The League Media

[Omar Comin']

The bragging rights for the winner would be only for winning a game of hybrid rugby, nothing else. When Australia lose in the international rules does that automatically make the gaelic footballers more talented athletes? Are AFL fans shamed into giving up the sport for the GAA?

Because it takes a lot away from Union and nothing from League.

Yeah because league is a simplified game. But they still have to score under rugby union rules and defend under rugby union rules. I actually think the rugby team would usually win so long as they picked a forward pack of back rowers (maybe some athletic locks and hookers could make it too). Imagine a league team trying to maintain possession at the ruck with the likes of David Pocock and Liam Gill on the field.

 

[pjm]

Yeah because league is a simplified game. But they still have to score under rugby union rules and defend under rugby union rules. I actually think the rugby team would usually win so long as they picked a forward pack of back rowers (maybe some athletic locks and hookers could make it too). Imagine a league team trying to maintain possession at the ruck with the likes of David Pocock and Liam Gill on the field.

Props, hookers and locks are only there for the set pieces. If these aren't held at Union standard then the league team will always get over them. Having a forward pack of 8 back rowers is not Union as Rugby prides itself of having positions for all body shapes.

 

[Lindommer]

Milner-Skudder played under 20s for the Bulldogs, never first grade. Check here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehe_Milner-Skudder

 

[RunnerGunner]

The bragging rights for the winner would be only for winning a game of hybrid rugby, nothing else. When Australia lose in the international rules does that automatically make the gaelic footballers more talented athletes? Are AFL fans shamed into giving up the sport for the GAA?




Yeah because league is a simplified game. But they still have to score under rugby union rules and defend under rugby union rules. I actually think the rugby team would usually win so long as they picked a forward pack of back rowers (maybe some athletic locks and hookers could make it too). Imagine a league team trying to maintain possession at the ruck with the likes of David Pocock and Liam Gill on the field.

The AFL's popularity is not based on the international side. It isn't a relevant comparison.

The Wallabies brand is to all intents and purposes, Australian Rugby. If the Kangaroos lost their fans will just go back to watching the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs, that's what they enjoy. The same goes for the AFL. They are basically domestic sports which occasionally reach out for an international audience.

 

[Omar Comin']

Props, hookers and locks are only there for the set pieces. If these aren't held at Union standard then the league team will always get over them. Having a forward pack of 8 back rowers is not Union as Rugby prides itself of having positions for all body shapes.

Yes it's not union, it's a hybrid. Rugby itself has sevens which doesn't have positions for every body shape either!

And in the first filmed hybrid game 2 or 3 years ago Keebra Park, one of the top league high schools in Australia lost to Aggies. So the league team doesn't always win.

 

[RunnerGunner]

Milner-Skudder played under 20s for the Bulldogs, never first grade. Check here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehe_Milner-Skudder

Yep. He didn't play first XV rugby in high school for his first few years because he was seen as too small. He was a touch rugby player. He was no where near the radar of the NZRU. He's just a late developer.

 

[Omar Comin']

The AFL's popularity is not based on the international side. It isn't a relevant comparison.

The Wallabies brand is to all intents and purposes, Australian Rugby. If the Kangaroos lost their fans will just go back to watching the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs, that's what they enjoy. The same goes for the AFL. They are basically domestic sports which occasionally reach out for an international audience.

So if the Wallabies were to lose a game of hybrid rugby everyone would stop supporting the Wallabies in rugby union? Seems pretty unlikely to me.

But hey, maybe too many people in the decision chain would think like you do, which would block any Wallabies vs Kangaroos game. But I bet we'll see a super rugby team play an NRL team. Maybe one day Australia vs New Zealand (with the teams featuring players from both codes).

 

[RunnerGunner]

So if the Wallabies were to lose a game of hybrid rugby everyone would stop supporting the Wallabies in rugby union? Seems pretty unlikely to me.

But hey, maybe too many people in the decision chain would think like you do, which would blocks any Wallabies vs Kangaroos game. But I bet we'll see a super rugby team play an NRL team. Maybe one day Australia vs New Zealand (with the teams featuring players from both codes).

Don't go ott please, that is not what I said. I said it had only the potential to damage rugby.

The NZRU would laugh the bolded out of the park btw. I could see the ARU doing it, as they have been chased rugby league tail for a while, but the NZRU not so much. The All Blacks make them money elsewhere. They aren't going to put the Kiwis rugby league team on the same platform of themselves, ever.

 

[Omar Comin']

Don't go ott please, that is not what I said. I said it had only the potential to damage rugby.

The NZRU would laugh the bolded out of the park btw. I could see the ARU doing it, as they have been chased rugby league tail for a while, but the NZRU not so much. The All Blacks make them money elsewhere. They aren't going to put the Kiwis rugby league team on the same platform of themselves, ever.

