rugby union, page-25

Quadrupling the player pool would naturally lead to a stronger national team. It won' t happen however, over a hundred years since the split and both codes are still poles apart and that is the way it will stay.

Despite the apparent similarities, there are many differences as well. A good number of players have crossed over and had great success. Most of these have been union to league due to the formers amateur status until 1995. More recently there have been a number of high profile league players that have gone over and enjoyed success. Most have returned to their original code, indicating that money and status, as opposed to love of the game was their prime motivation.

It really comes down to league players loving league and union players loving union and that will always be.

NRL is a bit similar to NFL in that it has strongest appeal in either Australia or America respectively. Non followers of both sports do become interested when the big games are played.

Perhaps there would have been less confusion if league had adopted a totally different name back in 1908 when they split.