Turn your back at your peril

[FWarrior]

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/ ... -1-8337621

Increasingly Union is working hard to be the main rugby code in places like Preston, Blackburn and Burnley. If we sit back ...

[DaveO]

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/ ... -1-8337621

Increasingly Union is working hard to be the main rugby code in places like Preston, Blackburn and Burnley. If we sit back ...

I have no idea about how grassroots development is run in either RL or RU but Preston have had an RU team for as long as I can remember whereas I can't recall a similarly long lived RL side there and of course Wigan had Orrell and Wigan RU. RU in RL areas is not new.

Meanwhile my son having moved to Swindon for his job now plays for Swindon St. George RL club and by all accounts the club is thriving.

They play against teams such as the Bristol Sonics, Bath & Wiltshire Romans, Cheltenham Phoenix, Southampton Spitfires, Somerset Vikings and Portsmouth Navy Seahawk all of which are part of South West Rugby League (and the last one of which sounds bloody scary to me).

I am pretty sure all of these teams are far newer than a club like Preston.

I am also not saying we can be complacent but RL has expanded as well.

[endoman]

Don't think any of those places would be classed as RL areas. I remember going watching my Dad play for Wigan RU at Preston Grasshoppers, and indeed played there myself a few times as well. All Union. We pick up the odd few from around there, David Stephenson, Mark Preston IIRC. The RFU have a great PR team etc, the RFL don't!

[markill]

Stephenson and Preston started out at Fylde RU, traditional rivals of the 'Hoppers. Neither are new clubs and neither have major aspirations for the big time really.

Sean Long and Martin Gleeson had brief stints at the grasshoppers after their careers ended. Similarly people might recall Jason Robinson playing for Fylde.

[FWarrior]

So what are we saying? step a mile or two away from Wigan and rugby = rugby union? The England RU coach doing PR, bags of youngsters playing Union, artificial pitches, stadia in place! ALL TELEVISED on local news How does that compare with St Pats? St Judes?

Why do we bother?

[DaveO]

So what are we saying? step a mile or two away from Wigan and rugby = rugby union? The England RU coach doing PR, bags of youngsters playing Union, artificial pitches, stadia in place! ALL TELEVISED on local news How does that compare with St Pats? St Judes?

Why do we bother?

Very good PR no doubt but if you go down to an amateur RL club are there not lots of junior teams playing on game-day on several pitches?

I don't see your point about a mile away from Wigan RL = RU. That has always been true with Orrell and Wigan RU. You will find plenty of RU sides in Leeds as well that have always been there. :conf:

[Wigan_forever1985]

The main problem is union is getting faster and more skillful by the year and the games are now getting more and more entertaining to watch

likewise rugby league is getting worse to watch

[moto748]

The main problem is union is getting faster and more skillful by the year and the games are now getting more and more entertaining to watch

likewise rugby league is getting worse to watch

True to an extent. Added to the fact that TV edited highlights really flatter RU cos you don't see the lengthy delays whilst scrums are reset, etc.

But yeah, watching those games on Wigan TV from Shaun Edwards' era (and earlier), league is virtually a different sport now to what it was then. And the NRL is just as bad. They just play a slightly better version of the same thing we do.

[morley pie eater]

The main problem is union is getting faster and more skillful by the year and the games are now getting more and more entertaining to watch

likewise rugby league is getting worse to watch

And with Union's rate of progress plus our continued decline, they'll be level by about . . . 2095?

[FWarrior]

Dave go across Lancashire to Chorley, Preston, Blackburn, Burnley wherever and compare the number of children playing RU to those playing RL in education, outside education. Compare the facilities? compare the input, financing from development coaches. Even look at Wigan, Leigh, St Helens and compare.

Who is more high profile, wealthier? Owen Farrell or George Williams? Chris Ashton or Dom Manfredi?

Today; Wilkin made the news! as a bit part player in his retiring swimming girlfriend opening a coffee shop. Fran Halsall and Helen Skelton or John Wilkin and Richie Myler who have a higher profile and more earning potential?