Not sure I agree with this, actually. The way the laws are interpreted now makes it easier for the side in possession to keep the ball. When I watched the Four (?) Nations as a kid, I don't remember people being penalised for "coming in from the side" so much, if at all. Not saying the laws have changed, but the interpretation seems to have done.

Handling skills are still well down, though.

What an amazing start to the RU world cup, they really do put on a great event.

I've just got back from the Wales-Uruguay game and have to say it is even better than the 6 Nations with the fan park and everything else. I was at the opener at the RLWC 2013 and the RWC 2015 is light years ahead but that's hardly a surprise.

When I have watched union world cup in the past I have found the smaller nations actually take risks and kick less.

It's when then the knock out stages begin where it becomes absolute drivel. Teams play extremely safe and you just see teams kicking for goals and playing for penalties constantly.

The rules allow teams to be negative and win games.

Also I dunno why some fans have a problem with league fans not watching rugby union. I generally don't enjoy watching rugby union. It's nothing to do with union being a bigger spectacle. I just don't particularly like the sport.

In Union only solo tackles are recorded as once joined by others it becomes a maul or ruck. In league 2nd 3rd and 4th floppers are awarded as a tackle. Forwards in Union have to work hard to contest possession in tackles, mauls, rucks, line outs and in real scrums. So your comparison is irrelevant as a comparison.

I fully agree with you. It is a shame that some folks cannot learn the rules, accept that it is a different game to League but with many shared skills. Then sit back and enjoy it.

Without doubt Union has come on in leaps and bounds since it turned professional and the fitness and skill levels are now high. I prefer to watch League but it is silly to pretend that Union is not good entertainment and League can learn from Union how to promote the game better.

This Union World Cup is massive and the second best single sport for paid attendances in the World. It will attract between 420,000 and 466,000 international visitors and with more than 2.2 million tickets sold it will produce almost a £Billion value to our GDP.

Problem is it is like watching a poor amateur game of league most of the time with all the stopping and starting, kicking in to touch, penalties and general lack of ball in play. Still each to their own. In league the domestic competitions have always taken precedent since its inception, just the way it has been and is likely to stay.

Maybe you should stop obsessing about Union and you should definitely hold back on the straight comparisons......

660 players in 20 squads at RUWC 2015 of which I can find 71 playing for countries other than that of their Birth. 11%........that's a lot.

322 players in 14 squads at RLWC 2013 of which I could find 159 playing for countries other than that of their birth. That's 49%....that's a Joke...even more so when you consider those 159 were split between 9 sides at over 17 per 23 man squad as an average!

The biggest joke is that you spent your time noting the birthplace of nearly 1,000 players to try prove a point on a website.

Australia is a multi cultural immigration nation where RL is no.1. Is it any surprise that they produce so many heritage eligible players? If RU in Australia was popular I'm sure they'd also be supplying more English, Italian, Samoan, Tongan etc union players.

Great to see the png hunters going well. They're the first FT PNG squad of players. If players like segyaro don't jump ship to play for Australia we might see png getting more competitive. Likewise Fiji when they join the nsw cup.

lol......the thread gets started with stats and when I blow them out of the water with accurate stats its a joke?
By the way.... I didn't try to prove a point. I did prove it!

So are saying that all league fans should enjoy watching union and vice versa. Sorry but that's ridiculous.

You can't force someone to enjoy watching a sport they don't like. Like I said before, why do people have a problem with fans not being interested in the union world cup?

Another thread completely derailed by the clearly unwell Gutterfax and his multiple accounts.

Didn't take long at all for this thread about international RL to become a thread about the RUWC.

Is it any wonder that hardly anyone visits this forum anymore? The mods clearly don't spend any time here and I bet ad revenue's at an all time low.

Think i'll go check Twitter out for a bit before work. This place is dead.

The thread wasn't about international RL and don't let the door hit you on the arris on the way out

To find the OP mentioned Union and it just carried on. Fact is all sports have players born and raised in other countries. It's only trolls on RL boards that have a problem with RL's.