There’s nothing quite like a rugby league versus rugby union debate to get rugby fans talking. Two groups with more in common than they would care to admit but who could not be further apart in their opinions on the game.
As a lifetime rugby supporter of both codes, I spent a bit of time in quiet reflection recently, over a tinny or two, to consider which code is better? Union, or league?
In general, rugby union is better at attracting larger world wide audiences on television and at spreading the game of rugby union to different countries. However, rugby league became professional a long time before union and has produced a more reliably entertaining, and faster flowing game as a result.
Obviously, there is a lot more to this than that, for example, to decide which game is ‘better’ we need to consider which game is more enjoyable to play, regional differences in popularity, styles of play, the unpredictability of matches for viewers, how the international games compare, and so on.
I’m going to try and unpick this bit by bit and then see if I can reach a relatively ‘fair’ verdict about which sport is better.
Which Is More Enjoyable To Play: Rugby League Or Union?
6.6 million people play rugby union world wide as of 2019, according to a report by the International Rugby Board (source). In contrast, rugby league is played in 70 countries and the number of players is likely to be less than half that of union, thus indicating that rugby union is more enjoyable to play.
On the whole, I enjoyed playing rugby union more than league. I always felt that there was more room for creativity and that games would pan out more unpredictably in union.
Although league was faster to play with there being no real contest for the ball at the tackle it felt quite one dimensional at times, 5 tackles then kick/handover, whereas in union there were all sorts of different facets of play to be reckoned with.
For example, league doesn’t have lineouts which are a glorious part of the game of union for some. Do you throw short for a catch and drive, to the middle for off the top ball which can be delivered quickly to midfield runners or risk throwing to the tail of the lineout for variety or for a looser game?
In league, there’s none of this intrigue, you just tap and go.
League doesn’t even have competitive scrums, rucks and mauls, in fact, there are virtually zero situations in rugby league when you can compete for the ball which for a competitive person (and isn’t that what sport is all about?) really takes the edge out of it.
That said, on days when I just wanted to run around and ‘go nuts’, rugby league was much more carefree, with far less scope for errors than rugby union due to there being so few different facets of the game to master and deal with.
The greatest similarity, which we all love though, is watching players running, passing and being creative with the ball and I think it’s fair to say that rugby league offers more opportunities for that to happen, and for that reason alone is why many people prefer it. Personally, though as I have explained I think union just offers more facets of play to enjoy.
At this point you might want to check out Why Rugby Is Sometimes Called Football here.
Which Has The Better International Game: Rugby League Or Union?
The rugby union world cup is the fourth largest sporting event on the planet in terms of numbers of people watching live. In fact, the 2019 rugby union world cup final attracted an audience of 44.9 million people and the total number of viewers for the tournament was 857 million according to rugbyworld cup.com.
Contrast that with the rugby league world cup which boasted only a potential viewership of 160 million and around 16 million watching the final (source)
In short, the rugby union people have been far better at spreading the game to other nations than league which is somewhat strange given that the rules are much more complex. However, on further inspection it may just be that the ‘secret sauce’ that union has is the abbreviated version of the game ‘Rugby 7s’.
This version of the game is much simpler and in some respects more entertaining to watch than its 15 a-side big brother.
This means that it is much easier to teach people to play and get people involved. You only have to look at the number of nations playing in the World 7 series and to see how nations, such as, Kenya have managed to produce teams capable of competing with and beating the traditionally best teams in the world, such as Fiji and New Zealand.
“The results of this global Nielsen research demonstrate that 2019 was a fantastic year for our sport, exemplified by a historic and spectacular Rugby World Cup and growing interest around the globe, with significant strides forward in the women’s game and amongst emerging nations.
World Rugby chairman, sir Bill Beaumont
“We have seen a phenomenal growth in interest, particularly in Japan and across Asia.
Indeed, the game of Rugby 7s (Union) has even become an Olympic sport which helps spread the rugby gospel yet further. Rugby League does also have an abbreviated 10 a side version but this is far less well adopted and in all honesty they have missed the boat in terms of competing with Rugby 7s.
