FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!
  
FORUMS > North Wales Crusaders > A call to arms to support Welsh RL
Posts:5
<<   PREV  NEXT   >>
Subscribe | Moderators: Admin
RankPostsTeam
International Board Member2315No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Dec 200222 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Sep 2015Mar 2015LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
3545.jpg
:3545.jpg



If ever there was a clarion call to the rugby league world to get behind the expansion of the game into Wales, it is thishttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/celtic_crusaders/7876091.stmrl

So, the WRFU wants to steal league's best players.

This shouldn't be a surprise... anyone who's read Clive Woodward's book 'Winning' knows that Union wants our elite athletes. So far, we've not suffered too badly on the pitch. We lost Jason Robinson in his prime, but Iestyn Harris, Andy Farrell, Henry Paul and Lesley Vainakolo had passed their peak before switching codes, and none has really achieved too much in the 15 man code. Indeed, younger players like Chav Walker and Karl Price didn't last long in the more technical other game.

The Ozzies have suffered more - Rodgers, Sailor, Toquiri and Gasnier all migrating to the money and global exposure of Union. Indeed, in the UK we have missed out primarily on a generation of coaches... Edwards, Lydon, Betts, Ford, Griffiths, and Ellis, amongst others.

Its noticable that the successful league-to-union converts are all backs... the technical demands of rucking, mauling, lineouts and the set piece are, like religion, mysteries that one is born into, else one struggles to see the point of the intricacy and ritual. But this is why welsh development is more vulnerable to Union raiders. If/as/when Welsh kids start filtering through Crusaders Colts into the first squad, they will most likely have been bloodied into the Union game at junior level, too.

There will always be players who find the open spaces and genuine collision of league more enjoyable than Union, and I suspect Iestyn Harris is right, that once Crusaders are established they will have a particular draw of their own in partial immunisation against Union's money.

But if ever there was a reason to work towards the success of the latest and best-supported (by the RFL and independent finance) bid to establish top-line league in England's nearest nation, then this is it.

There are those, myself included, who felt that Crusaders' franchise bid was weaker than that of some heartland clubs, and that the RFL would have been wiser just to declare openly that Wales was getting the nod for expansionist reasons. Well, what's done is done, and now it has been done it HAS to work. So we all need to work together to bring success.

I'd welcome the thoughts and opinions of those on the ground in Wales, and also would add my encouragement to the welsh league followers to get involved, not just as a spectator and de-facto marketeer for Crusaders (although that too...), but to get your hands dirty with the amateur and junior game... get coaching badges, do referees courses, join the committee of the local amateur club, or start another side in the fledgling Welsh conference.

Go buy your goods from the companies that sponsor Crusaders (and the amateur teams), and make sure they know the reason you've gone to them. Put up match posters at work. Get your mates along to Brewery Field. Think 'league', and push the game in whatever way you can.

Travelling fans should make the effort to get down to their away games in Bridgend. It may not be the capital or the South of France, but it damn well needs the clicks on the turnstyle and the cash in the bank, so make that your first choice away fixture.

Union is fine, if you like that kind of thing (personally I can take it or leave it). But this thinly-veiled threat to try and strangle league at birth in the Valleys seems to me to suggest that Union is actually scared to death, this time, and will consequently fight dirty. We... the whole RL world... should be ready.

RankPostsTeam
Club Coach1592
JoinedServiceReputation
Apr 200520 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Jan 2024Sep 2022LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature

:



The need to be able to stand on their own two feet. Simple as.

RankPostsTeam
Player Coach13No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Dec 200816 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Sep 2009Jan 1970LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature

:



Considering that RL stole a whole generation of Welsh RU players back in the 80s and 90s, I think it is a bit hypocritical to start complaining of a reverse player drain....

RankPostsTeam
Club Coach6035No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Dec 200420 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Dec 2018Dec 2018LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
11371.gif
:11371.gif



Quote: smwrff "Considering that RL stole a whole generation of Welsh RU players back in the 80s and 90s, I think it is a bit hypocritical to start complaining of a reverse player drain....'"


You surely mean 'paid them to be professional rugby players in the only professional rugby competition in the country'. You idiot.

RankPostsTeam
International Board Member2315No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Dec 200222 years
OnlineLast PostLast Page
Sep 2015Mar 2015LINK
Milestone Posts
0
100
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Signature
3545.jpg
:3545.jpg



Quote: smwrff "Considering that RL stole a whole generation of Welsh RU players back in the 80s and 90s, I think it is a bit hypocritical to start complaining of a reverse player drain....'"


