NRL - National Rugby League - Australia & NZ

The National Rugby League (NRL) is one of the most popular sporting competitions in Australia and, in recent times, New Zealand, consisting of fifteen teams playing rugby league football against each other.

The fifteen NRL teams play each other in a rotating roster that lasts for twenty-six rounds, typically from the beginning of March through to September. This is known as the regular season.

For more general background information on NRL see:

• Wikipedia - National Rugby League

All matches can generally be seen on TV at The Arc International Sports Bar in Schwabing, as well as possibly other Irish Pubs and Australian Bars.

www.nrl.com show all NRL games on the net with broadband. Simply go to big pond gallery and choose which game to watch! The NRL is the toughest Rugby comp in the world. Also the website has a tipping comp with great prizes to be won. Also SKY Sports show 2 games a week starting from Saturday-Sydney Roosters against St.George-Illawarra followed by Sundays battle of Queensland between Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys.

Rugby Leagues State of Origin I will be shown on at The Arc, Schraudolphstr on Wednesday 25th May at 1830.The Queenslanders will be looking for revenge after last years narrow loss to NSW.The first game is in Brisbane on Wednesday at Sun Corp and sold out within hours.With Brisbane top of the NRL and Darren lockyer fulfilling his billing as the worlds best rugby player as well as North Queensland Cowboys having a good start to the NRL season Queensland have been installed as Favs by the bookies.

State of Origin 2 will be shown WEDNESDAY 15th JUNE at The Arc. Time 1800hrs/6 PM.With Queensland leading the 3 match series 1-0 after their try in Extra time in Brisbane, New South Wales will need to win the game in Sydney.With Andrew Johns getting a late surprise call up despite playing only a hand full of games in the last two years.With Brisbane Broncos sitting top of the NRL and with fourth placed North Queensland Cowboys causing a few shocks the Queenslanders will be wanting to make sure they are winners especially after losing the 3rd game last year in Extra time.This is the toughest Rugby game ever of either codes so dont miss it!

And for anyone who doesn't know what league is and is interested in finding out, you cannot do better than State of Origin, great league with massive hits that would send those ladies in the NFL to the broken bits and pieces ward.

many Rugby League players wear no shoulder pads and most no head gear!

you don't really need head protection in rugby league since you don't scrummage properly, ruck or maul. The head protectors allowed by the IRB do little to protect from impacts but do protect from cut wounds and ripped ears.

Head gear is worn in League sometimes to reduce the risk of the head clashing with either the ground or the opponent.Due to the speed at which players clash (there is usually a 10 metre gap between players with most running at full pace on impact which generally aint the case in Rugby Union).American Footballers wear head gear and shoulder pads and usually dont stay on the field too long.Some people on here arent sure of either code of Rugby and maybe are interested in learning more about either code of Rugby.A study in Australia recently reported that wearing head gear reduced the chance of concussion.Personally never have and never will wear head gear.This is not a League v union thread by the way.These go nowhere and mean nothing.

Thought that headgear was worn in League by players who had previously been concussed, and not those who want to prevent it happening. I know that in AFL - ok different sport, but equally as tough - anybody who wears shinguards, for example, is taken out the back and whipped to death.

Only protective gear that I see fit in sport are to do with cricket (I'd hate to take one in the goolies from a Brett Lee delivery), headgear if you've been concussed, and maybe, just maybe, Tiger Balm. Ok, not padding i know, but it protects you from mozzies

Go Maroons, by the way!

Seems to be the smaller guys like Preston Campbell (Penrith Panthers), Jonathon Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys) Rod Jensen (Cowboys) more than the likely big hitters who would be more likely to suffer from concussion like Sonny Bill Williams (canterbury Bulldogs), Adrian Morley (Sydney Roosters), Jason Smith (Canberra Raiders), Shane Webke (Brisbane Broncos) etc.I would say well over 95% dont wear head gear.

Know very little about AFL so cant say.Both are tough sports mate.Depends also where and how you got brought up as know if anybody wheres headgear where i was brought up you would be laughed at but then I know many games where myself and others suffered concussion to varying degrees!Also at lower level Refs miss a few sly shots in the tackle!Also would hate to be seen to go off after an injury occurred in a tackle.

Having played Union here noticed how soft many Germans generally are concerning injury.Australia, UK, New zealand etc the same things are seen as minor compared to peoples attitude here.For Example I broke my collarbone recently but still worked and did most things with in reason.Attitude at work amongst many is a bit of a cold and take time off!

