news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 358697.stm 2 Year deal at Saints. They must be delighted with that.

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 358697.stm 2 Year deal at Saints. They must be delighted with that.

Good.

It would have been such a waste of talent if he'd gone to Yawnion.

Yep it would have been a big loss for the game. Would have been hilarious if he'd gone to Wigan though

Fully agree.

I also think he'd be pretty rubbish at Union (they don't need/want backs that can run with the ball)

So that would be why they didn't want Jason Robinson et al then? As I recall it's our strong running backs the monied union types target

I think he'd have been a massive star in Union, they can stick him at full back and just tell him to run everytime the ball is kicked to him.
Where Union struggle is making good centres/wingers from League do anything in Union because their halves are generally woefully inept at attacking and their backlines are pathetic at running attacking lines. But someone like Eastmond would do well and would be in the England team within a year or so in my opinion.

I'm very happy with this. Thought we might lose him to Union.

We probably will in 2 years...

You do realise it was nearly 10 years ago that they signed Robinson



Look at how wasted some other really good talents have been (eg Harris, Paul, Farrell) Union Clubs have wasted a lot of money on League players due to failing to appreciate the subtle differences between the two games.

The latsest yawnion rule changes have put the sport back 20 years - a running fullback would be a liability these days.

You just need a big boot and 6 foot plus backs that are safe under a kick.

Happy for them TBH, i remember seeing himk for the first time and honestly thinking :- WOW

We can not be losing players such as him to Yawnion.

If rugby league lost Kyle Eastmond to union, there would be another Kyle Eastmond along somewhere else in SL (not necessarily at Saints) within a couple of years to replace him.

That's how rugby league has survived the union game going openly professional, by continuing to produce its own talent at a rate the RFU would be creaming themselves about.

Let's not get carried away on the basis of one tournament and a couple of good pieces of support play that Eastmond is the next Peter Sterling either btw - he's still got plenty to prove at club and international level.

But he won't prove it if he's playing for Sale.

I hear what you say and don't necessarily disagree but still think retaining such an exciting young talent is a cause for a little bit of celebration.

Yep, he's got great potential but it will only be realised if he can add to his excellent running game with a passing and kicking game as well.

In the playing sense you're probably right - but I'd imagine those signings helped to swell the crowds of the clubs that signed them. I suspect that signing a "name" is just as important for them as playing ability. Exactly the same applied when we used to sign their well known players - fans wanted to see how good they actually were when put into a "proper" rugby environment and would pay to see it.

Really? How long has it been league produced someone like him? Jason Robinson was the last one of similar athletic ability.

SL isn't producing anything like the athletes it should be, look at the current England side for proof of that.

How many current youngsters are there around his level of athleticism and ability? I can't name any and I've certainly not seen anything like him at Saints since Alan Hunte.

Someone like a player even your own club coach wouldn't trust to play in his natural position in the key games of last season?

That was more to do with bodies than anything else. If he played Eastmond at 7, who could have played centre? Sean Long?





Answer the question, who else has SL produced that matches Eastmond for raw talent and athleticism? The NRL has them coming out of their ears, but we have zero.

You obviously missed Mils Mulaina playing full back for the All Blacks vs France last weekend.
The All Blacks also have Corey Jayne (sp?) who is similar but has to play on the wing due to Mulaina..
Likewise James Connor for the Aussies.
Just because the northern hemisphere struggles in this regard doesn't mean the total demise of the running fullback.

believe it or not there are many clubs that have produced players that match Eastmonds raw talent and athleticism.

I won't even be a "homer". I'll suggest Sam Burgess surpasses eastmond in terms of talent and athleticism for a start. I know he doesn't play for Saints so can't possibly be a world beater but........

Eastmond isn't Robinson yet, not by a long chalk so its' still a long time since any Sl club, including the "mighty S", produced a player like Robinson.

Lee smith.

Raw talent and athletisism.

And before you debunk that, which I know you will.

He's played well and scored tries in 3 grand finals playing in a different position each time, winning MOM in one. He can kick goals. By all accounts he does well at other sports and will probably do well at union.

What do you mean by that?

Eastmond has good acceleration and can break tackles. He's solid in defence.

So can rob burrow.

...and Burrow has emerged into a very talented half back, which is something Robinson didn't and remains to be seen for Eastmond.

The big knock on Burrow; he doesn't play for Saints.

and there endeth the lesson.

For the record, I rate Eastmond very highly, and I think he should have won young player of the year this year rather than one step Tomkins!