Union v League v Sevens?

[sigesige00]

Is there other major tournament(s) aside from NRL Auckland Nines? Is there any major RL 7s tournament?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They launched a Rugby League 9s World Cup this year,
Don't think 7s is really a thing in league - not at the pro-level anyway. 9s is their 7s.

 

[Rinkadink]

For me; Union > League >>>>>>>>>>>> 7s/other variants.

I love both codes, they are different though. Hate snobbery from either side. Union is the bigger global sport but League is bigger in Australia than Union (NRL). Super League (top northern hemisphere Rugby League competition) is decent enough, great/better atmosphere at games but a dip in quality on the pitch.

7s and other variants I don't enjoy much.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Have to say, being Irish, I've never really been exposed to it (didn't even know it existed until I was fairly late into my teens and I was raised in a rugby-mad household). The few bits I have watched have never really grabbed me but I've never watched a full game at the same time. I do say this appreciating that all I've ever seen is bits of a few lower of the lower quality games at the last world cup and the odd highlights show some random evening of some games in the English league. Never seen the NRL or anything which as I understand it is at a much higher standard so entirely possible I don't know what I'm missing out on.

I'm not particular well informed about the rift between Union and League but it does seem pretty petty/bitter from both sides, neither seem to have covered themselves in glory over the decades and instead of a healthy rivalry or banter, the mud slinging does seem to have genuine hatred and animosity behind it (although maybe that's just a symptom of a wider rift in England society, like I say I don't fully understand it and will happy accept anyone more familiar with the issues' opinion over mine.)

At the end of the day it's never been worth my while trying to get into it, no emotion connection to it at all and no readily available content means it's very far down the list of sports for me despite some similarities to my favourite sport.

Will say that League, Sevens (especially) and most other variations tend to just be union with all the stuff I like taken out some none of them have ever really been for me.

 

[sigesige00]

They launched a Rugby League 9s World Cup this year,
Don't think 7s is really a thing in league - not at the pro-level anyway. 9s is their 7s.

RL 7s should be abolished.

RU -- 15s, 10s, 7s
RL -- 13s ,9s

And Association Football (Soccer) should have 11s, 8s and 6s.

 

[The Seeker]

Olympic 7s is my favorite rugby event. I can't wait for the 2020 Tokyo games, 27 July – 1 August.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

Hey Gents,

Ex-Union Player, Coach in Canada and now a huge League fan because of the Toronto Wolfpack. I personally love both codes for different reasons. I like watching Rugby for the variety but League definitely has superior ball movement and set piece moves due to the nature of the game. It's also faster with what is essentially an entire forward pack consisting of backrow forwards, couple that with the six tackle count and the requirement for the defence to retreat 10m after every tackle and the pace is frenetic.

If you are in the USA and want to watch Rugby League, Fox Soccer is your best bet. In Canada it's on Sportsnet World and CBC & Game TV have shown all Toronto Wolfpack games. Top two leagues are Super League in Northern hemisphere which has teams from England, France and now Canada. In the Southern Hemisphere, it's NRL with teams in Australia and NZ.

NRL is IMO the best Club Rugby Competition on the planet of either code.

As for Toronto Wolfpack, club is doing great. There is a large demand for cheap entertainment in the City and they are filling the void. It also helps that Toronto has a fairly large expat community and an already sizeable Rugby Union population that has also taken to the Toronto Wolfpack.

The biggest danger to Toronto Wolfpack is the Northerners pulling up the draw bridge as they are not very welcoming to outsiders.

 

[The Seeker]

Rugby League in America is mostly amateur, but there is a semi-pro organization on the East Coast. The semi-pro's play a two month Summer season and players must have their own medical insurance. These guys aren't making much money and most have other jobs. https://usarl.us/