im not that sure about that. its lost Austraila and decreased in New Zealand. These are 2 of the top 3 preforming clubs in the World Cup. Rugby Union in England is also ailing with Wasps, Irish ans Warriors folding. I can see League coming just as big a Union international with League being Austrialian based with outposts in England and France. Rugby Union being Euro based with outposts in South Africa.
Rugby in Australia forgot about grass roots and the ARU when they decided to become professional started paying themselves instead of investing in the grass roots. Pacific heritage players are not only spread across Australia and NZ they are applying their trade in different countries such as Japan, Romania, France, Ireland and England to name a few. If world rugby wanted the pacific Islands to succeed then they should take away the stand down rule and allow the players to go back and represent their heritage if they are not selected in these tier 1 nations
Fiji is doing so well in rugby union , they finally have a super rugby team which has helped Fiji and now they being looked into being in the rugby championship. But Fiji made the quarterfinals and almost beat England too
what you seem to miss is the super rugby had no choice to add these two teams.. which is a joke cause i never seen a team aka Moana which have attendance less than a two school teams
Niue is a Island that is 3hours flight from NZ. There is Some Boys that Play in the NRL that are Niueans. And Two Allblacks have Niuean Blood. Frank Bunce Was a Allblack in the 90s era. And Piri Weepu. Just google those names Sean. Awesome Man.
@@Dinobot-k2xhe isn’t. He’s Maori and born and raised in NZ. He might be part Niuean I’m not sure of that but he’s definitely Maori. Piri is even a Maori name
It's funny, in the late 90s Rugby Union looked like it could have had the brighter future in Australia. Rugby League had the Super League war, it split the game in 2. People were saying it was going to kill the game. At the same time Union had the Super Rugby comp going and it seemed to be getting more and more popular. The NRL really bounced back strong, Union has started spiraling downwards. I don't know anyone that cares about Union. In Australia, it's the NRL and AFL at the top, then cricket, then probably soccer and basketball... with union feeding on the scraps. Netball might even top it one day. Actually, the WNRL and WAFL might be more popular than union. lol
The problem is that Rugby League might be winning the battle with more Polynesian players wanting to play NRL and in turn more Polynesian supporters taking notice.. but many European and Japanese Rugby clubs with much more cash will snatch the top tier Polynesian players (which they have been doing) if they want too who haven't been snapped up by the NZ Rugby Union or Australian Rugby Union already. And even if the NRL grabs that talent early which they are doing more so now.. many of those players head back to Union for a bigger pay day of they are top of their game. We're seeing a few top NRL players looking to move to French Rugby Union, Japanese Rugby Union etc atm for that bigger pay day that the NRL can't compete with when it comes to the real big money. Joey Manu is the latest NRL star player in talks to go to French Rugby Union next year and there will be many more Polynesian NRL players who will follow once he goes and creates that pathway. Small wins in the Pacific community with Rugby League.. but Rugby League is very far behind Rugby Union globally in popularity and money that even losing out some talent in the pacific to the NRL early on.. won't make the biggest difference as many of those players will go earn the quick cash in the NRL if not picked up by European Rugby clubs as a stepping stone to get noticed and sign with a European Rugby Union club later on.
I mean how many European and clubs have snatched top tier League talent recently? There was Semi Radradra. RTS went over to Union but not club Rugby in Japan and Europe. Besides that I really can't think of really any top tier League players who have gotten poached recently Polynesian or not.
@@ARandomGuy24 that's because a lot of the Polynesian players already get poached before League gets them and they go over. Semi Radradra was the best Winger in the NRL at the time and then got signed over to French Rugby. Koroibete went to the Wallabies but likely with the mindset that he'll go to Japanese or French Rugby after he's done for that extra cash. With Joey Manu being the first player without a Rugby Union background like Radradra going over while in his prime is big right now.. Tuqiri, Sailor and Rogers went over to the Wallabies which made the Wallabies even nkre popular in the early 2000s.. that was for a world cup.. now players are going for that big paychech in europe. There's also the case that many NRL players might like the idea of playing Union for big bucks in Europe or Japan but are not being approached. I think living in NSW and QLDs Rugby league bubble can make us assume that we are getting the top tier talent from the pacific in League, when it could be the opposite. Thr All Blacks were getting first dibs on the very best Pacific Islanders and the French were getting the best Fijian talent from the sevens teams.. and then League getting the players who didn't get scooped up with a French contract like Radradra and Koroibete. As silly as it sounds because of how good those two are. But if you were to ask Radradra and Koroibete why they went to the nrl, it would likely be because they didn't get the French Rugby or even Wallabies/NZRU contracts at the time and weren't being seen.
