RLWC showcases where Union has the edge over League

Last night’s massively one sided quarter final encounter between Australia and the USA which ended with a ridiculous 62-0 score line, acted as a manifestation of the foibles of the 13 man game in comparison to the 15. The Rugby League World Cup brings together the world’s best rugby league nations with the aim of determining who is top of the heap, inevitably either Australia, New Zealand or England are the victors. It is the predictable nature of this tournament and the complete lack of ability of every other nation other than these three heavyweights which suggests that the global outreach of rugby league is slim to nil. If the Rugby Union World Cup was to feature a quarter final in which one side was absolutely outclassed, and destroyed by a margin of 60 or more points, there would be an outcry, that there is something wrong with the game on an international level. However, in the RLWC this is simply the norm, as minnows repeatedly make it to the knockout phases only to be humbled by the likes of the favourites whose sides feature the world’s best players such as Greg Inglis, Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Burgess. It is simply not good for the game to see such a gap in talent between sides at such an advanced stage of the competition, and rugby league officials must recognise this and take steps to developing the game in other countries in order to make this competition competitive in the future.

Hat-trick hero Jarryd Hayne casually shrugs off USA's Matt Peterson in last night's one sided encounter.

As a game, Rugby Union has digressed into an often boring mix of field goals, drop goals and the rare line break in which teams make their way into the oppositions half only to draw a penalty, slot the three points and do it all again. Rugby Union is its own worst enemy; a simple tweaking of the rules of the game could see it return to its rightful place as an exciting loved sport all around the world. The unintelligible rules surrounding scrums, rucks and mauls make understanding the decisions of referees a laborious process, and in addition to this, if teams were discouraged from simply kicking the ball through the uprights at every opportunity then running rugby would return and fans would return in flocks. Union has something that league perhaps never will, a game which has spread to the far reaches of the globe and is played at high levels in leagues worldwide. There are a huge number of nations capable of fielding decent sides for the Rugby World Cup and this turns it into a spectacle in which national pride is on the line and results are important. This is not the case in the RLWC where Australian viewers can simply take no pride from shellacking a poor United States side that could not even put up a fight.

In Australia, the widespread reach of Rugby Union has been quelled by two very important and somewhat fixable factors. Firstly, the shocking performances of the Wallabies as they have been humbled time and time again by the All Blacks, South Africa and the English, matches in which pride is on the line. Moreover, the unwillingness of the organizers of the Super Rugby competition to televise it on free to air television, has meant that viewers without pay TV are simply alienated and unable to tune into the game’s premier competition other than international Rugby. It is practically the equivalent of Rugby League’s much loved State of Origin not finding a home on free to air TV, something which is simply unthinkable as it takes its place as one of Australia’s most loved sporting series. If Rugby Union is to return to the forefront of sporting disciplines in Australia, it must first fix its points system, lessening the value of both field and penalty goals, revisit rules referring scrums, rucks and mauls, they must televise Super Rugby to a wider audience and finally they must restore national pride in the Wallabies, whose terrible form is quickly giving the game a bad name down under.

That’s the Rosey Wrap on the issues surrounding Rugby League and Rugby Union,

Thanks for reading,

By Jake Rosengarten

Still work to be done: Kruse stars as Socceroos hit Jordan for 4 at Etihad

Socceroos coach Holger Osieck fielded the same 11 who started in Australia’s intense 1-1 stalemate with Japan at Saitama just one week ago. The side, featuring players such as fan favourite Tim Cahill, last week’s scorer Tommy Oar and Leverkusen bound trickster Robbie Kruse, had to secure at least a point at Melbourne’s Etihad stadium against the travelling Jordan if they were to keep their chances of automatic qualification to Brazil alive. With Japan already securing their qualification last week, it remains between Australia, Jordan and well placed Oman to battle it out for the second automatic qualifying spot.

The match began as a back and forth through the midfield with neither side able to find any penetration into the final third. This changed in the 15^th minute as the referee ruled advantage for the lively Robbie Kruse to stroll into the box and find Marco Bresciano in the 6 yard box who was able to tap into the back of the net. The rest of the first half unfolded with little to get excited about, with Bresciano and his central midfield partner Mark Milligan controlling the midfield duel and looking to unleash Brett Holman between the Jordan midfield and defence. Holman then seeked to link up with Cahill, Oar and Kruse but was unsuccessful through the rest of the half as the first half ended at 1-0 to the socceroos.

The second half began as the first had ended; Jordan attempted to get forward through the likes of Odai Al Saify and Ahmed Hayel with little to no success as Australia’s back four comprising of captain Lucas Neill, Sasa Ognenovski, Matt Mckay and Luke Wilkshere continuing their brilliant form from their outing against the dangerous Japan. The Aussies continued to link up as Kruse and Holman found each other time and time again, threatening Amer Shafia in the Jordan goal on many occasions. However, Jordan managed to get themselves back into the contest in the first 15 minutes of the second half as they strung together some passes. This was until Osieck made his first change of the night in the 60^th minute, replacing the uncharacteristically quiet Tommy Oar with Archie Thompson, a man who always provides a great deal of flair down the left wing.

This change proved a masterstroke, as the Aussies sprung to life almost immediately. Australia found the back of the net again in the 61^st minute. It was Kruse again who played the final pass, drifting a nicely weighted cross onto the forehead of Tim Cahill who guided the ball into the right hand side of the net, sending the keeper the other way, putting Australia in the driving seat to secure 3 points.  From there, the pressure did not cease, the socceroos controlled the ball and pushed forward again and again, putting the Jordanian defence under great pressure.

It was not long before the Aussies found the net again, this time it was Kruse who put the ball into the net himself, after a brilliant turn and nutmeg of a defender on the edge of the box, before stroking the ball into the net albeit with a deflection from Shafia. This 76^th minute goal had just about assured a victory here for Australia as they put the final touches on what was to be an emphatic victory over a lacklustre opponent.

Seeing as the result was sealed, Osieck decided to introduce a youngster whose potential instils hope into football fans all over Australia, young Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic. This change came in the 79^th minute for Brett Holman who made a significant contribution to an Australian attack which functioned very well throughout the match. Rogic wasted no time, becoming involved in what was Australia’s fourth and final goal which came in the 84^th minute. Luke Wilkshere whipped in the corner from the right hand side, onto the head of Cahill who tapped on to Rogic whose header founded Lucas Neill at the far post who tipped the header into the net. It was Neill’s first international goal, coming in his 91^st appearance for the socceroos which capped off a fantastic night for the Aussies who will look to back up this performance and secure qualification to Brazil with a win against Iraq in 7 days time in Sydney.

That’s Rosey’s Wrap on Australia vs. Jordan,

Thanks for reading,

Jake Rosengarten