And yet in Australia, League is in the ascendency and we don't stop them playing Union, in fact we pay scholarships to send them to Union schools (that actively exclude RL) so they can get a good education.Don’t need the usual suspects talking rubbish here about union not doing its usual anti league stuff
There are loads of interviews of current nrl players who grew up in nz and the pressure on them to give up league
Rugby union spent 100 years fighting a war with rugby league over the issue of “professionalism”And yet in Australia, League is in the ascendency and we don't stop them playing Union, in fact we pay scholarships to send them to Union schools (that actively exclude RL) so they can get a good education.
Fittler's boy recently signed with Union and was playing both as a junior, ditto the bloke the Wests Tigers just signed. RL doesn't need underhanded tactics. Union, even where they are in top are terrified of RL eventually getting its act together and waking up.
They don't see it coming yet but once league finally cracks NZ and the rest of the Pacific, it will be more devastating for World Rugby Union than they can ever imagine. Wallabies was just the tip of the icebergRugby union spent 100 years fighting a war with rugby league over the issue of “professionalism”
Players were banned for life from union for playing league
Then in 95 they went pro without so much as an apology for being wrong
And union globally from Greece Norway Eastern Europe France Australia and even nz does things to ban rugby league
Nz is the better than most union playing nations but the hatred of league is still there
The warriors are starting to break down the prejudices expanding away from their south Auckland Māori base to becoming a club for all Aucklanders
Nz is the jewel in the Union crownThey don't see it coming yet but once league finally cracks NZ and the rest of the Pacific, it will be more devastating for World Rugby Union than they can ever imagine. Wallabies was just the tip of the iceberg
Do you have current and specific examples of that? And do you have examples that highlight it's the majority rather than a minority?Does that friendly rivalry in NZ include banning RL from certain schools and banning players from Union that play RL? Super friendly
We're discussing NZ, not Oz, but on that note NZR lets Warriors scholarshipped players play in national rep teams.And yet in Australia, League is in the ascendency and we don't stop them playing Union, in fact we pay scholarships to send them to Union schools (that actively exclude RL) so they can get a good education.
Fittler's boy recently signed with Union and was playing both as a junior, ditto the bloke the Wests Tigers just signed. RL doesn't need underhanded tactics. Union, even where they are on top are terrified of RL eventually getting its act together and waking up.
The Warriors have always had a larger Pasifika influence than Maori and especially Pakeha in terms of playing group. Similar demographic ratios are reflected in the Auckland club scene and South Auckland.The warriors are starting to break down the prejudices expanding away from their south Auckland Māori base to becoming a club for all Aucklanders
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 battedNz is the jewel in the Union crown
Diminish the all blacks and their international game is boring af with the northern hemisphere nations which never run the ball
The choice is always on the player/student though- they don’t HAVE to play Union and can pick a club and or a League friendly school if that’s what they wanted.Don’t need the usual suspects talking rubbish here about union not doing its usual anti league stuff
There are loads of interviews of current nrl players who grew up in nz and the pressure on them to give up league