@@ejsmith9194 league gets all the junior talent they want Union don’t get anyone the league wants at the junior level I can name probably 100 easy wins And only a handful of players go back to union not many at all Last person to leave league for European rugby was sbw or gasnier 10 years ago Radradra was past he’s prime when he left , koribete wasn’t wanted . Sualli and manu will go for a quick buck and come back to league not the other way around like you stated
Peter vlandys is a different beast the growth and financial assets since he took over is insane . Rugby in Australia is dead . League is increasing popularity in nz with the warriors doing so good . A Pacifica team will be next in the nrl and that’ll solidify png Samoa Tonga and Fiji . Talk about a 5 year broadcast deal with America will be massive and the gambling money will be huge . Even afl is watching there back now from nrl
@@Trajan2401 I mean in nz the warriors are getting more and more support . The Pacifica nations will be all about league as soon as they get a team . The uk super league is growing in popularity. The game in Las Vegas already sold 35,000 tickets with fox doing a 5 year deal to broadcast it in America so if you think it’s not going to grow you don’t have much in that head of yours
@@danielkelly4487 you're right, League is growing in NZ especially with the younger generation. If League wants to dominate in NZ it needs to also look at making the 1st 13 team comp in high school stronger cause right now that's where they lose the battle, that particular age bracket. The 1st XV is still the stars of the schools. Why keep taking certain players from Union when you can have a whole store full of League players 😅 There needs to be an NRL team for Christchurch, it's grown quickly down there.
Being a Kiwi i prefer league, its more simple, the balls in play a lot, i could only dream having the talent pool of the All Blacks for the Kiwis, we would tear Australia to shreds, Ardie, the Barrets, Reiko, D mac, Will Jordan, all the number 9s, league is about ball movement, breaking tackles, Basically NZ footy DNA, i mean sure no more scrums, line outs, malls, and water breaks but we'll leave that to the saffas
I find it so corny when union fans try to pretend league is this easy game for dumb people when players who could barely make the 17 in league can go on and play for the wallabies next year
If Union dies within the Pacific communities, it means the death of the southern hemisphere (ALL BLACKS) dominance in rugby union. If you look at the amount of Pacific Islanders littered on the international level, it's crazy. Even in the Northern hemisphere beside the South Africans, their clubs best forward 8/10 is going to be a Pacific Islander. Japan's international team has about 6 to 8 Islanders in their squad, I think. Hell, even Ireland has an Islander, and he was their star player for their World Cup campaign.
As someone living in Sydney who has grown up watching both sports, i had always preferred League. However I did very much enjoy Union. Now i like League even more than i did growing up, and I like Union a whole lot less. To the point where in the past I would go out of my way to watch Wallabies vs All Blacks, or even any other team Australia would play. Now even if a Wallabies game is on at a great time and I'm free, i won't even bother flicking the channel to watch. The rules in Union are ridiculous, confusing and slow the game down way to much. Its no wonder it can't compete in an environment where Rugby League exists. Ontop of that you also have AFL which is popular. Rugby League is becoming ever more relevant in Oceania. I would much rather watch a game between Tonga and Somoa in league than a Wallabies and All Blacks game, not even exaggerating. And I would even prefer to watch AFL and NFL over Union. But of course not over Rugby League. And as for New Zealand's Rugby Union obsession, its not really significant enough because they dont have the Population. Sydney at 5.5 million people has a bigger population than NZ. Not NSW, just Sydney alone population is greater than NZ. Also Rugby League is very popular in PNG. NRL and AFL destroy union in this country. Cricket is pretty good to 😀
One of the most annoying things about the Pacific teams are that the governing body usually gets a lot of money from the people. I remember the Tongan team fundraising millions of dollars one year to support them and none of that money was used for any players or training facilities. The governing body of some of these countries are so money hungry & dodgey.
I know nrl is massive in Aussie and union has always struggled it’s like 7th ranked sport in Australia atm . I know in New Zealand rugby still massive especially in South Island but rugby league is getting massive in north island especially with the warriors doing so well but it’s growing! Rugby league struggles with international that’s what separates the two codes from each other the domestic side of league is better than the domestic side of union but in union international rugby union does better. Even basketball here in nz is on a massive rise
I agree with you. Also I think the other added factor is the corruption within the Samoa Rugby (can't speak on the our neighbouring pacific islands cause I don't know). The corruption becomes a deterrent. Players want to represent their motherland but due to corruption within the board, players are forced to pay their own way and if they don't have a well paid contract, they can't play for the Samoa cause they have to provide for their family first. It's sad, cause then they find contracts in the NH that give them the money they need but some contracts still lock them out of representing due to calendar tours clashing with the NH competitions.
Sure rugby union could still always be the bigger sport known worldwide, but rugby league in Australia has all but killed union, and I foresee rugby league completely owing all of Oceania, the NRL was even in talks in adding a permanent team in Papua New Guinea that would be the second international team to play in the NRL the first being the New Zealand warriors, also for the American audience new to rugby and rugby league, picking which one would be better for the newcomers it would be definitely league, it’s easier for the Americans to understand, simpler rules, and overall better game to watch
Rugby is all ready in America Allblacks are playing Fiji in America this year last time I looked Fiji were in the Pacific Rugby 7s have a round in the us and Canada the Rugby world cup is been hold in the us in 2031 and the woman's world cup in 2033 America have there own Competition MLS major league Rugby and people still call Rugby League . Rugby so sorry Rugby is not dieing or going away
Rugby union is not new to Americans. Rugby has been played in ivy league schools for more than 20 years. If you don't believe me look into the Abercrombie & Fitch around the year 2000. There is also a union competition in America where a lot of ex AB finish off their careers. Although Union is established in America it's still growing at a slow pace, League has come in hot with the Vegas double header and with all the promotion they have put in has been great but they will need to keep investing to catch up before 2031 when America hosts the RWC. I believe League can do it but I hope both codes succeed in the long run.
