Bull.

It is about exposure because of the London press. Doesn't make it "bigger".

And southern is soccer completely with a few toffs playing the rah rah.

Absolutely spot on

It took so long to draw out the rah rah love...

How embarrassing...

Agree entirely.

I do have a Southern friend who follows RL for the bizarre but understandable reason that he's a Wycombe Wanderers fan and thinks that Wasps stole his ground.

It must have been a swarm of the nasty critters. Or he's mad.

[url=http://www.magnersleague.com/news/6228.phpMassive blow for Welsh club Ospreys[/url

Sounds very murky.

The Magners League: proof positive that Scottish rugby union has died on its a***. Discuss.

The problem in Scotland is that union is still very parochial. Hawick, Melrose and the other teams still get decent enough crowds but Edinburgh, Glasgow and the now defunct Borders outfit struggle for fans as they have no sense of tradition or hetritage. That was the view of one of a Scottish friend who attended Heriots.
We talk about rugby league being confined to the north of England but Scottish union is very much a (south) Edinburgh game.

Oh yeah, "toffs" like those who recently did some jobs at my house: A cavity wall insulation installer from Reading and a roofer from just outside Bristol. I think you need to re-think your stereotypes.

That's quite a post considering your 'home' board.
Send In The Clowns: Flatcappers, whippet breeders, flat earthers need not apply (did I miss any out?)

I got stuck in Hawick once with work (it's a dump) and was told something fairly similar. I also remember someone telling me that the SRFU were mainly interested in trying to get Glasgow into rugby union, which is frankly never going to happen.

@ Catalancs in particular... www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/se ... gloucester Sounds like there's trouble even in their flagship league with one of their best-supported teams...

@ Catalancs in particular... www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/se ... gloucester Sounds like there's trouble even in their flagship league with one of their best-supported teams...

Quote ="Urmston Wire"@ Catalancs in particular... www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/se ... gloucester Sounds like there's trouble even in their flagship league with one of their best-supported teams...'" Up and under? Now where have I heard that before? A story like this comes out at least once a year. 9,994 is still a good crowd even if it is for one of the more notable and traditional clubs in one of the country's biggest sports. I'm more concerned with Leicester's start as I've backed them to win the end of year final. Saracens back to London? Interesting.

Quote ="Urmston Wire"@ Catalancs in particular... www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/se ... gloucester Sounds like there's trouble even in their flagship league with one of their best-supported teams...'" Up and under? Now where have I heard that before? A story like this comes out at least once a year. 9,994 is still a good crowd even if it is for one of the more notable and traditional clubs in one of the country's biggest sports. I'm more concerned with Leicester's start as I've backed them to win the end of year final. Saracens back to London? Interesting.

Catalancastrians?

Quote ="Urmston Wire"@ Catalancs in particular... www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/se ... gloucester Sounds like there's trouble even in their flagship league with one of their best-supported teams...'" Great news,now let's hope our farmer cousins can see what a load of 5h1te that union really is. If the crowds keep going down how are they going to survive(hopefully for not very long).

Quote ="Urmston Wire"@ Catalancs in particular... www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/se ... gloucester Sounds like there's trouble even in their flagship league with one of their best-supported teams...'" Great news,now let's hope our farmer cousins can see what a load of 5h1te that union really is. If the crowds keep going down how are they going to survive(hopefully for not very long).

You will be spewing if the Northampton Saints go bust cj

Two people...their fathers probably went to Eton and they are the black sheep of the family because they don't like Pimms.

All rather ironic, as Gloucester are one of the teams who own a share in Premiership Rugby, unlike Exeter.

I would love to see rugby union get a taste of its own medicine and feel some hardship rather than keep on lording it over us. It sounds wrong, but I really would.

Hate to bust your bubble champ but from what I know about Union... your average Union club has zero interest in 'lording' it over any league side.

I've said this before... and ill say it again.

Union thinks of League in the same sort of way that Aussies think of Kiwis.


A sort of slightly annoying but similar neighbour that ultimately you dont give a second thought about.


The way people rip on about Union on these forums makes me smile.

You would swear that the RFU are planning to invade Yorkshire and Lancashire, round up anyone who wears a league jumper and incarcerate them in a modern day concentration camp before turning the likes of headingly and the DW stadium into car parks



ffs

Bloody hell Barry you are getting all serious are'nt you.
By the way union is on about invading where I live and I have my weapons ready.

You will be safe from the invading Union Army CJ.

You have your Northampton Saints season ticket.

When the Union Gestapo and several storm troopers smash in your door late at night screaming 'VERE ARE YOUR PAPERS' and try and bundle you on the next train to Twickenham rehabilitation centre you can simply show them and they will smartly salute you and leave.

Apologist.

ARLT.

I'm sure the RFU won't come knocking at my door in the middle of the night (they'll get a servant to do it

) but that doesn't mean that I don't honestly believe that Union has a massive superiority complex.

I have strong memories of being at school and being forced to play union (at one point it was the only sport you couldn't get out of), and being told that union was a superior game to everything else. And this was just south of Manchester city centre, which is not exactly a union hotbed.

Plus, I've occasionally had abuse from unionistas if I've had a Wire or England RL top on, and I know I'm not the only one.

But still, the RFU have an open desire to expand in the North at our expense.

Well, Philip Toynbee did say that a bomb under one stand at Twickenham would set back the cause of British fascism by 50 years...

If you are going to comment on the relationship between the two codes in the UK could I suggest that you do some research and begin to understand the history. When you have done that, you will see how false your assumptions are

On the topic of crowds, I have seen some very worrying attendances over the first few weeks of the Union season (worrying for them) - it looks like Sale, Newcastle, Leeds, Saracens etc are in for a tough season