League v Union charity game

[rugged]

Rugby are already having a Sydney Sevens for Tsunami appeal so this one might never happen.

It would be too dangerous to play real union rules against league players. Someone would get killed in the scrums or lineouts. Anything else though would be just a pathetic farce if they played one half league and one half union. Best would be to play hybrid game for 2 halves and have non contested scrums and no lifting in lineout. Not sure how they would do the 10m or rucks though.

 

[CanadianSteve]

League v Union charity game


The game would not be be run like the match between English champions Wigan (league) and Bath (union) in the mid-1990s, which had one half played under league rules and the other under rugby rules, although union's intense scrummaging banned.

I believe that's incorrect - Wigan and Bath played 2 full matches, one of each code's rules (though with modified scrums in the union match.) It was a more recent match in the UK that played a half of each set of rules - I can't recall the 2 clubs who played.

In 1995 Wigan also played in the Middlesex Sevens Tournament at Wickenham and won it. I think Bradford won that tournament more recently as well. Maybe they should make the charity game a sevens game, it would be easier to work around the rules differences that way.

 

[Moffo]

Rugby are already having a Sydney Sevens for Tsunami appeal so this one might never happen.

It would be too dangerous to play real union rules against league players. Someone would get killed in the scrums or lineouts. Anything else though would be just a pathetic farce if they played one half league and one half union. Best would be to play hybrid game for 2 halves and have non contested scrums and no lifting in lineout. Not sure how they would do the 10m or rucks though.

Alternatively, rah rahs are not used to making 20-30 tackles a game. Not as fit, no where near actually, particularly in the forwards

League would dominate if you played those rules. Union needs lineouts in order for them to be competitive in this sort of contest

 

[DIEHARD]

How about a Union v Netball charity game.

Should be more appropriate.

 

[supermario]

As a fan of both games, I still object to Wendell Sailor being called a Wallabies "star." With the skills he has shown in his time, if he wasn't a high profile league recruit he'd never get anywhere near the national side.

i object to him being called a star.................PERIOD !!!!!!!

 

[Balmain_Boy]

How about a Union v Netball charity game.

:lol:

 

[t-ba]

It's for a good cause. Still I'd go for a simple set of rules:

-5 man Contested scrums.
-No lifting lineouts
-5 tackle sets with a 10m onside gap. ptb
-Free Ball Stripping.
-13 players a side.
-None of that ridiculous 'Mark' or kicking it out on the full at the 22.
-No 40/20's

I'm reasonably confident both sides are adequately disadvantaged from thier normal rules (Though the 10m offside may be a bit much for the unionites).

 

[Big Mick]

i play union and i find theres a lot of league converts running around and it is so bloodly hard to get past them! the way you tackle in league is different to the way you tackle in union

this game will be Very Intresting.

There's tackling in union? :shock:

 

[ibeme]

I can't see this getting off the ground, which is a pity for the relief fund that would benefit from it. There'd be too much bickering over which rules to change because neither side would want to lose credibility with a lop-sided score.

 

[Grantwhy]

I saw this idea posted on another site:

Why does it have to be a team of League players ver a team of Union players?

Why not make both teams 50/50 League and Union players, split them along NSW/QLD state grounds and play a charity 'Origin' game?

 

[mikdalton]

They did it St Helens against Sale and it was embaressing mainly because Sale won. Saints decided to practice union for a whole 2 hours and ended up losing the union half 41-0, mainly because Sale kept on using the rolling maul and kept scoring off of it, Saints couldn't stop it. They also kicked it every time they got the ball.
When the league half started Sale shocked the world by actually being able to tackle! Eventually after about half an hour of the second half Sale tired and Saints began to score at will, they got it to 41-39 (It was 5 for a try and 2 for a kick) only for the genius Sean Long to miss the conversion in front of the posts. There was controversy also in the union half being 5 minutes longer.
The main ridiculous point was not that Saints didn't practice union but it was in the league off-season and the middle of the union season. It was 2 weeks before the Roosters beat them 38-0.

