Rugby League

[turk]

I know what you're saying, but comparing hurling to other sports is comparing apples with cannonballs. League and Union have a common root so comparisions are valid. And boy, do League fans get their collective knickers in a twist over this. They see media conspiracies everywhere to raise up the clearly inferior Union at the expense of League, yet turn a blind eye to the utter shambles that has been just-about-every Rugby League World Cup. League should get its own house in order rather than assuming that its (ahem) superiority to Union would sweep all before it if only the blind could see.

They're right, there is a media conspiracy!  

I think that european rugby league will never break out of the north of england despite the efforts to establish it in london and france. It's too strong there, Wigan for example still get bigger crowds than their soccer team does in the EPL.

[deiseach]

It's too strong there, Wigan for example still get bigger crowds than their soccer team does in the EPL.

I remember watching Wigan, then in the Championship, play Man City in the League Cup (it was on in the room, all right?). The commentator said the crowd of 15,000 was a record for Wigan Athletic, and I was briefly baffled as to why they'd build such a big ground.

Then the penny dropped

[Hoof Hearted]

whatever happened to the london broncos ? didn't they win a grand final ?

[turk]

no they got pasted in the challenge cup final a few years back. they're now "harlequins RL"

[deiseach]

whatever happened to the london broncos ? didn't they win a grand final ?

They were absorbed by Harlequins after the RFL turned a blind eye of their own to Broncos financial issues that would have made Shelbourne blush. And they didn't reach a Grand Final

[Spiritof98]

Been a minor fan of League since Geordie Carson (Celtic Armagh fame) introduced me to the Bradford Bulls, got me a signed shirt. Some great C Cup finals involving St. Helens and Bulls at turn of the Century, Robbie Paul was great to watch

[Balboa]

Rugby League players are fantastic athletes, they are all about 16 stone of muscle but can run like the wind.

[Gnevin]

Rugby League players are fantastic athletes, they are all about 16 stone of muscle but can run like the wind.

Some of our own Gaelic players wouldn't be far off it, I believe Shane Ryan is 15 stone

[Balboa]

Rugby League players are fantastic athletes, they are all about 16 stone of muscle but can run like the wind.

Some of our own Gaelic players wouldn't be far off it, I believe Shane Ryan is 15 stone

Our players wouldnt have the same fitness levels.

[Gnevin]

Rugby League players are fantastic athletes, they are all about 16 stone of muscle but can run like the wind.

Some of our own Gaelic players wouldn't be far off it, I believe Shane Ryan is 15 stone

Our players wouldnt have the same fitness levels.

Hense why i said wouldn't be far off it , but it a different kind of fitness i suppose . Players like Ryan will run for 70 minutes ,their is more rest periods in league

[Dinny Breen]

Hense why i said wouldn't be far off it , but it a different kind of fitness i suppose . Players like Ryan will run for 70 minutes ,their is more rest periods in league

Just saw this thread, Ryan's stamina would come close to these guys but that's about it. Rugby League fitness levels are phenomenal condition, power, stamina and strength, they would piss all over your average inter-county football. It's a professional sport for over 100 years for god's sake.

As for the sport, I love watchin the top super league sides, great game when two sides are evenly matched, tactically it's not the brightest and hasn't evolved much, this is due to only 2 countries playing the sport. . Rugby Union is a far superior game tactically and has that international dimension that keeps driving the game forward..

Then again I just love my sport but Rugby League players and AFL are probably the fittest team sports players around. Individually I believe ice climbers are the fittest...

[Hoof Hearted]

"As for the sport, I love watchin the top super league sides, great game when two sides are evenly matched"

No doubt then Dinny you will tuning in this Friday, top 2 meet St Helens / Leeds - winner through to Grand Final, loser to play Wigan / Hull winners.

Clashes exactly with England / Tonga in RWC, but as i said, thank God for Sky +.

[Dinny Breen]

No doubt then Dinny you will tuning in this Friday, top 2 meet St Helens / Leeds - winner through to Grand Final, loser to play Wigan / Hull winners.

Clashes exactly with England / Tonga in RWC, but as i said, thank God for Sky +.

Blessed be the lord

[Hoof Hearted]

I know this thread has been dormant for a year but did anyone watch the climax of the Super League season tonight. The Grand Final between Leeds and St Helens which Leeds won (2 in a row) against all odds. Fantastic game, the next game at Old Trafford wont be 1/00th of the excitement of this (and im a soccer fan)

[Minder]

I know this thread has been dormant for a year but did anyone watch the climax of the Super League season tonight. The Grand Final between Leeds and St Helens which Leeds won (2 in a row) against all odds. Fantastic game, the next game at Old Trafford wont be 1/00th of the excitement of this (and im a soccer fan)

Watched it HH, they are some athletes. All 16st and can run like sprinters. You never see the dissent towards refs the way you do in soccer. Thye take their belts and get on with it, moreso than in Gaelic Football even.