Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 6:18 pm  

The Avenger wrote:

Everyone has done it,

Garry Connolly, Robbie Paul & Henry Paul all seamlessly switched into Union during their League off season and murdered the opposition. Will Carling described Connolly as the best back he had ever seen in his life while One opposition coach who had just watched his team get roasted by Robbie Paul said he'd never seen anyone with footwork and agility to match Paul.

Vainikolo, Hape, Robinson, Burrell, J Tomkins, Eastmond, Ashton & even a knackered old prop with dodgy knees who's League career was over due to his inability to handle the physical demands anymore called Andy Farrell all played for England in the backs after just a handfull of games.

I'm half expecting to see Adrian Morley and Jamie Peacock turn out in the centres for the England Rugby Union team.

Burgess will stroll into the England team in any position he decides he wants to!

Any position in the three quarters.
He wont be playing prop and it's unlikely that he will be in the pack, although No. 8 could be ideal for him !

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 6:23 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Any position in the three quarters.
He wont be playing prop and it's unlikely that he will be in the pack, although No. 8 could be ideal for him !

Any position he decides he wants to

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 6:48 pm  

The Avenger wrote:

Burgess will stroll into the England team in any position he decides he wants to!

SBW played 7 minutes in total in the rwc semi and final. Burgess will need time to adjust to the defensive system in union.......no matter how one eyed some posters on here are.

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:28 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

SBW played 7 minutes in total in the rwc semi and final. Burgess will need time to adjust to the defensive system in union.......no matter how one eyed some posters on here are.

SBW would also stroll into the England RU team. The New Zealand team is a different story, but then again, the person you quoted didn't mention NZ.

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:07 pm  

Errlee Berd wrote:

SBW would also stroll into the England RU team. The New Zealand team is a different story, but then again, the person you quoted didn't mention NZ.

I wasnt going to bother responding to the insanity of the any position claim. instead i compared apples for apples as both burgess and williams will play in the same position.....

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:35 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

"the defensive system in union"..

Notwithstanding the fact there is no such thing as "the defensive system in union", I haven't seen Sam miss a tackle as yet in his Union career, and I don't expect I will do.

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:01 pm  

Mr Churchill wrote:

Notwithstanding the fact there is no such thing as "the defensive system in union", I haven't seen Sam miss a tackle as yet in his Union career, and I don't expect I will do.

Good for him..........im stunned the rfu just don't buy the entire england rl team and be done with jt if its that simple

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:21 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

Good for him..........im stunned the rfu just don't buy the entire england rl team and be done with jt if its that simple

They could, I'm sure all but the odd one or two would take the money, the RFU would never do it though because it's tantamount to accepting, in the most public and graphic way, that Rugby League is the superior code.

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:15 pm  

The Avenger wrote:

They could, I'm sure all but the odd one or two would take the money, the RFU would never do it though because it's tantamount to accepting, in the most public and graphic way, that Rugby League is the superior code.

Playing in the pack is a different story to playing in the backs though. You might find Union tedious and devoid of skill, but the set pieces and the breakdown are skills in their own right, and it would take years for a league player to perfect these things. What does set the league boys apart typically is handling, footwork and defence, which make up for any technical deficiencies they have. If you combined the England RU pack with the RL backs you'd have the best RU team in the world by a distance imo once the League players had settled in and learned the game.

I've also heard rumours about the Australian RU talking to some of the league boys about playing for the 7s team at the Olympics. Guys like GI would tear that competition to shreds.

Next season is the 150th year of both Hull FC and Bath. It would appear that as part of the celebrations there will be a cross code game. We haven't had one for a while. It will be interesting to see how Union has developed over the last decade now that League techniques are being used more and more.

Re: Sam Burgess Union debut : Sun Dec 07, 2014 2:09 am  

The Avenger wrote:

They could, I'm sure all but the odd one or two would take the money, the RFU would never do it though because it's tantamount to accepting, in the most public and graphic way, that Rugby League is the superior code.

Super sammy could well play 4 to 8 and 12 & 13......but front row, either half or he back 3 he'd be found wanting. If you want him to make a big impression the 12 or 13. If you want him injured, play him in the front row.