England 74 Wales 0: From rugby league joke Test to World Cup farce

This opinion is from someone who self admits she's not a league fan and has failed to see the full picture of the game. Wales had nine first choice players out plus three recent retirement. Wales have beaten England at both A and under 18 level this year so have proven they are strong at other levels. The game is going through a transitional phase right now and anyone who did a bit more in-depth research would be able to see that the game is booming in Wales at other levels with over 1,500 children taking part in RL competitions in Wales this year. All the lads who played last night were young and inexperienced. If results like this are still occurring in three years time then fair call, otherwise John Dixon has summed up things perfectly when he said it was the start of a learning curve. Other comments - "raped the valleys" - isn't that a little harsh especially considering the general meaning of the first word. Also, what is "proper rugby league". RL is played domestically all around the world now in many other countries hardly recognised by the non-RL press like Lebanon, South Africa, Jamaica, Serbia and Russia. The reason these are not recognised is sometimes down to lack of promotion by the sport itself but generally ignorance by the general sporting media. Oh and I know little about the other kind of rugby so I can't really comment on "several of the teams that competed in last year’s union World Cup were merely making up numbers". But then I'm not writing about that sport.

Donna misses the point. The Welsh team last night may have been weakened by injuries, creating the mismatch in scores against an English side many Antipodeans feel may win the World Cup. However, unlike the sides of Jonathan Davies, Scott Gibbs era; the side is becoming a side born from Welsh rugby league, not reliant on converts from union and sustainable in terms of its future development as it is under-pinned by the Celtic Crusaders in Super League. Unlike the Lee Briers, Iestyn Harris, Keiron Cunningham era side, this team contained half a team that are Welsh by birth as opposed to by grandparent rule (it should be noted at this point that the WRU were quite happy to accept the credentials of 2 of the above). Instant results are neither expected nor guaranteed, but the RFL appear to want the Welsh sporting public to have a side they can identify with and believe in to support. Free from the pressure of competing in this autumn's world cup, the Welsh are doing exactly the right thing in blooding youngsters to prepare for a much stronger bid in 2013. Good luck to them, both on the field and in winning over cynics such as Donna.

As a Union fan,no doubt you are used to being in the minority.Check the latest BARB viewing figures for Union/League.On friday 26 Sept,the league game between Leeds/Wigan attracted 290,000 viewers on Sky Sports 1,whilst at the same time on Sky Sports 2,the top of the table clash between Leicester/Wasps 'attracted' 111,000 viewers,of which it was reported that 110,000 fell asleep.

I take all your points - but despite what I wrote, I do enjoy a good game of RL. The bottom line is that both codes are great; it's just that most people prefer one or the other and I happen to enjoy union more. But whatever the code, it's no fun for anyone - players, fans or whoever - when one team is a completely different class to the other.

You may take the points raised in the comments, may enjoy the odd game of RL, and may be upset that the welsh side was so outclassed. However, if you had restricted your comments to the game in hand and the lack of quality in the current Welsh side then I may of taken your article at face value. As it was you seem to regurgitate a number of falsehoods, sly digs and general bile. The welsh captain was born in England, so what? It never stopped Colin Charvis did it? A third of the players were from one club, so what? 13 Players (a whole RL side) came from the Ospreys when Wales last played England at RU. 'Most of them with tenuous connections to the land of my fathers', they all qualified either being born there, parents, grandparents or residency. Best not mention Shane Howorth or Brett Sinkinson then...

Name the 10 teams in union who are all capable of beating each other (and where possible back it up with facts ie - which 9 nations have beaten the All Blacks will do for a starter) While you're at it remind us where those good old boyos Shane Howarth and Sonny Parker came from (not to mention Mike Catt or Henry Paul) The bottom line is you dont like rugby league and took this opportunity to put the boot in simply for fun.

Well Well Well! I never saw that coming. A Union journalist (cough) having a pop at Rugby League, although I knew it would happen I have to ask myself why? While you may be correct that Wales aren’t 100% Welsh they are representing Wales and have the same grandparent qualification that Union players use to make themselves available for countries not of their birth. The Celtic Crusaders really have rattled the cage a bit and it seems the old WRU network will do all it can to disparage Rugby League and slow the progress of League in the Valley's. As for your assertion that only three teams can win the world cup, you are probably correct but to hold the Union version up as much better is just plain hypocrisy. Only five countries have a realistic chance of winning the Webb Ellis Trophy and the rest are nothing more than a sideshow. When all is said and done the real difference is in the quality of the skills on show and in that respect the League World Cup will eclipse anything served up by the Union boys. I doubt we'll see any blow outs in Australia this October/November which cannot be said of the Union World cup farces we’ve witnessed over the last 20 years. Samoa, Tonga, PNG, NZ, Australia, England, France and Fuji are all full of genuine nationals who will run their blood to water for their country. Ireland and Scotland have a huge role to play in the development of their domestic leagues and have both included players from the fledgling competitions from their respective countries. Like it or not (and you obviously fall into the latter) Leagues World Cup is as valid as Unions and pre dates the Union World Cup by around forty years. Why not set aside your prejudice, ulterior motives and fears and just watch the skills, athleticism, fitness, toughness, commitment, passion and entertainment on show. Or aren’t you big enough!

Sweet lord, what a silly article. Rape? I would assume you would realise rape is serious, so let us not use such terms. I also believe that only the Rugby Union have ever banned anyone from playing union. One was free to play union and then league, and it would have been vice cersa but for a (sightly illeagal) ban. Now welsh lads are playing English lads at league and losing, but they are playing. As a rugby fan, I would assume that you woul be pleased that welsh youth are playing league rather than the dominant soccer code. I write from Denmark, a small nation of a few million. Rugby union people are delighted to see rugby league start and introduce more people to a new game. I believe many in Wales are just as open minded.

