Can someone please help me in my ongoing argument with my Union-supporting colleague? I remember sometime in the last year or two, someone produced statistics showing the amount of time the ball was in play for different sports, but can't find a link anywhere.

Does anyone know where the article can be found?

In case you dont get a response - one of the tv channels when they screen Union has a clock showing how long has been spent during the game setting scrums. it usually gets in the 5-10 mins mark all of which is dead time, time for any RL side to have scored several tries.

All the evidence that RU is inferior is here (produced by the International Rugby Board). www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedi ... 63_pdf.pdf As for RL I'm searching...but doubt the RFL have ever produced anything like this......

All the evidence that RU is inferior is here (produced by the International Rugby Board). www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedi ... 63_pdf.pdf As for RL I'm searching...but doubt the RFL have ever produced anything like this......

Still to find reliable RL evidence as yet, but comparing using RL unreliable sources.

Ball in play time- RL 55 mins. RU 39 mins.

Also of that RU has an average of 12 scrums per game taking approx 9 mins in total ( 55% collapse, 44% result in a penalty). So thats actually ball in open play for 30 mins in my mind. Wait....should we consider the 46 kicks from hand, 24 lineouts? So thats almost double the time in open play, and the defence getting back 10metres/defender up/down each time.

Also, average 7-8 tries in a league game. In union....3.4 per game, 41% of points coming from penalty goals.

In conclusion.

If you want the ball in open play for longer, more tries and less emphasis placed on penalty kicks and kcking from hand...then watch RL.

Other interesting things to mention. According to Gareth Thomas ( Welsh RU Captain & most capped player in Welsh RU histrory).

"For me, league is more physical without a shadow of a doubt. Particularly in my position because where I played in union (centre, wing or fullback) you make maybe six or seven carries a game whereas in league you’re doing 15 to 20, the contact is more frequent and what I found in league is that even on the wing you can never rest.
“In union there’s a lot of kicking and set plays going on which seems to take ages to play, whereas in league if you shut down for a few seconds the players are so talented in recognising that you’re up or you’re out of the line and they put the ball into the air into a gap and score. It’s 80 minutes of working whereas in union you can rest and have a look at what’s going on in the crowd a lot of the time"

Who'd have thought 39 minutes could be so tedious?

Fabulous posts, thanks guys, especially Biff!

That should keep me in ammunition for a while.

I KNOW League has miles more action, but he's a bit of a statistics nerd, so I feel the need for hard evidence!

Yes, I know the sort, but sometimes you just have to feel the quality, which in this case means bring him along to a Bulls v whinos game (see fixtures thread for rumours about when that is). I remember how gobsmacked a work colleague who was a Derby (yes its a few years ago when they were in the top division whatever its called) fan was when he came to a Bulls game, thats soccer which is just miles ahead of union. I suppose with union you at least have plenty of opportunities to go to the bar without missing anything.

The trouble is, he does watch League too, but because he plays Union he feels the need to defend it! He's in his forties, and doesn't like it when I tell him that he couldn't hack it in League at his age.....can't think why

These are stats from the NRL & Super 14 for 2009

The real ball in play is after you take out the stoppages when the clock is still ticking.

Average single-game values.................. NRL round 26 2009 .............Super 14 round 13 2009
Restarts of play ........................................13 scrums.......................20 scrums; 26 lineouts
Kicks at goal (penalties and conversions) ........9 .........................................11
Penalties (not resulting in kicks at goal) .........11 ........................................15
Time of ball in play........................................62 minutes ............................28 minutes


In the final regular season round of the NRL, the ball is in play for 78% of the total game time. In the final regular season game of the Super 14 the ball is in play for 35% of total game time.

Sourcehttps://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/nrl-vs-super-14-differences-game-and-players/971/28136rl

You have him summed up perfectly, lol!!!

Staggering stats!!

I know that they are different games, and I do not want to open up any Union v League can of worms, but, really, how can anyone prefer to watch 28 minutes of action over 62 minutes??

good stats giveetoomee, shows why I can go and mash some tea without missing anything when watching union on the tv, but have to wait for half or full time with league.