Smith is now a proven SL player, and one of the best players in his position in the country. BJB has 2 or 3 SL games to his name and hasn't come back from a shoulder reconstruction as yet. I'd say at this point in time it would be a big loss.

Where does Webb fit into the equation?

Farrell also went with a big dollop of RFU money (which is no longer on offer) making clubs 100% responsible for the full financial implications of their league raids these days.

BTW, I'd have tonnes of respect for Smith if he went to another league club.

Anyone bar a fekkwitt isn't going to want to displace Webb for Smith. You can't expect Smith to hang around as back-up full back, that is the role that clubs should be filling with Juniors like BJB. It also seems such a waste for Smith to go back to wing with the form he's shown at Full Back.

Therefore wouldn't it be great for the British game if he went to another SL club and was the 1st choice full back. Then, in a few years, if all pans out, BJB could be pushing to be Smith's successor as GB/England number 1.

Isn't that how the league will get stronger as opposed to us stockpiling the best FB in the league, the best British FB in the league and one of the brightest young FB prospects in the league. That is great for Leeds but not for the game.

(B+W)=Kal/El

You would think that of all people Edwards would be able to tell which league players might convert well to Union. But I just can't see Smith being a success - possible, but unlikely. But I'm not Edwards, then again maybe he has no say in certain recruitment decisions? Who knows.

They've seen him make a long kick into touch.

What more qualification does he need to play Yawnion?

or

B=(Kal-(ELxW))/EL

Personnally I think it would be a mistake, but with the state of the England Yawnion team he make walk straight in.

How about:

((BW+YS)-K))=S?

Nothing too much wrong with England. They were better than Wales for most of the game (3 tries to 1 in favour of England), same for the Irish game and if the refereeing had been even remotely even handed then England would have won both games. They are defensively far better than they were last year (and far better than Wales, Scotland and Ireland), only think killing them is that they have no 9, 10 and 13. That trio makes all the attacking decisions and Ellis was found out last week, Toby Flood is diabolical and we have no 13 in the country who has a brain like Will Greenwood had.

His speech about Martin Johnson in the RUWC final is one of the most vomit-inducing loads of b******s I've ever had the misfortune to watch!

what we should have done is dropped Scott Donald, and let him leave,

then have Smith as the best british winger in the comp, filling in at full back whenever possible for the next 2/3 years, with Hall on the other wing and brought in a top quality centre

when Smith is playing at Full back Watkins/Gibson/Ratu and Broughton can play on the wing

He is rather over the top I agree.

Did someone not put the top back on the cough medicine properly.

You've drunk too much of it.

You'd let probably the best winger in the competition leave to accomadate a slightly inferior winger who has shown real aplomb at full back, finally.

Riiiight.

yes, i would lose a 29 year old australian to accomodate a slightly inferior 22 year old brit and a much better 28 year old kiwi, along with allowing us to bring in a better Australian centre whilst still exposing an 18 year old british wonderkid to top level RL

We could lose donald and survive. Smith would be a huge mistake.

Just before the half soft cock donald fell off a tackle and let a ball bounce for the disallowed try. Some people just have it in for smith who is by far the best 1-5 all season and then some.

I really really hope you are joking so I dont have to make you look silly again.

He is going a bit OTT. But Donald at least needs moving back to the left wing, he's had a pretty poor star to the season IMO.

Has he?

Why?

Outside Senior the winger needs to finish.

Outside whoever's in 3 the winger needs to work, beat a man and defend. I agree Donald needs placing back on the left because he's better at finishing breaks than the other stuff.

I guess because he's been played out of position on the wrong side of the pitch.

Tonight he had a bit of a mare but it was only against Wigan who were pretty hopeless from 1 to 17 on the night.

Where was he going for Ainscough's try. What was he doing kicking into the stand on the first tackle. What was he doing letting the ball bounce and then get away from him. Poor night at the office.

Of course on the plus side he finished well from Ainscough's mistake.

I read the comments about Lee Smith joining the kick and clap lot with interest, it does not seem to tie in with the facts. That is that nearly all of the Union clubs are in deep debt, the RFL had to bail out Bristol and the clubs are desperate to cut costs. They seem to have been badly effected by the economic situation. To make matters worse of lot club don't own their grounds so did make the income on match days. They are struggling to keep their best players from going to France. The RFL funded much of the Farrell transfer and they are short of money due to lose of coperate money. So it would be interesting how they can afford to pay for Smith, who i believe is on a long term contract and would they be able to match his current wages as the union clubs are cutting wages.

Secondly the comments about Donald having a poor season is terrible, yes not scored the tries yet, but we are still in the part of the season where the big money dominated, he will come into his own when the pitches become harder and it is warmer.