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Why does rugby league have trouble expanding internationally compared to other codes

Messages
1,354
Rugby seems to get good breaks into new international markets meanwhile rugby league struggle to grow outside it's heartlands. Even since it's been form rugby league has being heartland oriented and the inability to grow the game compared to rugby, basketball,etc. It didn't help that rugby at every chance tries to halt any growth of rugby league at all.

Where and what did rugby league go wrong in expanding internationally compared to the other codes to end up in the position it is in today. It's frustrating seeing rugby expanding globally meanwhile rugby league is relatively standing still compared to it.
 

Knownothing

Juniors
Messages
764
RU Is serious about international competition. It has a central administration which oversees international competition, and the rules of the game. Ironically, there was very luke-warm acceptance of a World Cup from the old fogeys of the Northern Hemisphere, but that has proven to be a huge revenue boost for the internationalization of the game.


RL pretty much revolves around the NRL. That's where the money, power, and influence are. If the NRL really wanted a thriving international game they would have to give up a lot of that, and that will never, ever, happen.
 

kiwileaguefan

Juniors
Messages
2,426
I really dont know why we just dont focus on getting France, PNG and Fiji up to a higher standard. IMO they are the three nations with a good enough domestic league to support development.

I know this would cause massive issues with other developing nations crying foul or no support, but if we could just get another two teams up to a regular competitiveness between the big three....it could only increase our chances of a truly competitive global game.
 

Willow

Assistant Moderator
Messages
108,132
Rugby seems to get good breaks into new international markets meanwhile rugby league struggle to grow outside it's heartlands. Even since it's been form rugby league has being heartland oriented and the inability to grow the game compared to rugby, basketball,etc. It didn't help that rugby at every chance tries to halt any growth of rugby league at all.

Where and what did rugby league go wrong in expanding internationally compared to the other codes to end up in the position it is in today. It's frustrating seeing rugby expanding globally meanwhile rugby league is relatively standing still compared to it.
A good start would be stop referring to rugby union as 'Rugby'. Historically, both Rugby League and rugby union come from Rugby Football.
 

LeagueXIII

First Grade
Messages
5,965
Didn't help that rugby union used it's influence to ban league from the defence forces, universities and private schools. These areas generally were involved in the spread of English sports around the world.
It still happens...ask yourself why is the most popular code in NSW which is followed by most kids not played in elite private schools today?
 

Knownothing

Juniors
Messages
764
Didn't help that rugby union used it's influence to ban league from the defence forces, universities and private schools. These areas generally were involved in the spread of English sports around the world.
It still happens...ask yourself why is the most popular code in NSW which is followed by most kids not played in elite private schools today?


So if it is all about "influence", where does this influence come from? Why does it persist? Maybe it is about the history of the respective codes. RU has been around for longer, It is hardly surprising that it has more influence, particularly when it was an amateur sport. Back in the good old, bad old, days when the roots of the current situation were sown, gentlemen played amateur sport. And gentlemen ruled the British Empire.


So RU has an image, and to some extent a reality, of being the sport for the middle and upper classes. The sort of people who send their kids to posh schools. The sort of people who become the officer class in the defence forces and decide which sports are played.


As for the universities, they are all about tradition, aren't they? And RU is the traditional rugby, like it or not.
 

Willow

Assistant Moderator
Messages
108,132
RU has been around for longer
Not really. The Rugby Football Union was established in 1871 in response to the Football Association that was formed some years earlier. Back then, the "ruggers" and "soccers" played a very similar game.

When looking at the evolution of the game, no one can lay claim to being around longer.
 

langpark

First Grade
Messages
5,867
I think when asking these questions you need to separate the two distinct eras in Rugby League development.

- Pre-2000
- Post-2000

Because the difference between the two is like night and day.
 

jason1359

Juniors
Messages
41
I really dont know why we just dont focus on getting France, PNG and Fiji up to a higher standard. IMO they are the three nations with a good enough domestic league to support development.

