Most Successful Union/League Convert

Discussion in 'Rugby Union Discussion' started by HeathDavisSpeed, Nov 2, 2013.

  1. Jabba HJ Bots

    He's not gonna be anywhere near quick enough to be a back imo
     
  2. Mariner CL Warrington

    You forget, this is English rugby :ninja:
     
  3. Jabba HJ Bots

  4. Alex AJ O'Driscoll

    He would be a great 6 or 8. People saying he would be useless at the ruck are misguided as he is not playing the role of a 7 in terms of going for turnovers, his strengths will be defence around the ruck and hard ball running. Burgess' strength and size, as well as his mobility would help him learn how to be efficient at the breakdown.

    You'd also have to think that they could use him to defend between 10 and 12 in general play, he would absolutely murder blokes like Jamie Roberts who bully that inside backs channel in Northern Hemisphere rugby.
     
  5. Sultan Pepper HG Emm

    Burgess will dominate in union.
     
  6. Howe JHF Howe

    There are plenty of top back rowers who concentrate solely on ball carrying and defense rather than ruck work. There's no point in having your best line breakers at the bottom of a ruck. O'Brien, Croft, Picamoles, etc etc
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2014
  7. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    Think people are underestimating the big fella's hands and step.

    Neither that shabby for a huge chap. He'll make holes and (hopefully) his offload will come into play. Obviously not in SBW's class, but can perform a similar role for us, IMHO.
     
  8. Cribbage RG Cribb

    Burgess actually has shocking hands. Can offload, can even throw proper passes, but his ball-handling borders on terrible at times. Makes heaps of errors for a forward.
     
  9. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    Was meaning his distribution, really.

    Don't see as much of the NRL since Sky lost the rights. Didn't drop too many in the WC at least.
     
  10. Cribbage RG Cribb

    Yeah, his distribution will still definitely need a lot of work to play as a union back but there's definitely something to work with there as long as he manages to catch the ball first. :ph34r:
     
  11. Howe JHF Howe

  12. Weeman27bob BE Force

    Potentially more likely to make the squad then?

    But won't make the starting team for the World Cup.
     
  13. Howe JHF Howe

    It's all pretty up in the air at this point.
     
  14. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    Trouble is we're pretty well sorted for blindsides and #8s.

    We lack a proper seven, but Burgess deffo ain't that anyway.

    I reckon Bath are indulging in a spot of brinkmanship to screw some wedge from the RFU.
     
  15. Howe JHF Howe

    It really would suck if the RFU pay for any of this. How fair is it for the sport's national body to pay for one club's star signing for them?
     
  16. Weeman27bob BE Force

    They'd have to give equivalent sums to all the clubs.
     
  17. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Yeah it's ridiculous and does just smack as a bit of an FU from Bath.

    Well we can't really rely on Croft being fit and so while we're definitely fine on 8s I think we could always do with an extra option on the flank, even if Wood and Robshaw both had an excellent 6 Nations.

    I think with Tuilagi, 36 and Burrell we're fine on centres too with Farrell and May also offering options there from a squad perspective. Having an offloading flanker with a bit of pace might be a nice change... always frustrating when attacking moves end in nothing because a lumbering forward gets it out in wide positions. Only ever feel comfortable when it's Croft as the last man
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2014
  18. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    Pretty sure the RFU coughed up portions of Henry Paul's and Vanikolo's (sp?) fees, so it's not without precedent.
     
  19. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    Sinfield to move to union

    The veteran Leeds Rhinos & ex-England skipper decides to top up his pension with a stint in the senior code for Yorkshire Carnegie. From the BBC:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/32131993

    Think it's a solid bet this is one ex-leagueist we won't see in an England shirt.
     
  20. Howe JHF Howe

    I gather that RFU contracts are lucrative but 2nd division club rugby?

    Rhinos draw far more fans than the union team. Only union side I ever saw fill Headingley was the students.
     

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