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Fifty seven years ago...


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This just popped up on a YouTube visit, generated because of my viewing history....the 1962 Challenge Cup final.

I found it fascinating, so sharing it here.

Plenty of rule changes of course over the years, high tackles a-plenty, unfathomable goings on in the scrums and loads of interference at the play-the-ball but it's great to watch.

 

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I love watching videos of Rugby League over the years to see how the game has evolved and changed... sometimes for the better and sometimes worse.

The scrums were a total mess but what a pleasant change to see the packs actually ready to pack down even before the ball had arrived rather than hearing the ref shouting at them to get in the scrum for an eternity.

Loads of messing around at the play the ball then and now - then it was striking at the ball while now it is hands on the ball and locking players in to slow the play the ball down.

As always when I watch videos of this era my overriding thoughts are how on earth people can say that modern day Rugby League players are less skilful than those of decades past.  A Super League prop would be the most skilful person on that pitch (as well as the fittest and one of the fastest). These players may have been greats (and I understand part time) but they were hardly able to string three passes together.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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Dunbar with all due respect, there were skillful players around both in that era and before, the big difference is the 5 yard rule with defences, as can be seen in that game, attackers had no room to move before defenders were among knocking them about. Players roles were totally different to what they are today.

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9 minutes ago, wasginger said:

Dunbar with all due respect, there were skillful players around both in that era and before, the big difference is the 5 yard rule with defences, as can be seen in that game, attackers had no room to move before defenders were among knocking them about. Players roles were totally different to what they are today.

I understand this and perhaps my wording was a little harsh when making my point.

My point is not that there weren't skilful players back then (and any era), there were.  It is just that we are currently in the era where the players are the most skilful, throwing passes on a regular basis that would have been unimaginable back then... and yet we are constantly telling ourselves that the skill has gone out of the game.  It hasn't.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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6 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

Was kicking out at the ball (at play the balls) by the defender just accepted back then?

What surprised me was that the players were often kicking the ball out the hands from the player with the ball rather than waiting for the ball to reach the ground.  I was aware that you could strike forward and also rake the ball at marker (this law was still around when I started playing) but I thought the ball had to be on the ground at least.

Maybe, as today, the ref's where just applying their own interpretation.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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13 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

Was kicking out at the ball (at play the balls) by the defender just accepted back then?

Yes...was part of the game back then.

I noticed another major change in the rules in a different clip of the same match.....a penalty given to the attacking team close to the try line. Options are a kick for goal,or an "up-and-under". The attackers go for the latter option. Around 15 minutes in on this clip :

 

 

Amongst other changes I noticed was a restart after a score was by a drop out on the half way line and when a kick-off didn't travel ten yards then it was a scrum and not a penalty.

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9 minutes ago, Pigeon Lofter said:

I noticed another major change in the rules in a different clip of the same match.....a penalty given to the attacking team close to the try line. Options are a kick for goal,or an "up-and-under". The attackers go for the latter option. Around 15 minutes in on this clip :

A team could do this today if they wanted I guess.  There is no requirement for a penalty to go for the sticks or touch, they could just kick it forward like this un and under.  Seems a strange tactic though as it potentially gives away possession on tackle one when an up and under could still be taken at the end of the set.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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4 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

A team could do this today if they wanted I guess.  There is no requirement for a penalty to go for the sticks or touch, they could just kick it forward like this un and under.  Seems a strange tactic though as it potentially gives away possession on tackle one when an up and under could still be taken at the end of the set.

Yes, but maybe the option was either a shot a goal or a punt.....no tap penalty permitted? I don't know.

Was it unlimited tackles back then?

The restart after a score didn't require the defending team to stand back from the halfway line too, which seems strange too.

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7 minutes ago, Pigeon Lofter said:

Was it unlimited tackles back then?

I think so... Ithought limited tackles came in after a proposal in 1966.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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So here is a question, in which decade was Rugby League the best to watch?

I watch a fair bit of League from past decades on YouTube and the like and I have been watching live for over 30 years.

For me the best decade for the sport was the 1980's... not for Great Britain results of course but the way the Australian teams and Kangaroos revolutionised the game back then with attacking play and fitness was ground breaking. 

There was crunching defence but not the suffocating wrestling we see today and so attacking players could have deep attacking lines and really entertain.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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4 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I think so... Ithought limited tackles came in after a proposal in 1966.

Yes,thats it. I've just looked it up :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_rugby_league

There's some interesting changes happened over time! A loose ball could be kicked over the bar for a field goal and a dummy half tackled in possession would be penalised!

 

 

 

Unlimited.jpg

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1 hour ago, Dunbar said:

So here is a question, in which decade was Rugby League the best to watch?

I watch a fair bit of League from past decades on YouTube and the like and I have been watching live for over 30 years.

For me the best decade for the sport was the 1980's... not for Great Britain results of course but the way the Australian teams and Kangaroos revolutionised the game back then with attacking play and fitness was ground breaking. 

There was crunching defence but not the suffocating wrestling we see today and so attacking players could have deep attacking lines and really entertain.

Rose tinted glasses maybe but I’d agree . Some great attacking play with smaller ball playing forwards to , great shots going in and some tasty punch ups 

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  I was at the 1962 Final p-ssed it down all the match.Trinity's enforcer Rocky Turner had the tables turned on himself and played most of the match in a daze.Big Neil {Fox}got a couple of drop goals two pointers then and soon after drop goals were only scored as 1 point.Wakey needed to beat Huddersfield at Odsal the following saturday to win all 4 cups but Huddersfield beat them quite comfortably.It again p-ssed it down all the match but a crowd of about 70,000 turned up..I stood three quarters up behind the posts and the top sections had not been terraced.I had to dig my heels into the ashe to stop sliding down.

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5 hours ago, wasginger said:

Dunbar with all due respect, there were skillful players around both in that era and before, the big difference is the 5 yard rule with defences, as can be seen in that game, attackers had no room to move before defenders were among knocking them about. Players roles were totally different to what they are today.

The attackers had exactly the same room as in the modern game give or take a few inches. Although the defensive line only had to be back five yards the attacking team apart from the acting half also had to be back five yards from the ptb. What I would say is what an absolute mess the contested ptb made of the game. 

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It was a damned sight easier to referee games in those days though. No commentators moaning about your decisions and "play on" being the norm. This is one real way that the game has deteriorated IMHO.

Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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On 13/07/2019 at 16:51, Pigeon Lofter said:

it's great to watch.

Always was, always will be

I love this kind of video.

Everything about why the rules changed is out there on the pitch;

41 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

It was a damned sight easier to referee games in those days

Yes it was for all sorts of reasons

41 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

No commentators moaning about your decisions

Yes that could do with changing right now and for good.

41 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

"play on" being the norm.

But, saying that, some of the things they ignored would get you arrested normally.

Magic though!

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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Thanks for this.

I can recall hearing stories about some of the Fartown players who were involved in the final. One of them was Aidan Breen, AKA Albert Schweitzer, a Cumbrian who played on the wing. Here's a bit of information about him:- 

 https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/17123199.aidan-breen-aged-76-represented-cumberland-in-both-rugby-league-and-rugby-union/

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On 13/07/2019 at 16:51, Pigeon Lofter said:

This just popped up on a YouTube visit, generated because of my viewing history...

If YouTube is doing that then i better not go on and watch this at work... :kolobok_ph34r:

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