Which is 'dirtier' - league or union?

[dasNdanger]

Just watching State of Origin 2, and I noticed a lot of dirty play, including - but not limited to - hair-pulling, head 'squeezing', choking, and pressing heads into the pitch. This was in about 2 minutes of play. There's also that infamous 'stink finger' incident a few years back that raised quite a few eyebrows, and tightened even more rear ends. Now, I know dirty and foul play are present in both forms of rugby, but I watch very little rugby league and yet it seems I've seen more cheap shots in that game than in the union game (though in the latter I have seen some dirty rucking, but if caught they're usually called on it).

Does it have anything to do with the nature of the game? Is it that you just can't see all the cheap shots in the union game because there's more bodies in the tackle than in league?

Just curious because I was really surprised by some of the stuff going on in the SoO, and the commentators just seemed to ignore it, as if it's acceptable. If some of the same things happened so noticably in the union game as they were in this match the play-by-play guys would be calling players out for it.


das

 

[Sam91]

I think State of Origin as a general representation of Rugby League with regards to the scrutiny of rules isn't perhaps a great example as they tend to be a bit looser with the rules when it comes to "foul play" and this is widely acknowledged.

There is dirty play in both and to be honest union probably edges it out due to how much more contact between opposing players there is.

 

[SelimNiai]

I watch both frequently and the main thing I notice is the number of tackles that if a Union ref was reffing a league game there would a lot of "dangerous tackle" penalties

Look at this and count the number of tackles that are OK in League but a Union ref would penalise. I only count 1 or 2 that are Union-suitable tackles.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GXgobIO2g50" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

But in terms of general play Union has more "shady" aspects, shoeing of players on the wrong side etc.

 

[dasNdanger]

I remember a few years back when a tackled player (I'm pretty sure it was a Super Rugby match) was stomped by an opposing player in the ruck. The commentators went ballistic! "Oh, that's just not right! Shouldn't have that in the game of rugby!"

Not 10 minutes later another player was tackled, but as he fell he ended up on the wrong side of the ruck. He was stomped on, too. But this time, the commentators had a totally different attitude. "That'll teach him not to get spun in the tackle!" they laughed. And I did, too.


das

 

[GarethEWilliams]

I think League players are more open and in your face about it, union is more sly and behind your back. Maybe that's why I like union a little more

 

[white bear]

Of corse Union and only union. I really dont understand ligu, for me this like big rugby-7.

 

[welshglory]

League

 

[dasNdanger]

League

No mincing of words, eh? A union fan, obviously.

I think League players are more open and in your face about it, union is more sly and behind your back. Maybe that's why I like union a little more

I think this is part of it. League players are far more brazen, but as such I would hazard a guess and say that's because they are less likely than union players to be penalized for it. Which suggests to me that dirty play is more acceptable in league than in union.

das