Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Sun Jun 25, 2017 8:33 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

SL is regressing, i don't disagree, but you arent comparing like to like. You can't compare an All-Blacks v Lions game to a run of the mill leeds v cas game as a fair measure of quality.

The lions (a squad which contains a kiwi, a tongan, and 2 aussies one an RL player, hardly a ringing endorsement of northern hemisphere rugby) playing against the kiwis (containing another RL product) is probably comparable to SoO or a meaningful kiwi v kangaroos game.

Try watching the Rebels, Reds, Kings, Bulls, Bristol, Newport, Zebre, Edinburgh, Worcester, even the Force or Waratahs, they make Leigh and Widnes look like NSW and Queensland.

i compared the test to the last two RL internationals i saw at the olympic stadium, england vs NZ was particularly dire,

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Sun Jun 25, 2017 8:59 pm  

perhaps you are particularly unfortunate then because the Eng V NZ game after that at the DW was a great game, the one after that at Huddersfield was an absolute cracker aswell. The 2014 Four Nations was an utterly fantastic competition all the way through and the World Cup semi v NZ was also a brilliant game.

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 1:01 am  

At international level RL teams have to be very close in ability - at least on the day - for the game to be a contest. In international RU a side with dire backs can stay in touch if its good at set pieces and keeps the game tight. England RL can often put an OK pack out but you simply can't play a game in the forwards if the other side wants to move the ball around.

As for RU, Australia are in really poor shape ATM. The skill levels in the backs are alarmingly poor, and Folau aside they have nobody with individual brilliance either. Scotland looked like a team wth backs straight out of the 1980s in terms of fitness, strength and skill but managed to beat them.

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:46 am  

SmokeyTA wrote:

perhaps you are particularly unfortunate then because the Eng V NZ game after that at the DW was a great game, the one after that at Huddersfield was an absolute cracker aswell. The 2014 Four Nations was an utterly fantastic competition all the way through and the World Cup semi v NZ was also a brilliant game.

I would agree with that.

For every quality RU international i have watched there have been half a dozen instantly forgetable/ dire games in the mean time. If we are using this Lions series as a comparison to RL, lets also highlight that this should be the very highest calibre anyway as you have the best players from 4 nations playing against the double world champions who also play the best brand of Rugby that code has to offer.

10.04 PM! : Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:29 pm  

That is what time Fridays game between Leeds and Castleford finished. The second half started at 9.13pm which meant that 51 minutes where played in the second half! As sky can finish at 10.30pm it gives them lots of time to intruduce the program have loads of stoppages to see if there whose foot was in touch for a tap or drop out, time outs for fastly made scrums and stoppages to see who where the culprits in minor brawls also a huge 18 minutes for half time! When its a cup game with a live sport at the end of it they seem to cut the half time to about 12 minutes and start ON TIME e.g. 8.00pm and not 8.04pm!

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 3:55 pm  

Time to revisit the idea of kicking off evening games at 7.45. Especially if they are on telly with video ref decisions likely to make it a longer game than normal.

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:43 pm  

suffolk rhinos wrote:

top post but you can read the same comments on wire, saints or pies board, super league and the game in general is on a slippery slope, watched the all blacks this morning, ball handling skills at pace which was great to watch, when was the last international RL game we can say that about

I agree that SL is going backwards, or at least the top leagues are

But, comparing the all blacks to SL is not really fair, I would say the skills in SL match those in the RFU Premiership and Id bet the Kagaroos have more skillfull back than the all blacks

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:44 pm  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

As for RU, Australia are in really poor shape ATM. The skill levels in the backs are alarmingly poor, and Folau aside they have nobody with individual brilliance either. Scotland looked like a team wth backs straight out of the 1980s in terms of fitness, strength and skill but managed to beat them.

I'd agree with that, although I think Bernard Foley would make a great RL HB.

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 7:38 pm  

leedsnsouths wrote:

I agree that SL is going backwards, or at least the top leagues are

But, comparing the all blacks to SL is not really fair, I would say the skills in SL match those in the RFU Premiership and Id bet the Kagaroos have more skillfull back than the all blacks

I wasn't, i was comparing the quality of the last two league internationals i saw vs the AB lions test, the comment about super league is self evident, not only on this board but other forums,
Agree that the kangaroos are the equivalent of the Ab s in terms of dominance and ability, i love RL and always big it up union mates who don't really pay it much attention but by the same token they don't tend to look down their noses at it like a fair few league fans do, you know the ones who call it yawnion or kick n clap,
both games can be a joy to watch played by committed skilful teams, hope the lions can square the series, not good for any team to be too dominant in any sport (unless its us )

Re: RD 19 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:46 pm  

suffolk rhinos wrote:

I wasn't, i was comparing the quality of the last two league internationals i saw vs the AB lions test, the comment about super league is self evident, not only on this board but other forums,
Agree that the kangaroos are the equivalent of the Ab s in terms of dominance and ability, i love RL and always big it up union mates who don't really pay it much attention but by the same token they don't tend to look down their noses at it like a fair few league fans do, you know the ones who call it yawnion or kick n clap,
both games can be a joy to watch played by committed skilful teams, hope the lions can square the series, not good for any team to be too dominant in any sport (unless its us )

Yea I misread your earlier comment

I think the Super Rugby is worth watching due to the ball movement (if you can get past the moral fact it was formed to prevent rugby league from growing) but I cant sit through the way european teams play tbh