Re: Union. : Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:30 pm  

lefty goldblatt wrote:

Thought you might respond to one of my posts, as I seem to be a bit of a recent obsession for you. Maybe it takes the heat off others.

OK, I'm game.

I've just Wikipediad England's last squad in the 6 Nation's championship. I've heard of TWELVE of them. Now, bear in mind I've not watched a game of RU in DECADES, I'd call them pretty much household names, for the non RU watching sports fans. I've as much interest in a game of Union, as I have in Tennis, Formula One, women's sport and Horse Racing ( since I FINALLY realised how bent it is)........i.e. none.

Bear in mind (again) that was JUST England's squad. Not Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

Hope that helps

I don't normally look at who posts the comment, for some reason I can't see peoples avatars any more on my web browser, but your comments must be the more interesting ones if I respond so don't take offence.

I've heard of a similar number but I am more of an engaged sports fan. I don't think today's RU squad has got the household names like the past. Will Carling, Jeremy Guscott, Brian Moore, Rob Andrew, Rory Underwood, Mike Catt, Johnny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, Matt Dawson were household names in the way that the likes of Davies, Schofield and the Wigan players of the 1990s were. Probably Danny Cipriani is more of a household name than a lot of the players in the current squad.

You could probably say the same thing is happening in football and cricket as well to England teams. England possibly has the best striker in Europe at the moment but his wider profile is still in the shadow of Rooney. In cricket the one real household name is Ben Stokes who is not being taken with the Ashes squad.

Re: Union. : Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:19 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

So who are the household names from union that the average casual sports / non-RU fan could name?

without referring to any other website and just trying to right down names

I can name George ford and Owen Farrell, Ben Teo Denny Solomona Josh Charnley and Kyle Eastmond

whether any of them are household names I dont know, all i know is I only know them becasue of their Rugby League links.

The only non League related players I can name are Danny cipriani, maybe Gavin Henson if he's still playing and again David Strettle if he's still playing and that's just because he's from Lymm and he came down to Monday night touch rugby once.

I absolutely hand on Heart couldn't name a single captain from any of the six nations teams.

and I wouldn't want it any other way....

Re: Union. : Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:11 am  

I think the simple answer comes down to terrestrial vs Sky.

The 6 nations, Wimbledon, World Snooker Champs et al are all on terrestrial.

F1 has seen a fall in TV viewers since it went over, even though a handful are still free to air. Cricket exploded in 05 as the Ashes were on terrestrial and accessible to all, and have since also seen a decline in viewing figures since the move to Sky. I could name you a fair few players from that era, but would struggle now to name more than three current England players.

I think a regular Saturday or Sunday afternoon game on terrestrial would help boost our profile considerably. No one but an RL fan would tune in on a Thurs / Fri night on Sky Sports 7

Re: Union. : Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:34 am  

Above:

I'm pretty sure that if you summed up all the hours the BBC showed of RL each year on terrestial TV, with the CC and SL Show and 4 Nations (or whatever the RL international are),it would be more than their years worth of RU coverage, yet the latter still has a more esteemed profile from that broadcaster.

Re: Union. : Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:38 am  

I agree, but they do stick the SL show on at some ungodly hour.

The CC is a good example, I've been unlucky enough to get my face on TV a few times in the crowd. When it happens on sky, my cousin will send a message. When it happened once in a CC quarter on a Saturday afternoon my phone blew up from all manner of random non RL friends who'd spotted me.

Re: Union. : Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:08 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

So who are the household names from union that the average casual sports / non-RU fan could name?

I don't watch the sport but from sports sections in the news and the back pages, off the top of my head, I can name:

Farrell (England)
Warburton (Wales)
Sexton (Ireland)
Hartley (England)
Ford (England)
Brown (England)
Youngs (England)
Care (England)
Robshaw (England)
O'Driscoll (Ireland, retired)

How many players could someone who has never watched RL name? Based purely in the way I know those names, through television and newspaper. Any more than 1 and I'd be surprised.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Union. : Wed Nov 08, 2017 1:58 pm  

chris ashton

Re: Union. : Wed Nov 08, 2017 3:31 pm  

Chris Ashton
Sam Burgess
Andy Farrell
Jason Robinson
Denny Solamona

Re: Union. : Wed Nov 08, 2017 9:40 pm  

So how has league pulled ahead of union in Australia over the past decade or so...?

Remember in the early 2000s - Aussie union was throwing cash around making big raids for guys like Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri, Blacklock. There was all that chat about there needing to be a "hybrid game" if league was to survive.

But these days, union in Australia is a declining sport, it's struggling for participation and exposure, meanwhile the NRL keeps landing big TV deals, players are better paid than ever before. The profile of league in Aus seems to be booming.

So what did rugby league do in Australia over that time to cement its dominance? Can't just be about producing great players because they always did that, at the time when RL was under threat from union over there they had guys like Fittler, Johns, Lockyer, Kimmorley and co.

Re: Union. : Wed Nov 08, 2017 11:01 pm  

State of Origin