League players and the Comm/Olympic Games

[ParraEelsNRL]

This is the current Oz 7's RU squad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_national_rugby_union_team_(sevens)#Current_squad

I'd bet my house that if you put the top NRL players up against them, with very little preperation, they would win comfortably.

7's is made for players like Slater, Marshall, Uate, Inglis etc

lol, Titans and Parra with the Raiders would kill them.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Moving away from the inevitable shitfight that happens on this forum and back to the original post.

By all means I think league players should get a crack, but keep in mind they would probably have to forfeit their nrl season in order to trial and then then train for the games. If they are willing to do this then best of luck to them.

Even if player A (a league player) is a better athlete than player b (a rugby player), they still need to spend time learning the subtleties and nuance's of the game if they are going to be a success as it. This means spending time in camp and on the 7's circuit playing games and training.

Also keep in mind 7's is very different to 15's in the player's that are successful. For example Billy Slater would be a great, great 7's player, so would benny barba. But idris would be f**king useless.

I doubt they'd have to worry too much about "learning the subtleties and nuances", as has been mentioned already in this thread, at two lower levels the Rugby League players didn't have to learn much to step down to Union 7's to win the tournaments....

To be fair though, the Keebra Park boys won an AFL 9 a side knockout as well.....

 

[WAPAU]

And union teams wouldn't have to do the same?

Not unless we took on all those pub teams te hahaha said are pro 7's players eh?

Yes I would expect that if some of the wallabies guys were gunning for the olympic 7's team they would have to go into camp and trial and what not which would take away from their 15 a side career.

It's not really accurate to look at the current 7's squad and use it as a basis for argument. The ARU doesn't really take it seriously, they use it as a tool to develop young players for the 15 a side game. That's why they have a pretty much completely new squad every year.

I really hope league gets of board with this, obviously the monetary benefit would not be as great to players but competing at the olympics is a once in a life time opportunity. I just want to see Australia put out the best team they can.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Yes I would expect that if some of the wallabies guys were gunning for the olympic 7's team they would have to go into camp and trial and what not which would take away from their 15 a side career.

It's not really accurate to look at the current 7's squad and use it as a basis for argument. The ARU doesn't really take it seriously, they use it as a tool to develop young players for the 15 a side game. That's why they have a pretty much completely new squad every year.

I really hope league gets of board with this, obviously the monetary benefit would not be as great to players but competing at the olympics is a once in a life time opportunity. I just want to see Australia put out the best team they can.

No chance, not in Australia anyway.

 

[WAPAU]

No chance, not in Australia anyway.

Well if they choose not to than they have no reason to cry foul or say we could have done it better.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Well if they choose not to than they have no reason to cry foul or say we could have done it better.

Who's doing that?

If Rugby League gets into bed with Union at any decent level in this country I'll stop following it.

 

[Lego_Man]

If Union ever hybridised with League to any extent, Australia and to a lesser extent NZ would just rape everyone. The great bulk of Australia's contact code talent is wrapped up in the NRL, the dregs were still enough to get the Wallabies to the semi in the RWC. The rest of the world might as well not bother to show up.

We'll never know but it's worth a couple of minutes of mental masturbation over.

After seeing a bit of the RWC, it highlighted that the one thing i regret in League is the absence of a better-developed international scene. It'd be nice facing down a team of alien players (like the French) and actually fearing a loss.

The question is what % of retained rules would be enough to compensate for having a truly international game. Maybe...just maybe, i would take a code which was 75%-25% RL-RU if it meant being able to watch Kevin Locke jink around some bloke called Thierry Douchatoir and score under the sticks at Stade Francais.

 

[Parra]

Opening 7's selection for the games to NRL players would be good. It is not going to happen. The AOC delegates the selection etc to the ARU.

 

[WAPAU]

Opening 7's selection for the games to NRL players would be good. It is not going to happen. The AOC delegates the selection etc to the ARU.

Yes it would be nice, but it's not rugby unions fault it's not going to happen.

 

[Perth Red]

I wouldn't expect RL players to get picked for the sprint team despite the fact they may be as quick as our 100metre runners so don;t expect them to get picked for a foreign sport.

Now what we should be aiming for is reintroduction of a RL 7's or 9's and then pushing for inclusion in the games of that!

 

[Loudstrat]

Yes I would expect that if some of the wallabies guys were gunning for the olympic 7's team they would have to go into camp and trial and what not which would take away from their 15 a side career.

It's not really accurate to look at the current 7's squad and use it as a basis for argument. The ARU doesn't really take it seriously, they use it as a tool to develop young players for the 15 a side game. That's why they have a pretty much completely new squad every year.

I really hope league gets of board with this, obviously the monetary benefit would not be as great to players but competing at the olympics is a once in a life time opportunity. I just want to see Australia put out the best team they can.

If the ARU use 7's as a development tool for young players to enter the 15's (which would have to be AT BEST S14 level), then why would the cream of the NRL - who are superior to the ARU international level, struggle??????

