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Opinion

'It trumps league': Why don’t the media give rugby union a fair go?

Roar Rookie
18th March, 2022
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Roar Rookie
18th March, 2022
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Last year, Rugby Australia, Channel Nine and Stan Sport entered into an agreement to host rugby on both streaming and free to air.

The exposure was brilliant last year, but appears to be lacking on the prime channel.

I dare say, the new NRL agreement had some impact.

If you recall last year, Super Rugby was promoted during the NRL, but not any more.

I am a lover of all sports. I love the Waratahs, the Wallabies, the Kangaroos, the NSW Blues, the Wallaroos, the Manly Sea Eagles, the Swans, the Opals, the Australian cricket team (men’s and women’s), the Aussie tennis players, you get my drift.

Why has Super Rugby promotion stopped or reduced? Perhaps they are saving it for the Wallabies, but let’s see.

Rob Valetini runs the ball.

(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

As the NRL season approached, my kids got into the fantasy league, as have I, but I am doing poorly.

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In the first week of NRL action, I started to watch the games, but found myself switching to Super Rugby as the rugby league game dragged on.

The Super Rugby, on both sides of the Tasman, has been fantastic. This may change when the Aussie conference with the Drua face the NZ brothers and Moana if scores are lopsided, but they have been pretty close.

Moana and Drua are building. They will be up there in two or three years, but week on week there is massive improvement.

This competition is the future of Super Rugby.

Crowds are not great, but neither are the crowds great in the NRL. The eyeballs on screens are the key numbers and Stan and Nine need to promote better.

My kids play rugby but love the NRL.

An old adage ‘rugby is better to play, rugby league is better to watch’ has always been in place, but rugby played well trumps it.

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The ball is always contested, which is something rugby league cannot offer.

BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 27: Cameron Munster of the Storm passes the ball during the NRL Trial Match between the Melbourne Storm and the Newcastle Knights at Mars Stadium on February 27, 2022 in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

You are literally able to switch off for 90 seconds if your team is coming out of your own 20-metre zone in rugby league.

Ninety seconds a 100 times a game, that’s a lot of uncontested ball in comparison to a one-minute scrum reset in union, which appears to be the greatest issue for rugby league scribes.

Fifteen to 20 scrums versus 100 sets?

I’m sure all rugby league pundits will slam this, but watch a game, not just the Bledisloe.

A great game of rugby played well is awesome. Yes, the refs have more rules and whistles blown, but rugby league is one or two years behind and, if you haven’t noticed, is going the same way.

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In relation to the Wallabies hosting the first game at the revamped SFS, and stealing it, many rugby league commentators have stated that a Roosters home game would create slightly less eyeballs globally than the Springboks versus Wallabies.

Please, rugby league is played in three nations properly. What happened to journalism?

Hit me, Roarers! 

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