Do you like balls to get plenty of air, or do you prefer them to be held tightly to avoid popping out in heavy contact?
Ok, that could be misleading. I’ll try again.
Fancy footwork or big collisions? Multiple phases to build pressure or six tackles to make something happen?
Rugby union versus rugby league? Which code is better?
I grew up in rugby union territory. I loved watching Taranaki play in New Zealand’s provincial competition. We could even see the rugby park scoreboard from our lounge.
It was aggressive, uncompromising. Forwards considered ‘great footwork’ a euphemism for rucking some unfortunate sod until his back had more stripes than the American flag.
Then came professionalism and the Hurricanes blew into my life on the back of a two-legged gazelle in ballet shoes, who could corner like a Ferrari and looked like a school boy his entire career: Christian Cullen.
Still the best running back I have seen. Look him up.
The All Blacks were, and remain, a thing of legend. Their feats no less believable if accomplished while riding unicorns, or if Richie McCaw could fly. Which incidentally, he can. Helicopters. But technically he can still fly, so let’s just call him Superman.
(Photo: AFP)
Despite my passion for union, I had been unfaithful. If union was the stable relationship, then rugby league was the dirty secret, the code my mother had always warned me about. Filthy, mean, a bit of rough.
TVNZ started broadcasting NSWRL matches. From my first match, I was in awe. Who were these lunatics who just ran at each other as hard as they could? They didn’t use arms in the tackle. If they disagreed, they punched each other. And they seemed to disagree a lot. It was glorious.
We had league in Taranaki, but nothing like this. Not even close.
There were Kiwis playing too! I tried to follow them all. Quentin Pongia, Johnny Lomax and Brent Todd at Canberra. Gary ‘The Whiz’ Freeman ran out for Balmain and I loved watching the Bulldogs to see how many bodies Jarrod McCracken would leave prone, before being sent from the field. It was normally a few.
Manly. I had no idea of their history or that other clubs hated them. I just knew Graham Lowe was coach and the team included the Iro brothers, Darrell Williams and one of the first big name New Zealand union converts, All Black Matthew Ridge. They became Maori-Warringah, I bought the shirt and was hooked.
And then came the Warriors. I was beyond excited. Perhaps if I had known what was to come I might have been a little more circumspect. Although at 5-1 this season, it appears I’ve learned absolutely nothing.
I recently moved from Auckland back to Hurricanes country in the Manawatu. I was surprised to discover no one in the office cares much for the Warriors, or the NRL. Except for Tony, who spends most days defending his code.
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
The local papers have limited coverage. As an experiment Tony has been sticking Warriors articles to the wall, including date, page they appeared on and result. 5-1 and they haven’t made the front page of the sports section.
‘I’m a ‘Canes fan, but this is outrageous!’ I cried. Someone muttered ‘who cares about state-house footy?’
Ouch. Then I remembered he was actually from Highlanders territory, where they play their rugby indoors, safe from the wind and the rain. I can see why league might be a bit much for him.
Plus, they tend to be about as open minded as Israel Folau during a Q and A on social media.
But it got me thinking. Where do my loyalties lie?
I love watching league. And not just the Warriors, but every NRL match I can, even the Sharks. I used to watch Mt Albert in the Auckland club competition approx. 5 B.C. (before children), but the English Super League leaves me flat.
What about the crowds? For me union crowds are too subdued – in New Zealand anyway – and don’t have the crackle of league crowds. Where’s the barely hidden malice, the collective animosity?
I have been to an All Blacks match in Soweto, Johannesburg. Not so subdued. Big, passionate, and intimidating.
The All Blacks still trump all for me, but is this loyalty borne from a love of the code or because they dominate on a world stage like no other New Zealand team can? Who doesn’t love backing a winner? I can name at least one Melbourne Storm fan who could relate to this.
So, what about you? Which code do you prefer? Who is your team?
Is rugby a glorified touch football match, played by men who hold their pose a fraction too long after the kick? Or do you appreciate that rugby players can actually spiral punt and find touch more than 10m from where it was kicked?
Do you enjoy the dark art of scrummaging, or do constant scrum resets do your head in? A friend once announced she didn’t follow rugby much, but quite liked those group cuddles.
Is league the pinnacle of high intensity sports, or a game played by convicts for convicts with all the subtlety of an ATM ram-raid?
I enjoy both codes; but have realised I may be in a minority. If I had to separate them, I think league might be leading – if only by a broken nose.
Magic Lyrebird
Guest
Union may be the game they play in heaven, but I reckon league is the game they watch.
Nat
Roar Guru
Good story Jeremy. I'm exactly the opposite. League was it in Far NQ and Union only had a small presence and the only TV coverage was the occasional Bledisloe (ahh, those days when it was competitive). I strapped on boots at 6yo and took them off 23yrs later for 'kick it' touch. These days though, I live in Brisy in a traditionally RU area not too far from Ballymore. My neighbours make an event out of big SR games with Crusaders one side and 'Canes' the other and a passing interest in the Reds. I am the fish out of water but I can (sort of) hold my own. You hear about the religious status RU has in NZ but it was an eye opener on a recent ski trip where TV covered Super Rugby to School boys games and NRL got highlights at best at my hotel. It's far from the pretentious sport it can be perceived to be in Aust. From that, I ask "what if" league was introduced first? In the Olympics (to a lesser extent Comm Games) Aust has proved population numbers to be successful on the sporting world stage so 'what if' League came to NZ first and would Aust be the dominant county it is today?
paul j
Guest
I played union for about 4 years I wish I hadnt stopped and league for about 6 years and aussie rules for 1 year. League on saturday Aussie rules on sundays. Was rl mad growing up i will always prefer watching league than union or aussie rules though union to watch would be third. As strange as it may sound I preferred playing union than league.