All the Welsh RU had to do was select them... we didn't stop them playing for Wales after they'd signed pro. If the WRFU had selected Davies, Quinell, Deveraux, Phillips, Bateman etc etc for the 1995 World Cup, do you think they'd have said no?

And do you think, had they done so, Wales might have done a bit better?

Union, then, was a bitter, prejudiced, small-minded sport (at the top... the players have always been just like any other bunch of lads). League didn't steal anyone, union shunned them.

Posts:5
<<   PREV  NEXT   >>
Subscribe | Moderators: Admin
Posts:5
<<   PREV  NEXT   >>
Subscribe | Moderators: Admin



All views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the RLFANS.COM or its subsites.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that news stories, articles and images are correct, we cannot be held responsible for errors. However, if you feel any material on this website is copyrighted or incorrect in any way please contact us using the link at the top of the page so we can remove it or negotiate copyright permission.

RLFANS.COM, the owners of this website, is not responsible for the content of its sub-sites or posts, please email the author of this sub-site or post if you feel you find an article offensive or of a choice nature that you disagree with.

Copyright 1999 - 2024 RLFANS.COM

You must be 18+ to gamble, for more information and for help with gambling issues see https://www.begambleaware.org/.



Please Support RLFANS.COM


5.72216796875:5
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
43m
Recruitment rumours and links
Wires71
3513
Recent
Transfer Talk V5
Trebor1
424
Recent
ALL NEW 49ERS ERA LEEDS UTD THREAD
Trebor1
2545
Recent
DoR - New Coach - Investor & Adam - New signings
Jake the Peg
3700
Recent
Memorable Games
Jake the Peg
12
Recent
Film game
karetaker
5152
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
51s
Pre Season - 2025
giddyupoldfe
119
1m
DoR - New Coach - Investor & Adam - New signings
Jake the Peg
3700
1m
Planning for next season
Cokey
170
1m
Squad contract dates
Trojan Horse
12
1m
Film game
karetaker
5152
2m
ALL NEW 49ERS ERA LEEDS UTD THREAD
Trebor1
2545
2m
Rhinos Ladies
MjM
8
2m
Rumours thread
Trojan Horse
2505
2m
Memorable Games
Jake the Peg
12
3m
England vs Samoa
NickyKiss
135
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Will Brough gone
vastman
2
TODAY
The Brick Stadium ownership update
Azul
8
TODAY
Rhinos Ladies
MjM
8
TODAY
Squad contract dates
Trojan Horse
12
TODAY
Paladin Sports
orangeman
5
TODAY
Magic Weekend
Wollo-Wollo-
2
TODAY
War of the Roses
matt_wire
16
TODAY
Dual Reg
PopTart
2
TODAY
Vagana
Scarlet Pimp
10
TODAY
2025 Kit
Wigan Bull
6
TODAY
2025 merchandise
18th Man
12
TODAY
NBR Does Smithers have a hangover
Smithers99
7
TODAY
Its all gone a bit quiet
BigTime
17
TODAY
England Beat Samoa To Take Test Series
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
McMeekan
Trojan Horse
13
TODAY
Englands Women Demolish The Welsh
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
Lee Kershaw
Big lads mat
9
TODAY
2025 Shirt
The Whiffy K
11
TODAY
Home Shirt 2025
MattyB
1
TODAY
Uele contract extension
Khlav Kalash
5
TODAY
Squad for Match 2 v Samoa
rubber ducki
6
TODAY
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 2
Boss Hog
11
TODAY
Sky tv deals
karetaker
7
TODAY
2024/25 out of season mind occupier 1
Fantastic Mr
29
TODAY
New Kit
karetaker
62
TODAY
Memorable Games
Jake the Peg
12
TODAY
Hybrid rugby
moto748
11
TODAY
Pre Season - 2025
giddyupoldfe
119
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
England Beat Samoa To Take Tes..
618
England's Women Demolish The W..
558
England Beat Samoa Comfortably..
860
Operational Rules Tribunal –..
667
IMG-RFL club gradings released..
956
Wakefield Trinity Win Champion..
1448
Hunslet Secure Promotion After..
1687
Trinity Into Play Off Final Af..
1952
Wigan Warriors Crowned Champio..
1533
York Valkyrie Win Back to Back..
1801
Hunslet Book Relegation Play O..
2166
Penrith Panthers Secure Fourth..
1729
Wigan Humiliate Leigh For Gran..
1812
Hull KR Survive Warrington Fig..
1951
Warrington Wolves Break Saints..
2126