Australian RL VS Australian RU

[BigBadBustler]

This is why even if you prefer or want to play union as an adult you should start playing RL first. Get the running, passing handling & tackling skills hardwired into your brain first. Then you can get your rucking & mauling, scrumming, lineouting done when you are in your mid to late teens.

This is a recurring theme in the dual internationals Alan Tait's (Scotland RU, GB RL & British & Ireland RU Lion) biography i.e play RL first.

Seems fair, providing you can kick the annoying habit of running 30 yards across field before thinking about making the advantage line out of them. The benefit of 2 less players is that that tactic will sometimes work but it'll get you smashed in rugby with the probable loss of possession.

 

[Rus13]

I have heard the theory advanced that securing possession (not getting isolated) is a reason why a lot of union players are less adventurous in attack than their RL counterparts.

I don't think cross-field running is such a problem in modern day RL. For me it is the lack of ball movement in the early stages of the tackle count & especially the constant dummy-half running.

 

[BigBadBustler]

I have heard the theory advanced that securing possession (not getting isolated) is a reason why a lot of union players are less adventurous in attack than their RL counterparts.

I don't think cross-field running is such a problem in modern day RL. For me it is the lack of ball movement in the early stages of the tackle count & especially the constant dummy-half running.

That is certainly a factor - the current refereeing is very quick to penalise a team in attack that gets isolated with the opposition ready to contest possession. Poor skills/handling has also been a factor.

The cross field running has certainly improved in recent years but there's still a lot of crabbing. I was under the impression though that something was being done about the dummy half running or was that my imagination?

 

[Rus13]

Nothing been done to limit the dummy-half running yet

Warren Ryan has been advocating the number of dummy-half runs should be restricted to 2 per set. If you get caught at dummy-half a 3rd time it's a hand-over.