Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Oct 06, 2015 2:38 pm  

CyberPieMan wrote:

Well, there's nothing else much to talk about for the game is there?
What's really annoying is that there's bgr-all mention of the only rugby game that really matters on Saturday either. And look at the radio schedule: we start on 5LiveExtra in favour of the Oz/Taffy game, then get bumped over to the main channel (if we're lucky) at half time. I know the RFU have done their best to get in the way and the RFL are trying to pretend nothing else is happening, but FFS, how much cr*p do we have to take?

The fact that it's called the 'Rugby World Cup' is enough for me, dropped the Union taking ownership of the name 'Rugby' arrogantly, totally disregarding that there's another code of rugby. I bet it's also trademarked, otherwise the RFL should just call our next world cup the 'Rugby World Cup'.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Oct 06, 2015 5:22 pm  

Aboveusonlypie wrote:

I remember reading a column by one of the English players (I forget who)-was talking about training at Bath. Apparently if they had a bad session one of the punishments was to make them play RL for twenty minutes, which absolutely knackered them.

Are you sure you're not getting mixed up with Lee Mossop?

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:14 am  

The thing most likely to keep Burgess in RU is pride - he's very self confident and has talked a good game since going to RU, and he will be stinging about the treatment he's received in the press. Most people would walk away, but people like Burgess will assume its just a case of working harder and they'll get there.

The sad thing is he really is the archetypal RL forward, and had he stayed in the NRL would have gone on to be one of the greats. As it is he'll probably work his booty off and at best get back into the England RU side as just another forward. He will simply never be as dominant in RU as he can be in RL. Even if he plays for England again I bet in twenty years the only thing RU fans will remember him for is failing as a centre. Meanwhile RL fans don't get to see a great player in our game. The whole thing is a mess and entirely predictable. The only positive is if it discourages poaching by RU.

As an aside I think the guaranteed caps and central RU funding has gone. IIRC Bath signed Burgess without any help, although I wouldn't be surprised if he got the nod and wink from Farrell and possibly Lancaster before he jumped ship.

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:38 am  

From what happened to Burgess hopefully no more top RL players will jump ship .

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:24 am  

jaws1 wrote:

From what happened to Burgess hopefully no more top RL players will jump ship .

I think this is a certainty now. After what has happened to Sam, being lambasted in the media and taking the blame for the dross served up this should be a big red danger signal to other RL players. Not every move is a fairy tale like Robinson, Ashton and Farrell etc.

Sam Burgess was the worlds most recognised RL player when he left after that epic NRL Grand Final and hopefully the next time Yawnion are desperate for a bit of class they should try and find one from their own code for a change.

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 12:13 pm  

Liam Forsyth has signed for Bath, that was the reason he was left out of the U19's Grand Final.

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:10 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Liam Forsyth has signed for Bath, that was the reason he was left out of the U19's Grand Final.

That is very disappointing.
I have only seen him on Wigan TV and he has looked a really good prospect. The Bath set up looks exceptionally good and wouldn't be surprised to see other top youngsters attracted down there.
He will have company with Sarginson next season. I wonder if Forsyth was the U19 lad who bunked up recently with Sarginson to stop him going stair crazy?
Rogues is he a St Helens lad? Did we pick him up from Saints? What is your opinion of the lad?

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:51 pm  

Cherry_Warrior wrote:

I think this is a certainty now. After what has happened to Sam, being lambasted in the media and taking the blame for the dross served up this should be a big red danger signal to other RL players. Not every move is a fairy tale like Robinson, Ashton and Farrell etc.

Sam Burgess was the worlds most recognised RL player when he left after that epic NRL Grand Final and hopefully the next time Yawnion are desperate for a bit of class they should try and find one from their own code for a change.

Good post. Hopefully having seen how badly one of the best RL forwards of his generation has been treated by the RU "establishment" and press, other potential converts from the superior code will be given pause for thought. I also suspect that the blood letting which will undoubtedly begin after the final whistle on Saturday night, will leave RU a lot more sceptical about recruiting from RL.

Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Oct 08, 2015 7:21 pm  

jaws1 wrote:

From what happened to Burgess hopefully no more top RL players will jump ship .

They will because money talks and Union has enough to throw around.

I just can't for the life of me think why they went for a guy with the physical attributes and skills of Sam Burgess because he's league through and through.

If I were them I'd be targeting big, skilful back with good pace who can exploit what little space there is. Guys like Ryan Hall, Joe Burgess and Kallum Watkins would settle comfortably.

I pray they don't mind.

Re: Sam Burgess : Fri Oct 09, 2015 7:43 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Liam Forsyth has signed for Bath, that was the reason he was left out of the U19's Grand Final.

I heard about this a while back. Supposedly the youth team were told to bring an overnight bag etc to training, as a bonding session the team camped on the training pitch. At the start of the night 'by surprise' Wane was walking his dogs nearby, he called over Forsyth and had a rant at him about being offered a deal with Bath. At this stage he hadn't signed for Bath but had received 2 offers, one from Wigan and a much better offer from Bath.

Without hearing Liam out Wane told him he'd been disrespectful and was done at Wigan. Liam returned to camp, picked up his belongings and left. The offer from Wigan was withdrawn leaving Liam no other option but to sign for Bath.