I too am baffled why union is a successful spectator sport, but the level of competition between the home and 6 nations is something that RL can only dream of at the moment.

Not to mention Aus, NZ, S Africa, Argentina, Fiji etc etc

Despite it not being such a great spectator sport there are people in power behind the game, people with money pushing it. The RFU getting in peoples faces all the time by playing so many games in different places.

Not to mention the 7s tournamnt which goes on half the year with countries that aren't all that great at the 15 aside version getting much exposure, countires like Kenya, not to mention places like Fiji and Samoa who have 7s tradition.

But the heart of union is their international game.

England winning a few games might actually get more people to games just to see their country winning at whatever sport.

They don't have lazy fans who won't go to games! There are enough RL fans in Nth of England/Sudney to easily get 50-80,000 crowds but they won't go to internationals. Shame but there you go, we reap what we sow.

the problem is RL in england has been neglected for too long, and only with SL are the right steps being taken

RL has destroyed union in australia and is now doing a good job in new zealand.

a vibrant SL competition would wipe union in england as well.

But lets face it there are only 3 international teams at a level to form a comp, and 1 of those is miles ahead of the other 2 despite losing the world cup and the less said about England the better. In order to have an international game you need a good amount of teams that can compete against each other. Who other than England and NZ can Australia realistically play against, and even those two wont offer too much.

New Zealand and Australia lead the way.

Fiji, Tonga and Samoa behind them.

PNG at full strength, then a bit of a gap.

Ireland and Scotland

After that the quality falls right away, your getting in the Welsh, English and the French.

Come on mate England as bad as they are, are still the 3rd best nation. I would say NZ and Australia lead the way, id say Australia lead the way and NZ are way behind (bar that awesome world cup win), and England are that far behind they cant even see them anymore.

The six home nations? Italy are a bit off of the other 5 and when they first came in were far from convincing. Fair play to the IRB though for sticking with them. Hopefully the RLIF will do the same with France and other countries.

I wouldn't include Fiji in that list either. Argentina have made massive strides towards the leading union nations, but for me there are still only 3 teams who could realistically win a union world cup if it was played tomorrow.

union has how many proper teams? 5?

coupled with failing club competitions ill go with rl.

union is so bad in nz and aus, it needed to join together to match the nrl.

Teams that can compete with each other? Way more than the 2 in League. Plenty of competative games this weekend, except the huge blowout my the Aussies against Italy, by a mighty23 points. England wouldnt and didnt come that close on Aussie soil.

Mate everyone knows that Union's strength is at International level. I cant stand Union but i can be realistic in my opinions. Union beats League hands down on the international stage

union has 5 genuine teams, RL has 3.

big deal.

union has minimal credibility at club level in australia, now nz.

load of poop really.

the S14 is a major joke.

international union :

craig gower gets picked for a country he probably doesnt speak the language of, has never lived in and hasnt visited in years.

and japan are looking at fraser anderson