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Is Toronto Wolfpack helping Union in Canada?

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
story.php


Why in the WORLD is a Professional RL team partnering with a Union organisation? Also this isn't the first time they've done this. About 6 months ago they ran a Rugby 7s competition in Toronto.

Should the RFL speak up and ask them what the hell they are doing?
 

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
What, like the Harlequins?

No the RFL shouldn't, not really any of their business. I have plenty of faith in Perez and co. to know what they are doing.

Union's stretched pretty thin in Canada anyway.

It just seems a bit weird a RL club joining up with a union organisation with all the history between the two codes. It's like giving a leg up for union when really they should be promoting League without Unions help
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
I've argued this point with their fans on their facebook page. They tell you to piss off, that there is no rugby war in Canada. I told them they should be very wary.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
I've argued this point with their fans on their facebook page. They tell you to piss off, that there is no rugby war in Canada. I told them they should be very wary.
What should they be worried about? Unlike almost everywhere in the world rugby union has zero clout or influence in Toronto compared to the Wolfpack, we can easily promote RU as a developmental/recreational variant of the high-level professional sport of RL, which TBH is how it should be throughout the world.
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
What should they be worried about? Unlike almost everywhere in the world rugby union has zero clout or influence in Toronto compared to the Wolfpack, we can easily promote RU as a developmental/recreational variant of the high-level professional sport of RL, which TBH is how it should be throughout the world.

Why not promote league as a developmental/recreational path to pro league?
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
Why not promote league as a developmental/recreational path to pro league?
They do. But the amateur RU scene there is much more established and we can basically eat it up. Promoting 'rugby' means we get all the benefits, none of the agro and basically own the market. RU fans are just RL fans who don't know any better, if we get them onside then RU slowly becomes more and more irrelevant. Meanwhile Rugby Ontario are doing this stuff anyway so we might as well claim it, TWP is the big fish in that pond.
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,292
The event they are sponsoring in Toronto is pretty much OzTag (the Media Release calls it 5-a-side flag Rugby combining the skills of Union & League) so they are arguably supporting a variation of league anyway.

Anyway as EH has said, we should be attempting to use Union around Ontario as a feeder to the Wolfpack as much as possible. League in Canada still has a long way to go to establish competitions for juniors, etc, so let's leverage as many existing systems as possible whilst there isn't any hostilities to strengthen our own.

We are the bigger fish for now and can use opportunities like this to try and lure across Ontario's best Rugby players to League.
 

LeagueXIII

First Grade
Messages
5,965
It just seems a bit weird a RL club joining up with a union organisation with all the history between the two codes. It's like giving a leg up for union when really they should be promoting League without Unions help

I've heard Perez talk and he knows the history of league and union and how they have treated league, he would be doing this because it helps rl.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
What should they be worried about? Unlike almost everywhere in the world rugby union has zero clout or influence in Toronto compared to the Wolfpack, we can easily promote RU as a developmental/recreational variant of the high-level professional sport of RL, which TBH is how it should be throughout the world.

RL rather than the Wolfpack should be worried. What is stopping the Wolfpack building a name for themselves in Toronto then switching to union? Wouldn't be a tough decision for them if they are already cosy with Rugby (Union) Canada
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
I've heard Perez talk and he knows the history of league and union and how they have treated league, he would be doing this because it helps rl.

I guess we can all find it weird to be so close to a group which are historically so hostile, but Perez hasn’t really put a foot wrong yet in his exploits. If he thinks this is ok I don’t think any of us can really argue that it’s not.
 

Big Picture

Juniors
Messages
266
RL rather than the Wolfpack should be worried. What is stopping the Wolfpack building a name for themselves in Toronto then switching to union? Wouldn't be a tough decision for them if they are already cosy with Rugby (Union) Canada
Three things in fact. First, Union is a niche sport here in Canada, way down the pecking order. Second, unlike Union, RL is essentially the same as gridiron: a ball control game with what Russell Crowe has described as defined periods of offense and defense, so it's much easier for Canadians and Usonians (=estadounidenses) to grasp and accept. And third, RL is essentially a Canadian game because its distinctive features were all invented here in Canada and later adopted in RL and improved.

For these reasons, with the Wolfpack on the scene movement of players and potentially clubs and whole competitions is likely to be one way, from Union to RL.
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,051
I've argued this point with their fans on their facebook page. They tell you to piss off, that there is no rugby war in Canada. I told them they should be very wary.

I was constantly at war on that page over their support for yawnion and I was so opposed to this help for the other code that the dictator admin on there called Teresa finally banned me.

They are utterly convinced the 15 man code in Canada and North America in general can co-exist and help each other. I think that's delusional, but they thought I was cross code warmongering so banned I am..lol..

Until I see yawnion helping League in Sth Africa or France or UAE or Morocco then I'm not convinced. I think this a free kick for yawnion, and I think that RFL should write to the Wolfpack reminding them of the history of the 2 codes and the Wolfpack's obligation to the game it plays..
 

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
I'll use Australia as an example, the ONLY time ive seen union and league working together was for things like charity days and public awareness campaigns like harmony day, cancer council, sport for youth etc.

I've never been to Canada and yes there are some benefits for peaceful cooperation with union, but why do they have to publicly work with Canada rugby to get more attention? Why not run things with CRL, run Rugby league days and clinics, support grass roots RL? Etc
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Canada RL has promoted co-operation with Union for as long as I've been following them.
They obviously see it as mutually beneficial and I don't think its our place to tell them they're wrong.

If you get into code wars on their pages you are trying to created division where there is none. I'm not surprised they got sick of it
 

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
Canada RL has promoted co-operation with Union for as long as I've been following them.
They obviously see it as mutually beneficial and I don't think its our place to tell them they're wrong.

If you get into code wars on their pages you are trying to created division where there is none. I'm not surprised they got sick of it

I know Union clubs have played in the Ontario and BC championships, but apart from that i haven't seen this much cross sport promotion before the WP started up
 

kdalymc

Bench
Messages
4,312
Even on TV over there the ads for the Wolfpack say “come and watch Canada’s best rugby team”
It’s not good.
 
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