what's rattue on at the moment?

[Dr Crane]

That's just it. If Warriors viewers numbers are down, the Rugby is down as well. Yet- the headline will lead with Warriors viewers are down. Go figure.

i think the headline was something along the lines of all sporting viewership figures down.

in fact: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/4869061/Rugby-league-TV-ratings-take-a-big-dive

 

[hitman82]

Yeah the headline is neutral but by far the bulk of that article is directly aimed at the Warriors. Super 15 seems merely an afterthought, thrown in there because it's relevant and the writer would get called on it.

 

[Dr Crane]

when i read it i was thinking of the bigger picture about how rugby has been declining for years while league was on an upswing, so i can see why the warriors got the bulk of the attention - but that narrative doesn't come through at all.

 

[hitman82]

when i read it i was thinking of the bigger picture about how rugby has been declining for years while league was on an upswing, so i can see why the warriors got the bulk of the attention - but that narrative doesn't come through at all.

Ahh, yeah with that background it seems fair to aim the article at the Warriors' more recent decline in popularity.

I don't follow anything rugby related so wasn't even aware that the Super competition had been fading for ages.

The article would have been a much better read if they had explained more of the background, as you suggest.

 

[Te Kaha]

:lol:Yep, I'm dreaming...and it's convenient to not consider motor sport a sport for the purposes of the discussion. Yet, the discussion is what is number 1 sport in NZ. I suppose it depends on how you define the number 1 position. Are we talking spectator? IMO, that would be motor racing. It isn't for me personally, but it's huge. Participation sport? I have no idea, and that would depend on whether you are talking organised sport or not.
Personally I would call backyard cricket the number 1!;-):lol:

To get a "number 1 sport", although why anyone really cares what is number 1 is beyond me, you have to look at particpation, spectators, tv viewship the whole works... and a sport has to be organised really to be a sport, otherwise its just a game/activity.
Motorsport doesnt have enough big events in NZ to get the same numbers of spectators that the ball sports get and nothing shows up in the tv ratings to say its a winner on the tube either. And unless you are included the boy racers congregating it doesnt "win" in the particpatiion stakes either.

But I'm not picking on one 'dickhead writer'- All codes have a writer, or writers, biased to their specific sport. And League/Union ones are the worst due to the closeness of the sports.

Thats because they no longer report news for the sake of reporting news they report it, and slant it to sell newspapers or get ratings.

But, you will never convince me that the media do not overblow Union and make it bigger than it is. The coverage is just nuts.

Its an argument that goes around in circles... they report it because people watch it and people watch it because its reported.

 

[Jesbass]

I would have thought that football would be the biggest sport in New Zealand as far as participation goes? Or at least one of the biggest.

 

[Te Kaha]

I would have thought that football would be the biggest sport in New Zealand as far as participation goes? Or at least one of the biggest.

It is at age groop level, but drops off big time once kids hit teenage years. Its by far the biggest of the ball sports in playing numbers.

 

[Jesbass]

It is at age groop level, but drops off big time once kids hit teenage years. Its by far the biggest of the ball sports in playing numbers.

Thanks for clarifying that. I imagine it's one of the smaller spectator sports, though.

 

[Te Kaha]

Thanks for clarifying that. I imagine it's one of the smaller spectator sports, though.

For one off games eg All Whites world cup games or 'nix finals they do alright... but regular attendence and viewing figures are very low.

 

[hitman82]

Football is so hideously gay and boring. But I guess it could be worse. IE union.

 

[Matua]

:lol:Yep, I'm dreaming...and it's convenient to not consider motor sport a sport for the purposes of the discussion. Yet, the discussion is what is number 1 sport in NZ. I suppose it depends on how you define the number 1 position. Are we talking spectator? IMO, that would be motor racing. It isn't for me personally, but it's huge. Participation sport? I have no idea, and that would depend on whether you are talking organised sport or not.
Personally I would call backyard cricket the number 1!;-):lol:

But I'm not picking on one 'dickhead writer'- All codes have a writer, or writers, biased to their specific sport. And League/Union ones are the worst due to the closeness of the sports. But, you will never convince me that the media do not overblow Union and make it bigger than it is. The coverage is just nuts.

