Wales-New Zealand [R]

As much as I hate Rugby Union, you can't argue that games like this envoke EVERYONES interest in the country. So steeped in tradition, and with Wales, Grand Slam Champions as well, they have as big a chance in 52 years to break their All Blacks hoodoo

Rugby League is where its at though

 

Ahem, *cough* *cough*.

So, how is it going with that Rugby League World Cup? Got great media contracts lined up? And how about that massive worldwide audience for League's World Cup final?

 

So the sport has to be a global phenomen just for me to prefer it to Union? In this country it is force fed to you and in the blood. Union is Wales' national sport, League is very small over here but it is increasing in number. A new Welsh franchise has been set up, and taking a bottom-up approach to Superleague, and along with a new Welsh conference, the game is expanding.

I prefer League as there is far more structure in the game. None of these stupid rucks or mauls which kill and slow down the game and muddle it up. Then you have got stupid offside penalties, killing the ball, etc. You have none or very little of this in League.

I do like the times where Union is free flowing but it is rarely that these days, hence turning into a 'Lets see who can kick the most penalties' contest, can become a borefest. I also don't mind the line out aspect either, because there is a chance that both sides can win the ball in the air. I do however hate, and this is for League as well, is the scrums. How pointless are they? The ball is always chucked into their own teams side hence there is nye all chance of it being turned over. They should bring back the days of where the ball is played into the middle, where both sides can compete and show their true strength and tactical ability.

Union may be the bigger game worldwide, but League is catching up. League is growing in strength in NZ since the inception of the NZ Warriors, and only these week had its television rights bought by the free-to-air Maori TV. 'Les Catalans' are being incepted in SL next year, and opens up the possibility of exploiting the French market and a backdoor into a yet unventured Spanish market.

 

Easy, easy. I was just teasing you tongue in cheek. And I do know your original message was in jest as well.

But you do bring up a number of good points. The problem I've had with following League is lack of lineouts. I watched maybe a season's worth of League's matches 2-3 years ago. I got quite dizzy and disoriented watching crunching tackles one after the other with the football being punted back and forth, very little passing and not as many chances as Union for running or scoring tries. After that, I realized Union was what really suited my tastes. Having said that, in Union I find it pretty boring if the football gets punted from one end to the other and not much goes on the middle.

 

I like line outs, and if scrumas were done properly I would like them as well, but League is running rugby and always has pace to it. Whereas Union can be sloooooooooooooooooooooow and dull. I will be honest and say a game of free-flowing Union is just as good as a fast and furious League game, but that flowing game in Union is just very rare these days. Both games could improve, but Union needs alot done to it, to make it the perfect article IMO. I hope League expands and becomes bigger than Union though, in the future though, overall its the more exciting and physical game

 

When it comes to League v. Union, Union is winning by a very large margin.

 

Well done master of the obvious, but by the WRU taking away a major rugby union club from the Welsh heartlands of the vales and valleys, they are shooting themselves in the foot. So League has a big chance to fill the void there. You have got to bare in mind that Wales is a small country of 3 million and by the WRU alienating a good 500-800k of them, it gives League a springboard to work with and League is growing, you can't argue with that. This year Wales was awarded a Premier Division of the RL Conference and a Welsh side won the tournament overall. Wales RL are in the final of the ENC today against France. Wales has been given its first RL Professional Franchise for years.

Watch out Union, and I hope New Zealand give you a lesson today!!!

 

Not exactly. But when the media shows and rams union down your throat every minute of every day, you just don't give a toss about the result. They imprint union on your brain and make you think its your national sport. Welshness is rugby union You have to like it because you are Welsh But thats quite the contrary in reality but the media wouldn't let you see it that way...

Wales' 4 rugby regions (Bare in mind playing top class rugby every week in the Northern Hemisphere) get around 25,000 all together on average so say 6,000 a side tops. Whereas the 3 Welsh football clubs in the Football league, at levels 2,3 and 4 on the football pyramid respectively get on aggregate in excess of 30,000 between them and they are not even playing the top standard!!! But does this matter to the BBC, HTV, South Wales Echo, Western Mail, etc.... DOES IT BALLS!!!

I am sick of rugby union, heavens forbid what it will be like if we ever won the World Cup... The Grand Slam did my nut in

 

So, you're that guy.

 

Welsh Union internationals are places to be seen at, especially when the side is doing well. Do you remember when only 30,000 went to see Wales against Argentina only a couple years ago? And Wales are in the Top 7 in the World in Union. Welsh football is ranked anywhere between 80 and 100 in the World and against a piss poor Azerbathingy and nearly 40,000 turned up.
Welsh Union matches are seen as an event an hyped up enormously by the media. Also playing home to England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand every other year or so is guaranteed to get you big gates. They either play matches against the best in the world or rivals/neighbours/

As for the Welsh Premiership getting several thousand? You are having a laugh. Fan numbers on the whole have decreased on the whole since Moffett took over. In fact, more and more Welsh rugby clubs are dying in the day and age of professionalism.

Why didn't I bring in League of Wales football attendances? Why didn't I bring in Newport County, Merthyr Tydfil and Colwyn Bay attendances to reinforce my point? The reason I didn't scoop the barrel like you is because we are looking at the main sides/franchises whic the Welsh public support.

Also you got to take into account the thousands of Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool glory supporters all over Wales. Who have the Union fans got to 'glory' support

Football is played by more people and supported by more people. But Union is the darling of the media.

 

Unfortunately not, I don't know whats worse there. Having no knackers or being called 'Geoff' Mind you I bet the effin Media exaggerated that story as well

 

I agree with that. Wales = Rugby, male voiced choirs, sheep and coal mines...
Stereotypical but the media will play up to this stereotype and Union will there forever be seen as our national sport even though it isn't the most popular