Hall calls for cooling of code war

Leeds winger Ryan Hall believes that the ‘code war’ between rugby league and rugby union should be consigned to the past.

While he acknowledges the history of the codes makes such an accommodation repulsive to some people, he also thinks the time has come to live and let live.

“If you only go back through the history of everything, then a lot of the time, rugby league and rugby union shouldn’t be able to operate alongside each other, because of the history and the bad blood,” he told Love Rugby League.

“But, come on! We’re both professional outfits, and we’re both wanting to play rugby, whatever kind of rugby it is.

“Obviously, they think theirs is the best, and we think ours is the best, there’s no wrong or right, it’s just what people prefer.

“With people crossing codes – people have different motives. Sometimes money, because it is better paid in rugby union at the moment.

“There’s lots of different sides to the argument. People want to achieve things, people have different motives, and that’s personal.

“If someone wants to leave and do what they want to do in their career, you can’t hold them ransom.”

One incident which sparked something of a renewal of hostilities between league and union was Denny Solomona’s controversial move from Castleford to union side Sale.

Hall felt that the move was handled badly, and such code swaps do not need to generate such resentment in this day and age.

“I don’t necessarily want to speak about Denny directly, but I’m going to have to,” Hall added.

“He probably went about it the wrong way, or his representatives did. He must have got some advice and gone about it the wrong way.

“That’s just one example, but there have been other examples where it’s been done properly.

“Chev Walker left to go to Bath from Leeds. Lee Smith went. All those transfers have always been droperly, with both sides happy with the way things went.

“As long as it’s handled well – that’s the main thing to come out of the saga.”