I was a bit tired yesterday afternoon, stuck England South Africa on and bang, asleep in 10 minutes.

That was the first pro game I'd watched since the 6 Nations, and I really had forgotten how dull it was, I've been to watch Hull RUFC, Yorkshire and the Huddersfield Uni team a few times, and that is far more entertaining watching than full international matches.

That's all very well and good but Hull RU don't get 38,000 watching them. That's what counts, isn't it?

Union is the ultimate Emperor's New Clothes..... Nobody actually knows what they are watching, but because nobody around them dare tell them the truth, they just go along with how 'entertaining' it all is.

I stumbled across the last half hour of the England game yesterday....Quality wise, it was absolute dross - Lots of sweat , but zero technique. Awful.

Emperor's new clothes?

If you're right, you'd think that those either paying to go or those watching would figure it out....but for some strange reason, Union continues to attract fans, viewers and sponsors.

Hopefully the RLWC next year will attract fans and they in turn will see the light and abandon Union.........

Why do people need to 'abandon' union? Why can't people appreciate and follow both codes of rugby?

sorry...my bad. Too many incidents with our 'stralian buddies branding me a union troll because I dared suggest League could learn from the IRB.
I don't watch club union any more, but I do follow the internationals......I watch all forms of League...have done since I saw my frst game in the flesh back in 2002.....
Both games (they are 2 different sports) have their good and bad traits, but Union has more to correct than League on the park...it's the opposite off it though.

No need to apologise. Many rugby league fans have a cautious approach to union which all too often develops into an uneccesary insecurity.


Rugby league is the sport I was brought up with. It's what we talked about at the dinner table. My week ended watching Wigan and then there were six days till I could watch them again. Trivial things in-between like school and sleep were miles behind. Rugby league was king but I was mad about Manchester United, Orrell union, cricket, boxing, in fact almost any sport I could find.
Nowadays, living away from England my passion for most sports has waned. So much so that I only really make an effort for rugby league. I still watch a lot of sport, but nowhere near as much as I used to.

I'm the opposite when it comes to union as I find internationals flat and the play far too cautious and sometimes sterile. The French league is similar to this so even though it's on Spanish tv, I don't usually watch it. I was really disappointed by what I saw of the English league and the Heineken Cup this year. The standard of passing, running lines and tucking has dropped to a level I'd associate with Orrell all those years ago. Super 15 is still the most entertaining but the rule, sorry, law tweaks which have steered the game towards rugby league in a successful effort to make it more open and increase the amount of running rugby have seen solid defence virtually disappear.

An example of the poor skill levels in Union would have to be the fact that in 48 appearances for Leicester (one of the best sides in the league), winger Horatio Agulla scored 8 tries.

Terrible that....shocking....I reckon it won't be long before their knocking down Twickenham to build a Tesco's and staurt lancaster getting the job of trolley collector there

You could build a MASSIVE T*sco on the site of Twickers. Could be a goer that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Union fan but the difference in skill levels between the two sports is laughable.

I would gladly give a year's salary to see Twickers being turned into a supermarket.

Or use Phil Toynbee's famous words as inspiration.

How much is the Dole in the UK now?

RU internationals have two massive things going for them:

1) Union internationals are seen as EVENTS, not just sporting contests.

2) The rules of union enable a team with a strong pack and no passing game to compete with a team they are light-years behind in terms of running and passing.

If you compare to RL, far too many RL fans are seemingly purists to the nth degree, or club first, second, third and fourth, and happy to boycott games etc on the grounds of player X being selected because not from their side or because despite following the same rules as other sports, is in some ways not 'English'.

Then you must add the fact that the parts of RU that enable competition between sides with outrageously mismatched back divisions - i.e. contested possession, ability to keep a game tight and value of penalties - is simply not possible in RL. I'd argue England RL is probably not dissimilar in ability differential as England RU when compared to say Australia. But whereas England RU can stuff the ball up their jumper and play for teritory and possession and penalties, England RL simply can't do the same, because Australia in RL will get the ball at least 50% of the time.

There really is nothing stopping the RFL from creating the same "buzz" around their games.....they just seem afraid of their own shadows sometimes when it comes to marketing.

England RU will have played Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, France, New Zealand, South Africa (4 times), Australia and Fiji in 2012.
11 games....6 of these at Home.......all 80,000 or so in attendance with tickets starting at about 35 notes......conservative 15 million in ticket revenue alone for the RFU



....as I have said before, many RL fans may think that Union is a turd, but by GOD, the RFU/IRB are expert polishers

the attitude is summed up by the actions of a band of so called 'England fans' booing and hurling abuse at their [uown[/u players at the Exiles game at Langtree Park recently, simply because they play for a rival club ???

it seems that for every one do-gooder in RL in England there's another one who is putting the boot in...

I think his second point answers that one, but I do agree about the marketing.

Lol GF I will have you know in my 20 plus years of leaving school I have never claimed benefits.

Anyway I believe that part of London need more supermarkets wouldn't you agree.

.....we believe you





Q: What do you call building a TESCO's on the site where Twickenham Stadium stands?
A: A start!

Telegraph reporting London Welsh have won their appeal and will play in the Premiership next season - Newcastle are relegated

I assume Newcastle appeal now then!

brilliant news - justice at last !

And your boys, Wasps, look to have found a buyer.

The 'national' code loses another northern team, hurrah.

The M4 will be the new M62 before they know it!

really ? didn't see that !

who is it ?