What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

AdelaideSharky

Juniors
Messages
949
Loads of kiwi rl players talk about how they were pressured in school to give up league and focus on union
The late Jonah Lomu was a case in point.

He was threatened with expulsion from his school had he not given up league and switched to rugby.

It was well known before he went global with his 1995 RWC performance that he almost signed with the Dogs in 1994.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
6,637
The Administration power has always been in the North and policy and decisions have always been North focused. The Southern teams had to get by on scraps despite being the dominant team, Aus demise has barely registered on their care radar and I doubt NZ would much as long as the home unions were going strong. The Boks bounced back in a big way but they also threatened to follow a similar trajectory to Aus for a while and not too many eyelids batted
Pacific and NZ still supply World Rugby Union with a large percentage of players though and if that declines it will hurt the game a lot.

Look at the amount of Islanders and Kiwis in the Irish and Japanese squads
 

warriors 95

Juniors
Messages
177

Canard

Immortal
Messages
35,609
League friendly school says a lot imo

What about like in Australia the good juniors get scholarships to the posh schools and then to play for the 1st xv they have to give up league
Are you seriously trying to argue that a kid on a scholarship for a specific sport, should be able to play a different sport and maintain said scholarship?
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,124
Are you seriously trying to argue that a kid on a scholarship for a specific sport, should be able to play a different sport and maintain said scholarship?
Yes that's what they are arguing. So in their world every NZ kid on scholarship at Keebra Park should be allowed to ignore their commitment to their league club scholarships and play rugby each weekend.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,124
A couple of examples might be the minority, not the majority.

Also, what are the historical reasons I wonder why just about all schools play Union and many don't play League? Can't think of why...
So you agree It's a minority, if any. Still no examples though?


The historical reasons are that league was never a big sport in NZ and rugby always was.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
33,741
On a scale of 0 to 10 in terms of being basically evil where zero is rugby league and 10 is France union, nz would be a 5

There’s still huge prejudice against the game

Journos and former all blacks have ripped into league when it suits them

League still has a long way to go to be treated without bias let alone have the huge favouritism union gets

Institutional bias against league in nz is still a big issue
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,124
Does league ban its juniors from playing union.
I'd expect not in NZ, but then again neither does rugby. I played league and rugby until I finished high school. The prominent Kiwis you keep alluding too (Manu, RTS) played league and rugby as well. School rugby was on Saturdays and club league was on a Sunday.

Had league ever given lifetime bans for playing union
What relevance does what happened in a different era and different circumstances have to now (pro soccer players would have had the same lifetime bans)? SBW and Brad Thorn went between rugby and league. You need to get your head out of the past that you weren't even alive for.

Do league schools ban the playing of union
There's about three or four actual league schools in NZ who I'd assume don't ban rugby but they wouldn't let their 1st XIII players pick and choose when they want to play.

Oz league schools have contracts where the player can't play any other sports (this was discussed way back in the thread when you first brought this silliness up) which would include rugby.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
33,741


“We need to start spreading the game around the country because we’re seeing outside Auckland, tremendous growth in junior numbers, 28% up year-on-year.”

28 percent junior growth


“Peters also felt the growing rugby league audience in Canterbury could help boost the case for a potential South Island NRL team.

“It [the big crowds] grows the interest in the game, generally. Ultimately, when the NRL makes its decision around future teams and expansion, that’s a big part of it because they want to see new fans coming to the game, they don’t want to cannibalise fan bases for current teams.”
 
Last edited:

Matiunz

Juniors
Messages
826

Latest posts

Top