They are finally going to put a statue up in cardiff bay of Clive Sullivan billy Boston and gus risman .terry michaels family are from the same street as me in cardiff docks
The Welsh side came to Aotearoa (n.z) in 1987 and a friend of mine was playing for Auckland at the time and he said watch this guy Jonathan Davies he's incredible ... he said J Davies should be playing rugby league the rest is history and what a class act
In Wigan there's a stone plaque on a house in memory of Jim Sullivan n the estates main street is called Sullivan Way, Billy Boston is a legend also fantastic statue of him outside Wigan life centre/library/council offices
Fun fact: League players played Union in the services, who wouldn't put up with any RFU bullshit . This meant several titans of the League game turning out on the hallowed turf of Twickenham for the annual Army vs. Royal Navy game
Jack Gregory comes to mind. England player in the late1940s. Played for Huddersfield post WW2, but was re-instated to RU after appealing and returning to Blackheath. In 1948 he was one of the UK medal winners as a sprinter at the Olympics.
Glyn John is a name always forgotten. Signed for Leigh in 1949 (as a 17 year old) but was allowed back to Rugby Union (as he was under 18 years old). He repaid his signing on fee and wanted to return due to homesickness. Played twice for Wales in 1954 and many years for Cardiff.
Very few union layers made an impact in league, but one who did, was the one nobody gave a chance to, Jonathan Davies. He became a giant in league and is remembered with great fondness.
I never had any issue with the codes- just rugby with slightly different laws/rules. I looked at my code as Rugby Union. In the 1970's I turned out a few times for a leading amateur rugby league team in St Helens area just to play the game. I enjoyed both codes. However when offered a trial game for Warrington rugby league, the Wires as they were then known, I turned the offer down. Because had I been spotted then I would have been banned from rugby union. My pals and brother played for my current local club (I am now an Old Fart on the side lines) so hence my decision to stay with rugby union. I still watch both codes. It was a very silly attitude by the RFU.
Was great watching Wigan in 90's greatest team any code on the planet back then played Bath R,L game destroyed them then Middlesex 7"s look it up on TH-cam Connolly and assassin in the tackle Farrell, Edwards, Henry Paul he floated across the pitch the R,U game against Bath Wigan had a scratch team out even 42 yr old Graham West playing on aggregate Wigan won easily there's no place to hide in league non stop
@@lancesimon3301I’m a part of Pacific Coast Rugby League here in California. We have teams in Utah. And Southern and Northern California. Would you consider that growth?
@@usarugbyleagueunionfan not at all mate. You lot don't know who is running this sport over there. If it wasn't for the coconut islander expats there'd be no teams
Clearly, reference to the 'rules' shown @16:15 shows that the producers of this film (and Ray French) are wrong as 'football' is cited as outlawed as well as 'Northern Union'.
Wasn't there two brothers who played for Wales and were "technically" employed by south Wales police as coppers. In reality they were playing rugby for Pontypridd, south Wales police and Wales.
As a hull kr fan i loved david "bash" bishop he always gave 100% for our club, he fell out with the coach roger millward and never played for rovers again. still dont know the full story.
To add an American's perspective, there once was a semi-professional set up for quite a few sports, such as basketball, baseball, and American football. There were company teams, like Phillip's 66, who could field basketball teams in the 1950s against the total professional National Basketball Association, the NBA. They were in the American Amateur Athletic Union, the AAU. All that stopped by the 1970s. This is where rugby union had it wrong in 1995: a sport that was primarily amateur, albeit with some top players being payed under the table with no where near a living wage, or with being set up in jobs (so what?), suddenly was totally open. It should have become semi-professional for the top clubs, internationals & rep sides first.
Yes always thought Rugby Union should of started as semi pro but it went from so called amateur boot money or jobs to Newcastle's Utd John Hall paying £1m (Inga R.I.P.) for one player within 1 year of game going pro.
I think i prefer the union game overall, but Rugby League were absolutely in the right in the dispute over pay. And Union effectively admitted that when they eventually went pro. I really hope they can find a way to reunite rugby. Imagine a World cup of all the greatest rugby players in the World, not just half of them.
There was a hybrid game that the Aussies came up with in 2011 Australia vs Wallabies Jr's and 2020 The western sydney league vs union teams. It's on youtube just search hybrid rugby and it'll pop up or hybridrugby2011.