 

[SaintArsenal]

Obviously besides the charity money that would be raised, I don't see the point in these games being played when you are not allowed to play the game properly. It should be 50/50 with exact rules for each code for each half. What is the point of playing one half of union when you can't use your scrummaging and lineouts. You're obviously not playing union.

It would be interesting to watch if they did have exact rules though!!!

 

[fieldo]

Who would referee? What about the allowances for forward passes and knockons for the union boys? Would George Geegan run to the line as a halfback? :? Would Latham get tackled? I agree the bit about Wendall....he needs to come back to a game he can at least play.

 

[t-ba]

They did it St Helens against Sale and it was embaressing mainly because Sale won. Saints decided to practice union for a whole 2 hours and ended up losing the union half 41-0, mainly because Sale kept on using the rolling maul and kept scoring off of it, Saints couldn't stop it. They also kicked it every time they got the ball.
When the league half started Sale shocked the world by actually being able to tackle! Eventually after about half an hour of the second half Sale tired and Saints began to score at will, they got it to 41-39 (It was 5 for a try and 2 for a kick) only for the genius Sean Long to miss the conversion in front of the posts. There was controversy also in the union half being 5 minutes longer.
The main ridiculous point was not that Saints didn't practice union but it was in the league off-season and the middle of the union season. It was 2 weeks before the Roosters beat them 38-0.

Don't forget Sales Constant employment of the Rolling Maul. They played an unbelievably negative and ugly style. If that wasn't an advertisement for league, I don't know what is!

I'm starting to think that 'rumour' started at New Limited headquarters and they are trying to pressure the ARU and NRL into playing this match. A Hybrid code is still thier wet dream after all.

 

[rugbynotsoccer]

oops

 

[rugbynotsoccer]

SALE Sharks will repeat their successful rugby cross-code challenge by taking on Super League's former world champions Bradford Bulls.

The union vs league showdown is expected to take place at Sale's new Edgeley Park home at Stockport in January.

Sharks media manager Dave Swanton confirmed the club is in negotiations with Bradford bosses to finalise a date.

He said: "We want Bradford. We've already beaten Saints in a cross-code game and have nothing to prove against them.

"We're looking forward to a fresh challenge. Clubs don't come much bigger than Bradford - they've won everything."
--------
and here we have forumites saying we should vs netball lol, i think u should vs horse jockeys

did they play vs bradford?

 

[shadowboxer]

utter waste of time for mind, potenial for injuries will be high

 

[bobbis]

If they play a cross cde game exact rules from both games, none of this basterdised shit where you add a few rules from both and hope you get a competitive match. Exact rules means proper scrums and too bad if its too dangerous for the league team. All it will prove is that RU players are vastly superior at Ru and RL is vastly superior at RL, that and there will be a string of injuries to the RL players in the scrum, i feel sorry for whoevers NRL team has to provide the props, hooker and 2nd rowers for this game cause some of them might not play the rest of the sason.

Then again its for charity they might as well play sevens

 

[Jared27]

The Union boys would defintiley give the leaguies a run for their money.
Thats if they use Kiwi rugby players. The likes of Sammy Tuitupou, Sione Lauaki, Byron Kelleher, Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins, Rodney Soioalo and many more union players, maybe one or two from aus aswell ;-)

I don't understand how some of you guys think that Matt Dunning would play. They would pick players that would be able to adapt to rugby league, like the players i mentioned above.

Anyway, I hope this game does happen.

 

[JK]

Bring it on!!!!

I'd like to see Sonny Bill pick up Dunning and smash him like the fat sh*t he is

If it does go ahead we need to make sure that league fans get the majority of tickets 8)

But at the end of the day, its for charity and the tsunami appeal

Still, bring on Johns v Gregan :lol:

Of course league fans will get the tix - the unionites only show up when given corporate tickets.