Well how would it damage rugby? I don't see why anyone would stop supporting rugby just because a team lost in a hybrid game.

And I don't think there's the same animosity between the codes in NZ as there is here. I think the NZRU would consider it if they were offered a couple of million or more.

 

[papabear]

Realistically though, you only have to look at this thread to see the water under the bridge and why it would not happen.

The bragging rights thing is interesting, but lets be honest, regardless of who plays, a one off game between two sides playing a funny hybrid game that they have never played before isn't going to show who are the best... All it will show is who the rules favour and/or who picked it up the quickest.

 

[Antony]

What at, cricket?


You seriously underestimate the (limited) skill sets that the best loig players have.


Your man Millner-Skudder was not a star, AFAIK, just a good first grader in the NRL, and now he is one of the best in the world in our game.


Under hybrid rules, especially if there is a ten metres offside requirement, and of course uncontested scrums, the leaguies would be hard to beat.

I firmly think some people are just very good at one of the codes and not very good at the other - good example is Will Chambers, or Rocky Elsom going the other way.

I wasn't actually really predicting a 100-nil victory. More like 80-nil - might take the lads the first ten minutes to get used to the rules.

EDIT: This is also not serious.

 

[TOCC]

IMO, the best cross-pollination of the codes would be at 7's level.

Imagine a Trans-Tasman 7's tournament at the start of the year with invites sent out to all the Australian/New Zealand Super Rugby teams and 10 NRL teams.

20 teams(10 Super Rugby and 10 NRL), 5 pools of 4 with the event to go over 2 days.

 

[southsider]

Your man Millner-Skudder was not a star, AFAIK, just a good first grader in the NRL, and now he is one of the best in the world in our game.

Jeez that's a good little white lie to try prove a point

 

[Pfitzy]

Fuck - give NMS 10 metres to run in, and two less defenders, and he'd fucking gun those useless NRL defensive alignments. They have no ability to defend on the fringe with anything like communication or accuracy. The reason there are so many tries in league is kick, hope, and outside backs who can't drift.

 

[TOCC]

Your man Millner-Skudder was not a star, AFAIK, just a good first grader in the NRL, and now he is one of the best in the world in our game.

Will Chambers sat on the Reds bench for most of the 2011 season and he is now a starter in the QLD State of Origin team and Australian rugby league test team.

 

[I like to watch]

Fuck - give NMS 10 metres to run in, and two less defenders, and he'd fucking gun those useless NRL defensive alignments. They have no ability to defend on the fringe with anything like communication or accuracy. The reason there are so many tries in league is kick, hope, and outside backs who can't drift.

The try to win this years GF is a good example of poor defensive systems/reading.
The 6 just tried to run around a defender just as he did when he was an 11yo.
Without a step or any change of direction he attracted 3 defenders,leaving his winger unmarked.
Just so poor.......

 

[RunnerGunner]

Well how would it damage rugby? I don't see why anyone would stop supporting rugby just because a team lost in a hybrid game.

And I don't think there's the same animosity between the codes in NZ as there is here. I think the NZRU would consider it if they were offered a couple of million or more.

I gave my reasons why I think it could damage rugby. Losing the Bled is one of the major contributing factors in rugby losing non hardcore interest to other codes. Australian Rugby is the Wallabies. Losing a hybrid game to the Kangaroos would be just another stick to beat them with in the press.

It's nothing to do with animosity. The All Blacks are a world brand and the biggest brand in New Zealand. They are not going to put their team on the same platform as the New Zealand rugby league team. They look long term, not just for the short. If they did they would have done a Wallabies several years ago and arranged another End of Year test.

 

[Strewthcobber]

The try to win this years GF is a good example of poor defensive systems/reading.
The 6 just tried to run around a defender just as he did when he was 11.
Without a step or any change of direction he attracted 3 defenders,leaving his winger unmarked.
Just so poor...

Makes you wonder why so many Rugby teams employee ex-league defensive coordinators

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

 

[Pfitzy]

Makes yiu wonder why so many Rugby teams employee ex-league defensive coordinators

Maybe that's why league defenses are ordinary - we got all the good ones?

 

[RunnerGunner]

Who is the last League coach to move over? The ones still operating at a prominent level in rugby that I can think off the top of my head are Les Kiss, Andy Farrell, Shaun Edwards and Mike Ford. Farrell played rugby and has been there for 10 years. Edwards has been in union for 15 years now. Mike Ford started off with Ireland in 2002 I think and Les Kiss has been with Ireland since 2009 and NSW before that since 2002. I could well be missing people but there hasn't been that many who have come over in the last 10 years frankly. League has moved on a lot since those guys were involved there and so has rugby union and there isn't the same rush for their coaches as there was just after rugby turned pro.