: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:56 am  

Hollywood Harrigan wrote:

I can't see how taking players from the only set up in world rugby that makes England RL look exiting would help. Englands current union side must be the most negative attacking team ever to grace Twickenham.

He was hinting at the Welsh. He said he wants to see characters like Davies, Gibbs, Devereux et al.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:58 am  

flipper wrote: given there is barmy money on offer in french RU at the moment - I don't think we''ll be seeing this happen. Maybe that's why they are targeting players like smithy.

flipper wrote: given there is barmy money on offer in french RU at the moment - I don't think we''ll be seeing this happen. Maybe that's why they are targeting players like smithy.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:59 am  

Clearwing wrote:

Someone ought to point out to Brian that there's nothing stopping him scouting for & recruiting young, talented union players and developing them into decent league players before they start earning megabucks. Then again, there's little recent evidence of him doing this even with league players.

That's not what motivates Noble.

He appears to be seeking to inflict damage on Union by enticing away their top stars just as Union have sought to do to league via Robinson, Farrell, Harris, Paul, Vainikolo ect

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:00 pm  

Hollywood Harrigan wrote:

I can't see how taking players from the only set up in world rugby that makes England RL look exiting would help. Englands current union side must be the most negative attacking team ever to grace Twickenham.

to be fair i think some of the current crop have greater attacking insticts than previous, more successful generations, but there is a lack of leadership (on the pitch) and a lack of spontaneity.

For all the hype, Cipriani is an exciting player, there are some good runners and some genuine pace in the backs and on the periphery of the squad - not seen much of him in the last year but Geraghty looked very comfortable with ball in hand and could react to what was in front of him.

Flutey is lively has good feet and a nose for a gap (that sounds wrong)

But it's all a bit shambolic on the pitch, don't know if the valiant defeat to wales will be something of a turning point.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:01 pm  

Have any of our players that have gone to Union inflicted any damage on our sport?

or, for that matter, did any of the converts from Union inflict any damage on them in the past?

As long as the Union is prepared to throw silly money at the likes of Karl Pryce and Chev Walker we should be shouting to the rooftops that the way to get ahead in Union is to play League.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:27 pm  

G1 wrote:

Have any of our players that have gone to Union inflicted any damage on our sport?

or, for that matter, did any of the converts from Union inflict any damage on them in the past?

As long as the Union is prepared to throw silly money at the likes of Karl Pryce and Chev Walker we should be shouting to the rooftops that the way to get ahead in Union is to play League.

Yes I'd say it had the potential to inflict damage on our sport. It's impossible to say though as life goes on without them regardless. Leeds replaced Harris with Walker, Wigan replaced Farrell with ?, Bradford replaced Vainikolo with Tupou.

The funny part is that the Union (Robinson aside) has taken the wrong players or the right players at the wrong time.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:33 pm  

I beleive that the club salary a premiership player receives is probably on a par with their super league counterparts, but don't they get most of their money from their country, or am I thinking about cricket?

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:42 pm  

Tony Soprano wrote:

What?

Compare the international game that Union has compared to us in League and also they have a European Championship - what do we have to rival that ?

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:50 pm  

flipper wrote:

For all the hype, Cipriani is an exciting player, there are some good runners and some genuine pace in the backs and on the periphery of the squad - not seen much of him in the last year but Geraghty looked very comfortable with ball in hand and could react to what was in front of him.

Flutey is lively has good feet and a nose for a gap (that sounds wrong)

But it's all a bit shambolic on the pitch, don't know if the valiant defeat to wales will be something of a turning point.

Purely from the England side/squad, the likes of Simpson-Daniel, the two Armitage boys, Danny Care and Tom Croft have the necessary physical attributes and skills to have a good shot at league IMO.

If you expand it out to cover the rest of the UK, then Shane Williams, Adam Powell and Ryan Jones from Wales, John Barclay and Tom Evans from the Scots or Rob Carney in the Ireland side could have a good dig at it.

The money they are able to command in the 15-a-side code however would mean nobody would be willing to take a punt. Better to invest in proven league players who offer better value for money.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:53 pm  

Dead Man Walking wrote:

Compare the international game that Union has compared to us in League and also they have a European Championship - what do we have to rival that ?

Plus the endorsement opportunities available to an international RU player, Noble would need to slash some silly money to get his man.