Which Is More Popular Rugby League Or Rugby Union?
Rugby union is played by 6.6 million people world wide and in 119 countries (source), where as, in rugby league, even the country where it is most popular, Australia, there are only around 40,000 players (source) and the game is played in approximately 70 countries.
Whilst those state would strongly suggest that rugby union is more popular there are regional pockets of feverish rugby league fans and with good reason. The standard of play and general rugby skills on offer plus the level of entertainment on show in the NRL in Australia dn New Zealand is considered top drawer even by ardent union supporters.
In fact, I’ve heard it said that the majority of rugby league internationals (The Kangaroos) could convert to union and pretty much walk into the union squad (The Wallabies) such is the discrepancy in talent and physical attributes between the two.
That does seem a little far fetched, but the likes of Israel Falou, Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Andrew Walker, Lote Tuquiri have all trod the dual code international path in the not to recent past although they are, of course, all backs.
Speaking to my Australian friends, rugby union has never been at a lower ebb than right now (mid 2021), fan numbers and player numbers are dropping and the national rugby competition, Super Rugby’ has lost its identity. In short, the game of union in Australia is in dire straits where as rugby league on the other hand has never been more popular.
Whilst the strength of league is in a few small strongholds, Australia and the north of England. Rugby union can boast top tier nations with strong playing and viewing figures , such as in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France and also in South Africa and New Zealand with competitions such as The Six Nations, and The Rugby Championship providing worldwide entertainment across popular sports channels.
Excitingly though, it is the grip the game is taking in more far flung countries that continues to prove its popularity. The Asian Rugby Championship, for example, features teams from countries such as, South Korea, The Phillipines, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, India and Thailand to name but a few.
Which Sport Is More Physical Rugby League Or Rugby Union?
Generally, rugby league is considered to have bigger collisions and harder hits due to the increased space and the length of the run up players have before each tackle. On the other hand, unions only claim to be more physical surrounds the fact that they have competitive scrums, ruck and mauls.
In league at every ‘play the ball’ the opponents defence have to retire a full 10 metres. This gives players at least 20 metres of space to accelerate into
. Furthermore, hits tend to be head on tackles where as in union tackles can often be side on and therefore less confrontational to make. League hits can be devastating and until recently you were allowed to shoulder charge, i.e. hit people without wrapping your arms. A tactic that can be particularly dangerous.
However, if you have ever spent time in a competitive scrum where the constant pressure on your legs gradually saps the energy from your legs over a game, or a ruck where you get trodden all over.
Or, perhaps even rolled over from around the kneck, or a maul within which you can become physically stuck and unable to have any say in where your body parts are going to end up due to the driving force around you, then you cant really appreciate how physical union actually is.
Whilst both sports are highly physical it is surprising that these big tough players shave their legs, get the lowdown on that here.
Rugby Union Vs Rugby League: The Final Verdict
Obviously, the question which game is better is probably to vague for a serious answer devoid of personal opinion to be offered. For me, I was brought up with union and enjoyed watching league as a bit of a side show. I did always reach a point when watching rugby league that it became boring due to the rather predictable nature of the 5 tackles and kick flow of the game.
In stark contrast, in union you can play the game in completely different ways. Anyone who watches the current premiership in the UK will see Bristol throwing the ball around, and trying to attack from deep with ball in hand with a fast flowing ball in hand game.
But they can also witness the champions Exeter play an extremely different game, involving much more tactical kicking and strong use of forwards as pick and go runners near the posts and in driving mauls from lineouts.
This variety that is sown into the very foundations of rugby union is the main reason I consider it to be a better game. That said, rugby league is also a cracking game and I would rather play or either of them than be forced to engage with that horrible round ball game that has sadly permeated the globe.
You might also want to read about the rules surrounding wearing gloves in rugby here.
Photo Credits:
Shaun Ainscough dives for the line to score a try in the 2009 Challenge Cup for Wigan during their victory over Barrow Raiders. andrew-rose, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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