I enjoyed the game.

Sam still has plenty to learn but did as well as could be expected on his debut

Regards

King James

Dear Mr Evening:

Wayne Pearce was never a teenage daughter, nor was he even a cross dresser, at the time of the incident you refer to. He was a famous former rugby league player. It was his daughter who was being groped.

Craig Gower regularly broke a sweat when playing for the London Broncos. However he had no time for the then coach, super laid back New Age disciple, Anthony Rea, who disrespected Craig's disciplinarian approach to the captaincy of the Broncos.

Ha ha, good point!

ive seen plenty of boring SL games in recent years, maybe we should do a thread about that instead of obsessing about union?

Difference being, we judge a game against SLs normal standard, even then the most boring SL match is light years better than the fayre served up in Union

To you, maybe.

Doesn't mean all League fans have to carry that opinion. I've seen some pretty entertaining games of Union that were way ahead of some of the dross served up in SL.

ive seen lots of decent ru games, but my point was how come some posters would rather constantly discuss failings of other sports (that have an international footprint we can only dream about) than focus on ours. it smacks of an inferiority complex

That's exactly what it is. RL as a sport attracts the jealous, chip on the shoulder, class warrior types it deserves.

No wonder blue chip companies shy away from it.

In Your Opinion!

Of course!

And apparently the opinion of the major blue chip sponsors too!

No they just enjoy the corporate hospitality and don't know didley about sport!
If they did they'd be somewhere else.

is it beyond your comprehension that other people may actually like different sports? or do u dismiss everyone who doesnt like the same things as you as not being capable of understanding anything? good grief

I can see the merits and entertainment value in almost anything and can judge quite accurately the levels of support and courage they deserve but Union has very little in terms of entertainment yet enjoys coverage and profile way beyond what it deserves, usually provided by the old school tie network.

Careful. Billy might propose

Agree, I grew up playing both codes and conntinue to watch both. Really never understood the need to put one down over the other.

In your opinion

Come on admit it, European club rugby union is rubbish

I can't comment on that because I don't watch it.....in fact, the only Union I do watch is the unavoidable All Blacks and Ireland when they are playing. The Wife insists on watching England, but she's Cornish so I suppose that's understandable.


What I do know is that a great many RL fans seem to think that laughing at the idiosyncrasies of Union somehow paints league in a better light. It doesn't.

No, you don't know that it's all in your opinion!

Try reading the Stephen Jones article in the Sunday Times about Sam's debut. Takes longer to read than he spent on the pitch. Rather sad reading, written by a rather bitter and twisted person. Accept Sam did very little. I doubt his club expected much given his first steps. Apparently most of what Sam has done in League is illegal in Union. According to Jones only in Union will you be defined by how dexterous you are with your hands and feet and apparently the extra workload of internationals. Even Ford has stated that in League a player would be involved in 60 plays (defence or attack per game) while in Union he might only be involved in 20, so doubt the internationals will tax him too much if he makes it. I hope Sam goes well but he has some jealous journalists to convince.

Seen a interview where Sam says his body was telling him he couldn*t take much more of Rugby League...

Actually, I do know it to be a fact.






Apparently it was a slow sports news weekend here in NZ, because Sam burgess début is featured in today's national paper!


[urlhttp://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/63666482/sam-burgess-makes-rugby-debut-for-bath[/url

TBH I don't see what the big deal is with SB having to go into the forwards, the rules aren't that complicated FFS. Last union game I played was at school, it was another 16 years to my next. Started at inside centre then begged them to put me in at flanker (much better thank you).
Basically it's
Don't come in from the side
Don't shoulder charge
Don't hold onto the ball when tackled (beyond a second or two or when presenting the ball back)
Don't pick up the ball whilst you're on the ground
You may regather your feet if tackle not completed
Make sure you tw-@t the opposition's No.10 as hard as is legally fecking possible
Clear out the oppos forwards at the ruck by any means neccessary especially if the touchie/ref is watching your team mate rake the skin off the eejit trying to put his hand on the ball


Intimidate the oppos players and when they swing take a dive like you've been shot by a 12 gauge (fake blood always an option)


Smash anything that looks like it's coming near you.
When the FB's are playing aerial ping pong, stand on hips and watch
O

That's it, not much else to it.
Oh yeah, I'd say realise that crotch grabbing aint what it seems but that's why I played flanker..lmao

I've said previously IF SB wants to actually get a game/break a sweat then flanker or possibly no.8 is the way forward for him.

Let's be honest... his debut match was played in p*ssing rain. I doubt many matches off either code really shine in such bad weather. I was frustrated watching it with all the scrum resets... but it's part of the game in gaining ascendancy over your opposite pack.. thus winning penalties and gaining field position. Possibly one of the worst union games I've seen in a few years, but it isn't the same with other union matches - so let's not brand every game the same because of one match. I've seen some dog awful RL matches played in horrible weather... it doesn't mean every match is the same.

Burgess got about 3 touches in the game, solely because the game was a real stop start event (collapsed scrums, knock on's - leading to more collapsed scrums).. but as above, it was a cr*p game (like any match could be in that weather).

I think backrow would suit him better long term, though centre is his best option at quick recognition in union. Certainly if he is going to make the world cup squad. Backrow has too many players of a similar size ahead of him.

I'll watch with interest.... and if it doesn't work out for him he can come back to RL. Simples.... but I wonder what RL has to offer him now - what has he got left to do? He can't win the world cup - as England just aren't capable of getting there, he's won the NRL title... just what would draw him back? He'll be playing to sell out crowds and big numbers, commercially and bums on seats... RL needs to pick up in order to attract SB back.

I looked at the stats during the last Lions tour. One game the leading forward did 7 tackles and 4 hit ups. Last season sam avg's 34 tackles and 15 hit ups a game. At the work rate of a union forward he will still be playing at 50!