Comparison of rugby league and rugby union Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The same perceived class barrier as exists between the two games in England also occurs in these states, fostered by rugby union's prominence and support at private schools. In New Zealand, rugby league is still considered to be a lower class game by many, or a game for "westies" referring to lower class western suburbs of Auckland and more recently the poorer southern Auckland where the game is popular. It is also popular on the West Coast of New Zealand. In France, rugby union is widely played and has a strong tradition in
Rugby union in the Soviet Union The decade was a golden age for, with a large number of new teams being set up in many parts of the Soviet Union, including areas such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. A school for coaches was opened during this period, and physical training colleges throughout the USSR introduced lectures on rugby union as part of their courses. The students of the MHTS in Moscow were also a major force in the promotion of the game. In 1967, rugby was introduced to Moldavia. In the 1960s too, Soviet rugby started to reach out, often without hope of immediate success, to international