Ah shtap put that on the list this year. Time it up with a good sporting event and a jaunt to the national parks around it.
Hopefully if Ireland qualify for the World Cup I’ll be over that side.
Mexico is even better and wilder
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“Non stop attack” - it’s mostly hit ups and kicks. The number of tries per game was actually lower than Super Rugby last year. Starting in Vegas is very rugby league, provincial and gambling obsessed.
As aside from collapsing scrums, rucks, mauls, collapsing mauls and ‘recycling’ it for 6+ minutes at the end of a game…and your argument is yes league has more tries than unions most exciting competition. But only marginally.
Thats changed of late. Theres decent contest now tho.
Not involving Australia
Aussie league is far more creative and less conservative than union. I love both but can recognise union the uglier child.
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Incorrect
Go on…kiwis??
You could say the same about rugby league and wrestling. Coaches hired with the specific reason to slow the game down.
Scrums? Scrums are an embarrassment in rugby league ffs. It’s a core part of where the game came from and they have this nonsense charade of setting them- a true NFL fan would scoff at it.
The kicking (focusing on bombs and grubbers) often lead to TRY because it smacks off a shin or whatever, but it’s the ADD heads approach to sport. It would he like if the NFL had Hail Marys every few plays.
There’s actually lots to enjoy about rugby league but your reasoning is the classic low brow ones.
It’s a simpler game with the defense set back, there’s nothing wrong with that but it’s different and the “creativity” is always going to appear more obvious.
What the NRL does really well is marketing it along with a cohesive structure. They even sell the boring aspects well- they slag rugby for kicking (ironically) with terms like “kick tennis” , but look at this rugby league “lore”.
Scrums arent wxactly a selling point for union either Timothy. In fact, theyre probably the biggesg drag on the game in union, particular if trying to bring new viewers into the sport
Yeah, because its so fast teams try to slow it. Union doesnt have an Origin equivalent in terms of pace.
The kicking is far more varied in nrl than union and used more as a genuine attack than a defensive return.
Low brow?! Spoken like a true rah rah head
Samoa and Tonga have improved a lot because the NRL are allowing players to play State of Origin and “B” nations.
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Not a word on rucks and keep ball at the end. And the scrums in union are a hidden farce, run out of props and what you say is one of the most important parts of the game switches to uncontested.
Imitation is the greatest compliment as they say, as we saw with the 50/22 copying the 40/20. Union basically admitting they needed leagues help
The Brits have unfortunatelt regressed but kiwis have been neck and neck with aussies last few years and the islander teams, particularly samoa, have been a far more robust challenge and good watch.
Its the rule.change from Origin that will benefit intl competitiveness further hopefully. More of these fellas please
The vast majority of kicks in the NRL are-
- up and under
- grubber
They are 50/50 plays where a significant number of the TRIES come from lucky bounces. There is skill don’t get me wrong, but it is low brow sporting theatre.
If you want to talk kicking skill, listen to a Ricky Stuart who talks about how rugby developed his.
In terms of wider creativity, when Sonny Bill Williams first went back he made some interesting comments. He commented on how wrestling had slowed League down and he also pointed out how his passing had become significantly better under Wayne Smith. Such passing in league is a rare skill. Of course this never got much play, because one of the NRL’s skills is to bash rugby because they are feeding a small provincial game and media.
Exactly. Theyre competed for. As opposed to a game of fores and back where its just territory at stake. Personally,.i prefer a scoring contest but can appreciate your union Old Boys approach too.
The majority of nrl kicks are high kicks to the corner or up and unders. Teamofus fans went nuts for years when Shane byrne was able to contest for them, every nrl winger worth their salt can do the same. Majority of union kicks are pin back punts, or into touch leading to a minute or so delay then a line out then usually a ruck. Rarely exciting. Union is good when played on hard ground or a good pitch as in super rugby. On a bad surface it’s usually not.
Also go back and watch Andrew Johns banana kicks, tension every time
Horgan?
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