But you can see what he means - however patronising it sounds.
League requires higher levels of skill in a smaller number of areas: League players do not need to ruck, to scrum, to maul, to line-out etc.etc. so it's no surprise that in the areas of speed off the mark and off-loading out of the tackle (etc.), League has a superiority. That quality doesn't equate to being multi-dimensional though.
@GodSaveOurTeam Not so. The "skill" of lineout is what? Similarly with ruck and maul? Indeed kicking out on the full is applauded in U and penalised in RL. U can't elevate mediocrity to the level of appreciable skill and expect to gain credibility. The lineout, ruck, maul and U scrum are self contained elements that allow a breather to occur for players. None of these contribute to the true multi dimensional skills of playing entertaining Rugby that result in tries and stout defense.
@GodSaveOurTeam but the set pieces and rucks can be so 1 dimensional depending on game, like when a team tries to starve posession from opposition and device millions of phases just to do a drop goal or milk a penalty to attempt a penalty kick at goal, and sometimes both teams will use this tactic all game (northern hemisphere teams especially)
@thecallan008 You must laugh your tits off watching the ref blowing the pee out of the whistle, resetting scrums and watching penalties being kicked. Jealousy is an ugly thing much like your pedestrian sport.
@NorthernUnion13 Nah im not jelous of league. Im sure your jelous though that rugby union is far more popular than league. Only 3 countries take league semi seriously (Aus Eng Nz). Every other country doesnt give a shit about league even Aus Nz And Eng care more about Union lol. So no im not jelous......
@thecallan008 rubbish union is the no4 sport herei australia, only a couple of guys from league went to union here and made the wallabies instantly over there other candidates for there position who have played union there whole life, and this was when we were the world champions, so our union squad was very strong and consistantly beat the allblacks, yet everyone of the converts got bored and returned to league.
@thecallan008 only nz wales n some pacific island countries have rugby as there no1 sport, and rugby league is growing at a really fast pace in new zealand due to aus taking them into our comp and training them. union is almost non existant here in australia and the union teams mouthes water over the thought of scouting our league players which is where all our talent is, even sonny bill williams is apparently getting bored of rugby and has already had chats regarding coming back to aus league.
@thecallan008 eng need to keep there hands out of the super league and develop there own talent, but yet they say union players are more skilled and talented. super league eng need to take australias lead and tell the union teams to fuck off and look for talent in there poshy private schools and colleges.
Stevo talks a great game shame it's not, most of his League stars failed to make the grade ie The Pauls, Harris, Pryce, Carney, Connolly, plus many others were hopeless at Union.
@349quinman Really? Carney took 1 month and 16 days to be picked for Ireland. Chris Ashton 15 tries in 18 England games. Iestyn Harris took 11 days to walk in to the Welsh team. Vainikolo 5 tries on his Union debut. Jason Robinson was the only reason many turned up to watch England. Most RL players go to Union for the money and to wind down their careers. In a pedestrian game of some 32 mins of play out of 80 and where kicking out on the full is a "skill" RU is where RL puts on it's slippers,
Sorry but the Union/Establishment campaign of discrimination against RL is incomparable against offering Welsh players a business opportunity. Essentially that is what you refer to as poaching. And at the time your players improved their personal lot by coming to RL while being banned by your own sport. Remember in those dark days those WRU players could not have returned to Union due to its own prejudice.
Terror - really got nothing against RL and believe there is room for both codes, but as a Welsh RU fan I can't really have any sympathy with the complaints about poaching. The Welsh union national team suffered some really dark days during the early 90s as a direct result of RL poaching any player that showed a glimpse of talent. As I said before, it is a little hypocritical to complain now that the shoe is on the other foot.
@tomd2103 Actually RL fans are not antagonistic about players leaving. We may be disappointed that their talent will be muted but these men need to provide for their families. When they have received their MBE's from Union they would be free to return to RL and play if they wished. At the end of the day your sport has a despicable history of prejudice and quite rightly deserving of rigorous opposition. You hailed yourself an amateur sport while attempting to curtail another sports expansion.
Bit hypocritical of Stevo to be complaining about Union teams poaching League players, when poaching by League clubs decimated Welsh rugby in the late 80's and early 90's.
@tomd2103 This is the same Union that from the out step of Leagues 1895 birth banned any player from RU if they tried RL. Any player doing so would never play any Union again or be eligible to try it. Talking to and meeting with RL people would also lead to a ban. If a playing surface was used for RL no RU could be played on it. This sort of stops RL in any Rugby playing schools or amateur grounds. RL was banned in the military untill 1994.
