I'm pretty sure a journo will have asked him first. I strongly doubt he just wandered into the room and went into a rant about how great all other sports are compared to League...

Tuigamala (destroyed it there and won accolades), Scot Quinnell (already on his way back to Union though IIRC), Connolly (brief stint), Edwards (technically 'ended up' in Union).

Farrell was clearly one of our top ever players - but, towards the end at Wigan, he had to move up to prop as he became less mobile.

Had to smile, a couple of years later, when he was playing in the centre for England RU in their world cup!

But you have guys who represent England, Wales, Scotland all year in 7's tournaments. Wouldn't it be a bit unfair to dump them for RL players just for the Olympics. I know people will say we want the best chance of winning but surely these guys are deserving of competing in an Olympics just as much as anyone.

Also given the timing of the olympics I don't think owners/coaches/fans would be too impressed at losing key players for several weeks.

It was more of a general statement than to anybody in particular. All I am saying is that if, as a sport, we showcase our best talent in a competitor sport that is able to pay higher wages then there is only one logical outcome

League v union play off, winner takes all, i.e. The Olympics.
Sorted.

IIRC, he'd moved forward to 2nd row, but only played prop because we had an injury crisis at the time. Once bodies were back, he moved back to 2nd row. It's still a fair point though!

We even played Danny Tickle and Mick Cassidy at prop a few times that season.

that team would get mullered i think off the top of my head a team of

tomkins
atkins
charnley
hall
mcguire
burrow

would come alot closer all have speed, agility and there is strength in there

I am not bothered either way as 7's to me is a waste of time. But what I dont want is the English union at Twickers to be in charge as it will be GB & it should be done by the British olympic commitee, If they think any of our players are good enough they should ask. We have to stop the propaganda machine of Union grabing the name & all things Rugby.

So let me get this straight. The people who do want to see league players in Rio, would you be happy to see super league and NRL teams lose their best players during the season.

We are looking @ the players being away for around 4 weeks right?

Which club would be stupid enough to allow this?

The 7's teams will be picked from Union players as the RU's will be the ones picking the players...

Swimming Aus picks the swimmers, Athletics Aus picks the runners, etc. 7's is a Union promoted game so it only makes sense that the ARU will pick the teams.

The RLIF should be working on getting touch footy or 9's more widely accepted and get that into the Commonwealth games first and then try for the Olympics.

Moves are afoot to get RL Nines in the C'Wealth games but as usual with RL efforts are 1/2 ar5ed.

Exactly. One of the tiny number of players the media have the slightest interest in. Gets asked a few questions, gives an answer, might not even have spent much time thinking it through, might be right, might be wrong, but he's not running around the country trying to stitch up the sport he loves. FWIW I can tell you for a fact he'd much rather stay in League. One day, because everyone is entitled to make the best living they can, he might decide that Union is the best option to fill up a healthy pension pot for his future life, but I'm sure he'd rather not if it can be avoided. League in Europe isn't going anywhere good in terms of earning potential whilst we can't attract any commercial interest.

i am sure its a different governing body, and its not as if the england 7's team is the union version of england knights. its a totally different set of players i think.

Would be good to see.


7’s is a union administered game, not a generic ‘rugby’ game.

In Aus the ARU picks the Wannabes and 7’s teams.

Just as the ACB picks the Test, ODO and Twenty20 teams, etc.

we are far too confident, things have come a long way since Wigan and Bradford played in the middlesex 7s, I think any RL league all-star 7 teams playing a specialised rugby union 7's team would get absolutely bummed hard

Quote ="Bill Sonny"we are far too confident, things have come a long way since Wigan and Bradford played in the middlesex 7s, I think any RL league all-star 7 teams playing a specialised rugby union 7's team would get absolutely bummed hard'" A QLD school who had never trained with RU rules before won the national sevens comp last year... www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -reyz.html Aus Union players are a joke but the Wallabies are still the second best team in the world. Says it all really.

Quote ="Bill Sonny"we are far too confident, things have come a long way since Wigan and Bradford played in the middlesex 7s, I think any RL league all-star 7 teams playing a specialised rugby union 7's team would get absolutely bummed hard'" A QLD school who had never trained with RU rules before won the national sevens comp last year... www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -reyz.html Aus Union players are a joke but the Wallabies are still the second best team in the world. Says it all really.

Nice.

Why would they though, and would this happen before or after the game?

How do you think it would affect the play?

this

what are the RFL doing about this? it will come to pass that soon the Rugby Union will be known as Rugby the world over except for little enclaves in the North of England and the Australian Eastern seaboard.....

Quote ="Lockyer4President!"A QLD school who had never trained with RU rules before won the national sevens comp last year... www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -reyz.html Aus Union players are a joke but the Wallabies are still the second best team in the world. Says it all really.'" Nearly 3 years ago you mean

Quote ="Lockyer4President!"A QLD school who had never trained with RU rules before won the national sevens comp last year... www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -reyz.html Aus Union players are a joke but the Wallabies are still the second best team in the world. Says it all really.'" Nearly 3 years ago you mean

Union have (I believe) a group of players contracted to the RFU purely as 7's players, a bit like the central contracts for the England RU side or the cricket.

Tom Biggs used to play in the 7's side (and now plays premiership rugby) and travelled the world as a professional 7's player, playing against developing nations and helping spread the game.

Union also employed someone full-time who's job was purely to get 7's into the Olympics. This individual I beleive had some very good contacts within sports governing bodies around the world - and it worked.

Let's be fair, Union have put in ALL the effort into getting 7's into the Olympics, why should they pick RL players or let RL steal the limelight?

Also, don't expect RL players to do what Bradford did 15 years ago should they play 7's again. It's moved on along way since then (7's not Union).

I know! It's as if the RFL only represent less than half of a small sport in a small country and don't run the major media outlets across the world! Come on RFL! Pull your finger out and do something!!!! Won't somebody please think of the children! [size=10(except Jimmy Savile)[/size

Bill Sonny wrote:we are far too confident, things have come a long way since Wigan and Bradford played in the middlesex 7s, I think any RL league all-star 7 teams playing a specialised rugby union 7's team would get absolutely bummed hard

-------

I don't think people have realised how much Sevens has progressed and how specialised it now is. Most nations have truly professional outfits that take their Sevens teams very seriously.

These aren't the slow, non-athletic bumbling fools that Wigan and Bradford beat all those years ago.

You'd have to have something special, like Tomkins, to get in. Now if we were talking about Australia, then I think they have the League crop to really make a case for practically displacing their current Sevens team. But we don't have the same talent, and we have a better Sevens team (imo, I guess)

Quote ="Lockyer4President!"A QLD school who had never trained with RU rules before won the national sevens comp last year... www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -reyz.html Aus Union players are a joke but the Wallabies are still the second best team in the world. Says it all really.'" Date of article April 1st

Quote ="Lockyer4President!"A QLD school who had never trained with RU rules before won the national sevens comp last year... www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -reyz.html Aus Union players are a joke but the Wallabies are still the second best team in the world. Says it all really.'" Date of article April 1st