Mat Rogers, the former Wallaby who played 45 Tests for Australia, returned to rugby league at the start of the season with new NRL team the Gold Coast Titans and has become their leading try-scorer this season. He spoke to the Sydney Daily Telegraph about why he has no regrets about switching back to his old code.
“I’m not surprised people struggle to follow it (rugby union) because I played it for five years and I still struggle to understand the rules.
“The whole technical aspect of rugby is just too much. There’s the lineouts, the scrummaging and the breakdown laws you have to worry about. It’s just information overload in rugby union.
“In union there’s meetings and meetings for meetings. It just does my head in. There’s so many coaches. Everybody wants to have their little say in rugby. It’s like a power struggle off the field. You can see it in the players. Behind the scenes they are frustrated and pulling their hair out.
“I love the fact in rugby league we’ve got one coach. There’s not a backs coach, there’s not a forwards coach, there’s not a defence coach, there’s not an attack coach. The list goes on.
“I think that’s half the trouble with rugby. From a game standpoint I really enjoyed it. It was just all the stuff that goes along with it that was a headache.
“Rugby is not for me. I’m really enjoying my life on the Gold Coast and I haven’t had any regrets. I met a lot of good people in rugby and I still have a lot of really good mates in the code but I have made the right decision for myself.”
Little Matty Rogers! – here’s an idea for a new tattoo for you – “The wheel is turning but the hamster’s dead…”