We're going to be showing the 3rd State of Origin Game tonight from around 7pm at The Arc, for anybody interested...

This might seem like a stupid question, but where is the Arc?

Only arrived in Munich on Saturday.. from Brisbane originally so would be keen to see the game.

Address and details to get there are here

It was a pretty stupid question actually considering your previous post had a link to it!

Anyway, pretty convenient to where I am so might see you later then I guess..

First round of the playoffs this week.First game was played yesterday and saw the unfancied Wests Tigers playing in their firstever Playoff game since Balmain and Wests merged a few years ago hammered some peoples dark horse tip North Queensland Cowboys 50-06 at Homebush.Another big crowd of 26.463 saw a Brett Hodgson inspired Wests run hot in the secons stanza after leading 14-6 at half time.

The other playoff games this week sees the following:

Brisbane Broncos-Melbourne Storm (Sat)
St.George Illawarra Dragons - Cronulla Sharks (Sat)
Parramatta Eels - Manly Sea Eagles (Sun)

Andrew Johns makes his debut for English Super league club Warrington who play Leeds today(Saturday 10 Sept).Such is the hype on Johns who is seen as many as the greatest Rugby player of either code that the game is being beemed live to Australia at 5am.Johns will miss the Australia-New Zealand game in a couple of weeks but should be playing for the Roos when they come to Europe

In the NRL (National Rugby League) Playoffs some surprise results with Playoff rookies Wests smashing dark horses from last year Cowboys 50-6 and Melbourne beating Brisbane Broncos away.With record crowds in the NRL this year Rugby League has finally caught up to where it was just before the Super League war which nearly distroyed the game in Australia and New Zealand.With record amount of sponsorship in the game in Australia again this year Rugby League has proven how strong the code is particularly in Queensland and New South Wales despite Union, Soccer and Aussie Rules trying to make an impact there.

West Tigers 50 (14) North Queensland Cowboys 6 (6) 26.463
Brisbane Broncos 18 (00) Melbourne Storm 24 (14) 25.193
St George Dragons 28 (6) Cronulla Sharks 22 (6) 19.608 (crowd record at WIN Stadium

Parramatta Eels play Many Sea Eagles Sunday

Parramatta Eels 46 (28) - Manly Sea Eagles 22 (00) 19710

Week 2 playoffs games will all be played at Aussie Stadium, Sydney.Im not sure i agree with this as for example North Queensland Cowboys and Melbourne Storm play and wont get a decent crowd.I feel only the final should be on neutral with the highest placed teams getting home advantage.Anyway the games next week are

Melbourne Storm - North Queensland Cowboys
Brisbane Broncos - Wests Tigers

Bye- Parramatta Eels and St George Illawarra Dragons
as they were the 2 highest teams that finished in the League and won the playoff game in round 1.so go through to the semis in 2 weeks.

Out- Cronulla Sharks and Manly Sea Eagles
as they were the 2 lowest teams from the League season to lose in the play offs

Russell Crowe is bidding to buy South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League club.Crowe who is a massive Rugby League and Rabbitohs fan has taken along other actors like Tom Cruise, Bert Reynolds and others to Rabbitohs games and has helped raise money for the club has now publically stated he wants to buy and own the club.Crowe also sponsors a Rugby League 9s Comp in his local village in New South Wales

North Queensland Cowboys 24 Melbourne Storm 16 (16.810 Aussie Stadium)

North Queensland will now face the Parramatta Eels next week in the preliminery Final.Wests Tigers face Brisbane Broncos tomorrow (Sunday) with the winners taking on St.George-Illawarra Dragons next week

Wests Tigers 34 Brisbane Broncos 6 (36.563 at Aussie Stadiumm Sydney)

Preliminary Final next weekend both games at Telstra Stadium, Sydney

Wests Tigers v St George-Illawarra Dragons
North Queensland Cowboys v Parramatta Eels

go the dragons

any chance The Arc ( Jason Hazza) can tape these games to be watched later?

Mate
I have some Dragons games on DVD from this year if you want to watch them but will need them back as have people in Heidelberg, Bad Reichenhall, Karlsruhe as well as Munich wanting to watch various NRL games from this year.I am sure The Arc will open up certainly for the Grand Final and if enough Dragons fans express interest can open up for the game next week with Wests as know theres a few fans of both clubs based in and around Munich.

quite happy to watch the dragons game live. what time is it on?

i expect The Arc will show a recording
i was there today to watch ManU vs. Liverpool, and they had a recording of the Tigers vs. Brisbane on

1130am on Sky Sports Extra on Saturday with North Queensland Cowboys and Parra on Sunday around same time.