@tomd2103 The French RU collaborated with the Vichy Government during the war to get RL banned completely illustrating it to the Nazi's as a corrupter of its youth. The clubs grounds and wealth were given over to the FRU. Some 220 clubs since 1934, asset stripped and not one Centime returned after 1944. Rugby League in France developed so quickly it posed a real threat to the RU. This is hardly a sport with a noble and admirable past.
Both codes produce amazing athletes. I think both sets of fans should agree to that but in my opinion the two sports are very different and shouldn't be compared! The similarities are the, ball, the pitch and the method of scoring points (among some rules). League provides harder collisions and tackles and is more exciting. Union is very tactical with more decision making and higher kicking skills. Which ever sounds more interesting to you is the code you prefer, simple.
It's BS to say league players are more athletic. More people play union, union has amazing athletes. They're bigger and stronger than league players, maybe less aerobically fit, but don't tell me guys like bryan habana or shane williams are slow, and forwards like stephen ferris or pierre spies are as fast as the outside backs. PIerre Spies ran a 10.6 100m and he weighs 18 stone.
League players are faster and more athletic overall, all Union forwards are just massive and cant run 100m under 15 seconds, whereas League forwards are all more athletic and less heavily built.
@TheMelvitt That's because they don't need to scrummage, they're all like flankers. And I'm sure Ryan Bevington or Pierre Spies would argue with not being able to run 100m under 15 seconds. Spies does it in less than 11 seconds.
Here's an argument for the popularity of Rugby. Which is bigger the rugby league world cup or the rugby world cup? btw Rugby World Cup is the third biggest event in the world?
@tjthegreat oh dear oh dear oh dear. Again Bradford Bulls v Wasps. Enjoy. Rugby union is originally designed by schools, adjudicated by headmasters and played infront of children and parents . Rugby League is originally designed by hardworking sportsmen to be played infront of a paying audience who want skill and excitement . Rugby league has simply got to the important rule changes before union. Anyway I believe in Australia league is more popular than union and has been for some time.
@tjthegreat7 kk fair point but i dont give a shit about popularity to be honest in fact most people of this world are retarded so i could care less on what people think.
lol you do realise you are part of that most people of this world which would mean you are also retarded...haha typical league fan doesn't realise how useless his arguements are
@tjthegreat7 you dont know me so how can u know what part of the population i am? your just a typical person who says shit he doesnt understand. and heres my argument to why league is better. peopel say union is better coss it supposedly requires more brains. but the fact is that league players are stronger and faster and isnt that what sport is about? mainly physical attributes?
@MrSoliPat I don't have to know you, this is what you said "in fact most people of this world are retarded". You are part of this world (unless your part of mars) and you are also part of the most of the population therefore by your own arguement you are retarded
@MrSoliPat that still doesn't explain how think league players are stronger and faster? rugby union has a MUCH greater player base. naturally with more players, you get stronger and faster athletes. Bryan Habana for example runs 100m in 10.2. Ngweya 10.4. Chavanga 10.12. Caucaunibuca is believed to be faster than all of them. Forwards in union are expected to squat at least 200kg. Franks brothers regularly squat 250. Sheridan bench presses 250.
@MrSoliPat Take Lachie Turner for example.no where near the fastest rugby player, yet he beat all the NRL's fastest players in the 100m sprint with ease.
@hustleboy62 even if thats true i doubt that majority is faster and when i said that the ball is in play longer that means league is more of a test of endurance then union so sure maybe hes faster but i bet hed get flogged in something like cross country.
and idc about some test thats got nothing to do with the sport anyway. i know for a fact that when i watch lleague the ball is run faster then in union.
Rugby union was a sport before '95, you clown, it doesn't matter if it was pro or amateur it had the same following, but it was shit then and it's worse now, it's an embarrassment to sport. No tactics, no skills, no fitness, no ideas of which lines to run and when, no kicking skills.
@Dr84S No shit, how about hitting the reply button so I'm notified when you do reply.
I obviously stated that Union was a sport before 1995, it was still an Amateur Sport. Everything you've said is wrong, there is obviously tactics, skill and fitness involved in the game of Rugby Union, you're just saying that stuff out of sheer bias and you're proving the typical League fan stereotype is correct.
@Dr84S Also, no idea of which lines to run? That's totally untrue and you have no evidence to support your claims. No kicking skills? Union Kickers make Drop Goals and Penalty kicks from 50+m out regularly.