Albo
Guest
Brought up on soccer when young. Switched to League at Secondary School ( Commonwealth Bank Cup). Left school and played a few years of Union with some mates to reasonable grade levels. Went back to soccer and touch football till knees and ankles gave out late 30's. All throughout these periods Rugby League was, and still is my number one spectator sport. Though I probably preferred playing Union more at the time , for the social aspects at that time of my youth ! But being a west Sydney lad, League still reigns supreme over the rest of the footy codes, unlike you Taranaki sheep farmers born and bred on All Black doctrine and tradition. Each to their own with their favourite footy codes, as long as you enjoy the sport and the spectacle.
Forty Twenty
Guest
Thanks DN. If you look at games from the 90's for instance you'll see the difference whereby a player is tackled and then plays the ball. Now he is pulled in different directions while he is being tackled and often his upper body is driven towards his own goal posts so he is facing the wrong direction. Grabbing of a leg while two other defenders are mauling him and dragging the leg off in some awkward direction are some examples and it is all nonsense to watch but seems to help win a game.
Pickett
Guest
Grew up on League and played it as a kid and adult. It'll always be my no.1 sport by a country mile. Played union at high school. Will be a distant second for me. Like watching a bit of NFL and soccer, and starting to enjoy the AFL. Slowly.
Big Will TBU
Guest
I have rugby league blood in my veins going back at least a couple of generations and I've been completely obsessed with my local team, the Queanbeyan Raiders (spent their first eight years playing out of Sieffert Oval in my glorious home town) and the Queanbeyan Leagues Club is the Kremlin of the lime green. I've been so pro rugby league for so long it's affected my rational thinking ability. For example, I've long wished ill upon the Brumbies in the mistaken belief that whatever is bad for the Brumbies is good for the Raiders, and the Brumbies have had a rocky road in recent times. During the dark days for the Raiders in the last decade or so, failing to make the finals every second year and having to punt some of their best local footballers because of their "no dickheads" rule, I've occasionally felt like the last Raiders fan in existence. But the home crowd figures are actually decent, as are the membership numbers and our oh-so-close moment in 2016 just missing out on the GF has brought a new generation of supporters into the fold. Our ex-Wallaby coach may be the best thing that's happened to the club in the last decade.
Jeremy Brown
Roar Pro
I have struggled with the influence of the whistle blowers and rules in union of late, but played well and unmolested by officials it is still a great game. I love league and the current season has been fantastic. So hard to pick. But I quite like the suggestions on NRL360 around reducing the number of substitutions to make fatigue a bigger factor and give the ball players more chance to show their skills as the big boppers slow down.
Jeremy Brown
Roar Pro
Agree Paul, the games or codes I enjoy most are those that best demonstrate the skills, or sometimes effort, on show. Add in history, rivalries and those moments of sports theatre and I’ve got my beer and popcorn ready to go.
Paul
Roar Guru
Where I spent most of my sporting years, you played what ever game was on in that season, so I've trotted out for League, Union, Aussie Rules, Cricket, Lawn Bowls, Tennis, Mixed Netball, Hockey, etc. Once I played each, it was an easy next step to watch each at a professional level and the one thing that stood out for me is pretty simple - each game, if played in an open and skillful manner, is as good as any other. Each sport has its own subtleties and areas of skill, which makes playing them so much fun. Each of them, when executed properly by professionals, can be things of beauty My preference is to watch League because I think I'm more likely to get more games that are open & skillful, especially nowadays with the new rule interpretations, but the last Test where Australia beat the All Blacks was as good a game of Union as I've seen in years. I feel sorry for people who love one sport to the point where others become irrelevant, because they miss out on great sporting moments; Cathy Freeman winning in the Sydney Olympics, North Qld winning it's first premiership, etc.
Da No
Roar Rookie
Good comment. However, I disagree about the wrestle. What is tackling if it's not wrestling? I am perplexed by the constant whining by so many about "wrestling".
Forty Twenty
Guest
I started out playing soccer and that's all I knew but then ended up in Aussie Rules territory and played a bit as well as following the game but was then shuffled off to boarding school where it was all league and I played and followed the game. Off to college where Union was the go and I played a season. Ended up playing a million games of touch after all that and virtually no injuries. The game I have consistently enjoyed watching is league. Aussie rules would be the same but I moved. Union at it's best is magnificent but it seems to drift into being unwatchable for years at a stretch. I used to watch super rugby but it became so boring that I stopped and got into trouble from a few people when I said they need to do something otherwise nobody is going bother watching it. This was before Peter Fitzsimons and many others went public with the same thoughts. I don't care for the technical aspects of the game and just love seeing skillful ball play and running. The only game of either I've ever left before it finished was union. The emerging Wallabies versus the Brits I think at Gosford years ago. At half time I abandoned a hugely boring spectacle and went home. Resetting scrums three times then a lecture followed by a collapse and a penalty then a line out and a penalty shot for goal , then a kick off and a kick for touch and a line out has me reaching for the remote control. I 'd like to see league try one or two less players on the field to open it up more and give lighter faster players more of a go in the game. , One area in league I really dislike is the wrestle. I wish they could do something about it because seeing someones carcass dragged in all different directions by three defenders while he is trying to play the ball is just no good.