Internationally, I can't see NRL overtaking Union except in Australia. Yeah, money might be good in NRL, but Union players can just easily go to Japan or Europe.
Yeah but Japan & Europe pays enough for them to stay in Union. They're also killing 2 birds with 1 stone by being able to travel to another country instead of travelling around in one country.
Yeah maybe NRL would take over the world, but I definitely see us taking over the entire Oceania region for sure, that’s a big win, nrl will continue to grow from there
Bro fiji reached the quarter finals in the 2023 wc and came damn close to reaching the semifinals. Big names also started playing for their country of origins like All Alaatoa, Israel Falau, Leliafano, luatua, fekitoa, etc. Hoping WR invests more into the island teams , they always exciting to watch. Samoa use to big one of the most brutal matches now they just don’t have that same oomf anymore. Fiji looking great though, lots of fijians playing in France making bank. League is like checkers and union like chess. I guess some like checkers more than chess
It’s not like galic football my bro. It’s a big sport. Most profitable sport in Australia. It’s growing fast mate you just living under a rock or in a country where it doesn’t exist
@@cymraegpunk1420 it is tho, in Polynesia. Rugby league isn’t trying to push into South Africa or anything like that, it’s not trying to take unions fan base, just grow rugby leagues by expanding around Australia. Rugby league is competing with rugby union in and around Australia, we don’t care about rugby union other than that.
@@cymraegpunk1420it is a threat especially when rugby league is becoming more and more popular in nz . It’s dead in Australia it’s taking a game to Vegas and sold 35,000 tickets already and it’s being televised there and talks of making it a 5 year contract Peter vlandys is a different beast
LEAGUE will never take over the ALL BLACKS and rugby here you can try but never here in Aotearoa but LEAGUE is here yes thats all rugby has to much history here LEAGUE killed off UNION in AUSTRALIA but doesent mean its gonna happen here @@danielkelly4487
Rugby league is a much better sport with more opportunities,much better competition.NRL just topped Australia as it's number one sport last year. Not AFL,not Union, not cricket but rugby league. Check out the facts released if you don't believe me. I could send you the report link if you want. NRL/RUGBY LEAGUE is the number one sporting code in Australia now. FACT!
Its simple, NRL is a better product than Super Rugby in the Oceania region. Faster game, easier to understand rules, real tribalism, far more ball in play and far less time wasting. As NRL grows its income base (they just posted a record income for 2023 which makes it the richest sport in Australia) with its new TV deals in the US and other markets, as well as its growing asset base, it will become more competitive with the likes of French or Japanese Rugby. While the international game of Rugby League is a blip compared to Union, the NRL is a top tier competition that will have its time as an internationally appreciated game. Add to this the fact that NRL actively promotes pasifika culture within the game as opposed to top Rugby nations poaching player from Pasifika regions and you have a recipe for an enduring relationship between NRL and Pasifika people. Jason Taumalolo was the tip of the iceberg when it came to Pasifika players rejecting playing for Aus/NZ for their culture, whereas in Rugby its all for the money and the nations that have the coin. The culture of Rugby League has always been inclusive and open and for the common man, whereas Rugby Union has always been about the upper class to the detriment of the common man. This is what is finally being realised in Pasifika nations and NZ with the 'Up the Wahs' movement. I think that the two Rugbys should move on from their historical grievences and unite. Then we could have 15s, 13s, 9s, and 7s all with their place in the sun and one governing body to promote it.
@@laurens4561 it is now and since peter vlandys has taken over Union is no longer competition and now afl is watching there backs instead of the other way around
Union's only good at International level, but there's only a handful of games a year between different nations...none of their comps can match the NRL or Superleague
Rugby started to die in Australia a good ten years ago. The rule changes they have made are turning people away. For example. Knock down a pass or try and intercept it and drop it. Sent off for ten minutes 😮 Accidental head on head contact sent off the whole game.