I can appreciate both sports but league is far ahead of union still. The collisions are much harder, the game is played at much faster pace with less stoppages, so the players are a lot fitter, and even the handling skills of the league players is so much better. Union players don't run the correct lines which makes it very easy for the defending team. Which makes league a far more exciting spectacle to watch most of the time. Technically union has a lot of catching up to do, that's obvious if
@Dr84S Rugby League is a stupid sport, that has been stripped down to be spectator friendly when all they've done is make a simple game, it's basically Tackle Touch Football.
They've effectively ruined the flow of the game by taking out all contest for the ball, there is nothing more pathetic than A Rugby League scrum. It seems like Rugby League has this inferiority complex. How can you say Union players don't run the correct lines, there are an extra two defenders in a game of Union.
@Dr84S Rugby League is also far too repetitive, 4 runs up the middle and a kick, repeat, with the outside chance of a player actually passing the ball then a team scores.
It's a game for the intellectually challenged who can't appreciate anything other than big hits and lots of tries.
@taweraster you flatter your sport. hacking the ball into the crowd, running two yards, getting kicked in the head, falling down, dropping the ball on the floor then getting the headmaster involved is not an intellectual challenge. league is the evolution of rugby. union an unstructured game for bar room yobs who do a lot of talking but are weak when it comes to putting their boots on.
@terrortorn Everything you just said was purely speculation therefore your argument is invalid, you tried to sum up Rugby Union by using untrue and bias stereotypes. League is a trimmed-down version of Rugby with all of the contest for the ball taken out. It's a game for people who don't know how to appreciate the bigger picture and only want to see lots of 'hits' and 'tries'.
Grow up Child, there is a reason that Union is more popular.
@taweraster go back far enough the most popular public spectacles in british life were hangings. popularity is no yardstick to measure worth. union enjoys bias from a southern based media, extensive publicity and cash for internationals and more importantly attractive class based associations which draws the best sponsors. i suggest my friend you look at your sport with a little more insight to its history. union has no bigger picture. skills are basic. its pace is slow. its designed for boys.
@terrortorn Actually Popularity does measure worth, if it's popular then more people like it, the more people that like it = the better game FACT. Skills are basic? There are many different skill sets so to call them basic is wrong, you think that a scrum takes basic skill? Or a ruck? Or a line-out? I have looked at my sport, it stayed amateur after Rugby League had split and it was still far more popular.
When League had all of the money Union was still triumphant. Win?
@taweraster you need much edutainment. type in bradford bulls/ wigan v wasps and enjoy. union has to concentrate on rolling in the mud because its the only way to keep the ball on the pitch union valuing kicking the ball out on the full every other second. union is unevolved and proud of it. where rl has a fair social and political start its popularity is proven. see australia and northern england. the N/S divide/ media bias has much responsibility for unions popularity not its sporting worth.
@terrortorn League has to go back 10 metres at the end of the breakdown cause they're a bunch of softies. Rugby continue even after the breakdown. League is repetitious, 5 tackles then hand over, no competing in the scrums, no lineouts it's just running around. You see many league players especially in the NRL being a bunch of boof heads during the game and after. and let's be honest Rugby requires a brain, league requires no brain cause if you do you might realise how stupid the game is.
Well done Mr. Barnes, well said, Stevo talking crap as ever, League cannot complain about union taking their player, it's only what league did to union twenty years ago..., now the boots on the other foot they don't like it., as a union fan I get so feed up with league' s supperiorty complex, I thought we had got over this.....
I found it a bit annoying when he said union has been taking players form league all the time. In Ireland, a country that is doing better than England, Im not even sure there is a league team. Rugby league is non-existent in Ireland.
I personally prefer Union, because I feel there's more depth to it. There's culture, respect, and it is more intellectual than league. At the end of the day, league, much like sevens, is fairly repetitive. Whereas rugby has a lot more aspects to it.
league is far better then union, union is get it kick it league is tactical and about running the ball. union is only better because its from made down south and south always beats the north and its not fair union is all about money and kicking league is about skill and running with the ball, the crowds are smaller in league because it isnt well know in england and only played up north were the majority of people would like to watch football instead
Rugby league is way better than union. Union is so boring. Rugby league is a physical and faster game. It is a fun sport to watch. I like both codes, but I'm a league guy. From an American.
the first two games of the aviva premiership got 75,000 into twickeham and last week more than 38,000 saw bath takes on harlequins.
