Quote The Chronicler of Chiswic="The Chronicler of Chiswic"It's just a journalist burbling to himself on a quiet news day - nothing to see here.'" Its really, not union is in a crisis the game is under increased examination from medical bodies and the defensive improvements from league coaches coming into union has killed their game in terms of entertainment in the northern hemisphere. The bmj has several articles on how the game is no longer safe for kids to play. Its not just a slow news day story. These proposals are coming from senior people in their game. balls.ie/rugby/tony-ward-13-a-side-rugby-3423/

Quote The Chronicler of Chiswic="The Chronicler of Chiswic"It's just a journalist burbling to himself on a quiet news day - nothing to see here.'" Its really, not union is in a crisis the game is under increased examination from medical bodies and the defensive improvements from league coaches coming into union has killed their game in terms of entertainment in the northern hemisphere. The bmj has several articles on how the game is no longer safe for kids to play. Its not just a slow news day story. These proposals are coming from senior people in their game. balls.ie/rugby/tony-ward-13-a-side-rugby-3423/

I take it as flattering that another sport is considering mirroring ours to reach the levels of entertainment that we achieve.

Tony Ward is a 'senior' person in RU and his solitary piece means 'another sport is considering'?

Meanwhile in other rugby league news, Scotland's wheelchair curlers have lost 6-3 to Germany in their relegation play-off at the World Championships in Finland.

*spoiler* cheers i was going to watch that later

Union is already evolving, the rucks are becoming more like rugby league in that teams want to put as few people into the contact area as they can get away with.

Whereas before sides might have been committing 6 or 7 players into the ruck leaving 8 or 9 to play in space, now they may only throw 3 or 4 into the contact area. That leaves 11 or 12 players spreading out across the width of the pitch in defence, much as there would be in league.

Unlike in league however, the offside line in union is the back foot of the ruck rather than 10 metres away from it. Combine that with the recent trend towards "blitz" defences, and attacking players get absolutely zero space to work in unless the ball is recycled quickly. So teams try to avoid taking the ball into contact, but players lack the basic skills to keep it moving, offload in the tackle, run the correct lines etc.

So you end up with some turgid knockonathon of endless reset scrums, or sides choosing to kick because they don't back their own handling ability. Taking two players out may create additional space, but unless the offside line changes it won't create the additional time on the ball that creative players need to flourish.

It may not help your creative players, but your elusive runners like Eastmond would be far more effective with less players on the pitch.

Pot, kettle...
It's interesting that you magically appear every time there is a post vaguely related to union.
It is also interesting that you adopt the exact same style of post as a certain Mr. Gutterfax.

Thats because i like Union and League. You always seem to magically appear on Union threads too. Pot, kettle...

Just a journalist wanting to push some buttons.

It wouldn't harm rugby league.
If the dropped flankers those same players would be lost to the game as they would find it hard to move to another position in the rugby union team.
The tall ones would become locks or No.8 if more mobile but there are only so many places.

Rugby League lends itself to a flanker friendly style of play. Big running forwards who are fit enough to get around the field will find a place in all the pack positions in League.
Let them change it. We'll take their cast offs and make them good rugby players.

Erm...
I have posted in one Union related discussion since you 'joined' RLFANS... meanwhile I haven't seen a single post from you yet regarding the actual game of rugby league.
Keep digging Gutters, it is embarrassing but yet so, so funny at the same time.

Quote galliant="galliant"Tony Ward is a 'senior' person in RU and his solitary piece means 'another sport is considering'? '" Its not one man and a single opinion piece. The is being quite openly discussed in the union press. www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2 ... orthampton

Quote galliant="galliant"Tony Ward is a 'senior' person in RU and his solitary piece means 'another sport is considering'? '" Its not one man and a single opinion piece. The is being quite openly discussed in the union press. www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2 ... orthampton