A united rugby code ‘seems inevitable’; St Helens hangover and Wire’s record chase – Paper talk

[josie andrews]

It’s 127 years since rugby split in to the two codes we know today.

Both codes currently find themselves embroiled in litigation, and desperately tweaking to the laws of each game to ensure player welfare and safety is prioritised.

In the UK, two top flight rugby union clubs have disappeared from the fixture lists this season having gone in to financial difficulty, while rugby league is still adjusting to a heavily reduced broadcast deal ahead of negotiating a new one at the end of this year.


https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/pa ... s-hangover

[moto748]

We've had this load of old rubbish thirty or more years ago. And it hasn't happened.

[josie andrews]

We've had this load of old rubbish thirty or more years ago. And it hasn't happened.

They keep reeling it out don’t they?

[Mike]

American football only split in 1880, how come no one talks about reunification with that sport?

RL and RU - It's just two different sport now, nothing to reunify. This is media talk designed to get clicks.

[morley pie eater]

Only arises because more top teams have unsustainable debts after Worcester and Wasps went to the wall. London irish, Newcastle, Sale amongst them.

I'd rather go back to semi-pro than "merge" with the RFU. And not just because of history, but they'd want us to have lineouts and rucking and mailing and 10-minute scrums and 3 point goals . . .

[archiekeith]

Only arises because more top teams have unsustainable debts after Worcester and Wasps went to the wall. London irish, Newcastle, Sale amongst them.

I'd rather go back to semi-pro than "merge" with the RFU. And not just because of history, but they'd want us to have lineouts and rucking and mailing and 10-minute scrums and 3 point goals . . .

Entirely agree MP

[Wintergreen]

A unified code is great in theory, but I just can't see how it would work.


The good thing about RU is that there is competition for the ball, be that in the ruck, lineout or maul (scrums have virtually gone).

However, the downside of this is that it promotes a certain style of play that is, let's say "conservative".

I just can't see how you could merge that with RL rules.

[morley pie eater]

A unified code is great in theory, but I just can't see how it would work.


The good thing about RU is that there is competition for the ball, be that in the ruck, lineout or maul (scrums have virtually gone).

However, the downside of this is that it promotes a certain style of play that is, let's say "conservative".

I just can't see how you could merge that with RL rules.

There would be no merger - it would be a takeover. They might go to 13 players as they should have done years ago. I suspect it's only the fact we have 13 that stops them.