As a British Establishment favoured sport Rugby Union naturally displays many of the same attributes. Classism, Racism, Regional discrimination, Hypocrisy. Codebreakers focuses on racism. A documentary of its time.
There was no resolution. The rugby union were never going to allow broken time compensation. Whilst the northern clubs could not continue to operate without it.
I'm absolutely gob smacked by this video. 🏴 of all places being racist. & not allowed to play league as well as union 😅 it just seems such a farce! Imagine the RFU not picking Kevin Sinfield to help Sam Bosworth at Twickenham 😂 fortunately, times have changed & unfortunately the latter two have quite a job in hand to get England back to winning ways
Of course you couldn't have a Rugby League player and black at that winning despite achieving an amazing feat. Oh no, it has to go to a toff in an elitist class ridden sport. Votes by the public? My arse.
if you had even a slight inklng of historical knowledge of the two sports, clearly union does give a shit about league. unfortunately league is very poor at selling itself, i'll give you that.
Love Rugby League 💯🙏❤️
It’s fast as hell.
@JimboPrague Would you call it slow? How many fat boys do you see play League for 80 minutes? Even with the wiggle there’s nothing faster.
@JimboPraguelost your crayons 😢
An excellent documentary. The contribution of Welsh black players to Rugby League should be celebrated back home, as we in the North celebrate them!
They are finally going to put a statue up in cardiff bay of Clive Sullivan billy Boston and gus risman .terry michaels family are from the same street as me in cardiff docks
@@tommyhassan3545 That's great to hear. Thank you for sharing! 👏 👏 👏
The Welsh side came to Aotearoa (n.z) in 1987 and a friend of mine was playing for Auckland at the time and he said watch this guy Jonathan Davies he's incredible ... he said J Davies should be playing rugby league the rest is history and what a class act
A truly excellent documentary!
In Wigan there's a stone plaque on a house in memory of Jim Sullivan n the estates main street is called Sullivan Way, Billy Boston is a legend also fantastic statue of him outside Wigan life centre/library/council offices
Fun fact: League players played Union in the services, who wouldn't put up with any RFU bullshit . This meant several titans of the League game turning out on the hallowed turf of Twickenham for the annual Army vs. Royal Navy game
They put up with enough RFU shit that you couldn't play RL while in the Army until 1994
Jack Gregory comes to mind. England player in the late1940s. Played for Huddersfield post WW2, but was re-instated to RU after appealing and returning to Blackheath. In 1948 he was one of the UK medal winners as a sprinter at the Olympics.
I love Tony Collins. As a sociologist he in non-pareil. The class war in this documentary is glaringly apparent.
Good documentary, nice to see Roy Francis's achievements acknowledged, but no mention of the team he coached to success ?
Glyn John is a name always forgotten. Signed for Leigh in 1949 (as a 17 year old) but was allowed back to Rugby Union (as he was under 18 years old). He repaid his signing on fee and wanted to return due to homesickness. Played twice for Wales in 1954 and many years for Cardiff.
Very few union layers made an impact in league, but one who did, was the one nobody gave a chance to, Jonathan Davies. He became a giant in league and is remembered with great fondness.
Nonsense, do a bit of research.
Im afraid your mistaken pal. Loads of very handy Union players had a hand in improving the game of League cos they were skint.
I never had any issue with the codes- just rugby with slightly different laws/rules. I looked at my code as Rugby Union. In the 1970's I turned out a few times for a leading amateur rugby league team in St Helens area just to play the game. I enjoyed both codes. However when offered a trial game for Warrington rugby league, the Wires as they were then known, I turned the offer down. Because had I been spotted then I would have been banned from rugby union. My pals and brother played for my current local club (I am now an Old Fart on the side lines) so hence my decision to stay with rugby union. I still watch both codes. It was a very silly attitude by the RFU.
Was great watching Wigan in 90's greatest team any code on the planet back then played Bath R,L game destroyed them then Middlesex 7"s look it up on TH-cam Connolly and assassin in the tackle Farrell, Edwards, Henry Paul he floated across the pitch the R,U game against Bath Wigan had a scratch team out even 42 yr old Graham West playing on aggregate Wigan won easily there's no place to hide in league non stop
Sorry, but why didn’t you interview JOHN BEVAN, who played 13 seasons for Warrington ? ! ?
What about Glen Web he played for Wales and scored tries.
Back home?