I know this would cause massive issues with other developing nations crying foul or no support, but if we could just get another two teams up to a regular competitiveness between the big three....it could only increase our chances of a truly competitive global game.
I agree I fully maybe there's a few more I'd put time and money into wales,France,fiji,Png,Samoa and Tonga so many of our players are coming from theses areas they have great support base and they have all shown they have potential to become a force
 

Billythekid

First Grade
Messages
6,563
The fans and the administrators of the game don't take international rugby league seriously and as a result neither do the media. We spend bugger all trying to expand the game and we're willing to take no risks. Meanwhile rugby, a similar game, spends tons of money trying to expand and is willing to take big risks in doing so.

I agree with the above. We should make real concerted efforts to bring the next few close countries to the top. France in particular is the most important. It's the country that could quickly reach the big 3 and has the potential to dramatically improve leagues position in the NH.
 

Force

Juniors
Messages
343
I agree I fully maybe there's a few more I'd put time and money into wales,France,fiji,Png,Samoa and Tonga so many of our players are coming from theses areas they have great support base and they have all shown they have potential to become a force
A lot of the Samoan, Tongan players in particular come via NZ or OZ after having moved there either as toddlers or born and or raised there, so they came within the NZ and OZ systems.
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
And because in many countries eyes RL is still considered to be a rebel RU game and gets shutdown by RU

eg UAE and South Africa today

RL has to fight this battle in every country

It strains the will power and limited resources

Its 1908 or Vichy France over and over again
 

RoosTah

Juniors
Messages
2,257
I like both codes, and whilst it's undeniable that Union is the bigger game, it's extremely telling that the premier club competition in Union - Super Rugby - a competition that features 5 countries is worth far less than either the NRL and AFL. In fact, despite all the money and power of English Union, as an organisation with internationals and its domestic club competition it rakes in an amount that would be less than the current NRL TV deal (partly thanks to their abysmal exchange rate) - that's despite coverage a country with twice as many people and being the premier contact sport.

Long term, Rugby League is in a great place in Australia to strengthen its presence and power both in Australia and in the region via NZ and PNG (as it becomes more stable and developed - let's not forget there are 8 million people there). In my view it will inevitably continue to outpace Union in the region and as the NRL's funding and organisation improves it really needs to focus on the international game.
 
Messages
1,354
And because in many countries eyes RL is still considered to be a rebel RU game and gets shutdown by RU

eg UAE and South Africa today

RL has to fight this battle in every country

It strains the will power and limited resources

Its 1908 or Vichy France over and over again

That's pretty bad, I wonder what the IOC thinks of World Rugby letting such tactics slide considering it's not in the Olympic spirit banning another code. It's absurd the amount of things World Rugby/Rugby got away with in general in regards to stifling the growth of rugby league, something the rugby supporters turn a blind eye or just deny it occurs.
 

Knownothing

Juniors
Messages
764
And because in many countries eyes RL is still considered to be a rebel RU game and gets shutdown by RU

eg UAE and South Africa today

RL has to fight this battle in every country

It strains the will power and limited resources

Its 1908 or Vichy France over and over again


I grew up in a country where rugby league was called "footy" most of the time, and rugby union was called "union". There has never been any problem knowing which was which.



But in a lot of other countries, "rugby" means "rugby union", whether you or anybody else likes it or not, that is just the way it is. So if another code wants to call itself "rugby league" it can expect a lot of push-back. It did not matter much in the days of RU amateurism, but it obviously matter now, commercially.
 

Knownothing

Juniors
Messages
764
Not really. The Rugby Football Union was established in 1871 in response to the Football Association that was formed some years earlier. Back then, the "ruggers" and "soccers" played a very similar game.

When looking at the evolution of the game, no one can lay claim to being around longer.


Good for you. Tell the lawyers.
 
Messages
1,354
Ideally, in my ideal sporting world where union is played globaly so is league so it would be a equal playing field globally. If union wasn't so insecure trying to ban league as whatever opportunity, it would of been nice to see league get a fair go. Aleast if league is around where rugby is played, it would be an alternative to just rugby.

Seeing union expand globally light-years ahead of league is frustrating and it would of being nice if league got that same opportunity but the insular, short-sightness of league adminstration for decades prevented that occuring.
 

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