Give over, despite all their advantages they're mainly centred around the M4 corridor

Absolute Bollox as well you know it is.

If we are comparing the European Super League (blame those besky french...) with like for like....have fun working out which is which below...red dots = which code, Blue dots = which code?

It seems Sam Burgess' own RU coaches at the Bath club are, not surprisingly, happy with his defence. After less than a full game of Rugby Union, they see him as their "enforcer" & it is already expected he will be in the England RU team. To quote the Press Association today:

Sam Burgess will make his full debut for Bath on Friday night accompanied by a ringing endorsement from the Aviva Premiership club's coaching staff.

Former rugby league star Burgess features at inside centre against Recreation Ground visitors Montpellier in the European Champions Cup.

Burgess' previous two Bath appearances were off the bench following his recovery from a fractured cheekbone injury suffered during Australia's NRL grand final in early October.

The 25-year-old will be partnered in midfield by Jonathan Joseph as Bath look to complete a quickfire Pool Four double over Montpellier after beating them 30-5 in France six days ago.

Burgess' competitive rugby union career so far totals around 50 minutes, but he is already being touted as a contender for England in this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship.

A week before the Six Nations starts, England Saxons will face the Irish Wolfhounds in Cork, and it is thought Burgess is likely to make the Saxons squad for that January 30 encounter.

"Sam getting more game-time is a massive bonus for us," Bath head coach Mike Ford said.

"He is going to be our enforcer, with the way he defends. We're pleased where he is.

"It's a bit disappointing that it has been raining in both games he came on in (against Harlequins and Montpellier) because we didn't have much chance to use him. But what he has done, he's done well so far."

And Ford's coaching colleague Toby Booth added: "The best way for Sam to learn is by getting out there. But it is not just about Sam, it is about what is best for Bath.

"We know from last week that he will bring plenty of physicality, and it will be good for our game-plan to have that.

"It's a strategic decision to get him out there for more minutes."

Gutters, you forgot the map of Italy with their 2 {i think} professional clubs. I didn't know the M4 was spread over 7 European countries

So is everyone looking forward to seeing big Sam in action tonight?

Surely we've all subscribed to BT Sports by now??

Everyone wants to see him rip it up in the other code. Unfortunately, this will just increase the "brain drain" to the other code.
The guy is a top rugby player and there is absolutely no doubt that he will succeed in Union.

Still peddling the same old rubbish.

There you go again twisting the argument to suit your agenda!

We aren't comparing European Competitions are we, we're comparing the two domestic competitions from the codes
The predominantly M62 bound Super League
The predominantly M4 bound Premier Rugby
As well you know

It must come as a horrible shock to the people in Northampton, Leicester, Sale, Newcastle, Coventry (home to Wasps) and Exeter to wake up and find they're on the M4.

European Super League. I didn't name it and as I said, you can blame those pesky French, but even without the white flag waving surrender monkeys, the m4 centric comp is a myth as well you know

Sorry if this isn't clever enough for this thread - it seems to be a vehicle for a few posters to prove their towering intellects - but I don't really care how Sam Burgess gets on at Bath!
I have no interest in rugby union, in fact, for several reasons, I dislike it intensely. Burgess was a great league player but he's made his decision and, for me, he's a turncoat and doesn't matter any more than any other rugby union player. The loss of players like SB is significant but I prefer to focus on equally good players who have, thus far at least, stayed with league. I don't care if he sets union on fire or if he turns out to be total pants. I don't care about union. Shouldn't this thread be in "other sports"?

Good post and there's really not more to add. I suspect you'll get more feedback after the game......

6 tries, some good rugby {considering the conditions} and Sam looking like he was enjoying himself. No feedback yet? I wonder why

I had the two options of sitting at home in front of my 66" UHDef Curved LCD TV with open fire roaring away supping a large latté and Downing a Dairy Milk while I watched Sam play Rugby Union for Bath
or
Grabbing a quick sandwhich after a hard weeks work, jumping onto the M62 during Friday night rush hour and crossing the Penines in sub zero Siberian type weather so that I could watch an U19s game while freezing my nuts off sat in a stand then having the return journey and not getting home till gone 10:00pm

Guess which one I did?

The commentators came across as pretty ignorant last night. One of them thought Sam was from Wigan, another had no clue whatsoever, and when he was finally told that Burgess grew up in Dewsbury, his response was 'it's not his fault'.

Surely you must be lying!

Such attitudes do not exist in Rugby Union!

Austin Healey. Cocky gobsh*te. If there was ever a face you wanted to punch...
"I think that's a move they call 'Wigan', and look it's gone to a player from Wigan." Ignorant prick.

Anyway the game was alright. Better than the last two.

Sam is laughing so far. Made a try in the first 2 minutes

and made some decent hard runs though he was being heavily marked - proven by the huge gap that opened up when they used him as a dummy runner. Cleaned out plenty of rucks and I think he ended up joint second highest tackler, with a nice hit on one of the big lumps running at him, and driving another into touch. Even the commentators mentioned that unless you knew, you'd never guess he was knew to RU.

Gave away a couple of penalties but little more than you see Union players give. Not keen on his new penchant for kicking when he got the ball out wide and in space - was wanting to see him make a run with some room rather than just hitting a crash ball with bodies all over the place as is typical in Union. He does need to adjust his tackling though - his RL technique of upper body contact doesn't work when the man running at you is dipping low and looking for the floor.

Not sure I'll watch many more, it really is mind-numbing at times.

Burgess is the sort who'd make it in just about any sport, even tiddly-winks if he wanted to, but your right Cronus, union is generally mind-numbing, for me it only really works at international level, and thats more to do with patriotism than actually enjoying the game.

What does that phrase mean? Is that the Wigan vernacular?

You'd have to ask a Wiganer.

A Wigan fan would tell you, except none of them know what "vernacular" means.

I blame the parents myself.......naming their son after their favourite car.

Have to agree with Nothus, Cronus and CrusaderPete. The patronising, condescending and downright bigoted comments of the overgrown public schoolboy type commentators and pundits caused me to have to switch off in the end. Required one month's notice given to BT Sport to cancel subscription. No more Union for me thanks. Absolute cr@p anyway.

So after signing up to watch a sport you didnt like it is the commentary team that has made you decide to cancel your subscription?
if i were you, id seek professional help.

Not sure what generates your need to write personally abusive and unwarranted comments about rugby league fans on here at the drop of a hat. If you had actually read my opening post, you would know that I do not watch Union, but subscribed to BT Sport so I could watch Sam Burgess' debut. It was only after doing so that I commented on, basically, how cr@p I found that game to be.