set for Saturday 21st January with the u20s + O'Loughlin to play Huddersfield in his testimonial two days before. Poor show for O'Loughlin if true.

Does anyone seriously think that this isn't the future ultimately?

Whether we like it or not, economics are surely at some point going to dictate that one code of rugby is played, at least at professional level, on a global scale.

It may be that RL and RU still continue at amateur level in their own heartlands, but it doesn't make financial sense for rugby to continue to be divided. Not with massive TV deals up for grabs, etc.

Not that I necessarily think any of us will live to see it.

Paul, put the big spoon and fishing rod away.
Saracens are away in the Heineken Cup that weekend.

I love the way you never miss a chance to try and stir things.

As I said its what I heard (voices in my head). When in January would it be played then?


As per my original comments it looks like a load of "chanchers" just trying to get some free press for their hare-brained scheme (is that hare-brained or hair-brained?)

it'll be interesting to see if we get a union representative to help with rules, insights and training.....Edwards would be nice.

In fact Saracens have a game every weekend in January.

So a mid-week date at Wembley against Saracens reserves appears to be on the cards. I'm hearing Saracens are pushing Wigan for Thursday 19th January.


There is no way this fixture in any meaningful form (which is a term loosely used for this whole Billy Smart's promotion) is going ahead in January.

It's really peeing you off, all this, isn't it? You clearly care more than we do.

As a fan of sport in general, I sometimes think that things like this are just pure publicity stunts but I would be interested to see how a game played to these hybrid rules went:

13 men, essentially RL rules except:-
Contested scrums
1 "power play" allowed per set of six. The timing would be chosen by the attacking team and they would essentially be able to ruck and maul RU style.
If the ball is kicked to touch from a power play, the attacking side can choose a lineout.
2 points for a drop goal.

2 refs, one RU one RL.

Gives both sides a fair chance to play to their strengths.

Thursday 19th January is O'Loughlin's testimonial.

Not bad, but I can't see the League side ever choosing the power play option because it plays to their weaknesses. The Union side, conversely, would be likely to choose the power play on tackle 1, meaning they can ruck/maul through various phases (not sure of my terminology here), until eventually kicking it.

So what you have is the League team playing League, and the Union team playing Union, all in the same game.

Ultimately, any game like this will be half-d - particularly if you've got less than 2 months to sort out the logistics. I'd far rather we concentrated on preparing for the next Super League season & steered clear of these distractions.

I think it's going to be a massive waste of time. And I'll be honest, something that I'm personally not really interested in going all the way to Wembley to watch. The hybrid rules to me seem much more in favour of yawnion and either way it's only going to be a half d effort and something that very few people will actually understand whats going on.

You make some fair comments but at the end of the day games like this are pointless (apart from publicity). There is no fair system, only some compromise that at least gives each side a chance to play to their strengths. They key for each side would be to make their opponents game break down so they can then play their familiar game. There would need to be a limit on the number of times a ball could be re-cycled.

The only other way is a different game. It would be interesting to see them play "shinty"

What about pitch markings? Is going League or Union or something new.

What socks will they wear?

If there's big money for the club then lets get it on.