SYDNEY, May 12 (Reuters) - Union took the spoils when 26 Australian schoolboys took to the field on a chilly Sydney evening this week in an attempt to heal the rift between rival rugby codes more than a century after they split.
Backed by a trio of Australian rugby greats in Mark Ella, Bob Dwyer and Bob Fulton, the inaugural "Hybrid" game was played out by two high school teams in front of a largely approving crowd of around 2,000 at Brookvale Oval on Wednesday.
Home of 2009 world club champions the Manly Sea-Eagles, the ground sits in the heart of league country, where the 13-man code is known simply as "footy" and the union game referred to as "rugby".
Local union-playing St Augustine's College turned out in the gold of the Wallabies, while Keebra Park State High School from Queensland's Gold Coast, the alma mater of New Zealand league skipper Benji Marshall, played in the green of the Kangaroos.
"I really enjoyed it," said Jim Franks, a sixty-something Manly fan. "The kids have clearly practised it and it worked well. In fact, even though I'm a league-er, I think I enjoyed the rugby bits more."
That was perhaps because tackled players on the attacking team used league's tap back restart in their own half but in the opponents' half possession was contested rucks and mauls as in union, an advantage to the union players.
"It was a very interesting game, a bit confusing at times," said winger Conor Firth of St Augustine's, who won 16-12.
"We found it pretty easy to get to halfway and once we got over halfway, we dominated most of the ball ... it was easy once we played union."
The league players did, however, manage to snaffle a few lineouts and wins some of the six-man scrums but often struggled at rucks and were penalised more often for offside by the two referees.
One generally welcomed innovation was the 60 second "shot clock", which replaced league's six tackles, after which the attacking team must score, kick or hand over possession.
"I think it was an exciting game of football," said St Augustine's principal Tim Cleary. "It could have gone either way. Running rugby, whether it's league or union, is exciting rugby, good to watch.
"The outcome for us is the possibility of game between the Wallabies and the Kangaroos. Everyone would love that."
The Australian national union and league teams were represented at the match by respective coaches Robbie Deans and Tim Sheens but the prospect of a test still looks remote.
"I think it's a game the public would love to see, it would be a fantastic game," said New South Wales Waratahs coach Chris Hickey, who was in the crowd.
"But the calendar is already pretty busy."
The rules were drawn up in consultation with former Kangaroos skipper Fulton, World Cup-winning Wallabies coach Dwyer and Ella, the former Wallaby flyhalf viewed by some as the most talented player ever to run onto a union pitch.
Backed by a trio of Australian rugby greats in Mark Ella, Bob Dwyer and Bob Fulton, the inaugural "Hybrid" game was played out by two high school teams in front of a largely approving crowd of around 2,000 at Brookvale Oval on Wednesday.
Home of 2009 world club champions the Manly Sea-Eagles, the ground sits in the heart of league country, where the 13-man code is known simply as "footy" and the union game referred to as "rugby".
Local union-playing St Augustine's College turned out in the gold of the Wallabies, while Keebra Park State High School from Queensland's Gold Coast, the alma mater of New Zealand league skipper Benji Marshall, played in the green of the Kangaroos.
"I really enjoyed it," said Jim Franks, a sixty-something Manly fan. "The kids have clearly practised it and it worked well. In fact, even though I'm a league-er, I think I enjoyed the rugby bits more."
That was perhaps because tackled players on the attacking team used league's tap back restart in their own half but in the opponents' half possession was contested rucks and mauls as in union, an advantage to the union players.
"It was a very interesting game, a bit confusing at times," said winger Conor Firth of St Augustine's, who won 16-12.
"We found it pretty easy to get to halfway and once we got over halfway, we dominated most of the ball ... it was easy once we played union."
The league players did, however, manage to snaffle a few lineouts and wins some of the six-man scrums but often struggled at rucks and were penalised more often for offside by the two referees.
One generally welcomed innovation was the 60 second "shot clock", which replaced league's six tackles, after which the attacking team must score, kick or hand over possession.
"I think it was an exciting game of football," said St Augustine's principal Tim Cleary. "It could have gone either way. Running rugby, whether it's league or union, is exciting rugby, good to watch.
"The outcome for us is the possibility of game between the Wallabies and the Kangaroos. Everyone would love that."
The Australian national union and league teams were represented at the match by respective coaches Robbie Deans and Tim Sheens but the prospect of a test still looks remote.
"I think it's a game the public would love to see, it would be a fantastic game," said New South Wales Waratahs coach Chris Hickey, who was in the crowd.
"But the calendar is already pretty busy."
The rules were drawn up in consultation with former Kangaroos skipper Fulton, World Cup-winning Wallabies coach Dwyer and Ella, the former Wallaby flyhalf viewed by some as the most talented player ever to run onto a union pitch.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire