Hi Donald
I follow Rugby Leauge and am still trying to engage in playing it as a Northern guy - but have never got that far tbh loll! Tag Rugby is more my style - which I have played had-ock since my teens
I know there is a minute difference in the Rules between Leauge and union - but I only said to my Uncle the other day "Leauge" is old 1950s to 1970s/80s Division 3/4 Football (or to narrate it now) it'd be National Leauge and National Leauge North/South Football - though not by the standards of players but of the equals qogmire pitches and slide tackles you'd have in afore-mentioned Footy - as it used to be. Though to /for me the Clive Woodward code has gone oo far posh - though it is ot money dominated luike Football is .... but a mix of codes wa always destined to be given Rugby orginated IN Rugby itself = the Midlands, though many may class it North or South
I have many fond memoiries of watching the endless results/scores on ITV (I think)!!, mid 1980s and the list being longer than Football Scores in a way - even probably seeing Northern Twns "just heard of to a 10 year old was amazing - more so than Football Teams and in-particular like when Fulham started up and gained a stronghold on the Northern "Rulers" and of course with all due respect given tiny Towns like Hunslet and Swinton on the metamorpheses of big City's like Leeds and Manchester getting a foot in - this was equal to your own Town as I grew up in (of about 15,000 then) getting to any Sporting Cup 6th Round like Wimbledon dared to dream of and did - to get into the Football Leauge - though agreed Wimbledon is not a small town) but like too in recent years Histon, alfreton etc have gone close in the National Leauge
I think that the Northern code survives alone on good-will and working class as it's testamount!
80sChav