Friday, 29 November 2013

Breaking the code: how rugby league and rugby union compare


Cross code stars Israel Folau of Australia and Sonny Bill Williams of New Zealand
Last weekend saw two spectacular rugby matches, both won by New Zealand with last-gasp tries.
They were, of course, in different sports, with the Kiwis beating England in a semi-final thriller in the Rugby League World Cup last Saturday and the All Blacks winning an epic against Ireland on Sunday in the penultimate game of union's autumn Tests.
This Saturday sees the culmination of five weeks of action as defending champions New Zealand face favourites Australia in the Rugby League World Cup final in Manchester, while Wales v Australia will also bring five weekends of Test rugby in the union code to a conclusion.

The weekend's games will feature players who have appeared in both the 13-man and 15-man codes. In the Kiwi team on Saturday will be Sonny Bill Williams, the International Rugby League Federation's player of the year, who won a union World Cup winner's medal with the All Blacks in 2011, while former Australia league star Israel Folau will be in action for Australia's union side in Cardiff.
BBC Sport has asked four rugby experts to discuss the differences and similarities between the two codes, the different challenges they present and skills they require, and the evolution of both games.
Our panel comprises Jonathan Davies (37 Wales union caps, 10 caps for Great Britain and nine for Wales in league), Jeremy Guscott (65 union caps for England and eight for the Lions) Jamie Peacock (26 caps for Great Britain and 21 for England in league, and captained both), and Tulsen Tollett (former NRL and Super League rugby league star, and Premiership rugby union player).

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