Yep. you are dreaming.

At all stages this discussion has been about spectator sport hasn't it? So why the need for clarification now?

In regards to motorsport, most motorsport is on free to air tv, also there are differing types of motorsport, formula one, V8s, Indy cars, stick cars, rally - do they all come under the same umbrella? And then, do all ball sports come under the same umbrella as well? So, not convenient, they just aren't level playing fields.

In the comparison between league and rugby - what do you think is the main driver for Sky subscriptions? In any given week there are a number of live rugby matches played in different cities of NZ, the Warriors are a one country team yet they also struggle to pull big crowds. In the NPC, smaller centres like HB can regularly attract crowds between 8k and 10k for much of the season. In any given weekend how many people watch club rugby or league in NZ?

I'm not attempting to put down league in this but you guys need to face facts, rugby is more popular in NZ, it is what it is. In Sydney and Brisbane league is, therefore most of their media follow and report league more strongly.

Football is so hideously gay and boring. But I guess it could be worse. IE union.

I really don't get this type of comment? How can you find the tackling, the running, the passing etc to be so terrible in rugby yet find it so enjoyable in rugby. Granted you might not like rucks and mauls (I love them), but other aspects of the game should be enjoyable. I like seeing the tactical approaches in both games. They're different but I didn't grow up in an us vs them mentality so I'm able to enjoy each to as their own.

 

[hitman82]

I really don't get this type of comment? How can you find the tackling, the running, the passing etc to be so terrible in rugby yet find it so enjoyable in rugby. Granted you might not like rucks and mauls (I love them), but other aspects of the game should be enjoyable. I like seeing the tactical approaches in both games. They're different but I didn't grow up in an us vs them mentality so I'm able to enjoy each to as their own.

Due to my excessive ranting, a lot of people ask me why I find league to be infinitely superior as a spectator sport.

1 - More structured than union. Defensive line resets keep it nice and clear.
2 - Less stoppages than union. I'm including scrums and lineouts.
3 - Less kicking than union. I get horribly bored of the constant kicking, both tactically and for points, in union.
4 - "Cleaner" visually than union. This is where the rucks and mauls come in. Ugh
5 - More 1-on-1 confrontational than union. League truly comes across as the gladiator sport.
6 - Higher fitness requirements than union. Pro League players as a group, are far better physical specimens. In a totally non-gay way haha.
7 - Following on from the previous point, League has Ukuma Ta'ai.
8 - Despite growing up in a household which supported both games, once I started to understand the differences between the two codes I quickly found union to be horribly boring to watch and have disliked and cursed it ever since.

Thirteen-man rugby league has shown itself to be a faster, more open game of better athletes than the other code. Rugby union is trying to negotiate its own escape from amateurism, with some officials admitting that the game is too slow, the laws too convoluted to attract a larger TV following.
Ian Thomsen

 

[Sam_the_man]

I would have thought that football would be the biggest sport in New Zealand as far as participation goes? Or at least one of the biggest.

Up to the U19's soccer is the number one participation sport in NZ. From that point on rugby union is the number one participation sport in the land. I heard a guy from FNZ last year talking on the radio about this point and that the, NZFA or what ever the hell it's called, are targeting this U19 drop off.

 

[Lossy]

Up to the U19's soccer is the number one participation sport in NZ. From that point on rugby union is the number one participation sport in the land. I heard a guy from FNZ last year talking on the radio about this point and that the, NZFA or what ever the hell it's called, are targeting this U19 drop off.

The Whole of Football Plan. Won a NZ Sport and Recreation award for Innovation Excellence.

Guest editorial on SPARC about it.

Plan laid, positions filled, and in action starting with the juniors, Sam.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Good luck to them. I hope they can hang onto more of there junior players.

 

[Matua]

Due to my excessive ranting, a lot of people ask me why I find league to be infinitely superior as a spectator sport.

