Webcke wants rugby rivalry ceasefire - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Webcke wants rugby rivalry ceasefire

26/11/2003 07:56:40 PM Comments (0)

Brisbane Broncos Test prop Shane Webcke has called for an end to "the crap" that goes on between the rival rugby codes in Australia.

Australian Rugby Union supremo John O'Neill -- armed with a $45 million World Cup war chest -- has put rugby league on notice it's about to be replaced as football's number one code in NSW and Queensland because of the success of the tournament, which attracted huge crowds.

He flagged a $15 million injection from its World Cup windfall to promote its ranking to number one in both states and to move to number two position in AFL-dominated states.

But Webcke, back in Brisbane after helping Australia's Kangaroos to a 3-0 Test series cleansweep over Great Britain, said both codes had a strong future.

"They've got their game, which obviously a percentage of people think's really good, and we've got ours and people think it's good," Webcke said at Brisbane Airport.

"And all this crap that goes on between the codes is quite frankly annoying."

Two of Webcke's former Broncos teammates, wingers Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri, were leading lights in the Wallabies World Cup campaign.

But Webcke said that after the World Cup and Australia's loss to England in last weekend's extra time final, the pair could be considering a return to rugby league.

"Perhaps they'd like to come back to league," he said.

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