Chris Ashton
Sam Burgess
Andy Farrell
Jason Robinson
Denny Solamona

So how has league pulled ahead of union in Australia over the past decade or so...?

Remember in the early 2000s - Aussie union was throwing cash around making big raids for guys like Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri, Blacklock. There was all that chat about there needing to be a "hybrid game" if league was to survive.

But these days, union in Australia is a declining sport, it's struggling for participation and exposure, meanwhile the NRL keeps landing big TV deals, players are better paid than ever before. The profile of league in Aus seems to be booming.

So what did rugby league do in Australia over that time to cement its dominance? Can't just be about producing great players because they always did that, at the time when RL was under threat from union over there they had guys like Fittler, Johns, Lockyer, Kimmorley and co.

State of Origin

State of Origin has been going for years and it was more competitive back in the era when union was threatening league. Whatever has happened since then isn't SoO, which is now dominated by Queensland.

Was it really under threat? They were offering them players that money to try and raise their own profile and hopefully attract some crossover fans. It was an overreaction from the league fans that saw some good players leave.

It's off the field that union are doing things better than us, there's not a significant differences in attendances over a year but harlequins are charging upto 66 for a ticket!! And we have People complaining over a 10% Increase in prics, let's say we have 14 home games and average 11k attendance that's 154k through the gates if we were to add say £3 a game that's an additional £465k a year profit. The huge financial gulf is also down to clubs not asking for a fair price to come and watch the games.

Meanwhile the Scotland v Samoa Union game was shown live by BBC 1 and BT sports and then BBC2 took over to show a further 4 hours of Rugby Union, making a 6 hour bore-athon of kids standard rugby....

the Rugby League World cup containing one of the best games and atmospheres International Rugby has thrown up got a 15 minute slot in a 45 minute highlights show.....

Of course the BBC are looking after Rugby Leagues interests......

what drivel are people believing thinking there is no such thing as a bias towards Union and a desire to hide League as much as it can

Sky were also showing Eng v Argentina in a meaningless friendly,

The coverage of the RLWC has been disgraceful IMO...both on TV and on the radio. Women's cricket get more coverage than RL.

Just watched the 08:35 sports desk on BBC Breakfast (broadcast from Manchester) and was subjected highlights of ALL home nations RU games from yesterday (plus women's cricket).

Would any forum members like to guess how much RL news was in the same sports desk. They could have included Scotland's game, the current Ireland Wales match, and the England game due to kick off in an hour.

Yup. You guessed correctly.

The BBC REALLY don't like our sport

Good piece in the Guardian.
it seems anything the BBC can Snub, the Australians can do it better.....

Christ the Game needs someone to take it by the scruff of the neck like a Barry Hearns...??

rlhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/nov/13/rugby-league-world-cup-has-been-snubbed-in-nrl-obsessed-australiarl

The biggest advantage the RFU have is the "old boy network" & the "old school tie". Both games are played by the foot soldiers but at the top Union is miles ahead with business & sponsorship connections & are drawing sponsorship from the world's best companies & the management is in the best place to rub shoulders with their media mogul friends to get the best air time for its sport.
A big shot in the arm for RL would be to get a prominent Royal at Wembley for the CC final once again.

When I saw you mention "kids standard rugby", I thought you were talking about Super League. The standard of northern hemisphere rugby union has far overtaken rugby league. Unless of course you think a glorified version of british bulldog is the standard both codes should aspire to. Most of the super league games shown on sky were a massive snooze fest. Errors and knock ons for 20 minutes with minimal skill on show. 5 drives and a kick is the skill level currently in SL.

Regards

King james

50 people arrested so far after that game, people dancing on cars etc, as that been reported.

"The standard of northern hemisphere rugby union has far overtaken rugby league".....??

dont talk daft....

The day I see a union four on 2 out wide and they dont make a massive queenio pass to the winger instead of skilfully passing through hands and creating an overlap and a try, i'll let you have that argument. But until they master the most basic of rugby skills they will continue to be stone cold hopeless at rugby, but they do speak super and are awfully well educated....

and anyway you watch Saints so possibly have a skewed view of whats good rugby and whats not ....don't get all negative because you aren't the entertainers anymore....!!!

regards