that's the point.....Union fans rarely, if ever mention League except maybe in Australia. League fans on the other hand...
The AFL is a bigger and better supported game in Australia...after cricket, it is the closest thing to their national game.....but tell that to an oker RL fan and they have an apoplectic fit

It's the way you say it fax, have a bit more tact. AFL is only slightly in front of RL.

Jesus wept....I have tears welling up

RL is a brilliant sport.....but so is winding up its fanatical idiot fans who decry criticism as trolling...they'll get tact when they realise they have got me all wrong!

The ARL have opened the door on some pretty decent federal and government funding in 'stralia and good on them.....it was a welsh union loving guy who closed the deal BTW......but don't let the troll hunters hear you say that

As for the Olympics and touch.....Kabadi (sic) has a bigger chance as more people play it globally.

Look, these are sensitive issues with a lot of history, most of the ppl you're talking about will never have anything more in their lives than RL, unless they win the lottery, so show some sensitivity to ppl who haven't bn born with great academic ability please.

I never make it a personal thing....I simply pint out the facts, or in some cases, my opinion, which disagree with theirs.

The French RL being a point in case....

I do not doubt for one second that the Vichy government, in cahoots with the Nazis nicked all the assets of the French RL and set the game back a few years....

what does puzzle me though is that the French RL managed to fork out 8 million francs 9 years later as well as roll out the red carpet for the 3 other teams at the RLWC in 1954, with 140,000 odd paying spectators, as well as actually making the final?
Furthermore, they could afford to ship the squad south 3 years later and they were again competitive.....1968 they made their second RLWC final.....amazing given the decimation during the war.

70 years after the event we are quoted chapter and verse about how the French League could have been massive if only.... whilst in fact, French League is because the French let it become ......1990 since they beat GB..1981 England....1980 New Zealand and 1978 Australia.
The growth of France in Union and the regular international competition of the 5 nations and their success has more to do with how the French league is than any Nazi or Vichy administrator...

if only my auntie had bollox she'd be my uncle I say!

The military in countries around the world have put pressure on governments to invest in RU as it's such a team game. An anonymous person gave the US Army $25m towards rugby union 3 yrs ago, you can't compete with that. Due to unique circumstances in France RL didn't stand a chance.

That's the dictionary definition of trolling GF, you've officially jumped the shark now. It's all about balance mate - some criticism in amongst positive support, that's what friends are for. Constant criticism? That's no friend. Be honest with yourself, and we've met back in the day so I don't say this lightly, your time in NZ has quite understandably coloured your view of League and you're now happy playing with the big boys with their shiny expensive train set. Good luck to you, but don't come around here pretending anything else - it's undignified and belittles you.

Back on topic. Touch is a version of League the same as 7's is a version of Union, the history is well documented and playing/watching it makes it obvious. The fact the RFU actually claims Touch as being invented as a Union training game - a deliberate lie - is hilarious, and it's right to call them out on it. It says much more about their culture than ours. This is a fantastic strategic move by the NRL, and in the long term to aspire to see Touch globally as an entry-level path for League (for participants, and as an aligned product) is an exciting goal for the sport. League is in no position to make that happen now, but we should aspire to it - the lack of long-term strategy is one of the two factors that has held 13's back (the other being the blatant persecution by another better-connected and resourced code, which continues to this day)

Fair enough......

But GF, remember you are a

"You poor poor obsessed fat ex vichyballin potato thieving stowaway."




The NRL have negotiated to bring in touch footy to state how high Rugby League's participation levels are. It's a good selling point from the Welsh, former union playing, Falklands hero. Because Football has the highest participation levels in Australia. Not a good look for what they call soccer or even "ball" not long ago.

Thing is, everyone and anyone plays touch. Yes even people who play Union and not league are in teams playing together. Mates playing together, on social or more serious levels and leagues.

This is such a good strategy over here because the rates of kids' particiaption in RL has been dropping as parents are less likely to put their kids in to a dangerous environment. This has been a major concern for the ARL for a while. If you can get kids into touch first, where there is a lot less contact. The child may want to get more and more into the main game.

to be sure 4.38525390625:5