Leading BBC presenter Mark Chapman says the media see rugby league as an “afterthought”, speaking ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
Chapman has appeared on many major national programmes, such as Final Score, Match of the Day 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.
He also presents Sky Sports coverage of the League Cup in football.
However, he has also become a leading rugby league presenter, being the front man for BBC coverage of the last three Rugby League World Cups.
In addition, he fronts coverage of the Challenge Cup.
On his podcast, The Sports Agents, he has passionately defended rugby league.
Leading BBC presenter calls rugby league an “afterthought” to the media
Speaking on the show, which he presents alongside Gabby Logan, he said, via LRL: “I’ve always loved league because it’s the underdog in the two codes.”
“I do think it gets harshly treated by the media. I do think it’s an afterthought in most of the newspapers and, I have to say, in most of the sports bulletins on TV and radio.
“They give miles more coverage to union than league. But I’m not one of those that goes, ‘I love league, therefore I can’t love union’. I can see the merits in both.”
Joining the pair on the show was Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess, a cross-coder thanks to his short time playing union.
Burgess said, on the codes: “I might be a bit biased towards one over the other. But it’s a bit of a fantasy world. It’d take a lot of compromise from people in higher places than I.
“The codes are getting closer together in certain aspects but the purists of rugby union will never sacrifice what they believe to be the pure ends of the sport. Ruck, maul, line out: which league will never be interested in.
“League appreciates the quality of skill, the ability to execute set piece and the kicking prowess. The passes from nine.. a lot of those skills are really transferrable and we can lean on rugby union with that and vice-versa.”