Re: Gareth Thomas be warned! : Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:28 am  

Spongolium wrote:

The whole RU vs RL is pointless. Die hard RL fans will never accept anything you say against their sport. There are tough union players. Anyone who diss-regards that is an idiot. There are also talented union players that become the best of the best in league. Does Jonathan Davies ring a bell, Scott Gibbs, Scott Quinell, John Deveraux, Paul morrierty(sp). Look face facts. Players from RU can quite easily switch to league.

Don't get me wrong, players from league sometimes make it in union. But not as often. Jason Robinson strikes me as a good union convert. The best league player in britain at one point completly failed at union. Iestyn Harris. There were other factors but it happens

Good post.

Disagree about Iestyn. He wasn't brilliant by any stretch of the imagination, but he was better than a lot of the tripe that surrounded him in that Wales team (and Cardiff too). When you're branded the saviour of a nation's national sport before you've even player, it's fair to say you're under a certain amount of pressure. He could have been brilliant with the right support, coaching etc. Unfortunatley it wasn't to be.

I think many people who follow only one code, and ignore the other, seem to forget how totally different the games are to play, and just assume because someone is a superstar at one code, they will be at the other because their code is 'superior'. There are many, many cases to prove that wrong and the truth is, different players react in different ways, you can only judge each convert on a case-by-case basis.

Re: Gareth Thomas be warned! : Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:53 am  

The old league is better than union thread i thought i was in planet rugby for a second, grow up he is a wonderful PR exercise for the crusaders at his best he would be playing 6, but he is like when john kirwan went to the then auckland warriors don't except him to do what davies or gibbs done.
No doubt he underestimated the french he proably has never heard of them before, ferriol is a top notch prop him along with elima and bosc are world class the rest are playing like bums.
There is no reason for union players to switch to league anymore the money is not better, it has turned full circle more league players are switching, but if the money bonanza happens many are talking of with the next nrl deal then union must be warned they could be back in the ballpark.
I played both i grew up in league heartland 3 hours from sydney orange, league is a tv sport while union is a player sport is the best way to sum it up.

These are the league players to make a good crack of union in recent years:
Wendell sailor- Played 30 odd tests, was in my opinion the best australian convert hard to tackle speed, was a star.
Lote Tuquiri- Played around 20 tests, a good played but lacked the foot speed at times to play.
Mat Rogers - Good utility back played about 30 tests including 2003 wc final, was one of the best aussie s14 players.
Brad Thorn - the best of the lot played over 40 tests made conversion in forwards.
Tasea Lavea - Played over 4 seasons sucessfully with auckland blus in super 14.
Fabrice Estabanez - After playing in the french elite with toulouse he switched codes to brive, now in france 6 nations squad massive step up.
Chris Ashton - After just 2 years in union now a english international.

Then we also had jason robinson, Hape, Vanikolo, Craig Gower with italy most have made a good fist of union.

Re: Gareth Thomas be warned! : Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:29 pm  

winnyason wrote:

The old league is better than union thread i thought i was in planet rugby for a second, grow up he is a wonderful PR exercise for the crusaders at his best he would be playing 6, but he is like when john kirwan went to the then auckland warriors don't except him to do what davies or gibbs done.
No doubt he underestimated the french he proably has never heard of them before, ferriol is a top notch prop him along with elima and bosc are world class the rest are playing like bums.
There is no reason for union players to switch to league anymore the money is not better, it has turned full circle more league players are switching, but if the money bonanza happens many are talking of with the next nrl deal then union must be warned they could be back in the ballpark.
I played both i grew up in league heartland 3 hours from sydney orange, league is a tv sport while union is a player sport is the best way to sum it up.

These are the league players to make a good crack of union in recent years:
Wendell sailor- Played 30 odd tests, was in my opinion the best australian convert hard to tackle speed, was a star.
Lote Tuquiri- Played around 20 tests, a good played but lacked the foot speed at times to play.
Mat Rogers - Good utility back played about 30 tests including 2003 wc final, was one of the best aussie s14 players.
Brad Thorn - the best of the lot played over 40 tests made conversion in forwards.
Tasea Lavea - Played over 4 seasons sucessfully with auckland blus in super 14.
Fabrice Estabanez - After playing in the french elite with toulouse he switched codes to brive, now in france 6 nations squad massive step up.
Chris Ashton - After just 2 years in union now a english international.

Then we also had jason robinson, Hape, Vanikolo, Craig Gower with italy most have made a good fist of union.

i think robinson is the best convert followed by tuquiri.
there is a trend though a lot of outside backs..!!

Re: Gareth Thomas be warned! : Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:18 am  

Robinson was far the best, scored the only try in the WC final and was inspiring to the rest of the team according to Johnny Wilkinson.