I think that many casual sports fans don't really know the difference
between league and union and the fact that GB were playing Australia at the
same time as Australia were playing England was probably confusing for
many - though obviously the league tests got less coverage, and what with
the union lot calling it the 'rugby world cup' rather than the 'rugby union
world cup' added even more to the confusion - so I doubt if league will be
damaged particularly, it may even get some indirect benefit, though no doubt
union in England will greatly benefit, especially in terms of sponsorship
and shirt sales.

League needs to just get on with it. Some hard work seems to be going in to
getting GB up to scratch - the next 3 years on the trot will see the
Tri-Nations series in Britain between GB, Australia and New Zealand. It has
the potential to be big if GB can make a serious challenge - we've got 3
cracks at it to get it right and turn it into a big event.

I didn't see too much of the union world cup - there's only so many goals
being kicked you can watch before it sends you to sleep - I much prefer to
see tries being scored so although GB lost the series 3-0 I know which event
I preferred to watch. Saying that, at least the union lot can beat the
Aussies! Albeit by boring them to death!

Andy
http://www.andysav.free-online.co.uk/rugby.htm

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Rance <p_rance@...>
To: Great-Britain-RugbyLeague@yahoogroups.com
<Great-Britain-RugbyLeague@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 23 November 2003 12:12
Subject: [Great-Britain-RugbyLeague] England's Union triumph good for
League?




With England winning the Union World Cup on the same day as Great
Britain were whitewashed by Australia, it would be easy to suggest
that Union will eat up Rugby League, but the same was said after
Union went professional.

I think maybe football should be more worried. The Union team have
come across as decent fellas, and none more so than Jason Robinson -
an ex-League star. Most rugby players seem to have their feet on the
ground, and if I had a son I'd be happier for him to play
professional rugby than football. With lurid stories about football
players at an all-time high, it's good news that English sportsmen
are making the front pages for the right reasons.

I think there'll always be room for both codes of rugby. Jason
Robinson apart, not too many League stars have made a massive
impression on the Union game, so I don't see League clubs being
raided for their best players on an unprecedented scale.

The Great Britain team actually seems to be closing the gap on
Australia, and the 3-0 series scoreline was an unfair reflection on
the series as a whole.

Viva rugby!

- Paul.





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