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Did anybody else get themselves psyched up for the Rugby Union World Cup in 2011, only to be bitterly disappointed as to how unskilful most games were, and how boring the football was?
Did anybody else keep telling themselves during the one sided pool matches that it would eventually be good come the elimination rounds, only to be thoroughly underwhelmed?
Like a man waiting for the pub to open for three hours, hanging out desperately for a beer, only to be told that the only drinks served are low alcohol, cost $10, and there is a maximum of two per customer…Oh and the pub will be closed in a half hour.
On the contrary, I expected nothing in the Rugby League World Cup of 2008, and was surprised with how entertaining the football was.
Kind of like turning up to a mate’s house expecting turps and not wanting to drink, only to be served the finest vodka from scantily clad women spontaneously engaging in mud wrestling.
As of 2013, I now expect something, and it is not letting me down.
I am enjoying the Rugby League World Cup far more than any Rugby Union World Cup in recent memory.
This might seem bizarre to some. But let me explain to you why I see it thus:
Firstly, an event does not have to be more commercially successful for me to enjoy it more.
Secondly, both the quality and quantity of football is superior across the board, and I do not feel as though I am being shortchanged by conservative coaches obsessed with results.
Thirdly, I do not really buy the argument that rugby union is some type of global leviathan as compared to rugby league, thus making the rugby league world cup irrelevant.
As to the first point, a common talking point from rugby union commentators is that “nobody cares”.
But clearly the players care, the matches have attendances in the many tens of thousands and the TV ratings are reasonable. France will have it’s biggest rugby league crowd in decades when they play New Zealand.
So what do they people truly mean when they say “no one cares” about the Rugby League World Cup?
They really fear that it will begin to attract the same level of media coverage and interest that the Rugby Union World Cup presently receives.
After all, the modern growth of rugby union in Australia has been based on nothing more than the perception that international rugby union represents the only opportunity for us to pit our rugby football culture (union and league) against other nations.
So basically they are just trying to scuttle the event by creating a prejudiced attitude meant to influence the uninformed.
This is not unlike the American propagandists that managed to convince significant amounts of Americans that there were weapons in Iraq.
Or the alpha bitch in a dog pack trying to socially isolate another female that the alpha male has turned his attention on.
If you fall for it, than there is not much to say to you.
I would not even want to share how I perceive something with you, I would rather just buy off the alpha bitch in the pack, or failing that, just ignore you. Because hombre, you have given away your dignity to gossips.
Suffice to say, professional gossips with an agenda telling me that “no one cares” is not enough to convince me that I should not bother caring.
And it sure as hell does not convince that the Rugby Union World Cup is superior to the Rugby League World Cup any more than superior sales of “Souljah Boy” will convince me that I should listen to that rubbish instead of Snoop Lion or Joy Division.
Now to the quality and quantity of football.
It is well documented on this site and others that a game of rugby league has more than 60 minutes of football whereas a game of rugby union will likely have only half of that.
This does not matter if that half is really good quality, but the argument has to continue to be made that the quantifiably superior game of rugby league gives you more plays to watch for the time spent watching.
As to the quality, while it was charmingly naive during the amateur days of the Rugby Union World Cup to describe the champions as the world champions, it has become a little bit embarrassing in the professional era to do so when these world cups make it impossible for NRL players to participate.
Could you imagine a Baseball World Cup without Americans competing because they are unwilling to adapt their rules to allow them to compete?
While winning it would still be a laudable achievement, there is a serious lack of credibility.
The entire Kangaroo outfit and many others in the NRL (apart from perhaps Sam Thaiday) would be automatic first picks for rugby union international back lines apart from the All Blacks and a few other great players here and there in other teams.
The Rugby League World Cup has the same credibility problem without the All Blacks competing. Maybe the Kangaroos versus All Blacks game will be feasible at some point in time.
I do not think that it is any exaggeration to suggest that outside of the New Zealand Rugby Union, a fluctuating amount of 65% to 85% of the best rugby football talent (i.e. the skills of running hard and skilfully, perspicacious passing and tackling hard) reside on a near permanent basis in the NRL.
Therefore, when I am watching the Rugby League World Cup, I am seeing better players in more plays per game than I am watching in the Rugby Union World Cup.
Finally on the third point. The so called “international, global game” of rugby union.
The only significant rugby football nation that competes in the Rugby Union World Cup that does not compete in the Rugby League World Cup is South Africa.
If it realistic that only three nations (Australia, England and New Zealand) can win the Rugby League World Cup, it is equally realistic that only five nations (the mentioned nations as well as France and South Africa) can win the Rugby Union World Cup.
Sure there are other nations competing in the Rugby Union World Cup that might have a “Cinderella Story” (the rest of Britain) but that is also true of the nations in the Rugby League World Cup that have been beefed up by NRL players.
For example, did Italy really beat England? They are doing far better than their rugby union team could ever hope to and have far better players.
International rugby union might have more depth than rugby league, but not by that much.
Even less when you consider that it plays second fiddle to football in England, Scotland and France. Third fiddle in Ireland to Gaelic football and soccer.
The only significant nations where it is the no one sport are among white South Africans (are they a nation?) and New Zealand.
There are less people in those nations combined than in the rugby league dominant states in Australia.
Thanks for reading, I hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this.
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