55,000 watched two heineken cup games between toulon and perpignan in barcelona and 35,000 in san sebastian both in spain. 45,000 in dublin between leicester and leinster and 34,000 in london against northhampton and ulster.
Stuart barnes is a legend my favourite commentator that rugby league guy is a Pratt and he keeps trying to interupt cos he has know argument cos league is shit and only northerners who have incest like it
Super League is only 9 games into the season and gets more fans than the guinness Premiership.
We have massive derbys which bring 20,000+ fans in the Wigan and sts derby (30,000+), Bradford Leeds, Hull Derby, Warrington Widness, Wakefield Castleford.
Four Nations
State of Origin is the most watched sporting event in Australia.
City vs Country
Nrl.
And rugby league actually has depth in its leagues below the Guiness Prem, it is terrible standard and attendan
@Nik2555 lol, you are so wrong its hilarious. Maybe every now and then league will get a large crowd. But overall it's not even close to union. I dont think anyone in the england was aware there was a world cup in 2008, everyone knew about the 2003 and 2007
@Nik2555 Obviously you are making that up mate. Actually look up on the internet the top most watched sporting broadcasts in Australias history. Number 1 is an afl grand final. Number 2 is the rugby world cup grand final in 2003. Then the rest in the top 10 are afl and one of them is a tennis match. League hasnt even made it hahahaha
I don't even understand the point of debate over which is better. I watch both codes and get as much enjoyment out of each. They're different games. I like the set piece of rugby union, and the different aspects of the game that come from having players of such a varying degree in shape and size (compare a lock to a halfback). But league has such great dynamism across the board and the one on one physical contact is immense. Both great games, its all north vs south bullshit if you ask me.
@mollers92 yep, totally agree with all that mate, most people would happily watch either, although i do think union will edge more and more towards league as professionalism gets a grip of the sport
bwahahahaha @ stuart barnes "rugby league is 1 dimensional"
ceebowone 2 weeks ago
@ceebowone
But you can see what he means - however patronising it sounds.
League requires higher levels of skill in a smaller number of areas: League players do not need to ruck, to scrum, to maul, to line-out etc.etc. so it's no surprise that in the areas of speed off the mark and off-loading out of the tackle (etc.), League has a superiority. That quality doesn't equate to being multi-dimensional though.
GodSaveOurTeam 2 weeks ago
@GodSaveOurTeam Not so. The "skill" of lineout is what? Similarly with ruck and maul? Indeed kicking out on the full is applauded in U and penalised in RL. U can't elevate mediocrity to the level of appreciable skill and expect to gain credibility. The lineout, ruck, maul and U scrum are self contained elements that allow a breather to occur for players. None of these contribute to the true multi dimensional skills of playing entertaining Rugby that result in tries and stout defense.
terrortorn 2 weeks ago
@GodSaveOurTeam but the set pieces and rucks can be so 1 dimensional depending on game, like when a team tries to starve posession from opposition and device millions of phases just to do a drop goal or milk a penalty to attempt a penalty kick at goal, and sometimes both teams will use this tactic all game (northern hemisphere teams especially)
ceebowone 2 weeks ago
@GodSaveOurTeam But like i said depends on the match itself.
ceebowone 2 weeks ago
I appreciate league. It gives union fans something to laugh at lol
thecallan008 1 month ago
@thecallan008 You must laugh your tits off watching the ref blowing the pee out of the whistle, resetting scrums and watching penalties being kicked. Jealousy is an ugly thing much like your pedestrian sport.
NorthernUnion13 1 month ago 2
@NorthernUnion13 Nah im not jelous of league. Im sure your jelous though that rugby union is far more popular than league. Only 3 countries take league semi seriously (Aus Eng Nz). Every other country doesnt give a shit about league even Aus Nz And Eng care more about Union lol. So no im not jelous......
thecallan008 3 weeks ago
@thecallan008 rubbish union is the no4 sport herei australia, only a couple of guys from league went to union here and made the wallabies instantly over there other candidates for there position who have played union there whole life, and this was when we were the world champions, so our union squad was very strong and consistantly beat the allblacks, yet everyone of the converts got bored and returned to league.
ceebowone 2 weeks ago
@thecallan008 only nz wales n some pacific island countries have rugby as there no1 sport, and rugby league is growing at a really fast pace in new zealand due to aus taking them into our comp and training them. union is almost non existant here in australia and the union teams mouthes water over the thought of scouting our league players which is where all our talent is, even sonny bill williams is apparently getting bored of rugby and has already had chats regarding coming back to aus league.
ceebowone 2 weeks ago
@thecallan008 eng need to keep there hands out of the super league and develop there own talent, but yet they say union players are more skilled and talented. super league eng need to take australias lead and tell the union teams to fuck off and look for talent in there poshy private schools and colleges.
ceebowone 2 weeks ago
Stevo talks a great game shame it's not, most of his League stars failed to make the grade ie The Pauls, Harris, Pryce, Carney, Connolly, plus many others were hopeless at Union.
