Please be specific. No 'tighten up the ruck rules to make the game faster' vagueness. I want one specific rule that would make a positive impact
This is a question from an ignoramus on the other side of the Atlantic. I know little of Rugby Union in the US and have joined the sub to find out more.
I played the sport at school (private boys’ boarding school; you’ve probably seen caricatures of them in the movies). It was very much part of the culture there, as it was at college where I also played. It’s not so much part of the sports culture in the US and so I’m wondering how young men there get interested in the first place and whether this usually happens at college or by joining a local club.
Any thoughts? Here’s to the growth of one of our finest exports.
This is not meant to be a provocative post and I don't want the comments to turn into a hate-fest on league. I just want to explain things to non-Australians so Australian reactions to certain things make more sense.
There are five main ways league sets the agenda for union
- Our fanbase represents exactly what working class people despise
League fans are predominantly working or middle class. Union are predominantly upper-class. Everyone knows this generalisation, which in Australia is truer than it often is elsewhere. Since union is dying, you might think league fans consistently shit-talking union is kind of like bullying the kid with no friends. In a way yes, but also in a way no. Upper class fuckwits are fucking annoying in this country, just like in every other country. There's aren't too many rich pricks screwing over Australians who follow league, let's put it that way. I live in Canberra, where there's not a big income disparity between the fans of league and union. First Wallabies game I ever went to in Sydney was a few years ago (against Scotland) and it was eye opening. I always thought it was exaggerated. There were honestly more people (on a fucking Saturday) in business attire than Wallabies jerseys. Wtf. There was a 'pop-up' RM Williams shoe stall (these shoes cost $600). Ridiculous. Even though I went to a private school in Canberra I felt out of place.
- Dominant code stuff
Being the dominant code, and the code of reference for a lot of people, union is defined through the lens of league. So the fact we have less tries scored for example, is seen as a negative. The fact that our defensive line is not 10m away, so attacks have less time to get organised and look structured, is twisted as a way to say union players aren't as skilful. There's no appreciation of rucks, lineouts, mauls and scrums. Never-mind that we are dealing with 2 entirely different sports. Let's get aboard the hate train.
Every union fan knows league to some degree, which is different to other countries. Because of this we can more clearly see which union rules we disagree with because we have a point of comparison, one that is much more successful. Like the yellow card for some deliberate knock ons. Don't think I've ever met anyone in Australia that likes it. They don't even have deliberate knock ons in league, they seem to be doing alright (admittedly the defence is further away).
A lot of rugby's playing culture in this country (don't kick it, spread
... keep reading on reddit ➡
So the sub doesn’t allow me to mention the name of the government that puppeted Vichy france, so for those that don’t know it was those really bad German guys from the second global war. Well the Vichy government operated in south France where rugby was most popular and apparently league was associated with socialism (wtf) and the UK, so they outlawed league and redistributed all funds to union-none of this was ever returned. Not what i expected to come across while reading some casual rugby history
Edit: sorry should have stated this from the start. I came across this info on wikipedia but it had no source, so i verified it all by looking at this
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/16258/the-vichy-government-and-the-banning-of-rugby-league-in-france
Hi!! I hope you guys are having a wonderful day!! I am an Indian Cricket fan, and I want to follow Rugby Union as it looked great to me. I have started grasping some basic rules and I can watch a match and understand what is going on,
But I want to know something more. [my question might sound very weird and confusing at first]
What are the best teams [international and in other leagues] and who are the best players {retired and playing]?
I am really really new to rugby, and I know nothing about different teams and different players.
I know many cricket playing nations play rugby too [england, Australia, New Zealand, south africa], so if anyone follows cricket, then please, please use some cricket references. I really found this sport interesting and I want to follow it. So, please help me!!
Thanks!!
What is an opinion of Rugby Union you hold (maybe secretly), that your peers will find unpopular?
..is the Scottish football team more popular than the Scottish rugby team?
I ask as a serious question. That kind of a beating would demoralize the people of any country trying to get into this sport.
An idea that has become popular in American football is that running backs in general are replaceable as there are so many at a good level, and thus you should not spend significant draft stock/free agent money on running backs with some exceptions.
It seems to me that this is the back row in rugby. Ireland seems to have way more international level back rows than any other position for example, and a few of our most promising youngsters are also back rows.
Obviously that doesn’t make much difference to Irish provinces as to my knowledge there isn’t a hard cap and players are incentivized to stay on the island or not play for the country.
However, in leagues in England and France, is this a factor? Are there smart teams who develop their own back rows and spend the big money on harder to find positions?
I know I could be just straight up wrong about how plentiful back rows are as well.
..i've noticed in recent years how their schoolboy and development players have been getting capped into the rebels..the victorian club scene is also quite competitive with matches well-attended..from the few i've watched on facebook..
Does anyone know anything about this NRFL rugby league? How many teams? What's cities? If it's gonna be a problem for the MLR?
As the title suggests, I’m learning the sport of my English ancestors. I’m usually Wild Turkey 101 and the Philadelphia Eagles. But tonight I’m Laphroiag 10 and Premiership Rugby.
20 years ago, professional rugby in the US was just a pipe dream..never gonna happen they said..I remember reading a readers' digest article of improbable things that could happen in the american sporting landscape in 20 years and the advent of pro rugby in the US was one of them..so wrong..it's not a huge sport there yet but it's happening and mlr is expanding..20 years ago, argentina was the only somewhat serious rugby nation in that continent..now i'm watching uruguay, chile and brazil play some good footy with good crowds, bar covid..countries like portugal, georgia, spain, ukraine, lithuania, romania, kazakhstan, even poland, sweden and denmark and now israel is falsifying the old european notion that rugby is only played in the british isles and france (and some parts of italy)..the european trophy and rugby europe super cup (and mlr) are now 2 of my favourite rugby comps to watch in the weekends..in africa, i've enjoyed watching matches involving kenya, uganda, zimbabwe, tunisia and madagasca in the africa cup..i enjoy rugby league too, but every time they try to expand out of their heartlands they end in abject failure..same with the nfl and american football..they spend virtually hundreds of millions of $$$ on expansion with very little success..why is rugby union doing so well in expanding to new countries and capturing new fans and audiences without any real noticeable serious effort from world rugby?..it's like they set up various comps around the globe and they just grow legs..
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