1 - More structured than union. Defensive line resets keep it nice and clear.
2 - Less stoppages than union. I'm including scrums and lineouts.
3 - Less kicking than union. I get horribly bored of the constant kicking, both tactically and for points, in union.
4 - "Cleaner" visually than union. This is where the rucks and mauls come in. Ugh
5 - More 1-on-1 confrontational than union. League truly comes across as the gladiator sport.
6 - Higher fitness requirements than union. Pro League players as a group, are far better physical specimens. In a totally non-gay way haha.
7 - Following on from the previous point, League has Ukuma Ta'ai.
8 - Despite growing up in a household which supported both games, once I started to understand the differences between the two codes I quickly found union to be horribly boring to watch and have disliked and cursed it ever since.

I'm not going to argue any points with you on your list because you're obviously a fundamentalist but how can you say rugby is more boring than soccer.

I'm not 100% sure if I believe you grew up in a house that followed both codes because I don't know anyone in NZ who calls rugby - union, unless they're my league mates who are grinding their axes.

Actually I will comment on 6 - that is bullshit, league is more standardised, rugby has different builds. SBW had to bulk up a bit because he's been too focused on beach muscles most of his career.

 

[ozbash]

The biggest thing against union, at the moment, is the constant shagging around with the rules.

Its put me off the code a bit. They need 2 refs to keep up..

 

[Sam_the_man]

I'm not going to argue any points with you on your list because you're obviously a fundamentalist but how can you say rugby is more boring than soccer.

I'm not 100% sure if I believe you grew up in a house that followed both codes because I don't know anyone in NZ who calls rugby - union, unless they're my league mates who are grinding their axes.

Actually I will comment on 6 - that is bullshit, league is more standardised, rugby has different builds. SBW had to bulk up a bit because he's been too focused on beach muscles most of his career.

I wasn't going to comment either but he's right about point 6. You only have to look at the time the ball is in play in either code. The rugby league ball is in play far longer than a union ball. Union has far more stoppages of play. Also, funny you mention $BW. A rugby league forward......playing in a union backline. See what i'm getting at? Adrian Farrell, former GB league test captain. Played every position in the forward pack through out his career yet when he played for the England union side he played as a second 5/8 and that was at the end of his career with buggered knees.

 

[Matua]

I wasn't going to comment either but he's right about point 6. You only have to look at the time the ball is in play in either code. The rugby league ball is in play far longer than a union ball. Union has far more stoppages of play. Also, funny you mention $BW. A rugby league forward......playing in a union backline. See what i'm getting at? Adrian Farrell, former GB league test captain. Played every position in the forward pack through out his career yet when he played for the England union side he played as a second 5/8 and that was at the end of his career with buggered knees.

The reason SBW is a back is because he's better suited to the position. He runs too upright to be a forward and quite frankly 2nd rowers in league are basically the equivalent of a midfielder in rugby.
As for Farrell, he was way to old and not really up to it to learn to play as a rugby forward. The best convert of all Thorn didn't really get it until his third go round.

You have a very myopic view of the fitness required though, for both sports. I played both, as a forward in rugby I was moving a hell of a lot more than in league. If the game wasn't coming down my side I was practically walking through a whole set.

A rugby forward needs different attributes to a league forward. Scrums are actually a contest, lineout skills are required, rucks and mauls are extremely difficult physically in a way that league doesn't have. Conversely league players do more with the ball in hand.

Funnily enough lots of the differences in hitmans list are the reasons I like both games. I like rucks and mauls, I also like quick play of the balls, I like the constant movement and less structure of rugby out of set piece and I like the structure of league. I like the one on ones of league, I like the team creating space for one player aspect of both games. Funnily enough the one thing I dislike about league is the go to high kick as a frequent point scoring move - but admire the skill involved in doing it. I dislike the ping pong in rugby but admire good tactical kicking.

FYI: In league every time the ref calls held, the player gets up and until he plays the ball that is a stoppage in play. It adds up to a lot more than you think. Rugby's stoppage can last for longer though, definitely.

I didn't join on here to get into shitfights but you guys are as bad on the opposite side as the knob ends on Planet Rugby with you one eyed views.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Played both as well. Centre in league and second rower. Number 7 in union and second 5/8. I found union a lot easier on the body and not as quick as league. Just my experience.