His mouth is bigger than "his" game.
349quinman 1 month ago
@349quinman Really? Carney took 1 month and 16 days to be picked for Ireland. Chris Ashton 15 tries in 18 England games. Iestyn Harris took 11 days to walk in to the Welsh team. Vainikolo 5 tries on his Union debut. Jason Robinson was the only reason many turned up to watch England. Most RL players go to Union for the money and to wind down their careers. In a pedestrian game of some 32 mins of play out of 80 and where kicking out on the full is a "skill" RU is where RL puts on it's slippers,
terrortorn 4 weeks ago
Comment removed
349quinman 1 month ago
Comment removed
349quinman 1 month ago
Stevo, the fat prick, is right!!!!!
tunafishoffun 1 month ago
Sorry but the Union/Establishment campaign of discrimination against RL is incomparable against offering Welsh players a business opportunity. Essentially that is what you refer to as poaching. And at the time your players improved their personal lot by coming to RL while being banned by your own sport. Remember in those dark days those WRU players could not have returned to Union due to its own prejudice.
terrortorn 3 months ago
Terror - really got nothing against RL and believe there is room for both codes, but as a Welsh RU fan I can't really have any sympathy with the complaints about poaching. The Welsh union national team suffered some really dark days during the early 90s as a direct result of RL poaching any player that showed a glimpse of talent. As I said before, it is a little hypocritical to complain now that the shoe is on the other foot.
tomd2103 3 months ago
@tomd2103 Actually RL fans are not antagonistic about players leaving. We may be disappointed that their talent will be muted but these men need to provide for their families. When they have received their MBE's from Union they would be free to return to RL and play if they wished. At the end of the day your sport has a despicable history of prejudice and quite rightly deserving of rigorous opposition. You hailed yourself an amateur sport while attempting to curtail another sports expansion.
terrortorn 3 months ago
I love Stevo but he is a tit! Like Barnes said "everyone to their own".
jamie1402 3 months ago
Bit hypocritical of Stevo to be complaining about Union teams poaching League players, when poaching by League clubs decimated Welsh rugby in the late 80's and early 90's.
tomd2103 3 months ago
@tomd2103 This is the same Union that from the out step of Leagues 1895 birth banned any player from RU if they tried RL. Any player doing so would never play any Union again or be eligible to try it. Talking to and meeting with RL people would also lead to a ban. If a playing surface was used for RL no RU could be played on it. This sort of stops RL in any Rugby playing schools or amateur grounds. RL was banned in the military untill 1994.
terrortorn 3 months ago
@tomd2103 The French RU collaborated with the Vichy Government during the war to get RL banned completely illustrating it to the Nazi's as a corrupter of its youth. The clubs grounds and wealth were given over to the FRU. Some 220 clubs since 1934, asset stripped and not one Centime returned after 1944. Rugby League in France developed so quickly it posed a real threat to the RU. This is hardly a sport with a noble and admirable past.
terrortorn 3 months ago
Both codes produce amazing athletes. I think both sets of fans should agree to that but in my opinion the two sports are very different and shouldn't be compared! The similarities are the, ball, the pitch and the method of scoring points (among some rules). League provides harder collisions and tackles and is more exciting. Union is very tactical with more decision making and higher kicking skills. Which ever sounds more interesting to you is the code you prefer, simple.
BigWillyStyle901 3 months ago
@BigWillyStyle901 I totally agree with you and I love both codes as well. The players want to give the codes a try.
OBJones28 3 months ago
Most difficult for fowards?...Brad Thorn...
LeagueIsLife 3 months ago
It's BS to say league players are more athletic. More people play union, union has amazing athletes. They're bigger and stronger than league players, maybe less aerobically fit, but don't tell me guys like bryan habana or shane williams are slow, and forwards like stephen ferris or pierre spies are as fast as the outside backs. PIerre Spies ran a 10.6 100m and he weighs 18 stone.
gert83 3 months ago
League players are faster and more athletic overall, all Union forwards are just massive and cant run 100m under 15 seconds, whereas League forwards are all more athletic and less heavily built.