Yeah next tv deal when 2more teams come in NRL ,more promoting in USA ,NRL is opening round 1 in Las Vegas 1 March 2024 with more US wagering on the sport we're in the billions of dollars and rising.
the NFL is ALSO POACHING PI talent too.. but in saying this I don't think rugby union will be destroyed until league becomes the no 1 game in NZ which I doubt will ever happen
Rugby Union In Australia is finished its third-rate sport now can only be watched on pay TV its slow and boring that's why NRL Rugby League has all the players at the junior level. They only have some private school kids, People in Australia like the nonstop speed of the NRL not all this whistle-blowing rubbish. All the sponsor ship is for league and the TV is to
Rugby union know rugby league is taking over not only in Australia but all Pacific island nations but they can't do anything about it now.Too little too late. Rugby league/the NRL have out played rugby union, check mate. See you in Vagas
I have said this before and I will say it again. No other nation has done more for rugby than South Africa. We brought Argentina into the rugby championship. We paid the costs of the south american team to participate in superrugby. We started the Mzansi league which brought teams from the Americas, Africa and eastern europe to play in a top tier competition. When portugal did well in the world cup, they were rewarded with a game against the springboks in 2024. As much as the ABs are a good team, they did nothing to develop the game over there for the other nations.
Please research ALL facts. New Zealand coaches and former AllBlacks have scattered themselves across the globe to help build rugby. Jonah did this in France where he hoped to turn them into one of France's top clubs. Jerry Collins is another. Regarding coaches, there are so many NZ coaches still to this day assisting other international sides. Pasifica rugby is another area where NZ have got behind. Tana Umanga is coaching there. NZ for the size it is … does actively do their best to help promote, sponsor and coach outside of our own lands. It is really shameful that a South African has the audacity to forget what NZ did during apartheid years. Some NZ rugby players were banned as a result of going to South Africa. Why do South Africans have this desire and thirst for running down NZ and AllBlacks whilst beating their chests?
@@HeeniKeke AND @MrFarr007 YOU BOTH GOT SOME VERY VALID POINTS BOTH SOUTH AFRICA AND NEW ZEALAND RUGBY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO INTERNATIONAL RUGBY AND ITS DEVLOPMENT FOR THE GAME TO TRUELY DEVOLP GLOUBALLY EVERY COUNTRY I BELIVE HAS TO HAVE GRASSROOTS RUGBY THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING THE YOUNG KIDS AND YOUTH LEVEL AGE GROUPS AND UP AND IN THE SCHOOLS AND TO HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS AND UP BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS 15 ASIDE 10 ASIDE 7 ASIDE FROM THERE TO THE CLUBS LEVEL AND ONWARDS HAVING DEPTH IN PLAYERS HAVING DEPTH IN REFEERS AND TOUCHES AND OFFICIALS HAVING DEPTH IN COACHES AND SELLECTORS HIGH PERFORMANCE FITNESS PERSONAL AND HAVING DEPTH IN BUSNESS AND MANEGERMENT AND ADMINSTRATION WHICH COULD LEAD TO MEDIA AND TECH AREA AND BY HAVING THESE THINGS INPLACE WITH THE ALREADY EXISTISTING STRUCTURES IN PLACE WORKING ALONG SIDE BY SIDE IM A STRONG SUPPORTER OF DEMESTIC PROFESSINAL RUGBY EVERY COUNTRY HAS ITS OWN PROFESSINAL LEAGUE SET UP AT THE TOP UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL TEST LEVEL
Then wait when the wallabies do good again then all the bandwagoners jump on. Cause they realise union is still bigger internationally haha. Aussie man honesty fickle people.
Who cares about Australia and league which is way behind union in popularity and globally they can have that game 😂 league fans are very delusional thinking league is getting big they need more than islanders they need a miracle 😂 there's only 2-3 decent sides in league in union there's already been 4 different world champions within 36 years and that doesn't even include Ireland,France,Wales,Argentina,Scotland etc who on their day can beat anyone
If you grew up with league you’d like it. That’s the only difference, both great games but I find union slow, kinda boring and hits aren’t as big. I feel that way cause I grew up with league and knows it’s history so the games actually mean something to me
Australia is all about rugby league nowadays hence the downward spiral of Australian rugby union. It's not that hard to grasp the reasons why.
Because useless 😂
Rugby union in South America is booming
Union isn’t even spoken about where I’m from, unless to disparage it 😅 but internationally it’s not at risk from League.
im not that sure about that. its lost Austraila and decreased in New Zealand. These are 2 of the top 3 preforming clubs in the World Cup. Rugby Union in England is also ailing with Wasps, Irish ans Warriors folding. I can see League coming just as big a Union international with League being Austrialian based with outposts in England and France. Rugby Union being Euro based with outposts in South Africa.
Can't compete with rugby league, when 2 more teams come in to the NRL, tv, rights will be close to 2 billion plus ,ready to dominate.
