Fan and former player. I represented my uni at league, and having played both I definitely prefer league. Aye, them southern ****s don't like it up 'em That and the league player wants to turtle the player (dump them on their back) to slow the play of the ball and stop them offloading. In union the aim of the tackler is simply to stop the player - no matter how you tackle them you probably won't affect their ability to play the ball, so you go for the easy tackle around the legs. In league if you get the player round their legs they will go to ground on their knees, play the ball quickly gaining lots of yards and potentially break your line. Or even worse they will offload (the Aussies are great at this) and you're back-pedalling again. So you try to dump them on their back whilst wrapping the ball up, which necessitates hitting them head on. Hurts like **** if you get a big lad running at you at pace, particularly one who knows what they're doing as they will hit your tackling shoulder with theirs trying to knock your arm back and break through your tackle.
I won't bother to quote that because it'll seem like an essay. The slowing the play the ball down has been creeping in more and more into england (wigan). Unfortunately, we're not that good at it and it often results in a chicken wing (terrible thing to do). I find league much more exciting to watch and play regularly. Just a pity that the aussie's and kiwi's are so far in front of us that we have to start playing them against each other. Still, looking forward to watching the ausvNz game at headingley anyway. Going on a tangent now, which team do you follow swarbs pal?
YOU'RE RIGHT! YOU'RE NOT! joking... anyway, sorry for stealing shaun mcrae been a black and white sice entering hull and have to say we're on the way up! btw, didn't swindon pull together to make another team a bit ago? i think they're only in some sort of conference though
Yeah they did, last I actually heard they were playing at Gigg lane in Bury. My dad is a bit of a Swinton historian but I've only ever really kept half an eye on it to be honest. Salford are largely **** but it's their result I look out for. I live deep in union territory nowadays.
I used to watch Ospreys down here and the european games are quite good but I went to a few magners league matches and they are dire. The bench mark for me now is, internationals aside, if I see a league match on TV I leave it on and watch. If I see a club Union match on a keep on flicking through till I find something else decent to watch. Union is ONLY good at top international level whereas league is entertaining whatever.
Been to a few mate yeah Old Trafford and Headingly a couple of times, Lords only once but it was a great day. Amazing sporting venue even if you didn't like cricket at all. Don't like the new Old Trafford redevelopment though it's painfully ugly. My bro was at a conference there with his work and said it was soulless, completely devoid of any sort of cricket references or history....pretty much the opposite of Lords unfortunately.
I haven't been to Old Trafford or Headingley for donkeys years. Used to go to OT regularly as a kid but both were pretty archaich last time I was there and the likes of Edgbaston, Lords, Trent Bridge and the Oval are eye openers in comparison. OT certainly looks **** with that red box, all the other grounds have been massively improved with their new stands. If you ever get the chance, Edgbaston is a superb test match day. Good night out in Brum after too. They've not got a first grade series test for a few years though, not next year or the ashes the year after.
Do you think you've stumbled upon one of the big differences between union and league there? League is always "entertaining" in that there's always loads of big hits and tries, but union is, or, at the very least, can be, a much more tactical game. I say this as a few people have said "footie is the most entertaining game"...well, it depends who you support! You guys are Liverpool fans, and I doubt many of you would have come away from the Vetch Field mid nineties after watching the Mighty Swans lose to whoever it was that week thinking "Wow, what entertainment!". In sport, for me, the more you put in the more you get out of it. If you support a team for 40 years, it doesn't make you more of a supporter than someone who's only been going 10 years, but it does give you a deeper affinity for the game, and a greater appreciation for it's finer points.
Warrington Wolves. Don't mention the playoffs... This. Although tbh I often don't keep watching union internationals if there are two boring teams playing. I fell asleep watching England vs Scotland in the WC... Deffo agree there. The tactical scope of union is much larger, but then that doesn't always equate to entertainment. Compare Liverpool vs Utd to Chelsea vs Arsenal for entertainment value...
Can I just say Scott, I ain't no ****ing Liverpool fan!?! That tactical bit is really scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls and that is where union gets bogged down in comparison to league, which flows more as a result of having none of those things. Union has improved imeasurably to when it used to be all rolling around on the deck though and when it's good it is very good. Good luck today by the way. I hope the Swans give them a proper shoeing.
