With sport in general being in major trouble because of the epidemic could it "force" a merger of the rugby codes?
If the financial package was good enough could we see a hybrid game?
It may seem far fetched at the moment, BUT!!!!
With sport in general being in major trouble because of the epidemic could it "force" a merger of the rugby codes?
If the financial package was good enough could we see a hybrid game?
It may seem far fetched at the moment, BUT!!!!
I can't see it. Union is worldwide sport.
It will never happen there will always be a North/South divide in this country with an "our game is better than your game" mentality on both sides. I honestly think that the recruitment of good quality Australian and other overseas players will lessen even further after this crisis.which might give more opportunity to our youngsters. Its obviously understandable that players will think twice about coming over here with their young families away from parents and extended family just to prolong their career for a couple of years. Premiership Rugby Union is kept going and subsidised by wealthy owners, all clubs run at far worse deficits than ours due to the higher wages involved. I can easily see international union players being put on a type of central contract like cricket and doing even more touring to increase revenue to other countries which are in poor financial health.
I mentioned quite a few years back that the future could be a hybrid game and the current circumstances might make the codes to consider one, but Union would have the upper hand in the UK wanting to keep the money generator of the 6 nations.
The other options are to go part time but that would hammer the clubs that have put the effort in to provide higher standards of the new stadiums, the likes of Wakefield, Castleford and maybe Hull K R would benefit because they don't rely on off pitch revenue streams.
Highly unlikely IMO.
We might see clubs in both codes folding, but any serious talk of a'hybrid' game would just see us ending up with three codes of rugby!
The way I see it, any club that does fold would simply be replaced by one further down the ladder.
We may see an increase in ground sharing etc (and no! I'm not looking to score points here! ), but I can't see it going any further than that.
Edit. It's early days yet, but would I would like to see from the RFL is the promise of no penalties for any club forced into administration.
Difficult to see what a hybrid game would look like given that Union would demand more of their rules in a hybrid game here (backed by their larger and more powerful media) whilst the exact opposite would be the case in Australia were the RL media and game in general is far bigger and more powerful.
Most of the rugby union playing nations would have little interest in, or reason to consider, creating a hybrid game given that rugby league is non-existent in those countries.
Funnily enough I had the same discussion with mates yesterday ( via Whatts App I might add!). I dont think its something most of us would like to see and Im not sure what aspects peculiar to Union I would enjoy to be honest.
The only thing that makes a hybrid game a possibility is purely financial necessity.
I can see the broadcasters reasons for having a single game of "rugby" but not sure many fans on either side of the code divide would be keen.
RU finances at club level are shocking (saw some figures in The Times yesterday) and much bigger debt numbers than club RL however they have the power of the international game to support it. We simply do not.
I can definitely see a couple of SL clubs going to the wall as a result of the current crisis. Most clubs live had to mouth and below SL level it will be disasterous.
I dont think its as far fetched as many people suggest Brian.
Last edited by Div; 22nd March 2020 at 14:15.
I wouldn’t bother watching a merged game unless it was thirteen a side, no line-outs etc etc. I wouldn’t fancy Sale Saints v Worcester being played at the former rented home of disbanded Rugby League club Wigan Warriors.
I should imagine the financial state of having to go hybrid would most likely reduce the playing squad to go in favour of 13 a side, our league scrums are a joke so I would go to the union type scrummage here. When you look at the fastest ruck speed normally that is welsh rugby and comparing our slowest hold down with interference play the ball I don't think their would be a great amount of difference, perhaps the ruck can be reduced by limiting the amount of players when a player goes to ground and no one can join the ruck. We could still have a line out but with a maximum of 4 players on each side and a shot clock of 20 seconds to speed things up.
For that to work they would need a couple of months of marketed development games, the biggest problem would be outside the UK domestic game the likes of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa might not be as financially damaged and the french (union) might use the prohibition card.
Last edited by STIDDY; 22nd March 2020 at 15:51.
It would possibly need some Kerry Packer type backer to come with a special hybrid tournament for TV only to fill the current void.
If it was done right it may take off but it would be difficult for changes to filter down to the grass roots of either game.
I think RU is so steeped in its traditions it would be difficult to change
The question is: who would want it? I don’t think anyone in Union would (unless it was basically a Union takeover of league clubs) and I don’t know of any league people that would want to watch a hybrid game.
The problem with a hybrid game is that league has already been there, do we have 13 a side with a limited ruck - I.e unlimited tackle league? ( At least we could bypass the 4 tackle period).
Do we go back to competitive scrums, watch any old video and see how that works with a 6 man pack.
If we have any hybrid game the main money and power will be from the NRL and pretty soon they will force through rule changes so that we end watching what we have now.
I believe for it to really benefit union it would have to happen in Australia, that is the rugby playing nation that belongs to league. I hope and think both codes will survive this shudder and economically we will see a pretty quick (within six month) turnaround. The danger will be a double dip or something similar within a two year period then I think you will see wholesale change to professional sport of all types. Sadly I think we are heading for a ten team super league within three years (professional) SKY funded or a extended sixteen/eighteen rugby league at semi-professional level without SKY who I believe hold the key to both codes as I feel BT sport will integrate into SKY.
The Arriva Premiership is as reliant on BT as Super League is on Sky.
There is so much amateur Union in the world how would you get all those clubs to change?
Not only us then.
https://www.skysports.com/rugby-unio...rugby-chairman
If we merged and became a hybrid sport i wouldn’t bother going to a game. I’d imagine both sports would carry on in an amateur form. So id probably start watching St Helens Town AFC as they battle to avoid relegation.
Last edited by STIDDY; 23rd March 2020 at 10:32.
If airlines, the housing market, major commercial business and financial markets all fail, where are we going to get money to watch anything.
Loyal and true, not a glory hunter.