Rugby in Australia forgot about grass roots and the ARU when they decided to become professional started paying themselves instead of investing in the grass roots. Pacific heritage players are not only spread across Australia and NZ they are applying their trade in different countries such as Japan, Romania, France, Ireland and England to name a few. If world rugby wanted the pacific Islands to succeed then they should take away the stand down rule and allow the players to go back and represent their heritage if they are not selected in these tier 1 nations
Fiji is doing so well in rugby union , they finally have a super rugby team which has helped Fiji and now they being looked into being in the rugby championship. But Fiji made the quarterfinals and almost beat England too
And Fiji 🇫🇯 are playing the allblacks in a Americana this year too 🎉🎉
what you seem to miss is the super rugby had no choice to add these two teams.. which is a joke cause i never seen a team aka Moana which have attendance less than a two school teams
Niue is a Island that is 3hours flight from NZ. There is Some Boys that Play in the NRL that are Niueans. And Two Allblacks have Niuean Blood. Frank Bunce Was a Allblack in the 90s era. And Piri Weepu. Just google those names Sean. Awesome Man.
i didnt know piri weepu was from Niue chur
@@Dinobot-k2xhe isn’t. He’s Maori and born and raised in NZ. He might be part Niuean I’m not sure of that but he’s definitely Maori. Piri is even a Maori name
@@tamatitopia3078 nah ik im maori too.
@@tamatitopia3078his dad is Niuean but he wasn't around when Piri was a little kid. So he grew up only knowing his Maori side 👍🏽.
It's funny, in the late 90s Rugby Union looked like it could have had the brighter future in Australia. Rugby League had the Super League war, it split the game in 2. People were saying it was going to kill the game. At the same time Union had the Super Rugby comp going and it seemed to be getting more and more popular.
The NRL really bounced back strong, Union has started spiraling downwards. I don't know anyone that cares about Union.
In Australia, it's the NRL and AFL at the top, then cricket, then probably soccer and basketball... with union feeding on the scraps. Netball might even top it one day. Actually, the WNRL and WAFL might be more popular than union. lol
The problem is that Rugby League might be winning the battle with more Polynesian players wanting to play NRL and in turn more Polynesian supporters taking notice.. but many European and Japanese Rugby clubs with much more cash will snatch the top tier Polynesian players (which they have been doing) if they want too who haven't been snapped up by the NZ Rugby Union or Australian Rugby Union already. And even if the NRL grabs that talent early which they are doing more so now.. many of those players head back to Union for a bigger pay day of they are top of their game.
We're seeing a few top NRL players looking to move to French Rugby Union, Japanese Rugby Union etc atm for that bigger pay day that the NRL can't compete with when it comes to the real big money. Joey Manu is the latest NRL star player in talks to go to French Rugby Union next year and there will be many more Polynesian NRL players who will follow once he goes and creates that pathway.
Small wins in the Pacific community with Rugby League.. but Rugby League is very far behind Rugby Union globally in popularity and money that even losing out some talent in the pacific to the NRL early on.. won't make the biggest difference as many of those players will go earn the quick cash in the NRL if not picked up by European Rugby clubs as a stepping stone to get noticed and sign with a European Rugby Union club later on.
I mean how many European and clubs have snatched top tier League talent recently? There was Semi Radradra. RTS went over to Union but not club Rugby in Japan and Europe. Besides that I really can't think of really any top tier League players who have gotten poached recently Polynesian or not.
@@ARandomGuy24 that's because a lot of the Polynesian players already get poached before League gets them and they go over. Semi Radradra was the best Winger in the NRL at the time and then got signed over to French Rugby. Koroibete went to the Wallabies but likely with the mindset that he'll go to Japanese or French Rugby after he's done for that extra cash. With Joey Manu being the first player without a Rugby Union background like Radradra going over while in his prime is big right now.. Tuqiri, Sailor and Rogers went over to the Wallabies which made the Wallabies even nkre popular in the early 2000s.. that was for a world cup.. now players are going for that big paychech in europe.
There's also the case that many NRL players might like the idea of playing Union for big bucks in Europe or Japan but are not being approached. I think living in NSW and QLDs Rugby league bubble can make us assume that we are getting the top tier talent from the pacific in League, when it could be the opposite. Thr All Blacks were getting first dibs on the very best Pacific Islanders and the French were getting the best Fijian talent from the sevens teams.. and then League getting the players who didn't get scooped up with a French contract like Radradra and Koroibete. As silly as it sounds because of how good those two are. But if you were to ask Radradra and Koroibete why they went to the nrl, it would likely be because they didn't get the French Rugby or even Wallabies/NZRU contracts at the time and weren't being seen.
You couldn’t be any more wrong
@@danielkelly4487 explain what i'm wrong about then.
@@ejsmith9194 league gets all the junior talent they want Union don’t get anyone the league wants at the junior level I can name probably 100 easy wins And only a handful of players go back to union not many at all
Last person to leave league for European rugby was sbw or gasnier 10 years ago
Radradra was past he’s prime when he left , koribete wasn’t wanted . Sualli and manu will go for a quick buck and come back to league not the other way around like you stated
Peter vlandys is a different beast the growth and financial assets since he took over is insane . Rugby in Australia is dead . League is increasing popularity in nz with the warriors doing so good . A Pacifica team will be next in the nrl and that’ll solidify png Samoa Tonga and Fiji . Talk about a 5 year broadcast deal with America will be massive and the gambling money will be huge . Even afl is watching there back now from nrl
League is not growing anywhere but in Australia 😂
@@Trajan2401 I mean in nz the warriors are getting more and more support . The Pacifica nations will be all about league as soon as they get a team . The uk super league is growing in popularity. The game in Las Vegas already sold 35,000 tickets with fox doing a 5 year deal to broadcast it in America so if you think it’s not going to grow you don’t have much in that head of yours
@@danielkelly4487 you're right, League is growing in NZ especially with the younger generation. If League wants to dominate in NZ it needs to also look at making the 1st 13 team comp in high school stronger cause right now that's where they lose the battle, that particular age bracket. The 1st XV is still the stars of the schools. Why keep taking certain players from Union when you can have a whole store full of League players 😅
There needs to be an NRL team for Christchurch, it's grown quickly down there.
