Why was Rugby League banned in the British armed forces ?

Question

When was the ban lifted ?

Answer 1

I suspect it was when the 'High Command' discovered that the 'low grab' was as 'manly' as they thought?

Answer 2

Rugby league was baned in the armed forces because it was a professional sport, and  soldiers were supposed to be professional soldiers.

The ban was lifted during the last 10 years or so after rugby union went professional. There are now  amateur and pro sections of both codes (league and union)

Answer 3

rl was banned because of the establishment class bias against the sport.

welsh guy(or should that be welsh guy who knows nothing) rugby league is not & never has been a pro sport. there are pro leagues & amateur leagues(i know as i played in both)it is like saying all sports where there atre pro& amateur is a pro sport ridiculus. suggesting ru was amateur is an insult to my & other peoples intelligence. players getting paid cash in brown paper bags,having jobs where they never turned up or their wifes working in the club shop 2 hours a week yet earning £500 a week.please don't deny this went on as i personally know 2 ex ru internationals who have told me what used to occur.

Answer 4

League was banned because of it's ferocity & its popularity.

Almost 70 MILLION spectators during the 1949/50 season.

The forces could not afford for soldiers to be injured due to the physicality of the sport and due to its popularity it was deemed to have an effect on the general muster.

There was also the general consensus that it was banned because it was not the 'gentlemans sport' played by the mainly middle & upper classes that filled all the senior ranks at the time.

RL was not recognised as a sport by the ARMY until 1994 which quite frankly is a disgrace. However the Army now put together a very good side and also the Navy & RAF have RL sides too.

Answer 5

'Cos it's not proper Rugby

Answer 6

'Cos the officers are all either public school or Officer Training Schools or both, and they don't know anything other than proper rugby, played with 15 a side.