Hard up at the Rodillian trust? Not likely. If I start on this subject I won't stop but this decision is undoubtedly rooted in arrogance. This is how they describe themselves "[iUnlike some other large academy chains, we believe in bespoke solutions for individual schools, with school improvement work being focused on a true understanding of the community the school serves, and the community itself[/i" Yeah, ok then...

Signed and shared yesterday. An old cynic such as myself just sees this as the Rugby Union’s ongoing incessant drive to destroy Rugby League. I experienced it as a schoolboy, at University , and throughout my career in education.

rlhttps://www.featherstone.academy/official-response-rugby-league-petition/rl

Barry Eaton is also going to be working for them... think this appears to be a bit of social media faux outrage!

Outwood Academy have been playing both codes for a very long time now, in fact when they first starting playing RU they ended up getting to the schools final at Twickenham.

Well that puts a very different spin on things.
I have no problem with a school covering both sports. My son is at Outwood and I'd be happy for him to play both codes, and Basketball and table tennis if that's what he wants to do, and he can fit it in with his studies.

I think the Academy needed to respond a little quicker but equally whoever started the petition needed to get the facts clear first.

It all sounded very odd to me from the start. Not that they would be introducing RU, Rodillians was formally Rothwell Grammer School and was and still is a Rugby Union playing school so that made sense, but the banning Rugby League bit in Featherstone made no sense. Stanley Rodillians RUFC was set-up by former pupils in 1960, originally as Old Rodillians RUFC, because they didn't have a club to move onto nearby to play RU.

Interesting that you feel that it's right to give "choice" to the pupils from whichever school.
I know that RL has spread into some schools "down south" and London Broncos and Scholars are benefiting from this to a certain extent.
However, if Union becomes a second choice in our local schools (or, heaven forbid a first choice), it may not be too long before League starts to get kicked into the long grass.
I know that Outwood have a very successful RU set up and some of their sides have done extremely well in the national competitions, which must really irk some of the "posh" schools, who think that they are a cut above.
However, although some lads play both League and Union, every kid that chooses Union is one less that will progress in RL and eventually, like grains of sand in an hour glass, RL will be pushed further away from mainstream education, which is a real problem as, fewer and fewer kids are playing sport outside of the school environment.

It's a really tricky subject but, until QEGS and Silcoates start playing RL (unlikely) and there is "creep" towards Union in other schools, the numbers in "our " sport will diminish, which can ultimately only have one ending.

Careful what you wish for.

It's not so much that I wish for it.
But if we are trying to block Rugby Union from League areas we are no better than they are, just with less money.

Yes it would be great if everybody at Outwood only played league, but maybe the tall thin kid who can catch a ball or the short fat kid who is strong but not for wants to play a game that suits him.

As long as the opportunity is equal then League is a great game to play and we shouldn't have a problem. If we are being marginalised in the school then that needs to be rectified.

Sorry PT but, I think that you are being incredibly naive.
I'm happy to be corrected but, I would suggest that NONE of the schools on the Silcoates /QEGS circuit either play or ever have any intention of playing RL but, on the flip side, "we" are more than happy for Union to "encroach" in schools that have always played RL.
Wedge, end and thin spring to mind.

We already have to accept that Union is far bigger than League and with a massively higher profile in all media and broadcasting outlets and yet, we are "happy" to allow the "enemy" in.

As I said, this only has one end game, thankfully it may not quite happen in my lifetime.

I

The wish of Rugby Union is to wipe Rugby League from the face of the planet and always has been. A bit like two religions in competition.
Sorry, I do not think that there is anything than utter contempt and jealousy of our game in the corridors of Twickenham.
Their treatment of black Welsh players, French Rugby League, Steve Pilgrim, banning the game in universities with fake insurance issues, etc. You cannot just wipe this from the memory.
I sat at the 'rugby' table at a Coal Board Regeneration Trust award night, when the bloke next to me realised, after talking for an hour, I was RL, he moved tables with the parting words 'brutal game'.
Grains of sand indeed. Any chance to put us down will be taken and sometimes we deserve it as a game with our negativite attitude.
Did anyone see the Rugby Codebreakers? Time now for the game to stand strong and get back where it belongs. Maybe the OP was unclear but I think it will not have done any harm.

Agreed
Just on a side note, a group of us went to Toulouse last year for a pal's 50th and we watched the Toulouse London game, which was really enjoyable and the Toulouse fans were great.
However, having spent the pre match in a pub close to the ground and Watched the England v Sweden football, mixing with Broncos fans etc, we returned to the same pub after the game to catch Wakefield v Catalan.
After a long discussion with the Landlord about wanting to watch the Trinity game, he eventually told us that they were a Unoin pub and couldnt/wouldnt show RL in the pub. I was bloody gob smacked, the Trinity game didnt clash with any Union and they had multiple TV's but they would not show RL in that pub.

Oh yes, the battle still goes on and not just in England.

As someone who went to Silcoates, I can tell you the other schools they play is basically the same as when I was there in the 80's early 90's and are just about all are part of the Head Masters Conference (HMC), which is basically all the other Grammer/private schools in England and have been playing RU for in most occasions over 100 years, so there's no chance of them changing at all and as far as I know none have ever played RL.

I remember when I used to play union for the school on Saturdays and Eastmoor on Sundays, i played for both for years from being 7 but when I got to about 13 the school found out & they actively tried to stop me. It actually took a visit from my dad to remind them they had no business telling me what to do in my days off and then the sports teachers/ Headmaster backed off. At the time I took it as being that they didn't want me to get injured and not turn out for the school, I also did other sports as well so thought that had an influence, maybe they were concerned I was doing too much. Knowing what I know now, it wasn't any of that at all, unbelievable when I think back, especially as they didn't have any problems about me playing cricket, swimming and running for teams outside of school.

just watched code breakers which mainly covers the Welsh rugby union players, it was no surprise the influx of welsh into our game due to their working class back ground and most looking to protect their future, money talks and that's whats lacking in the game now we need to sort that out

So for me, the fight is to bring publicity to the RU bigatory and show it still happens.

I signed the petition and am very vocal with rugby union snobs but at a school level it should be a parent and governors thing. Getting a petition from rugby league fans is doing exactly what you describe Eastmoor doing.
There are rugby union teams in Cas and Fev.

But I get it. Its a big feeder area and should be protected as much as we can. Just done in the right way. To the rest of union Britain the petition just looks like the scruffy little oiks from the pit village having a chip on their shoulder about the lovely rugby union trying to help kids because it got the facts wrong.

You may be right but, could you imagine what they would say if RL was to offer sweeteners just so their boys could "try" RL.
The main difference is that RL would be stopped at the school gates and it wouldn't get to first base, with or without cash incentives.