2 sets of rules but 1 sport?

[Padge]

3 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

I quite like the fact that NRL and Superleague aren't carbon copies of each other. Different continents, different sporting cultures, different rugby histories, so I don't have a problem with some different rules. 

They have the same rugby history, just one took 13 years to cotton on.

[unapologetic pedant]

4 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

Yep, its basically the NRL changing rules as they wish.

If they respected International RL they would submit any plans for any changes first for discussion but they just change and expect everyone else to follow.

Think is a chip on their shoulder as they are basically (as a country) ignored on a world stage in everything so RL is probably the only thing they have some control over.

As far as I`m aware the RFL have not informed the Australians or IRL that we have replaced the PTB with a rollball. 

At least when the Aussies change a rule they do it formally, honestly, and publicly declare the fact.

[David Dockhouse Host]

I'm not a fan of different rules, some good points around interpretations, and subtle changes don't really matter but the worry is it's the thin end of the wedge, small rule today, bigger rules tomorrow and the gap widens 

[JonM]

14 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Nope. Just there’s an inaccurate belief that rugby league is the only sport with rule/interpretation variations.

And that is actually wrong.

Or try Baseball, where the American League and the National League use different rules all season, then have final play-offs in the World Series where each game is played by the home team's rules.

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, JonM said:

Or try Baseball, where the American League and the National League use different rules all season, then have final play-offs in the World Series where each game is played by the home team's rules.

We have the same in RL , except Leeds just play to NFL rules 

[gingerjon]

16 minutes ago, JonM said:

Or try Baseball, where the American League and the National League use different rules all season, then have final play-offs in the World Series where each game is played by the home team's rules.

Same in Japan, except there they also have different rules to the USA on how to deal with drawn games.

Laughing stock.

[fighting irish]

I agree that these are relatively minor differences and easily resolved when International games are played.

The professional boxing ruling bodies have different rules too regarding scoring, stoppages etc. and their respective management/promoters always have a ''rules'' meet before the fights to tie down the details.

Does it really matter?

Well I'd just like to make a point about ''the game'' and who it belongs to.

It links in with points made in the Coventry thread earlier in the week. 

To my mind, the game belongs to the players and that means, its about the whole body of participants.

I do think its important, when outsider's look in, that the game is immediately recognisable as Rugby League, even if there are minor variations and the fact that the Pro's play to slightly different rules than the vast majority of players, the world over (amateurs), is of little consequence.

It's tantamount to the relationship between gymnastics (the sport) and the circus acrobats (the showmanship side).

The circus is primarily concerned with filling the tent each night and they don't give two hoots about gymnastics (the sport).

So I say, let's form an umbrella organisation called the British Rugby League Association (which is what BARLA should have been) in order to keep building the sport at grassroots level, for the enjoyment it brings to the participants and let Billy Smart's (SL/RFL cabal) take care of themselves. 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 02/05/2021 at 09:46, fighting irish said:

I agree that these are relatively minor differences and easily resolved when International games are played.

This is true for things like 2-point field goals, but I don`t think the PTB/rollball difference can be easily resolved in accordance with an agreed set of rules.

If English players are coached from an early age to use a rollball, I doubt they will be able to quickly adapt to a legal PTB in international competition. So the likely response will be to pressure overseas officials to follow the English example of letting players do whatever they find easiest. - In flat contradiction of every nation`s rulebook and guidelines.

On 02/05/2021 at 09:46, fighting irish said:

I do think its important, when outsider's look in, that the game is immediately recognisable as Rugby League

So I say, let's form an umbrella organisation called the British Rugby League Association (which is what BARLA should have been) in order to keep building the sport at grassroots level, for the enjoyment it brings to the participants and let Billy Smart's (SL/RFL cabal) take care of themselves. 

I like this idea. Judging from the experience of the rollball disgrace, the RFL are manifestly not fit and proper people to be in charge of the RL rulebook.

It ought to belong to those committed to upholding standards in the most recognisably distinctive part of the game. A criterion which, at the moment, rules out the RFL.

[Sports Prophet]

Couldn’t care less about the slight differences and don’t think it has any real negative impact on how the sport is perceived, because the only people that know there are different rules between NRL and SL already follow RL anyway.

Don’t forget, pitch sizes, like more team sports than not, haven’t been uniform for over a century.

 

[JonM]

11 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Don’t forget, pitch sizes, like more team sports than not, haven’t been uniform for over a century.

Yes, that's cricket added to the list of laughing stocks.

[Griff]

Three sets of laws ?

I can remember when all four test nations were playing to different laws.

[fighting irish]

47 minutes ago, Griff said:

Three sets of laws ?

I can remember when all four test nations were playing to different laws.

I reckon I'm older than you Griff, but I can't remember what I had for breakfast! 

[Sports Prophet]

As long as internationals are being played and there is a World Cup, then there is still Rugby League and the only laws that matter in the WC are those of IRL.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

As long as internationals are being played and there is a World Cup, then there is still Rugby League and the only laws that matter in the WC are those of IRL.

Whether the IRL laws are applied is what really matters. 

The PTB laws and guidelines are the same in every nation. But they are not applied in the UK.

So what we need to know from the IRL is whether their panel of officials for the WC will be enforcing the rules or not.