Why Union will never be No.1
By Dean Ritchie
June 25, 2004
RUGBY union continues to harbour these ill-informed thoughts that by pinching rugby league's best the balance of power will swing to the rah-rahs. How wrong can they be?
The ARU felt it would hijack rugby league's glamour and spotlight by signing Wendell Sailor. They didn't.
They felt by grabbing Lote Tuqiri that rugby union would slip past rugby league. Ditto for Mat Rogers, throw in Andrew Johns.
It hasn't. And it won't.
It is inconceivable to think that rugby union believe by spending $6million over the past three years on rugby league players that it will take over as NSW's premier winter sport.
Rugby union simply isn't the people's game.
It isn't the game punters chat about over a beer in the pub.
It isn't the game where tipsters enter tipping competitions.
And it isn't the game that dominates newspaper space and talkback radio over weekends.
It just isn't.
No individual player will change that. Not the defection of Sailor, nor Tuqiri, Rogers or even Johns.
I like rugby union. A good game of running rugby union is fascinating and enthralling.
And there's no denying the giant leaps forward rugby union camp has taken in training methods and professionalism.
But rugby union has been allocated its position in NSW - rightly or wrongly. It collects a very honourable silver medal.
Last week's State of Origin clash was among the finest matches of football played in years.
It has athleticism, skill, speed and intensity.
Super 12 matches simply cannot match these qualities. Neither can Wallaby Test matches.
And guess what? Origin II in Brisbane didn't have Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri or even Johns. The new breed was there - Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Brent Kite, Trent Waterhouse and Luke Lewis.
Yet somehow rugby league has continued to push ahead, as resilient as ever.
Rugby union can continue to poach rugby league players. If they have the cash, why not.
But they must erase any thought of their game overtaking rugby league.
It just won't happen. Ever.
By Dean Ritchie
June 25, 2004
RUGBY union continues to harbour these ill-informed thoughts that by pinching rugby league's best the balance of power will swing to the rah-rahs. How wrong can they be?
The ARU felt it would hijack rugby league's glamour and spotlight by signing Wendell Sailor. They didn't.
They felt by grabbing Lote Tuqiri that rugby union would slip past rugby league. Ditto for Mat Rogers, throw in Andrew Johns.
It hasn't. And it won't.
It is inconceivable to think that rugby union believe by spending $6million over the past three years on rugby league players that it will take over as NSW's premier winter sport.
Rugby union simply isn't the people's game.
It isn't the game punters chat about over a beer in the pub.
It isn't the game where tipsters enter tipping competitions.
And it isn't the game that dominates newspaper space and talkback radio over weekends.
It just isn't.
No individual player will change that. Not the defection of Sailor, nor Tuqiri, Rogers or even Johns.
I like rugby union. A good game of running rugby union is fascinating and enthralling.
And there's no denying the giant leaps forward rugby union camp has taken in training methods and professionalism.
But rugby union has been allocated its position in NSW - rightly or wrongly. It collects a very honourable silver medal.
Last week's State of Origin clash was among the finest matches of football played in years.
It has athleticism, skill, speed and intensity.
Super 12 matches simply cannot match these qualities. Neither can Wallaby Test matches.
And guess what? Origin II in Brisbane didn't have Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri or even Johns. The new breed was there - Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Brent Kite, Trent Waterhouse and Luke Lewis.
Yet somehow rugby league has continued to push ahead, as resilient as ever.
Rugby union can continue to poach rugby league players. If they have the cash, why not.
But they must erase any thought of their game overtaking rugby league.
It just won't happen. Ever.