Im hoping for a Tigers Cowboys win

Parra v Dragons final is the most likely but both can be inconsistant and Hindmarsh is only 50/50 for playing in the game.he is a massive loss for the Eels and put in 48 tackles in the first state of Origin game this year! he is also a big infliuence on how the team attack as well as defend.

The NQ Cowboys and Tigers have proven they can attack from anywhere and are under no pressure compared to the Dragons and Eels and this could see either one sneak into the final which i hope!The Cowboys have sold out most games since they started up a few years ago even when bottom of league had 22000 sellouts up in Townsville

Dragons-Tigers Finals game has sold out in record time.40000 sell out crowd at Aussie Stadium-with an estimated 50.000 without tickets for a must see game!Sadly the game cant be switched at such a late stage to Telstra Stadium where the Cowboys and Eels will play on Sunday due to contractual arrangement made before a ball was kicked this year!

The NRL (National Rugby League) have underestimated how crowds have flocked to games this year.The Grand final is a guaranteed sell out which is still two weeks away!

In the first of this weekends National Rugby League preliminary finals games the rank outsiders Wests Tigers beat the very highly fancied St George Illawarra Dragons 20-12.In a tense game which the Tigers controlled thanks to Halves Scotty Prince, with some great kicking and young Kiwi Star Benji Marshall whos great passing and foot work troubled the Dragons all game fully deserved the win.Dragons had atleast 4 chances to cross the whitewash but bombed the chance each time despite having seasoned internationsals in Gasnier, Timmins, Ryles, Barrett etc in the Ranks.Wests were never even expected to qualify for the finals yet have somehow managed to gatecrash the Grand Final next week!

North Queensland Cowboys v Parramatta Eels will be played tomorrow which I believe the Arc will show at 11am but better to check first by contacting the Arc.

The Arc will also the Grand Final LIVE next Sunday at 1030am

Another team has been added with the Gold Coast Tigers featuring from 2007.The Gold Coast is situated between Sydney and Brisbane near the Queensland/New South Wales Border.Games will be played at Robina.The Titans have secured Irish International Winger Brian Carney(Wigan RLFC), Australian Internatiaonal Prop Luke Bailey (St.George Illawarra Dragons), as well as highly rated Preston Campbell (Penrith Panthers), Anthony Laffranchi (Wests Tigers) and a couple of reserve graders in American International Matt Petersen (tho born in Western Australia), Luke O´Dwyer and Melbourne Storms Nathan Friend.The Gold Coast is Australias Fastest growing population area.

Canterbury Bulldogs will continue to take a home game to Wellington in New Zealand as well as having first choice of top Kiwi youngsters from the Wellington region.The Doggies have a number of Top Kiwis in Sonny Bill Williams, Matt Utai, in the first team squad.

Australia select X111 beat a PNG team 00-34 in Port Moresby.The PNG were missing players who are playing in England like Makali Aizue, Stanley Gene etc.The Australian team consisted of players whos team didnt make the Playoffs-which was strongly by the 4 previous teams that made the Grand final in the last 3 years.Captain was retiring Luke Ricketson of the Sydney Roosters.

So it will be a Cowboys, Tigers final with the Cowboys smashing the Eels 29-0 today and the Tigers beat the Dragons 20-12 yesterday.

Im gonna pick the Cowboys to win although the last time these two teams met it was the first week of the finals and the Tigers convincingly won 50-6.

But anyway Go Cowboys!!

Going for the Cowboys as a mate of mine Jeff Reibel is involved with them-He is the commercial manager up there in Townsville.Still I wouldnt be too disappointed if Tigers won.Both sides have fast elusive players and think will play open footy.Should be a cracker.The Arc will be showing the game LIVE at 1030am!

Wests Tigers 30 (12)
North Queensland Tigers 16 (6)
Played at Telstra Stadium, Sydney attendance 82.453

In a truely remarkable year Wests Tigers have won the NRL Grand Final.At the start of the year even up to midway through the season they were 150-1 to win the Grand Final and had less money to spend than virtually all the other clubs in the NRL!
In a fast open free flowing final the wests Tigers became the first club since 1910 (when Newtown Jets won the Grand Final) to win the Grand Final in their debut season in playoff footy.Both sides played very open footy which saw a couple of tries disallowed but Bryce Gibbs smashed his way through for his first ever Try this season and also saw great handling and running from Beni Marshall the young Kiwi star from near his own tryline to see Richard go over for West.Both tries by Brett Hodgson.Matty Bowen for North Queensland crossed over as well for North Queensland with the Try also converted by Josh Hannay after some amazing handling by his teammates.12-6 to Wests at Half time

