Hazem Elmasri kicked one the other day from the sideline ,and you wouldn't believe it, it went straight between the post..

... while smoking a fag.



Probably.

It's not a like for like comparison at all. The ball is a different shape. The Steeden ball used in the NRL and SL is shorter, pointier and lighter than a regulation rugby union ball. An AFL ball is even easier to kick accurately and further, being rounder and inflated to a higher pressure, whereas american football goes the other way - it's difficult to kick accurately (in spite of the fact that they keep aside a box balls just for kicking in the NFL).



Of course you could make the same argument for the superior handling skills of our players - it's easier to slip out a one-handed pass with our smaller ball.



Dave Alred who was the RFU and Saint Jonny's kicking coach for many years (and also Lions, Wallabies etc.) is of course a former RL player, having turned out for the previous pro RL team in Bridgend and Cheltenham in the early days of amateur RL in the midlands.

Yes. Kicks from the touchline are fairly common. Kicks from the corner flag? ie, on the touchline [iand[/i the tryline?





ps: How long has El Masri been one word?

All the ball dimension facts and picking specific goal kickers in rugby league simply proves that RU are better. You are trying too hard to prove the point.

The more you practise the better you will be. RU penalties are a much bigger part of the game than they are in League.

I hope it is no surprise to anyone that the are better scrummagers than us too, and pretty good at lineouts.



.....and I'm ok with that.

Let them have the kicking practise. I'd rather have someone who can actually pass a ball and make a tackle.

Kicking is an important part of Rugby League and should practised to the point of excellence ......along with tackling, defensive strategy, passing long, passing short, etc etc.

Rugby union kickers are almost like the special team in American Football. That's not what I pay to see.

Played Union at Full Back for many years.

As a result, I can say that I could probably(at 44yrs of age) still Kick a ball further out of my hands for touch or a 40/20 further than any current Superleage player.

As for place kicking, specialist place kickers in Union are a vital part of the team as they produce most of the points scored in a game in most instances.

Examples

NZ v Australia last weekend...37 points, 32 from the boot 86%

2 weeks earlier, SA vAustralia...46 points, 31 from the boot 67%

Week before, SA vNZ, 50 points 40 from the boot 80%



League on the other hand...

Australia v NZ 48 points, 12 from the boot 25%

NZ v Aust 54 points 12 from the boot 22%.

Most NRL kickers are kicking at 80-90% success rate. Is RU much more than that?

You make a good point about the percentage of points by kicks

........but better than any current superleague player is quite a boast

Used to be able to Kick from inside the 25yrd line to the opposite corner flag and it wasn't down to strength, just putting the right spiral on the ball. Annoys me that RL players don't seem to be able to gain more than 30 yrds from penalties to touch. If you get a penalty in your own 20, the least you should be looking for is a PTB in your opponents 20.......

As for current kickers in SL.....I am pretty sure I would give them a run for their money.

sounds enthralling!

do people realise that every try is followed by a kick at goal?

GF you should be on at half time at Quins when they do there kicking game you would be a winner if your as good as you talk.

It is a question that everyone asks why dont they kick further for touch? but then we would be the first when we kicked it and it didnt go out to say why didnt he just go for the safer option. Also i think they only make 20m or so because they get to do a new set of 6 and be more creative because they have space where as if they kicked to the opp 10 they would have too much pressure in front of the line of a rushing defence