That, in my opinion, is complete nonsense. The game has benefited hugely from turning professional.

The standard of handling, offloading & tackling have all improved greatly.

Try not to allow your hatred of Union to manifest itself into such silly comments.

I suppose International RL has come on leaps and bounds in recent years?

I would say I agree with your comments with the caveat of it depending on where you play (both club and position). If you play out wide for a team that doesn't use the backs its a horrible game to play (coming from an RL background). If you play in the back row and just get to run into contact all day, then its a pretty decent game to play. Still struggle to watch it on the TV though

I dont hate it whatsoever. I played it and enjoyed playing it. Its just dire to watch

Am I correct in think that "JP moving to the dark side?" in the real world translates into "JP watched a rugby union match"?

But you stand by your comment that the game hasn't improved in 20 years?

That's what I disagreed with.

Yes, it would appear so.

As one poster mentioned earlier in the thread; the players on both codes will no doubt respect each other greatly but it's the fans (on boths sides i might add) that don't seem to reciprocate.

And there-in lies the difference between codes at international level. Arguably one thing league will never have until it has it's own national stadium.

People from all over the country will head to Twickenham for a day out/weekend away: the banter, the atmosphere, the whole day. I would guess the actual game for many people is just part of the day - not the be all & end all. I find union quite tedious to watch, but have enjoyed my visits to Twickenham.

As a sport live, it's not even close to league - I would never argue that. I wasn't arguing with Tad either, just offering a different way of looking at enjoying watching a game. He usually has some story after every GF of drunken louts, threatening behaviour etc.

I don't know what the England/SA game looked like on TV but live it was absolute garbage - the one try of the match summed it up along with the worst decision by any sporting captain in history in the last 90 seconds (his after match interview which was shown on the big screens was cringeworthy). But did I "enjoy waching it" - yes. I enjoyed sitting in the stand at Twickenham with a beer or two (or 3 or 4) with my lad and watching the game.

Let it go G. Let the chip slide off, let the weight be lifted before you get arthritis or end up marching in orange up and down the Falls Road (hang on, that's another long dead, pointless conflict). There will always be Inverdale's, they are not worth it.

It is at the moment. The law changes a few years ago re-spawned the rubbish kicking game. Before that when Super Rugby first started it was mostly ball in hand. If you appreciate the contact skills and the battle for the ball then the game has improved vastly in the last 30 years technically (you can't just stamp on people till they move now). The contact and ruck skills my 9 year old has been coached are way ahead of anything I had as an adult player. FWIW I wish we lived in the North and he could play league, he has the ideal playing style and he'd love it.

Where abouts do you live? Most places have some sort of league team, with junior set ups