Second hald was similar to the first with some good big hits and good attacking skills on show.Wests Tigers tho increased there lead when Anthony Laffranchi crashed over on a set play with again Hodgson converting 18-6.North Queensland hit back when Johnathon Thurston superb pass in heavy traffic set up Captain Travis Norton for a Try near the Sticks converted again by Hannay 18-12 and game on.
Daniel Fitzhenry added another well worked try on 63 and Hodgson added a superb kick to take the scores out to 24-12 to Wests.But with a few minutes left the Cowboys added another try via Kangeroo Winger Matt Sing out wide with Hannay narrowly failing to add the conversion outwide.Still Wests made sure of the game when after a clever kick through Todd Payten touching down and Hodgsón adding the goal to see Wests win 30-16

it was worth watching simply for the 97m special try from the tigers. the flick pass in the middle of it was sublime. if you can get to see a replay then do.

living here i often forget how fast and skillfull australian rugby league is. its another world when compared to the english super league.

Rugby League is an awesome sport as you need to have some decent hands have some creativity but then be very tough!The NRL is the Ultimate as week in week out each game is at a high level and what makes Australia so tough to beat on the International stage.The Defence and the speed and skill of a typical NRL game is way much higher in than in Europe or even in Rugby Union-which is probably why Union use so much from league.

Benji Marshall this week turned down offers from Union by simply stating "watching Union is pretty much boring these days" and if he would ever turn to Union to play for the All Blacks "they are Dreaming"!Good on yer Benji!

Benji better stay with league!!! We need him for our kiwi team. If only Karmicheal Hunt would play for us as well

If you Kiwis had a full side out you would likely beat Australia or match them atleast but with Williams, Marshall, Utai, Leulai, Halatau etc all having surgery in the next few weeks they wont be playing in the Tri Nations series which Australia and New Zealand will start of on Saturday 15th October.Sky Sports will show the game Live at 1130am so I am sure The Arc will show that.Australia will likely be missing a couple as well due to injury.Stacey Jones will be playing and The Kiwis who play in Europe Vainikolo, Hape, Vagana (Joe), Vinny Anderson, Logan Swann etc have had good seasons so it will be interesting.Great Britain have beaten the Aussies at Schoolboy level etc in the last couple of years and now only need to beat the Roos full side to complete the sweep!Sky and The Arc will show all the games from Europe of the Tri Nations-Saturday Evening.Australia, New Zealand and England will play France in one off games as well

The National Rugby League Grand Final pulled a massive 4.132 Million viewers in Australia up over 800.000 on last year.It was the most watched tv programme in both Sydney and Brisbane with over 70% of TV set´s in Sydney being recorded as watching the game!96% of TV in Townsville area where the North Queensland Cowboys are from were recording as watching the game!In AFL area of Melbourne an amazing plus 580.000 sets were recorded watching the Rugby League.

The Aussie Rules finals averaged 3.4 Million peaking at a touch over 4 Million.The Aussie Rules was shown live more or less everywhere while the Rugby League was shown delayed in Adelaide and Perth.Rugby League is again proving to be back to where it was before the Super League War destroyed much in the game.Now Rugby League is even bigger and more attendedthan ever before.

The game was also broadcast live to New Zealand, America (Fox Sports), Asia, UK and Europe, Northern Africa and the Gulf States!With more people worldwide joining in watching and playing the game the future of Rugby League looks good.

Bradford Bulls beat the Leeds Rhinos 15-6 (Sorry Topsy) to win another Grandfinal.In front of a 65,728 crowd at Old Trafford (Home of Manchester United) the Bulls became the first team from outside the top 2-they finished 3rd- to claim the top Trophy in Europe.

With the Catalan Dragons coming into the European Super League next year and with Possibly Toulouse in 2009 things are looking up in French Rugby League.The top players are not now going to Union and with the Dragons signing top International stars in Stacy Jones (New Zealand) etc they wont be easy to beat.The Dragons will play in the Catalan area of France and Spain rather than just have one ground will have 3 grounds although the main base is in Perpignan in Southern France.Catalan have wonthe French Championship the last couple of years

RUSSIA; AMERICA; LEBANON
Torpedo Moscow are more than likely to retain the Russian Champions crown having beaten challengers Strala Kazan recently.The American champions are again the Glen Mill Bulls having narrowly defeated Connecticut Wildcats 26-30 in the Grand Final before over 3000 speccies.LAU beat AUB to claim the Lebanese Champions crown beating them 26-18.