❤Rugby League❤
Mungoball
@@lancesimon3301 ooo, the infinitely smart fans of the infinitely smart sport - rugby union. Something else, sir?
@@Alex-jx2zp mate I follow a whole range of sports. I just have a good giggle at Rugby League and it's inability to be able to grow
@@lancesimon3301I’m a part of Pacific Coast Rugby League here in California. We have teams in Utah. And Southern and Northern California. Would you consider that growth?
@@usarugbyleagueunionfan not at all mate. You lot don't know who is running this sport over there.
If it wasn't for the coconut islander expats there'd be no teams
Is this not just 2 different documentaries stuck together???
Clearly, reference to the 'rules' shown @16:15 shows that the producers of this film (and Ray French) are wrong as 'football' is cited as outlawed as well as 'Northern Union'.
No mention of Terry Holmes...
Wasn't there two brothers who played for Wales and were "technically" employed by south Wales police as coppers. In reality they were playing rugby for Pontypridd, south Wales police and Wales.
As a hull kr fan i loved david "bash" bishop he always gave 100% for our club, he fell out with the coach roger millward and never played for rovers again. still dont know the full story.
It's was for the money to feed Their families and I can't blame them for that .
as they say in swahili, c’est la vie clive
To add an American's perspective, there once was a semi-professional set up for quite a few sports, such as basketball, baseball, and American football. There were company teams, like Phillip's 66, who could field basketball teams in the 1950s against the total professional National Basketball Association, the NBA. They were in the American Amateur Athletic Union, the AAU. All that stopped by the 1970s. This is where rugby union had it wrong in 1995: a sport that was primarily amateur, albeit with some top players being payed under the table with no where near a living wage, or with being set up in jobs (so what?), suddenly was totally open. It should have become semi-professional for the top clubs, internationals & rep sides first.
Yes always thought Rugby Union should of started as semi pro but it went from so called amateur boot money or jobs to Newcastle's Utd John Hall paying £1m (Inga R.I.P.) for one player within 1 year of game going pro.
@@chrisr5499 And look how many pro teams are in financial trouble now.
I think i prefer the union game overall, but Rugby League were absolutely in the right in the dispute over pay. And Union effectively admitted that when they eventually went pro. I really hope they can find a way to reunite rugby. Imagine a World cup of all the greatest rugby players in the World, not just half of them.
There was a hybrid game that the Aussies came up with in 2011 Australia vs Wallabies Jr's and 2020 The western sydney league vs union teams. It's on youtube just search hybrid rugby and it'll pop up or hybridrugby2011.
Not a chance, just look at how they treated their England captain because of his rugby league DNA
Rugby league loads better than Union
As a British Establishment favoured sport Rugby Union naturally displays many of the same attributes. Classism, Racism, Regional discrimination, Hypocrisy. Codebreakers focuses on racism. A documentary of its time.
No mention of how the idiots who led the break had got lost in the London fog and missed the meeting that might have resolved the issues
Where did you hear that from?
There was no resolution. The rugby union were never going to allow broken time compensation. Whilst the northern clubs could not continue to operate without it.
@@jeremymoore6106 I said it wasn't 'resolved'
Well Welsh racism is coming to bite them in the ass now
How is the Rugby Union team doing by the way ?
I'm absolutely gob smacked by this video. 🏴 of all places being racist. & not allowed to play league as well as union 😅 it just seems such a farce! Imagine the RFU not picking Kevin Sinfield to help Sam Bosworth at Twickenham 😂 fortunately, times have changed & unfortunately the latter two have quite a job in hand to get England back to winning ways
Of course you couldn't have a Rugby League player and black at that winning despite achieving an amazing feat. Oh no, it has to go to a toff in an elitist class ridden sport. Votes by the public? My arse.
@@stephenreeds3632 you elderly M62 Northern Englishmen that are left following the dying sport are such angry old men
Poor old Rugby League 🤣🤣🤣
I just can't understand why it doesn't have the ability to grow hahaha
because they have spent 120 years fighting union for the right to exist?
@@majorowe union couldn't give a shit about this sport.. if Rugby League wasn't so repetitive and boring it would get the opportunity to grow
if you had even a slight inklng of historical knowledge of the two sports, clearly union does give a shit about league. unfortunately league is very poor at selling itself, i'll give you that.
@@majorowe I have the slight inkling.. now let me guess you're in the North of England?
@@lancesimon3301 nope