Are you seriously saying that it's simply "nip and tuck" and that union fans hold league in as much comtempt as a lot of league fans appear to hold union?

If that's how you feel/how you have witnessed it thats fine.

I have witnessed a very different attitude in the paths i've crossed.

An extensive poll of league fans views on union and vice versa would, i'm sure, prove me right. But then again that's just my opinion.

I'm sorry, mate, but you just can't be for real.

What kind of argument are you trying to sell here? That Union fans are more broad-minded and more understanding and better informed than League fans because "you are sure" that's the truth?

And do you expect to be taken seriously?

Having spent a bit of time in Leicester and Bristol I have to say that some of the attitudes RL people have about Union are quite wrong.

I hate the old school tie/social climbing rugger brigade as much as the next RL fan and personally I don't find RU particularly good to watch (though its got better in the last 15 years or so thanks to rule changes and to be honest I don't think the kick and clap description is fair any more, though it was in the days of Rob Andrew et al) but it isn't true to say RU fans hate league or league fans. In my experience there are plenty of people in the Midlands and South West who love their rugby (union) but who do appreciate league rather than hating it.

I think the problem is that the inept management of RL and the flat-earth brigade in RL missed a golden opportunity back in the late 80s/early 90s when Wigan and Widnes were closing the gap on the Aussies. If we'd brought in the SL concept then with a proper SC that encouraged growth while stopping clubs going bust we would have had a much stronger game now, with bigger TV revenues, a bigger geographical footprint and most importantly a better international game.

Unfortunately the die-hard parochial attitude of many in RL coupled with inept club and RFL management meant that this opportunity was missed, RU went professional and RL will now always be far more in the shadow of RU than it should have been.

There's actually little point RU people hating RL now. RL is I'm afraid destined to be a small minority sport in this country and the way things are going some people in RL (not RU) are going to get what they seem to have been wishing for - the slow death of the professional RL game.

It's the idiots running RL and the morons writing articles/letters in the RL press and posting on SC threads on this board that will kill RL, not RU people.

I agree. RU and RU people are nothing like as big a threat to us as we are to ourselves. But the other fella was still talking crap.

I certainly don't think all RU people are friendly to RL. You only have to listen to a certain former Bath fly-half to realise the real hatred towards RL that exists in some quarters in that code.

But yes, our biggest problem is the incompetence of our administrators and the ridiculous attitudes of many supporters and the RL press, who seem to want our game to fail. Compared with that, the annoying comments of RL hating rugger types are a minor problem.

Lets not forget that David stettle who is in the england squad is from these parts aswell

I know that he is the son of a great, but is he really that good?

He would have to be some player to have more potential than Liam F.

He was outstanding as a 14 year old, and always looked as if he was to be a top player.

His old man has obviously given him good advice then, fair play.

I am more than happy with the caliber of players that we are churning out.

Do you feel he is as good a player as Liam?

And if you remember how Robinson was for those years at Wigan if his son is gonna be like that then move on after a few years then I think the development is going to have been worth it.
Another Robinson even just for 2 years? Tar very much I reckon.

I was also thinking, on the subject of Robinson, what stopped you being allowed to do what he did when he played half a season for Bath? If players could still do that then the Union problem would be a lot less as they could have the best of both worlds then. (I'm not very old and was only 7 then so yano I didnt know much about it all so dont mock me)

I know totally where you're coming from, however I refer you to your own post:



You're arguing against something you've patently done yourself in your assessent of a 'brain dead league fan'. Have the same respect for other's views that you seemingly want for yours. Anything else is hypocrisy!

As for you decrying the argument that "League is tougher, has more tries etc."... frankly it is and it has, so why is this such a problem for you? Just because an argument doesn't suit your agenda isn't a good reason to dismiss it without so much as a reasoned response. That's why I levelled your own accusation back at you. Yours is the knee-jerk response...not the poster you were replying to.