League and Union: we should embrace the different codes

I agree. Rugby League need not have anything to do with union. I'm confident the game will grow over time and broaden its appeal to others around the globe.

In Rugbys case that isn't really feasible, the voting members of the IRB would need to be brought out individually. The IRBs governance and structure make any kind of takeover next to impossible, and buying out individual unions would be too costly to guarantee any return on investment.

Merger will happen once a rich oil sheik or Russian oligarch buys up the rights to decide on the rules of rugby and sees a marketing opportunity to create Uber-Rugby. The financial inducements to the trustees of the two codes to sell up will be too strong to resist (look at F1, UEFA, cricket for proof of that).

There are many stories ,some may well be pipedreams if you D Maaga are looking for negatives,which one suggests is what is happening. I am more than happy to read stories such as:- http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/the-next-big-thing-20120406-1wguf.html or http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/island-of-giants-20120406-1wgu9.html I can look over many sources and stories for rl and ru in fact any sport,and read the odd pipe dream article eg JON.It is not confined to rugby league ,although you may believe so.IOW I do not rely on one story,it is what happens over a[period of time. Like the time some clowns maintained, there was no rl played in Ireland nor Jamaica.

The money was utilised by the head bodies,and the poor players missed out D Maaga.The players in effect were like cattle working for liitle reward. If ru was pro back in 1886,we would have one code still.Blame the knucklehead admin.

The money was utilised by the head bodies,and the poor players missed out D Maaga.The players in effect were like cattle working for liitle reward. If ru was pro back in 1886,we would have one code still.Balme the knucklehead admin.

Good points 81paling.the rugby codes have followed different structural and rule paths over a decent length of time,and it seems to be working.If it ain't broke don't fix it. Work together,and both will benefit.

France D Maaga,France.

League and Union do have one thing in common that they should work together on for the benefit of both and that is the grounds. Both play on the same grounds and if they work together to create grounds in newly developing markets like Perth it is only then that they can create grounds that are really profitable and worthwhile when big internationals come to town or so that they could put in a workable tender for things like State of Origin. So forget hybrids and mergers accept the that the codes will take players from each other like clubs do and just work together using each others resources to better the individual code. Personally I would really love to be able to watch either code on a Saturday night in Sydney rather than having to watch AFL because I do not have Fox (which personally I think is a problem).

A quick search brings this up: "British colonists and the British military in Canada brought rugby football to North America" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Canadian_football_and_rugby_league#Origins "Rugby union was first introduced into Persia by the British military, and it was not uncommon for rich Persians to send their children to British boarding schools." http://www.iranian.com/main/2011/may/national-rugby-team "Cypriot rugby goes back to at least the 1950s, when it was played by British Armed Forces there. The British military still contributes teams from the Akrotiri and Dhekelia bases." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_in_Cyprus "The spread of rugby union as a global sport has its roots in the exporting of the game by British expatriates, military personnel and over-seas university students." "Several island states have embraced the sport of rugby, many introduced by British service personnel, but later spread the game to neighbouring countries as they searched for international opponents. Rugby was first played in Fiji circa 1884 by European and Fijian soldiers of the Native Constabulary at Ba on Viti Levu island" "Many Asian countries have a tradition of playing rugby going back to the time of the British Empire. India began playing rugby in the early 1870s, the Calcutta Football Club forming in 1872. After the withdrawal of the British military from the area at the end of the decade, rugby in India faltered." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union#Global_reach "Rugby union is a popular sport since its introduction by British military personnel in the 19th Century." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_in_Gibraltar

all i did was post history of rugby in some countries which didn't start by the british army. where did i mention french rugby league?

I agree Michael a game between the Brisbane Broncos and the QLD Reds or the Warriors v the Blues in a game of league and then union would attract huge interest. Enterest = $$$ and both codes need $$$ to expand their sports. Give the people what the people want.

I know there is a lot of bad blood between these sports but the point of this article is if both sport can swallow their pride a bit and embrace both codes then both codes will be better off. I know there is a lot of critisim over a hybrid game and I am one of the critics as I thinking changing the rules would just create another rugby code which is the last thing we need. What I would like to see is more games where a rugby team plays a league team in both codes. This can create a win win situation in both codes just like bath v wigan back in the 90s.

Well your reply then D Maaga,we have now established was intended for two people and you did not specify to whom.I am not a mind reader. I responded to the Pacific Region and I responded to France as it was referenced by you.No mention of France and I would not have responded the way I did.. If you hads addressed each to me and QGIRL,you would have avoided the confusion,instead of lumping your response all together. It is too confusing otherwise..

my thoughts as well. imagine if rugby union was professional back 1866 the clubs in the uk, france and in south africa, nz and australia wouldn't have share the wealth with anyone else and the sport would have only been played mainly in those place.

my reply to you cc was about the pacific region, i was just wondering why you mention french rugby league in your last post on this thread below because i hadn't.

cc, no doubt pipe dream articles like this from some rugby league people are parts of your sources. http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/08/11/10/RUGBYL_Fiji_Nightlead.html

ABFan.That is hardly my source material .I just noted the passion for the ball handling games. I do try to research as much as I can on the code in Fiji in particular .I do not pretend to be an expert,and thus have very little knowledge of ru in that country,because it is not my area of interest. I am very aware of the general poverty of many.Never been to the highlands.Lautoka,Nadi and Suva have visited. if this has been going on for 25 years either the IRB is very slow on the uptake or they have too much on their plate.Do as any business would do.An on site audit,annual,6 monthly. If the Fijians have blown large sums,they must have learnt something from the ARU who blew more than half their nestegg,and the SL an ARL who blew hundreds of millions.

I am confused. Then why did you respond to my comment about growth in the South Pacific,if it was not for me.Citing Samoa After all I mentioned the fact,the sport is growing in the STH Pacific region. QGIRL never mentioned development in the Sth Pacific

So PW back under another alias.