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 Samoa Rugby union in Samoa Rugby union in Samoa is the country's most popular sport. The national teams in both the standard 15-man game and rugby sevens are consistently competitive against teams from vastly more populous nations. Rugby union is governed by the Samoa Rugby Union who are also members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance. Samoa were awarded 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board which entitles them to funding from the IRB. The Samoa Rugby Union was founded in 1924, as the "Apia Rugby Union", and affiliated to the NZRFU in the same year. As the Western Samoa