The reason the game enjoys a decent fair-weather interest is because in spite of how negative and lackluster the attacking play might be, there's an intensity present.

Having a 30 phase play in the opposition half, as poor as the skills on display are, as boring and uninspiring as it might be, it still gives a sense of intensity and, depending on who you're supporting, a feeling of foreboding or anticipation.

NH rugby is probably the worst in the world, but I get why some people are suckered into the product. If your team is in the opposition 20 for five minutes, it doesn't matter how many predictable pick and drives from the back of the ruck that there is, doesn't matter how crap the handling, the complete absence of rugby intelligence, it's still a situation that'll get your heart beat up if you have even 1% of a damn

Think about how you're on the edge of the seat if your team is defending or attacking on multiple repeat sets, a couple of times in a row the team is trapped in their own in goal and there's repeat sets coming from a goal line dropout. Now it could be the most uninspiring, unskilled match up that rugby league has ever seen, it could be god awful, but in that scenario there's an excitement because of the build up, the building of pressure. The longer it goes on the more nail biting it is, right?

Context is important. You could have Salford - London infront of 5,000 people and it could be free running league galore with tries and big hits all over the park, but it's still salford and london in front of 4,000 people at the end of the day. It wouldn't match a 9 - 4 forward dominated game between Leeds and St Helens in a semi final infront of a packed house.

The combination of intensity, atmosphere and sense of occasion that the Six Nations has it what sucks people in, it doesn't really matter how mind numbingly dull the rugby itself is. People tune into the Superbowl(younger people, admittedly) in a similar vein, they're attracted to the atmosphere and sense of the occasion. When you're told something is important and a big deal, they'll believe it. The Olympics is the best example of this that I can think of.

Forgot how good league is, we're missing that perceived significance.

Watched the full 80 and it wasent the best viewing. However im gonna give RU a chance, some of the games involving the All blacks and Springboks have been fantastic lately.

I actually don't mind RU and watch a fair bit of it and tbh that match against Ireland is about as hard to watch a game as England have played in for sometime, so it's not a surprise that a few RL fans didn't enjoy it but it was all about getting the result in a traditionally difficult fixture. The weather conditions didn't help at all & it did make the game a turgid affair but they did what they had to do to win.

Tbf to England RU they have been playing quite an expansive attacking game since Lancaster took over and the previous two games against NZ & Scotland were a far more entertaining spectacle.

You've hit the nail on the head. Significance is everything. You only need look at the papers the week before telling everyone how this is the most important contest since whenever, picking out head to heads and speculating about battles for places on the Lions tour, etc.

This is something the RFL and others need to really absorb. The League product is great, but quality of product should not be a marketing focus. At all. Everything should be about building 'significance'. And as many sensible people have advised the RFL, etc. you start by focusing on the players and their stories, not the product. We need heroes, villains, bitter rivalries, mutual respect, etc. all of which you can have without becoming ITV wrestling.

More than anything, we need David Mitchell contracted to feature in our tv adverts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF_uOgyBK1c

More than anything, we need David Mitchell contracted to feature in our tv adverts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF_uOgyBK1c

+1 That's not sport in my eyes.

Was it worse than Rangi smashing the Leeds player in the face deliberately.

Why has all sport got to be fast and tough. RU is different, as is Cricket. People like sports for different reasons

Try and get a ticket to Englands next game- That will tell you how popular it is.

He grew up in Halifax, so probably has a healthy respect for our sport.

Rugby union has a massive occasional support for big games and international.

I've played a lot of Rugby Union for Ormskirk. They currently run 4 senior teams every week.
Because of the lower intensity, the emphasis on the static set piece and the smaller amount of time the ball's in play, you've got plenty of guys in their 40s still playing social rugby in the 3rds and 4ths.
On international weekends, a large crowd, including ex players will gather in the bar to watch the match on the big screen. They don't care if the games dull, because they'll have a beer and be amongst their mates.

The club receive a ticket allocation for international games, which they distribute to their members. Given they've got about 100 playing members as well as umpteen explayers who are social members, a ladies team and a massive mini and junior section, so there's always someone who'll want a day out.

Ormskirk is equidistant from Wigan and St Helens, about 1/2 an hours drive from either. They have a mini and junior section that has 200 kids registered. The nearest Top Flight RU club is Sale, which is a long way away. Union clubs like this should be a prime target for Superleague clubs looking to increase their fans base.
Would it be so daft to offer every rugby union club in the area club a batch of tickets for next to nothing for the world cup games? Show these guys what is right under their noses?
There are a lot of Rugby Union clubs all around us who have no top flight rugby to watch live.

I was totally bored so i thought i would watch it after 30 mins went to wash pots for the wife, that's how bored i was and how boring union is

My Wife said to me "Why don't you watch the Rugby while I do the ironing" to which I replied "Nah. I'll do the ironing and you can watch it if you like." I actually ended up decorating and i'm thankful I did.

I don't know why anyone would want to move to Union. It requires no skill whatsoever, it's boring to watch and just becomes a competition for who has the best goal kicker.

If you were on, say£60k, at a league club and Union came knocking and offered £240k then you'd go. You'd be daft not to. That's the first reason why players go.
The other is to play Intls in front of 80000 and all the papers covering the game for the week prior to the game.

The 6 Nats is the same every year. Each fixture is made into a top notch event that draws people in.
every year the "Rugby" is dreadful but that doesn't really matter to those that attend.
They go for a great day out, attend a superb event and hopefully get the right result for them.

The quality of play is of no consequence at all.

Spot on

It was a slog to watch, but the France Wales games was far far worse. Strangely I was really impressed with the England game the week before. They had second row forwards running, dodging tackles and passing the ball - something I've never seen in Union before.

Why is defending so poor in union?
There doesn't seem to be any ability to tackle man on man.