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!

Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

Steel Saints

Juniors
Messages
1,052
I was in England I think it was 2008 the union World Cup was on

I was in a pub people were watching premier league and nobody was watching the union World Cup

england is a soccer country every other sport gets obliterated by it

division one or two crowds for soccer beat both rugby codes


Talksport radio is on YouTube, and it has a soccer ball with the word Talksport, and the pundits talk about football majority of the time.
 
Last edited:
Messages
4,314

Super rugby not the only union comp facing a cut for its next deal
Union continues to struggle to create a base beyond the international game. Which leads to a lack of widespread support and a need to continue to tap into its traditional centres of support; ie the elite schools. It’s a spiral that is anything but virtuous.
 

Valheru

Coach
Messages
19,211
It's official, Rugby is the 9th most popular sport in the world !
Although, I noticed they used the NRL when gauging it's success in Australia...but we are used to Rugby fudging the numbers ;)
Yeah one link does use both union and league to come up with the number. The other 2 don't mention it but may well do the same.
 

Valheru

Coach
Messages
19,211
Rugby is the 1 sport in NZ and Fiji and nothing more than a niche sport every where else.
I believe it is more popular than soccer in Wales. It definitely isn't niche in Scotland although less popular than soccer.

Surely it is the most popular sport in samoa and tonga?

Not that any of those 4 countries are large markets

According to Wikipedia it is the most popular sport in Georgia and Madagascar as well although that's the first I've ever heard of it.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
40,497
I believe it is more popular than soccer in Wales. It definitely isn't niche in Scotland although less popular than soccer.

Surely it is the most popular sport in samoa and tonga?

Not that any of those 4 countries are large markets

According to Wikipedia it is the most popular sport in Georgia and Madagascar as well although that's the first I've ever heard of it.
It’s definitely got some popularity in Georgia, enough that there are a good number of Georgians playing professionally in France. Georgians are really into weightlifting and wrestling so they’re a natural fit for the tight forward stuff in union.
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,498
World Rugby has today officially pushed back the start date of the 2027 World Cup so it doesn't clash with the NRL and AFL finals.

A few European comps have thier nose out of joint because that delays the start of thier domestic competitions.

Who'd have thought our tiny insignificant sport would cause the Rara's so much concern :D

After the NRL finishes we should be organising 5 weeks of internationals, just to screw with them a bit lol
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
34,410
World Rugby has today officially pushed back the start date of the 2027 World Cup so it doesn't clash with the NRL and AFL finals.

A few European comps have thier nose out of joint because that delays the start of thier domestic competitions.

Who'd have thought our tiny insignificant sport would cause the Rara's so much concern :D

After the NRL finishes we should be organising 5 weeks of internationals, just to screw with them a bit lol
Pacific cup will be on
 

footyfan4life

Juniors
Messages
119
Yu
World Rugby has today officially pushed back the start date of the 2027 World Cup so it doesn't clash with the NRL and AFL finals.

A few European comps have thier nose out of joint because that delays the start of thier domestic competitions.

Who'd have thought our tiny insignificant sport would cause the Rara's so much concern :D

After the NRL finishes we should be organising 5 weeks of internationals, just to screw with them a bit lol
Yup. They’re gonna be piling in to see the “kangaroos” go head to head with another Australian powerhouse
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,498
I understand if you’re a bit too familiar with the non-existent presence of league internationally 👍
Well, if we're using Rugby's definition of a global sport it only needs to be played in the UK, south France and small university towns in commonwealth countries ?

...And they've expanded the Rugby World Cup to 24 teams, seriously ?

Maybe we'll see 150 - 0 scorelines ?

I can imagine crowds pouring in to watch that rubbish :D
 
Last edited:

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
6,645
Well, if we're using Rugby's definition of a global sport it only needs to be played in the UK, south France and small university towns in commonwealth countries ?

...And they've expanded the Rugby World Cup to 24 teams, seriously ?

Maybe we'll see 150 - 0 scorelines ?

I can imagine crowds pouring in to watch that rubbish :D
The 24 team thing coupd prive to be too soon and a disaster. The gap is already too big between the best and the minnows at 20 teams. Now they'll add another 4 minnows...

Anyway carry on... don't interrupt when your opponent is making a mistake and all that.

Quick overexpansion is what killed off Super Rugby.
 
Messages
806
It's official, Rugby is the 9th most popular sport in the world !
Although, I noticed they used the NRL when gauging it's success in Australia...but we are used to Rugby fudging the numbers ;)
That might be because of the R in NRL.

Look closely. It's right in the middle, between the N and the L. Any idea what it stands for?

Maybe keep the answer in mind next time you're about to describe Rugby Union as "Rugby".
 

King-Gutho94

Coach
Messages
15,525
World Rugby has today officially pushed back the start date of the 2027 World Cup so it doesn't clash with the NRL and AFL finals.

A few European comps have thier nose out of joint because that delays the start of thier domestic competitions.

Who'd have thought our tiny insignificant sport would cause the Rara's so much concern :D

After the NRL finishes we should be organising 5 weeks of internationals, just to screw with them a bit lol
Haha what cowards too scared to take on Rugby League during the finals.

Chalk up another victory for League over union
 

footyfan4life

Juniors
Messages
119
Well, if we're using Rugby's definition of a global sport it only needs to be played in the UK, south France and small university towns in commonwealth countries ?

...And they've expanded the Rugby World Cup to 24 teams, seriously ?

Maybe we'll see 150 - 0 scorelines ?

I can imagine crowds pouring in to watch that rubbish :D
Top 10 sport in the world but yeah fair enough, at least league has the significant Lebanese community of Sydney.

Just like how the crowds poured in to the league World Cup last year to a total of 0 sold out games? Hey at least the league world cup semi finals 40k crowd involving the host nation got near the 49k crowd of Namibia and Uruguay!
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,498
Top 10 sport in the world but yeah fair enough, at least league has the significant Lebanese community of Sydney.

Just like how the crowds poured in to the league World Cup last year to a total of 0 sold out games? Hey at least the league world cup semi finals 40k crowd involving the host nation got near the 49k crowd of Namibia and Uruguay!
Why do you only ever compare world cups ? No one's arguing with you that the Union WC is bigger ( although they did just move the whole tournament because know they can’t compete against the NRL :D )

A translation of what your saying = "rugby union domestically is a dead duck all over the world...but yeah ! Look ! People care about us for 1 month every 4 years" :D :D
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top