I don't know why league fans are so up tight over this article, Test match rugby league is not an exciting draw, when was the last time that Aussie sold out a test against NZ at home?, usually they are lucky to get about 20k there and at least half of them will be ex pat kiwi's who are actually living in Australia. Also the article is right, the majority of teams in the world cup are filled with australians, The rugby league world cup is a farce to be honest and I doubt it will be even 10% of the success that the 2003 union world cup was in Australia. I will concede that there is probably slightly stronger support within england at club level for league than union but the idea of a rugbly league world cup is a joke.

Whatever your feelings about seeing Wales beaten by a good side it is no excuse to spout some of the stuff in your report that if people believed you would set the cause of Welsh RL back 20 years. For what its worth NOBODY (myself included) was downhearted last night because we know we witnessed what is the rebirth of the game in Wales. A rebirth with young Welsh players who put their bodies on the line.

I’m all for a Wales rugby league team…I suppose I just grieve for the fact that we no longer have the quality of player we had 20 years ago, when the game was full of poached union stars. Fifteen years ago, a team containing the likes of John Devereux, Allan Bateman, Jonathan Davies, Kevin Ellis, Dai Young, Adrian Hadley, Paul Moriarty, Roland Phillips, Rob Ackerman and David Bishop - all full union internationals - would surely have given any England team a good game. Sadly, John Dixon’s team are amateurs in comparison. No one would be more delighted than I if the Celtic Crusaders develop into a force to be reckoned with. But I’m not holding my breath - I remember the rise and fall of Cardiff Blue Dragons all too well. Finally, I hope RL does not believe for one minute that the game can ever become a serious rival to rugby union in the South Wales valleys. That’s about as likely as anyone in the Rhondda with a mining history voting Tory. They still haven’t forgiven Churchill for sending the troops in nearly a century ago…

rah rah knob jockey. poached? raped? are you living out a fantasy?

i fully agree ,hear in Australia league is king and union is a make up of 3rd rate players from league .union only has 4 top teams in the hole country ,1 state dosnt even play union so go figure how great union isnt

union ,what can i say thay always bag out league for doing what they them shelf's are doing , the last two union world cups have had score blow outs any were up to 100 points . is that realy a more competitive world cup ,not at all .and hear in Australia union only has four top teams in the hole country compared to leagues 16 not the to secand grade comps in Qld and NSW ACT ,and vic and was sa also have 1 each and yet our secand rate union players have won a world cup against your top flight hahaha what a joke union realy is

Donna, the last time I visited this site was due to another article you wrote putting the boot into league. Seems like times have not changed and you still have an agenda against RL. If you are going to compare League to Union at least be honest in your article. To say the 10 top teams in the Rugby Union World Cup can beat one another on their day is "I hate to say it" a lie! Can you provide some info on how you came to this conclusion? I can say with confidence that 3 teams in the RLWC can win. But won't tell you porkies that all ten teams are a chance. Why is the RLWC a farce and the Union World Cup not? I could argue that the last RUWC was a Farce based on some of the scorelines and the lack of tries scored in the final and what about Portugal? Where do most of the portugal players live and how did they qualify for the team? So what you are saying clearly is that it fine for Union to do it but not league? The fact that RU in trying to change it's rules to make the game more exciting speaks for itself! This might explain why you have to put the boot into league when ever you get the chance. Donna is RU a farce because 2 ex Kiwi internationals are playing in the England team? Donna why don't you wait until the World Cup at least starts before saying it is a Farce? That's like me saying the 2011 RWC is going to be a farce because it is already projected to lose millions and we can look forward to more lopsided results. Donna I am more then happy to cop an article about the lop sided scoreline which was a Friendly between England and Wales(NOT A TEST MATCH). But the "RLWC Farce" is a bit to much. Please in your next article keep to the truth and put your personal agenda's against league aside. Maybe you should write an article about the impact the Crusaders have had in bridgend due to the whole that was left by the WRU kicking out the team at Bridgend? That would be very intersting read. But of course I am sure you would hide the fact the the WRU has dropped the ball in this area and it has opened up an oportunity for League. Which it seems League has taken with two hands and has progressed all the way up to Super League in a matter of a few years. That would be a great story ;-)

I’m all for a Wales rugby league team…I suppose I just grieve for the fact that we no longer have the quality of player we had 20 years ago, when the game was full of poached union stars. Fifteen years ago, a team containing the likes of John Devereux, Allan Bateman, Jonathan Davies, Kevin Ellis, Dai Young, Adrian Hadley, Paul Moriarty, Roland Phillips, Rob Ackerman and David Bishop - all full union internationals - would surely have given any England team a good game. Sadly, John Dixon’s team are amateurs in comparison. No one would be more delighted than I if the Celtic Crusaders develop into a force to be reckoned with. But I’m not holding my breath - I remember the rise and fall of Cardiff Blue Dragons all too well. Finally, I hope RL does not believe for one minute that the game can ever become a serious rival to rugby union in the South Wales valleys. That’s about as likely as anyone in the Rhondda with a mining history voting Tory. They still haven’t forgiven Churchill for sending the troops in nearly a century ago…

lazy and incorrect journalism. Easy money for you. Does your line manager actually monitor your output?

Agreed... and just like the Welsh RU side Donna wears her 'BRAINS' on her chest ... you'd swear she's Einstein from where I'm looking !

donna can i again express my disgust at you having yet a another pop at Rugby League.