Rugby not as hard as league: Willie Mason

Willie Mason has made some questionable remarks about rugby in relation to the ongoing Mark Gasnier saga. His comments appear at the end of this article at RugbyHeaven:

http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/ar...861417799.html

but this is the main bit that caught my attention:

"The game's not as hard, they don't train as hard," he said. "There's a longer life expectancy in the game - especially for outside backs like Gaz and Tong (Willie Tonga). The game's not as hard, they get paid a hell of a lot more and you can play until you're 38.

"It's a lot easier on the body, it's not as hard as 26 rounds, three Origins, a tour and a Test."

In amongst all the chest-beating and hand-wringing of the leaguies, I'm still surprised at these comments. I've always thought that every rugby player has to have a far greater range of skills (rucking, mauling, scrummaging, line-outs) and a greater knowledge of things going on in the game rather than just the guys either side and in front of you. I think a measure of the "hardness" of a game should not solely depend on your ability to take countless hit-ups.

I'm interested in people's opinion on this. Not trying to start an Us vs Them war.

My humble opinion: Who gives a rats, rugby is the better game to watch, and a great game to play.

Assuming what Mason says is true - sounds like he is tring to say that a game that has a greater legacy of ex players crippled by injury is the better game? Helmets should be compulsory in some ball sports ....

I wouldnt worry about it, Willie isnt exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

And I can say that without any fear about him beating me up.

Willie could approach me and say. "Did you say bad things about me?"

I say "no I didnt."
He would scratch his head and say "maybe you didnt.I better go beat up that fool for telling me those lies"

Willie is a prick!

Swear Jar No.8, Swear Jar!!

Willie's obviously a smart guy :ape:. His mum even thought up the perfect name for him. I bet his middle name is Richard! :dopey: :duh:

I think I shall call him Mini Me!

Willie is just still bitter that Eddie said he wouldn't make it in Union.
See Willie, Union supporters HAVE a memory!!!
I would think that with thirteen matches of S14 (plus Finals), at least fourteen Test matches and a concurrent Club season as long as NRL that the Pro Union players are just as busy as the League boys.
The majority of Union playing positions demand far more skills than virtually all League positions and to try and promote this argument on the basis of "hardness" shows how limited the thirteen man game actually is.
Man for man I would say that every Wallaby is as "hard" as every Kangaroo in recent memory however, the collective skills of the Wallaby squad would be far greater than that of the Kangaroo squad.
I don't have an issue with League and don't mind watching the odd game however it will never be Union and really is the bastard child rather than the golden son.

I think he might even be using someone elses words here.... I caught the Rugby League show in Darwin the other night and they had Mat Rogers on as a guest and one of this things he said that when he started Rugby with the Waratahs he felt that the training was easier.....Willy was probably playing with something at the time and didnt hear properly.....

With Willie Masons :hair:reputation as a dickhead being well known, this only reinforces it. What a knob jockey. Probably had a few too many concussions. I played league for 15yrs before finding the game of union, and found union to be much more of a challenge both physically,and definately a thinking mans game. Mind you, i am a prop....Have a look at a league scrum vs a union scrum, Chalk and cheese....Up yours Willie:upyours:

Interesting article http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/ar...700678224.html Willie Mason the wannabe Wallaby.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by travelling_gerry

I think he might even be using someone elses words here.... I caught the Rugby League show in Darwin the other night and they had Mat Rogers

---

Interesting innit. As a long time tragic of both codes, I've never seen NRL tv shows spend so much time discussing RU as they have this season. On last nights Footy Show they spent quite a bit of time discussing the Giteau deal. Mattew Johns said " the Force needed to make a statement and they've done it - good luck to 'em". The consensus was if the game can generate that kind of money then the players are worth it. Good on them and same for The Force.

As a "tragic" shasta, you may know, does the NRL salary cap have an incremental growth to it or has it been fixed for a few seasons?
They seem to be having increasing trouble fitting their stars into the club rosters?
The major bonus out of all of this I feel is that more and more League dads are going to be seeing their sons wanting to play Union because they see the big dollars on offer and the major League players crossing over, living billboards for Union if you like.

Good point Burgs. There have been many elite level Rugby players in the past decade who have famous RL fathers. Giteau, Darren Junee, Henjak( or is Ivan his uncle?), Gareth Morgan, Scott Gourley and I think the Great "Blocker Roach" has a son in the Waratahs programme. I dunno if it's because the fathers made enough football money to send them to private schools for a better education or because they recognise that RU schools have far better development programs. The latter I think. Especially after hearing the panalists last night disclosing how little they got paid in relatively recent times.

I'm pretty sure the cap is fixed for a period of time. They have recently been agonising over how much of an increase to make for next year. The "Gasnier Saga" was a direct catalyst for this increase. Most of the clubs were opposed to any increase before that. Saints, among others, wanted a "special case" allowance of some sort to keep him. NRL CEO David Gallop stood firm against. However that's when discussions to increase the cap began.

The bottom line is that the NRL and S14 are both heavily influenced by Foxtel who largely control the purse strings of both. So all player salaries are a concern of theirs. Interesting mix. At the moment RL still generates far more money than RU from TV rights in Australia, anyway, as RU can't seem to attract a FTA audience without live coverage. That's a disadvantage to The Force and a whole nother debate :)

Ivan is Hennas' Uncle shasta, but both Blocker and Phil Daley had sons (Daniel Roach and Ben Daley) in last years Schoolboys to the UK and were the first pick Props with "our own" (well from NT but playing in Perth now ;) ) Joe Egan as the rose between the thorns (Hooker) working his way into selection for the last three Tour Matches.