TheMelvitt 3 months ago
@TheMelvitt That's because they don't need to scrummage, they're all like flankers. And I'm sure Ryan Bevington or Pierre Spies would argue with not being able to run 100m under 15 seconds. Spies does it in less than 11 seconds.
joelymoly123 3 months ago
@TheMelvitt What about Pierre Spies? He can run 100m in 10.8 seconds. Or Radike Samo at 10.9 seconds?
thecallan008 1 month ago
Here's an argument for the popularity of Rugby. Which is bigger the rugby league world cup or the rugby world cup? btw Rugby World Cup is the third biggest event in the world?
tjthegreat7 5 months ago
@tjthegreat oh dear oh dear oh dear. Again Bradford Bulls v Wasps. Enjoy. Rugby union is originally designed by schools, adjudicated by headmasters and played infront of children and parents . Rugby League is originally designed by hardworking sportsmen to be played infront of a paying audience who want skill and excitement . Rugby league has simply got to the important rule changes before union. Anyway I believe in Australia league is more popular than union and has been for some time.
terrortorn 5 months ago
@tjthegreat7 kk fair point but i dont give a shit about popularity to be honest in fact most people of this world are retarded so i could care less on what people think.
MrSoliPat 4 months ago
@MrSoliPat
lol you do realise you are part of that most people of this world which would mean you are also retarded...haha typical league fan doesn't realise how useless his arguements are
tjthegreat7 4 months ago
@tjthegreat7 you dont know me so how can u know what part of the population i am? your just a typical person who says shit he doesnt understand. and heres my argument to why league is better. peopel say union is better coss it supposedly requires more brains. but the fact is that league players are stronger and faster and isnt that what sport is about? mainly physical attributes?
MrSoliPat 4 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@MrSoliPat I don't have to know you, this is what you said "in fact most people of this world are retarded". You are part of this world (unless your part of mars) and you are also part of the most of the population therefore by your own arguement you are retarded
tjthegreat7 4 months ago
@MrSoliPat lol. you're imagining things if you think league players are stronger and faster than union players.
hustleboy62 4 months ago
@hustleboy62 no i am not. its a fact that a ball is in play for longer in league then in union
MrSoliPat 4 months ago
@MrSoliPat that still doesn't explain how think league players are stronger and faster? rugby union has a MUCH greater player base. naturally with more players, you get stronger and faster athletes. Bryan Habana for example runs 100m in 10.2. Ngweya 10.4. Chavanga 10.12. Caucaunibuca is believed to be faster than all of them. Forwards in union are expected to squat at least 200kg. Franks brothers regularly squat 250. Sheridan bench presses 250.
hustleboy62 4 months ago
@MrSoliPat Take Lachie Turner for example.no where near the fastest rugby player, yet he beat all the NRL's fastest players in the 100m sprint with ease.
hustleboy62 4 months ago
@hustleboy62 even if thats true i doubt that majority is faster and when i said that the ball is in play longer that means league is more of a test of endurance then union so sure maybe hes faster but i bet hed get flogged in something like cross country.
MrSoliPat 4 months ago
and idc about some test thats got nothing to do with the sport anyway. i know for a fact that when i watch lleague the ball is run faster then in union.
MrSoliPat 4 months ago
Rugby union was a sport before '95, you clown, it doesn't matter if it was pro or amateur it had the same following, but it was shit then and it's worse now, it's an embarrassment to sport. No tactics, no skills, no fitness, no ideas of which lines to run and when, no kicking skills.
Dr84S 6 months ago
@Dr84S No shit, how about hitting the reply button so I'm notified when you do reply.
I obviously stated that Union was a sport before 1995, it was still an Amateur Sport. Everything you've said is wrong, there is obviously tactics, skill and fitness involved in the game of Rugby Union, you're just saying that stuff out of sheer bias and you're proving the typical League fan stereotype is correct.
taweraster 5 months ago
@Dr84S Also, no idea of which lines to run? That's totally untrue and you have no evidence to support your claims. No kicking skills? Union Kickers make Drop Goals and Penalty kicks from 50+m out regularly.