Being a Kiwi i prefer league, its more simple, the balls in play a lot, i could only dream having the talent pool of the All Blacks for the Kiwis, we would tear Australia to shreds, Ardie, the Barrets, Reiko, D mac, Will Jordan, all the number 9s,
league is about ball movement, breaking tackles, Basically NZ footy DNA, i mean sure no more scrums, line outs, malls, and water breaks but we'll leave that to the saffas
Grew up watching Union. But since moving to Aus, i started watching League hardout! Games quick az.
league is boring
@@subbie5498lets be honest.. I am more of a union fan but league is so entertaining
@@juniorsewbs7593 foreal bro. Leagues good. Unions good for International games.
I find it so corny when union fans try to pretend league is this easy game for dumb people when players who could barely make the 17 in league can go on and play for the wallabies next year
If Union dies within the Pacific communities, it means the death of the southern hemisphere (ALL BLACKS) dominance in rugby union. If you look at the amount of Pacific Islanders littered on the international level, it's crazy. Even in the Northern hemisphere beside the South Africans, their clubs best forward 8/10 is going to be a Pacific Islander. Japan's international team has about 6 to 8 Islanders in their squad, I think. Hell, even Ireland has an Islander, and he was their star player for their World Cup campaign.
As someone living in Sydney who has grown up watching both sports, i had always preferred League. However I did very much enjoy Union.
Now i like League even more than i did growing up, and I like Union a whole lot less. To the point where in the past I would go out of my way to watch Wallabies vs All Blacks, or even any other team Australia would play. Now even if a Wallabies game is on at a great time and I'm free, i won't even bother flicking the channel to watch. The rules in Union are ridiculous, confusing and slow the game down way to much. Its no wonder it can't compete in an environment where Rugby League exists. Ontop of that you also have AFL which is popular.
Rugby League is becoming ever more relevant in Oceania. I would much rather watch a game between Tonga and Somoa in league than a Wallabies and All Blacks game, not even exaggerating. And
I would even prefer to watch AFL and NFL over Union. But of course not over Rugby League.
And as for New Zealand's Rugby Union obsession, its not really significant enough because they dont have the Population. Sydney at 5.5 million people has a bigger population than NZ. Not NSW, just Sydney alone population is greater than NZ.
Also Rugby League is very popular in PNG.
NRL and AFL destroy union in this country.
Cricket is pretty good to 😀
One of the most annoying things about the Pacific teams are that the governing body usually gets a lot of money from the people. I remember the Tongan team fundraising millions of dollars one year to support them and none of that money was used for any players or training facilities. The governing body of some of these countries are so money hungry & dodgey.
Same thing with Samoa RFU. Sick of our own damn people ripping us off.
I know nrl is massive in Aussie and union has always struggled it’s like 7th ranked sport in Australia atm . I know in New Zealand rugby still massive especially in South Island but rugby league is getting massive in north island especially with the warriors doing so well but it’s growing! Rugby league struggles with international that’s what separates the two codes from each other the domestic side of league is better than the domestic side of union but in union international rugby union does better. Even basketball here in nz is on a massive rise
I agree with you. Also I think the other added factor is the corruption within the Samoa Rugby (can't speak on the our neighbouring pacific islands cause I don't know). The corruption becomes a deterrent. Players want to represent their motherland but due to corruption within the board, players are forced to pay their own way and if they don't have a well paid contract, they can't play for the Samoa cause they have to provide for their family first. It's sad, cause then they find contracts in the NH that give them the money they need but some contracts still lock them out of representing due to calendar tours clashing with the NH competitions.
It’s the same.. corruption…
@@BigGuyPrime corruption and politics biggest killers!
Sure rugby union could still always be the bigger sport known worldwide, but rugby league in Australia has all but killed union, and I foresee rugby league completely owing all of Oceania, the NRL was even in talks in adding a permanent team in Papua New Guinea that would be the second international team to play in the NRL the first being the New Zealand warriors, also for the American audience new to rugby and rugby league, picking which one would be better for the newcomers it would be definitely league, it’s easier for the Americans to understand, simpler rules, and overall better game to watch
Rugby is all ready in America Allblacks are playing Fiji in America this year last time I looked Fiji were in the Pacific Rugby 7s have a round in the us and Canada the Rugby world cup is been hold in the us in 2031 and the woman's world cup in 2033 America have there own Competition MLS major league Rugby and people still call Rugby League . Rugby so sorry Rugby is not dieing or going away
Rugby union is not new to Americans. Rugby has been played in ivy league schools for more than 20 years. If you don't believe me look into the Abercrombie & Fitch around the year 2000. There is also a union competition in America where a lot of ex AB finish off their careers.