The ARU would wet themselves if the 5 best NRL backs who didnt represent in last weeks test offered their services. If say Brett Stewart, Jarryd Hayne, Greg Inglis, Michael Jennings and Justin Hodges wanted ARU contracts, that would be your next wallaby backline.

Sevens? Against Union players with L plates? They would decimate them.

 

[WAPAU]

If the ARU use 7's as a development tool for young players to enter the 15's (which would have to be AT BEST S14 level), then why would the cream of the NRL - who are superior to the ARU international level, struggle??????

The ARU would wet themselves if the 5 best NRL backs who didnt represent in last weeks test offered their services. If say Brett Stewart, Jarryd Hayne, Greg Inglis, Michael Jennings and Justin Hodges wanted ARU contracts, that would be your next wallaby backline.

Sevens? Against Union players with L plates? They would decimate them.

I think you misunderstand, they might not struggle against the bloke's we currently have playing 7's, but against a full strength NZ, SA or France team? Without any practise they would defiantly struggle, with a season of 7's under their belt they would be great.

Do you actually disagree with me, it sort of seems you're more interested in taking pot shots than discussing the topic at hand.

Would you be happy for rugby league player's to take time away from their sport to trial (and if successful), train and compete at the olympics in the rugby 7's?

 

[Parra]

I wouldn't expect RL players to get picked for the sprint team despite the fact they may be as quick as our 100metre runners

Why not? If a sportsman was quick enough he could register as an athlete and try to qualify.

Problem with your scenario is finding the non-specialist sprinter who is quick enough. It is not going to happen.

Rugby codes are similar enough that it could. It wont happen for numerous other reasons.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Inherently league is closer to 7's than union is. League is all about running passing and tackling with the main focus point of point scoring being the try. Union splits it's structure between lineouts, scrums and set pieces with the focus of the scoring being as much about field position for penalty kicks and drop goals with try scoring almost a secondary thought.

 

[Squatdog]

So, after 19 pages of trolling, is there an indication on whether League players will be allowed to play Sevens and trial for the Olympics?

I know a few American guys who have been wondering the same with NFL players.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Not sure if this has been brought up and i can't be arsed going through the other 18 pages of this thread but i would suggest that league will be at the Commonwealth games as either 7's or 9's with the next 6 years or so. The process to get into the games was begun this year.

 

[Knownothing]

So, after 19 pages of trolling, is there an indication on whether League players will be allowed to play Sevens and trial for the Olympics?

I know a few American guys who have been wondering the same with NFL players.

It would be a decision for the controlling body of each country. If the USA RFU decided to recruit some NFL players for their national Sevens squad, there would be absolutely nothing to stop them doing that, providing that the players are qualified to represent the USA at RU.

It would be similar for RL players, and if Billy Slater, for example, opted to make himself available to play RU Sevens for Australia during the Olympic qualifying games I have no doubt that Michael O'Connor would pick him. He wouldn't get paid much, however,, and there is always the chance that Australia will not qualify. If they do qualify, however, they would be a reasonable medal chance.

I am pretty sure that RL Sevens or Nines will be a demonstration sport at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, if they win their bid. That would be an event for those Games only.

 

[Perth Red]

Not unless RL 7's or 9's is actually played! We need to bring back the pre season World 9's and also have a mid season club 9's comp in each country. Then we may have a claim to it being played at the C'wealth games.

 

[Loudstrat]

I think you misunderstand, they might not struggle against the bloke's we currently have playing 7's, but against a full strength NZ, SA or France team? Without any practise they would defiantly struggle, with a season of 7's under their belt they would be great.

According to your mate Te Haha France and the Wallabies havent won diddly, so they must be the same.

Given that 7's players are not 15's players, and given that League players play a more open style of footy as their daily bread and butter, and given that Slater is the best athlete in the country, and given the brilliance of the oher League players mentioned, I'd say that they would need a crash course in the rules, maybe a month's training, and would be unstoppable.

In play, 7's is completely different to Union 15's.

Do you actually disagree with me, it sort of seems you're more interested in taking pot shots than discussing the topic at hand.

No. I disagree with you. And I get tired of Union idiots - not necessarily you - who are just here to troll.

Would you be happy for rugby league player's to take time away from their sport to trial (and if successful), train and compete at the olympics in the rugby 7's?

If it is run for the benefit only of Yawnion, no. Rugby can be 2 codes, remember. That said, off season, playing in a team of Leagies, fine.

Would you be happy for the cream of your Bledisloe players pull out and play for different clubs in an NRL finals series?

Not unless RL 7's or 9's is actually played! We need to bring back the pre season World 9's and also have a mid season club 9's comp in each country. Then we may have a claim to it being played at the C'wealth games.

Sevens, mate. Nines was played once and no one knew about it. Sevens was the real deal.

 

[Parra]

Having to stand up, get square and play the ball slows 7's down. Better that the tackled player can place it whilst on the ground and get the game moving. Same with turnovers. Six guaranteed possessions is a guaranteed try in 7's every time.