Or even coached it.

Ok lets give RU the benefit of the doubt that the forward play is technical. But so what? It is as boring as hell. I don't see the excitement of tactics that deliberately try to get penalties. Joel has decided to try RU and that is where he will probably stay. I doubt he would now admit that it is not as good to play or watch as RL.

I thought Graeme West's book was interesting to hear his view of playing RU as a forward. He said he got ed off playing RU because he never got the ball. He found it a revelation when he took up RL and was allowed to run with the ball and score tries!

I don't care how technical RU is. I just don't find it entertaining to watch. I have tried over many years to see the point but I just don't get it.

The complexities are in the rules, especially around the ruck and maul. Different referees use entirely different interpretations, that's where the problem arises. For example at Stockton we generally have Durham County referees. Yesterday we played 40 miles North and had a ref from Northumbria. His interpretation of the rules at the ruck and maul were completely different to what we are used to. He might as well have been from another planet.
Joel is bound to say he loves playing RU, you don't bite the hand that feeds you, same as those who come back, @I enjoyed RU, but I was missing RL.' You say what your current employer wants you to say.

Says it all..... Forget basic running and handling... Odd that, as someone has said, that if its so complex as a game, they employ so many ex RL people at the highest level... Take a look at the backroom when Wilkinson won the world cup..

I played it for 5 years, I had not really watched a RL game until I was 19, nor played until a year later. 30+ years later I cannot watch more than a few seconds of yawnion (that's when there is actaully anything happening) without shaking my head in disbelief at the lack of basic abilities you take for granted in amateur RL.

I watch and appreciate Union but I came to the conclusion a long time ago Rugby League was the natural and obvious progression from Union. The fact a team can knock on, "win" the resulting scrum and gain 3 points from it is absolutely ludicrous.

You're absolutely right. There comes a point when a try is of secondary importance, because in some circumstances it's easier to win penalties.

need to reed this

Your spot on.
Ive been to 2 premier league RU games lately and shake my head at the lack of basic skill.
some comments i make to my daughter include " they cant pass, no wonder they keep kicking it" and " why dont they run it more , because nobody knows how to tackle"
and the stop start nature of the game prevents you getting excited for any length of time.
All RU fans should be made to go and watch a top superleague game, then see which code they watch in future