League or Union

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bristol-iain @ Oct 28 2009, 09:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The best way to look at the difference in skill set needed to play the different codes is to ask; How many players who have switched codes have made a sucess out of it? Not many so we should look at League and Union as two differernt sports as opposed to 2 versions of the same game then arguing which is best.

Iestyn Harris- One good game for Cardiff, useless at International Level
Andy Farrell- Couldnt work out his best position 6 or 13, thats like wondering which drink to have ? Ribena or Absinthe.
Vainikolo- One decent game for England

The only one who, as far as I can see it, made it good in the 15 man game was Jason Robinson.[/b]

Ok, so Jonathan Davies, Scott Gibbs, Alan Bateman, Alan Tait and many others had successful League careers.

As for the League - Union converts... why should a League star be amazing at Union? Vainikolo, Rogers, Hape, Sailor, Tuqiri, Robinson, Gasnier, Farrell, Harris etc. were all excellent League players. None of them have made bad Union players, just some haven't been of the world class variety which means people see them as failures.

 

[Olyy]

I played Union throughout school, and League at uni, and have to say that League, to me, is much more enjoyable at an amateur level.
There's a lot more running play involved, whereas in union alot of the match is spent tied up in rucks waiting for the forwards to recycle the ball

Not to say i don't love union, but i prefer to watch that, then play, and prefer the play league, than watch

 

[KZNSharksFan]

Ryan Cross can be added to the list of successful league converts

 

[William18]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bristol-iain @ Oct 29 2009, 10:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The best way to look at the difference in skill set needed to play the different codes is to ask; How many players who have switched codes have made a sucess out of it? Not many so we should look at League and Union as two differernt sports as opposed to 2 versions of the same game then arguing which is best.

Iestyn Harris- One good game for Cardiff, useless at International Level
Andy Farrell- Couldnt work out his best position 6 or 13, thats like wondering which drink to have ? Ribena or Absinthe.
Vainikolo- One decent game for England

The only one who, as far as I can see it, made it good in the 15 man game was Jason Robinson.[/b]

Tana Umaga was a league player for most of his early life. He switched to union at a very late age. A lot of players like Rogers, Sailor and Tuqiri have almost walked into the Australian rugby team in the past, they would not have made the Australian league team quite so easily. Union is definately a much more skillful sport that does not mean it is better to watch.

Another player is Brad Thorn, he wouldn't make the Kangaroos but easily makes the All Blacks. The worrying thing for union (especially Australia) is that it has to get league converts. It shows that union players are not being developed properly.

 

[O'Rothlain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Oct 28 2009, 11:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The worrying thing for union (especially Australia) is that it has to get league converts. It shows that union players are not being developed properly.[/b]

They need to elevate the Shute Shield to the same level as the ANZ or the Currie Cup.

 

[Prestwick]

Couldn't they have baby steps. Like, turn the Shute shield into a kind of "STATE OF ORIGIN" competition?

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Oct 29 2009, 04:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bristol-iain @ Oct 29 2009, 10:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The best way to look at the difference in skill set needed to play the different codes is to ask; How many players who have switched codes have made a sucess out of it? Not many so we should look at League and Union as two differernt sports as opposed to 2 versions of the same game then arguing which is best.

Iestyn Harris- One good game for Cardiff, useless at International Level
Andy Farrell- Couldnt work out his best position 6 or 13, thats like wondering which drink to have ? Ribena or Absinthe.
Vainikolo- One decent game for England

The only one who, as far as I can see it, made it good in the 15 man game was Jason Robinson.[/b]

Tana Umaga was a league player for most of his early life. He switched to union at a very late age. A lot of players like Rogers, Sailor and Tuqiri have almost walked into the Australian rugby team in the past, they would not have made the Australian league team quite so easily. Union is definately a much more skillful sport that does not mean it is better to watch.

Another player is Brad Thorn, he wouldn't make the Kangaroos but easily makes the All Blacks. The worrying thing for union (especially Australia) is that it has to get league converts. It shows that union players are not being developed properly.
[/b][/quote]

There's always been a flow from one to the other - think back in the amateur days, loads of union guys played league so they could get paid. Now they're moving acrossfrom League to Union because union has more money.

It's only an issue in Ausytalia because Union isn't a popular enough sport to support 4 franchises. Back in 2003, their backline was made up of Rogers, Sailor and Tuqiri... who've all left the ARU. Even last year... Elsom, Barnes, Tahu, Cross... and half their other backs have some link with league in the past, even if it's at school level.

 

[Charles]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Oct 29 2009, 11:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Oct 29 2009, 04:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bristol-iain @ Oct 29 2009, 10:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The best way to look at the difference in skill set needed to play the different codes is to ask; How many players who have switched codes have made a sucess out of it? Not many so we should look at League and Union as two differernt sports as opposed to 2 versions of the same game then arguing which is best.

Iestyn Harris- One good game for Cardiff, useless at International Level
Andy Farrell- Couldnt work out his best position 6 or 13, thats like wondering which drink to have ? Ribena or Absinthe.
Vainikolo- One decent game for England

The only one who, as far as I can see it, made it good in the 15 man game was Jason Robinson.[/b]

Tana Umaga was a league player for most of his early life. He switched to union at a very late age. A lot of players like Rogers, Sailor and Tuqiri have almost walked into the Australian rugby team in the past, they would not have made the Australian league team quite so easily. Union is definately a much more skillful sport that does not mean it is better to watch.

Another player is Brad Thorn, he wouldn't make the Kangaroos but easily makes the All Blacks. The worrying thing for union (especially Australia) is that it has to get league converts. It shows that union players are not being developed properly.
[/b][/quote]

There's always been a flow from one to the other - think back in the amateur days, loads of union guys played league so they could get paid. Now they're moving acrossfrom League to Union because union has more money.

It's only an issue in Ausytalia because Union isn't a popular enough sport to support 4 franchises. Back in 2003, their backline was made up of Rogers, Sailor and Tuqiri... who've all left the ARU. Even last year... Elsom, Barnes, Tahu, Cross... and half their other backs have some link with league in the past, even if it's at school level.


[/b][/quote]

Because everybody plays league in Oz. Put it this way: all the league players in France and probably NZ as well have played Union.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

The barriers have been broken down, I am playing no part in putting them back up. Two sports, two versions of rugby, happy days. Each to their own.