rach 1 Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 I'm not going to get into the other rugby thread with all the sensitive types on there going on about rugby vs football and such ( ). But can any of you rugger fans tell me the differences between league and union, why the difference exists and which is "better" (in your opinion of course). Looking forward to hearing from you! Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 They couldn't agree on how big the goal needed to be, so they had two games. Link to post Share on other sites
peterson 0 Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 I was wondering that. Does the sport have an identity crisis? When someone says "rugby", what are they referring to - union or league? Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 league, faster paced, less scrumdowns, more kicking. Union, bigger players, more scrums, rucks, etc. Union is much bigger, the predominant form in Britain. League tended to be a sport at uni where lads who didn't excell at rugby in school could still get into the first team and tour Eurpoe I'm sticking my neck out here, but league seems to fit somewhere between Union and Aussie rules in style and rules. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 League is huge in Australia where it comes 2nd to Aussie rules, which I beg to differ is quite a different kettle of fish. Rugby Union comes third. In NZ union is top but league is also very popular. A fundamental rule difference is that in league the side with possession can hold on to the ball when tackeled. They can do this for 6 tackles (assuming they can keep the ball) before they have to turn it over. After the 5th tackle the ball is usually kicked forward to avoid the turnover. I think you'll find a lot more kicking in Union generally. As for the size difference I always thought league players were bigger than rugby players. However Rugby players are getting bigger all the time so maybe there's not so much difference. There is a lot of switching between the codes with union players joining league and vice-versa eg Brad Thorn who is now playing for the All Blacks and is a former Brisbane Broncos player-also Matthew Ridge who played for Manly and Auckland Warriors and was once an All Black in his younger days. League always seemed to be a lot more physical game to me than union because you gain territory by barrelling through the defense. There's also far less distinction between the forwards and the backs. In NZ Rugby Union is usually called "rugby" and Rugby League is called "league". Link to post Share on other sites
Weegeoff 0 Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 The basic differencess bitween League and Union is that in League there are 13 players and in Union 15. League used to be the professional game and Union amateurs, But that change a number of year ago. Miteyak Aussie rules I did not think there were any. Link to post Share on other sites
nagpants 1 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I AM confused now Link to post Share on other sites
Stefan 0 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Amongst many things Rugby League players where professional for a lot longer than Union, who didn't pay players legally untill 1995. Rugby League has uncontested scrums, no line-outs and 13 men compared to 15 in Union which has contested 8 man scrums and contested line-outs. No Flankers in League...no's 6 and 7 in Union. They also have a turn over rule in League, which means after 5 (or 6 according to Kamo)'tackles' if they don't score they have to turn the ball over to the opposing teams, a bit like US NFL. There is no such rule in Union, they rely on rucks and mauls. Continuity-wise League has a lot more 'direct impact' with big big tackles, and the turn over rule results in a faster game (though this is changing) an fewer penalties. Points for a try in League 4 Union 5. Points for a drop goal Legue 1 Union 3. Points for a conversion League 2 Union 2. Points for a Penalty Kick League 2 (I think) Union 3. They are very different, but many player have crossed from League to Union and vice-versa. For example in the current World Cup....Wendell Sailor and Matt Rogers of Aus. Iestyn Harris of Wales and Jason Robinson of England, all of whom are internationals in both codes..... excuse my spelling this was a rushed post but I had to reply! Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 So is it Union or League where you grind your chin into the other bloke's ear in the scrum? Link to post Share on other sites
Stefan 0 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Union, as League scrums are uncontested, thus the need to "grind your chin into the other guys ear" doesn't exist. So Ocean how did you get these scars you mentioned in the other thread? And I do agree that SOME rugby teams are organised mobs, I've watched enough Valleys teams to say that some people just want a fight, not a game of rugby. But at least in rugby you get on the pitch and do the fighting not in the stands! Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Some member of the Bristol Poly team were celebrating their victory over the Uni team in the Uni union bar (obnoxiously and threateningly) where I went for a drink. On their way out, 'the lads' slapped the bottoms of our glasses, spilling our drinks. Foolishly my friend threw the remains of his drink after them. When they turned round and attacked me, my friend ran away, leaving me to fight some 6 complete meatheads on my own. Which I did, although I still bear the scars. I then had the joy of sitting in the police station until 2 am while the police photographer recorded my injuries and an illiterate plod laboriously took down my statement while I corrected his spelling. He had real difficulty with the concept of a victim of assault actually defending themselves -- "So you kicked 'im in the face did you eh?" Also I carefully avoided going drinking with 'my friend' again after that. I've heard similar stories from other people too about other teams/mobs. Certainly there was no sporting or gentlemanly offer to pick one meathead to fight - it was all of them against me. The form of rugby that I was forced to endure at school would have been Union then, as much use was made of the chin in the scrums. Link to post Share on other sites
Stefan 0 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 It's funny you should say that....I found (a shared experience via talking to friends) that going to University there was always a 'Rugger Bugger' group of lard brains hated by the rest of the University. I took great pride in abstaining from the team.....their loss, my silky skills would've resulted in a few more wins I bet! I used to play school and club rugby in Wales, the violence was mostly on the pitch....not in the bar! I truly disliked a number of the fat arse "Rugby Players" in my Uni.....To make matters worse they were sh't as well. Link to post Share on other sites
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