My test line up

[Kriterion_BD]

same side as the OP but take out Chigs and put in Ervine.

btw, where is Cremer? is he still injured?

[ZIMDOGGY]

zimfanatic u called eugene sneery and condescending but in all due respect i find you more guilty of that time to time.

also Eugene is ma boy...anyone messes with him they have zimdog to contend with.

That said..
league was essentially created back in the day to be a more efficient exciting form of union. Rugby but without some of the rules that dont make sense (lineouts) and some of the rules that dull it up a bit.

I know nothing accounts for personal taste, but often i watch rugby union (a game i grew up playing mind you) go a whole game without a try scored.... just penalty after penalty for reasont he viewer doesnt always quite understand.

English rugby league is fast paced but the quality is pretty lol bad compard to the NRL. Thats no offence to the english as its still in little brother mode to rugby, but its a act that the best ESL side would still get hammered by the worse NRL side. Those esl teams are viewed as a "retirement home" to 30+ nrl stars looking for a few extra bucks before it all ends for good (kinda like greg lamb coming back to zim). 90% of aussie expats to the esl are unwanted by clubs back home. there are some exceptions but very rare.

State of origin is indeed the pinnacle of league. An exciting league game just blows anything away in rugby union. An exciting union game (when it happens) is probably better than a dull league game but if you were to look on the sliding bell curve of stats excitement will favour the league teams.

Theres been alot of politics at play over the years...union, in countries other than Aus, PNG etc has done a great job of keeping league down...very nasty ones too. leagues never had the officialdom to counter this. Even the NRL is inept at times with its administration (they dont allow highlight..aka free publicity....on youtube for instance).

all things equal league is more entertaining though. And State of origin is literally the highest standardof rugby in ANY code. its brutal and exceptionally quick.

[Zimfanatic69]

zimfanatic u called eugene sneery and condescending but in all due respect i find you more guilty of that time to time.

also Eugene is ma boy...anyone messes with him they have zimdog to contend with.

Very school playground.

That said..
league was essentially created back in the day to be a more efficient exciting form of union. Rugby but without some of the rules that dont make sense (lineouts) and some of the rules that dull it up a bit.

League was not created to be a more efficient and exciting version of Union. When "League" started they played under the same rules and these rules evolved over a period of time. It was over 10 years before the teams were reduced to 13 players.

[eugene]

Rugby League was treated very badly in France. Thg government effectively banned it at one point in favour of Union.

Zimdoggy, I tend to watch a lot of Super League these days as it fits with American timezones better than NRL. I would say Super League is improving and that there is more young English talent coming through than there used to be. There are also fewer washed up Australians/New Zealanders than there used to be due to quotas and a lower salary cap. I think teams like Leeds, St. Helens, Wigan, and Warrington could probably hold their own in the NRL for the most part. The problem with Super League is that the other teams probably wouldn't stand a chance in NRL.

[maehara]

Somewhat off-topic. Locking. Also: yay rugby union.