Your argument is invalid. Win?
taweraster 5 months ago
all im saying is rucking kicks ass if i played league id miss a good old ruck
ruthio1 6 months ago
I can appreciate both sports but league is far ahead of union still. The collisions are much harder, the game is played at much faster pace with less stoppages, so the players are a lot fitter, and even the handling skills of the league players is so much better. Union players don't run the correct lines which makes it very easy for the defending team. Which makes league a far more exciting spectacle to watch most of the time. Technically union has a lot of catching up to do, that's obvious if
Dr84S 7 months ago
@Dr84S Rugby League is a stupid sport, that has been stripped down to be spectator friendly when all they've done is make a simple game, it's basically Tackle Touch Football.
They've effectively ruined the flow of the game by taking out all contest for the ball, there is nothing more pathetic than A Rugby League scrum. It seems like Rugby League has this inferiority complex. How can you say Union players don't run the correct lines, there are an extra two defenders in a game of Union.
taweraster 6 months ago
@Dr84S Rugby League is also far too repetitive, 4 runs up the middle and a kick, repeat, with the outside chance of a player actually passing the ball then a team scores.
It's a game for the intellectually challenged who can't appreciate anything other than big hits and lots of tries.
taweraster 6 months ago
@taweraster you flatter your sport. hacking the ball into the crowd, running two yards, getting kicked in the head, falling down, dropping the ball on the floor then getting the headmaster involved is not an intellectual challenge. league is the evolution of rugby. union an unstructured game for bar room yobs who do a lot of talking but are weak when it comes to putting their boots on.
terrortorn 5 months ago
@terrortorn Everything you just said was purely speculation therefore your argument is invalid, you tried to sum up Rugby Union by using untrue and bias stereotypes. League is a trimmed-down version of Rugby with all of the contest for the ball taken out. It's a game for people who don't know how to appreciate the bigger picture and only want to see lots of 'hits' and 'tries'.
Grow up Child, there is a reason that Union is more popular.
taweraster 5 months ago
@taweraster go back far enough the most popular public spectacles in british life were hangings. popularity is no yardstick to measure worth. union enjoys bias from a southern based media, extensive publicity and cash for internationals and more importantly attractive class based associations which draws the best sponsors. i suggest my friend you look at your sport with a little more insight to its history. union has no bigger picture. skills are basic. its pace is slow. its designed for boys.
terrortorn 5 months ago
@terrortorn Actually Popularity does measure worth, if it's popular then more people like it, the more people that like it = the better game FACT. Skills are basic? There are many different skill sets so to call them basic is wrong, you think that a scrum takes basic skill? Or a ruck? Or a line-out? I have looked at my sport, it stayed amateur after Rugby League had split and it was still far more popular.
When League had all of the money Union was still triumphant. Win?
taweraster 5 months ago
@taweraster you need much edutainment. type in bradford bulls/ wigan v wasps and enjoy. union has to concentrate on rolling in the mud because its the only way to keep the ball on the pitch union valuing kicking the ball out on the full every other second. union is unevolved and proud of it. where rl has a fair social and political start its popularity is proven. see australia and northern england. the N/S divide/ media bias has much responsibility for unions popularity not its sporting worth.
terrortorn 5 months ago
@terrortorn League has to go back 10 metres at the end of the breakdown cause they're a bunch of softies. Rugby continue even after the breakdown. League is repetitious, 5 tackles then hand over, no competing in the scrums, no lineouts it's just running around. You see many league players especially in the NRL being a bunch of boof heads during the game and after. and let's be honest Rugby requires a brain, league requires no brain cause if you do you might realise how stupid the game is.
tjthegreat7 5 months ago
@Dr84S There is a reason that Rugby Union is far more popular, even though it was a completely amateur sport up until 1995.
taweraster 6 months ago
Well done Mr. Barnes, well said, Stevo talking crap as ever, League cannot complain about union taking their player, it's only what league did to union twenty years ago..., now the boots on the other foot they don't like it., as a union fan I get so feed up with league' s supperiorty complex, I thought we had got over this.....
metallicat72 7 months ago
What does this man mean stealing players from league to union WTF you guys did it first when you invented that basterd game league
kaicolobread 7 months ago
I found it a bit annoying when he said union has been taking players form league all the time. In Ireland, a country that is doing better than England, Im not even sure there is a league team. Rugby league is non-existent in Ireland.