Although Union is established in America it's still growing at a slow pace, League has come in hot with the Vegas double header and with all the promotion they have put in has been great but they will need to keep investing to catch up before 2031 when America hosts the RWC.
I believe League can do it but I hope both codes succeed in the long run.
Internationally, I can't see NRL overtaking Union except in Australia. Yeah, money might be good in NRL, but Union players can just easily go to Japan or Europe.
Nrl pays more than Japan or Europe
Yeah but Japan & Europe pays enough for them to stay in Union. They're also killing 2 birds with 1 stone by being able to travel to another country instead of travelling around in one country.
Yeah maybe NRL would take over the world, but I definitely see us taking over the entire Oceania region for sure, that’s a big win, nrl will continue to grow from there
@@michaeldudgeon you'd probably have to wait for another 50years for that.
Bro fiji reached the quarter finals in the 2023 wc and came damn close to reaching the semifinals. Big names also started playing for their country of origins like All Alaatoa, Israel Falau, Leliafano, luatua, fekitoa, etc. Hoping WR invests more into the island teams , they always exciting to watch. Samoa use to big one of the most brutal matches now they just don’t have that same oomf anymore. Fiji looking great though, lots of fijians playing in France making bank. League is like checkers and union like chess. I guess some like checkers more than chess
Union does have big problems but Rugby League's popularity is pretty low on the list
It’s not like galic football my bro. It’s a big sport. Most profitable sport in Australia. It’s growing fast mate you just living under a rock or in a country where it doesn’t exist
@@baccycones7644 I'm aware of its popularity in Australia, that doesn't mean it's a particular threat to Rugby Unions international popularity.
@@cymraegpunk1420 it is tho, in Polynesia. Rugby league isn’t trying to push into South Africa or anything like that, it’s not trying to take unions fan base, just grow rugby leagues by expanding around Australia. Rugby league is competing with rugby union in and around Australia, we don’t care about rugby union other than that.
@@cymraegpunk1420it is a threat especially when rugby league is becoming more and more popular in nz . It’s dead in Australia it’s taking a game to Vegas and sold 35,000 tickets already and it’s being televised there and talks of making it a 5 year contract Peter vlandys is a different beast
LEAGUE will never take over the ALL BLACKS and rugby here you can try but never here in Aotearoa but LEAGUE is here yes thats all rugby has to much history here LEAGUE killed off UNION in AUSTRALIA but doesent mean its gonna happen here @@danielkelly4487
Rugby league is a much better sport with more opportunities,much better competition.NRL just topped Australia as it's number one sport last year. Not AFL,not Union, not cricket but rugby league. Check out the facts released if you don't believe me.
I could send you the report link if you want. NRL/RUGBY LEAGUE is the number one sporting code in Australia now. FACT!
Its simple, NRL is a better product than Super Rugby in the Oceania region. Faster game, easier to understand rules, real tribalism, far more ball in play and far less time wasting. As NRL grows its income base (they just posted a record income for 2023 which makes it the richest sport in Australia) with its new TV deals in the US and other markets, as well as its growing asset base, it will become more competitive with the likes of French or Japanese Rugby. While the international game of Rugby League is a blip compared to Union, the NRL is a top tier competition that will have its time as an internationally appreciated game.
Add to this the fact that NRL actively promotes pasifika culture within the game as opposed to top Rugby nations poaching player from Pasifika regions and you have a recipe for an enduring relationship between NRL and Pasifika people. Jason Taumalolo was the tip of the iceberg when it came to Pasifika players rejecting playing for Aus/NZ for their culture, whereas in Rugby its all for the money and the nations that have the coin. The culture of Rugby League has always been inclusive and open and for the common man, whereas Rugby Union has always been about the upper class to the detriment of the common man. This is what is finally being realised in Pasifika nations and NZ with the 'Up the Wahs' movement.
I think that the two Rugbys should move on from their historical grievences and unite. Then we could have 15s, 13s, 9s, and 7s all with their place in the sun and one governing body to promote it.
The NRL is not the richest sporting competition in Australia though.
@@laurens4561 it is now and since peter vlandys has taken over Union is no longer competition and now afl is watching there backs instead of the other way around
AFL cash flow is way bigger then nrl
UNION and LEAGUE to different sports
@@jonathonwhitiora8102 I wouldn’t say way bigger at all
Union's only good at International level, but there's only a handful of games a year between different nations...none of their comps can match the NRL or Superleague
Rugby started to die in Australia a good ten years ago.
The rule changes they have made are turning people away.
