Support Rugby Merger Talks (League & Union)

Rugby league and rugby union are currently battling it out in a downward spiral of falling popularity, relentless tales of off field barbarism and vulgarity, scarcity of financial resources and a shrinking base of on-field talent.

The two codes are also beleaguered by inherent flaws, which detract from them as spectacles in an ever increasingly competitive sporting market.

Ironically, many of these flaws, such as scrums in Rugby League and constant kicking in Rugby Union, are unique to each code. However, attempting to rectify these flaws would require the game’s administrators to make rule changes which would bring the codes closer together.

The separation of Rugby League and Rugby Union represent a 110 year old pay dispute.

The source of this dispute is long gone. Both codes are now fully professional at their elite levels and are paid large sums from the same source in Foxtel.

Of course, it would be difficult to come upon an agreed set of rules for the game, as well as the acceptance by other countries. But change is difficult to accept.

Sometimes it just has to occur.

A combining of the codes would assist the following problems for Rugby League;

* lack of international appeal and meaningful international fixtures
* risk in expansion within Australia
* it’s lack of professional media presentation
* need for a more revitalised and more entertaining style of play

Benefits for Rugby Union in its present form would be;

* domestic club rugby would be re-born using a revamped NRL structure as the base
* large expansion of junior territory and resources
* improved pool of players at international level
* a more revitalised and entertaining style of play