Quote:
Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes
Aha. No professional league for rugby union (I hate that you can't say "a rugby league") yet, then?
It's a bit simpler, I guess that's why it spreads. Stick some poles in the ground and get yourselves an egg.  |
There is a pro league of sorts (it's a bit like FC cricket in Pakistan with some companies having their own teams) but they're a little stymied because of their lack of international exposure. The quality of Rugby wouldn't be enough to justify a Super 14 team on merit, but given the potential of the market I think it's short-sighted to ignore them.
I think it must actually be fairly well renumerated too as some big-ish names have played over there, presumably not to further their careers: Leon MacDonald (current AB), Jaco van der Westhuysen (current Springbok, although omitted from their WC squad), Jamie Joseph (ex-AB who actually played for Japan in the 1999 WC before the international qualification regs were tightened) & Simon Kasprowicz (ex NSW Waratah &, yes, brother of Michael) off the top of my head.