Quote ="gutterfax"You can almost smell the bitterness in some of the pots on here
Massive mistake for both Sam and the RFU IMHO.......he won't add a single bum to a seat at games given he is virtually unknown in Britain and he will not be the star that patently some think he can be in the English game. The French currently have a heavy set (union-speak for chunky) Centre who they hoped would crash and unload.....he has been weighed and found out by the opposition already. As for SBW, he played a minor role in the AB's winning the RWC in 2011........he is a show pony that again has been pretty well collared at international level...6 tries with 1 against France, 1 against Canada and 2 against Japan and Ireland each.....the difference with him is that he has at least a bit of box office, but he won't add bums to seats when he returns to the chiefs next year.
Too much attention played to these players IMHO.......the game is bigger than any player.'"
My thoughts:
1. The RFU want him to (a) halt developmemt of the England RL team; (b) as part of their so called "hearts and minds" campaign - long-term picking off of RL star players / ex-players; (c)as they think he can stop SBW.
2. Sadly, they have never understood the concept of hard-work, compentent coaching and the fact its a team game. SBW is not the All Blacks.
3. Hasn't he signed a 3 year contract? If so, does that count him out of the next RLWC if he wanted to come back (I don't think he ever will by the way)?
4. If he makes next years RUWC I think he could cost them in a big game. Decision making is critical under defensive pressure and there's no way he could be as good in that department as someone brought up in the game.
5. I suspect he'll be a fringe player who is given a taste so he'll hang around for their next WC.
6. I don't know what they're paying him but I can say if its 3 times what he was getting in the NRL (as I saw suggested) then he's been sold short. IMO the RFU would have paid what it takes it takes (see 1 above - esp. the SBW factor) and I reckon that would have dwarfed what any other rugby player in the world gets paid.
7. It would seem England RU will be going for their usual size card because they don't know how to play proper rugby. A good team (maybe the AB's - I don't watch it?) would be able to exploit that by putting nippier up against them in the back-line?