I personally prefer Union, because I feel there's more depth to it. There's culture, respect, and it is more intellectual than league. At the end of the day, league, much like sevens, is fairly repetitive. Whereas rugby has a lot more aspects to it.
chickenfillets74 8 months ago
league is far better then union, union is get it kick it league is tactical and about running the ball. union is only better because its from made down south and south always beats the north and its not fair union is all about money and kicking league is about skill and running with the ball, the crowds are smaller in league because it isnt well know in england and only played up north were the majority of people would like to watch football instead
ChingWhonPow 8 months ago
Rugby league is way better than union. Union is so boring. Rugby league is a physical and faster game. It is a fun sport to watch. I like both codes, but I'm a league guy. From an American.
OBJones28 9 months ago
RU is better managed top down, RL history shows wrong decisions made consistently.
RU has great media exposure, fantastic hype etc. Then they kick off.
nicknj80 9 months ago
the first two games of the aviva premiership got 75,000 into twickeham and last week more than 38,000 saw bath takes on harlequins.
55,000 watched two heineken cup games between toulon and perpignan in barcelona and 35,000 in san sebastian both in spain. 45,000 in dublin between leicester and leinster and 34,000 in london against northhampton and ulster.
SlowRock1000 10 months ago
@SlowRock1000 you should of put that as a reply to him
billyocrfc 9 months ago
Stuart barnes is a legend my favourite commentator that rugby league guy is a Pratt and he keeps trying to interupt cos he has know argument cos league is shit and only northerners who have incest like it
ANDYREEDBOI94 10 months ago
ARE YOU MAD!?!?!
Super League is only 9 games into the season and gets more fans than the guinness Premiership.
We have massive derbys which bring 20,000+ fans in the Wigan and sts derby (30,000+), Bradford Leeds, Hull Derby, Warrington Widness, Wakefield Castleford.
Four Nations
State of Origin is the most watched sporting event in Australia.
City vs Country
Nrl.
And rugby league actually has depth in its leagues below the Guiness Prem, it is terrible standard and attendan
Nik2555 10 months ago
@Nik2555 lol, you are so wrong its hilarious. Maybe every now and then league will get a large crowd. But overall it's not even close to union. I dont think anyone in the england was aware there was a world cup in 2008, everyone knew about the 2003 and 2007
billyocrfc 9 months ago
@Nik2555 Obviously you are making that up mate. Actually look up on the internet the top most watched sporting broadcasts in Australias history. Number 1 is an afl grand final. Number 2 is the rugby world cup grand final in 2003. Then the rest in the top 10 are afl and one of them is a tennis match. League hasnt even made it hahahaha
thecallan008 7 months ago
Rugby union will never become rugby league because rugby is too far ahead in every department.
1. Rugby World Cup
2. Rugby Olympics 7's
3. Rugby World 7's
4. Women Rugby World cup
5. IRB World 7's Series
6. Commonwealth Games 7's
7. Under 20 Rugby World Cup
8. World School 1st XV Series
What do rugby league have?
SlowRock1000 11 months ago
@SlowRock1000 more spectators than union, better leagues (super league and nrl), better atmosphere, big hits and plays
Nik2555 11 months ago
@Nik2555
ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS
super league average attendances so far this season-11,000
Rugby union prem- 12,500
Heineken cup Quater finals watched by over 160,000- that's an average of over 40,000 per match.
World cup is the THIRD most watched sporting event in the world behind the olympics and FIFA world cup.
The french TOP 14 attracts bigger crowds than the super league.
The 6 nations attracts huge crowds.
The only thing you have is the NRL, and that only just beats top 15.
legendthe1st 10 months ago
I choose rugby over league any day. Bring on the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
anzac1990 11 months ago
I don't even understand the point of debate over which is better. I watch both codes and get as much enjoyment out of each. They're different games. I like the set piece of rugby union, and the different aspects of the game that come from having players of such a varying degree in shape and size (compare a lock to a halfback). But league has such great dynamism across the board and the one on one physical contact is immense. Both great games, its all north vs south bullshit if you ask me.
mollers92 1 year ago
@mollers92 yep, totally agree with all that mate, most people would happily watch either, although i do think union will edge more and more towards league as professionalism gets a grip of the sport
tdavies456 1 year ago
I think Rugby League is by far the superior code and will never be convinced otherwise, but I thought Barnes came across the better in this 'debate'!
Stevo was far too overbearing when he never needed to be - Barnes spoke sense throughout and was never disrespectful to RL at any stage!
Money is the only motivating factor when it comes to switching codes - everyone knows that!
MrTest105 1 year ago
i choose league over union any day of the week but i cant stand stevo he's a knob
freestylepigeon 1 year ago