For example. Knock down a pass or try and intercept it and drop it. Sent off for ten minutes 😮
Accidental head on head contact sent off the whole game.
yo Europe is where it at..Saudi and American money is comin in..its hard to see league competing at a global level
Yeah next tv deal when 2more teams come in NRL ,more promoting in USA ,NRL is opening round 1 in Las Vegas 1 March 2024 with more US wagering on the sport we're in the billions of dollars and rising.
the NFL is ALSO POACHING PI talent too.. but in saying this I don't think rugby union will be destroyed until league becomes the no 1 game in NZ which I doubt will ever happen
Rugby Union In Australia is finished its third-rate sport now can only be watched on pay TV its slow and boring that's why NRL Rugby League has all the players at the junior level. They only have some private school kids, People in Australia like the nonstop speed of the NRL not all this whistle-blowing rubbish. All the sponsor ship is for league and the TV is to
Rugby union know rugby league is taking over not only in Australia but all Pacific island nations but they can't do anything about it now.Too little too late. Rugby league/the NRL have out played rugby union, check mate. See you in Vagas
gloubally league will never take over union
I don’t mind at all because I like league much more
I have said this before and I will say it again. No other nation has done more for rugby than South Africa. We brought Argentina into the rugby championship. We paid the costs of the south american team to participate in superrugby. We started the Mzansi league which brought teams from the Americas, Africa and eastern europe to play in a top tier competition. When portugal did well in the world cup, they were rewarded with a game against the springboks in 2024. As much as the ABs are a good team, they did nothing to develop the game over there for the other nations.
Please research ALL facts.
New Zealand coaches and former AllBlacks have scattered themselves across the globe to help build rugby. Jonah did this in France where he hoped to turn them into one of France's top clubs. Jerry Collins is another. Regarding coaches, there are so many NZ coaches still to this day assisting other international sides. Pasifica rugby is another area where NZ have got behind. Tana Umanga is coaching there.
NZ for the size it is … does actively do their best to help promote, sponsor and coach outside of our own lands.
It is really shameful that a South African has the audacity to forget what NZ did during apartheid years. Some NZ rugby players were banned as a result of going to South Africa. Why do South Africans have this desire and thirst for running down NZ and AllBlacks whilst beating their chests?
@@HeeniKeke AND @MrFarr007 YOU BOTH GOT SOME VERY VALID POINTS BOTH SOUTH AFRICA AND NEW ZEALAND RUGBY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO INTERNATIONAL RUGBY AND ITS DEVLOPMENT FOR THE GAME TO TRUELY DEVOLP GLOUBALLY EVERY COUNTRY I BELIVE HAS TO HAVE GRASSROOTS RUGBY THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING THE YOUNG KIDS AND YOUTH LEVEL AGE GROUPS AND UP AND IN THE SCHOOLS AND TO HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS AND UP BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS 15 ASIDE 10 ASIDE 7 ASIDE FROM THERE TO THE CLUBS LEVEL AND ONWARDS HAVING DEPTH IN PLAYERS HAVING DEPTH IN REFEERS AND TOUCHES AND OFFICIALS HAVING DEPTH IN COACHES AND SELLECTORS HIGH PERFORMANCE FITNESS PERSONAL AND HAVING DEPTH IN BUSNESS AND MANEGERMENT AND ADMINSTRATION WHICH COULD LEAD TO MEDIA AND TECH AREA AND BY HAVING THESE THINGS INPLACE WITH THE ALREADY EXISTISTING STRUCTURES IN PLACE WORKING ALONG SIDE BY SIDE IM A STRONG SUPPORTER OF DEMESTIC PROFESSINAL RUGBY EVERY COUNTRY HAS ITS OWN PROFESSINAL LEAGUE SET UP AT THE TOP UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL TEST LEVEL
New-way 🇳🇺
No, it’s New-ehh
its dying i oz because they suck at it
Then wait when the wallabies do good again then all the bandwagoners jump on. Cause they realise union is still bigger internationally haha. Aussie man honesty fickle people.
@@jarradmorgan8549 they need to invest at the roots of rugby. Australia arent contenders anymore.
Australia are good at rugby just look at the brumbies they can match and beat the new zealand super rugby teams @@Dinobot-k2x
@@Dinobot-k2x that’s what I said wait till their good again.
Played both and watch both... So not hating. But the dude comparing International league and Union is ridiculous.
Destroying it for who?
These people dreaming only in Australia is rugby ranked lower than league, rugby is played world wide, Australia thinks the world revolves around them
Who cares about Australia and league which is way behind union in popularity and globally they can have that game 😂 league fans are very delusional thinking league is getting big they need more than islanders they need a miracle 😂 there's only 2-3 decent sides in league in union there's already been 4 different world champions within 36 years and that doesn't even include Ireland,France,Wales,Argentina,Scotland etc who on their day can beat anyone
Not a fan of rugby league, extremely boring
If you grew up with league you’d like it. That’s the only difference, both great games but I find union slow, kinda boring and hits aren’t as big. I feel that way cause I grew up with league and knows it’s history so the games actually mean something to me
Rugby league's boring
Fiji breeds unbelievable athletes, for a Melanesian group