THE CELTS
The Welsh Champs are once again Bridend Blue Bulls who actually lost a game for the first time in 3 years when Torfaen beat them at home 42-40-sadly the Bridgend repayed them in the Grand Final by hammering them 56-16!Bridgend have Kevin Ellis, John Deveraux on board who have ´played for wales at the highest level in League and Union!Bridgend will be home to the Celtic Crusaders who will enter the English Semi Pro league NL2 next year.League is now the main sport in Bridgend!

In Ireland Treaty City Titans claimed a Grand Final win with a narrow 36-30 win over the Kildare Dragons.And in the Irish State of Origin played at Kilkenny Munster 33 Leinster 24.Ireland has now nearly 20 Rugby League teams based allover Ireland-Cork, Kilkenny, Dublin, Belfast, Waterford, Kerry etc

Scottish Champs are the Royal Scots who beat the Fife Lions 42-16.Our very own Schotte will hopefullybe joining a team for next year and may even make the Scottish Students side with luck!

OTHERS

Other Leagues in Tonga, Japan, South Africa, West Indies, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Serbia etc are still being played

Champions of Australasia Wests Tigers will play the European Champions Bradford Bulls in the UK on Friday 3rd Feb in the World Club Challenge.Its usually played in the NH as playing in Australia in the Summer is not a very good idea!The European clubs do well usually tho having to travel not so Far as the Aussies helps.

Sky Sports as ever will Televise the game Live and The Arc will show the game Live here in Munich.I know there are a number of Tigers fans here in Munich judging by the number who cheered them on in the Aussie Grand Final.

Anybody wanting to watch ANY NRL game from 2003 and 2004 as well as State Of Origin and a couple of Internationals can watch them here.Usually there is some other programme on for 10-15 minutes before hand but the games are on!

NRL Games 2003-2004

Good news for you mate.Benji Marshall has signed a 3 year deal with Wests Tigers as has Shane Elford

Adrian Lam the former Papua New Guinea star is Assistant Coach at Cronzulla Sharks in 2006

Irish winger Brian Carney is at Newcastle kinghts for this year and then with Gold Coast Titans in 2007

Mal Meninga will coach Queensland in the State of Origin Series in 2006

St.George Illawarra confirm no games at Kogarah (OKI Jubilee Stadium) until round 13 due to Stadium work.

Major Transfers for 2006 Season
Darren ALBERT--------St.Helens (England)------To--Cronulla Sharks
Braith ANASTA--------Canterbury Bankstown---To--Sydney Roosters
Brian CARNEY---------Wigan (England)----------To--Newcastle Knights
Alex CHAN-------------Melbourne Storm---------To--Les Catalan Dragons (France)
Michael ENNIS---------St.George-Illawarra------To--Brisbane Broncos
Joe GALUVAO---------Penrith Panthers----------To--Souths Rabbitohs
Jeriome GUISSET----Wigan RLFC----------------To--Les Catalan Dragons
Ashley HARRISON----Souths Rabbitohs---------To--Sydney Roosters
Daniel HECKENBERG--Manly Sea Eagles--------To--London Harlequins RLFC
Micky HIGHAM--------St.Helens (England)-------To--Wigan RLFC
Ian HINDMARSH------Canberra Raiders---------To--Les Catalan Dragons (France)
Stacy JONES----------New Zealand Warriors----To--Les Catalan Dragons (France)
Jamaal LOLESI-------Canterbury Bulldogs-------To--West Tigers
David PEACHEY------Cronulla Sharks------------To--Widnes Vikings (England)
Jamie PEACOCK------Bradford Bulls (England)--To--Leeds Rhinos (England
Paul RAUHIHI---------North Queensland----------To--Warrington Wolves (England)
Ben ROSS-------------Penrith Panthers-----------To--Cronulla Sharks
Albert TORRENS------St.George-Illawarra-------To--Huddersfield Giants (England)
Chris WALKER--------Sydney Roosters-----------To--Melbourne Storm

Round 1 Draw 2006 March 10-12
Newcastle Knights v Parramatta Eels
Souths v Sydney Roosters
Manly v Canberra
Brisbane v North Queensland
NZ Warriors v Melbourne Storm
Wests Tigers v St.George-Illawarra Dragons
Canterbury Bulldogs v Penrith Panthers

BYE Cronulla Sharks