I don't think we need anyone from Saracens, we have a decent looking squad (we could get stronger year on year if allowed to build on it rather than lads stream off to the NRL).

Like Lenagan says, timing wise it's probably not worth it this season, would rather dive into the Championship for a hidden gem if needs must.

Agreed but if I was them I’d stay put in RU, even if my first sport was RL. Where is the incentive to come back to league? Not as much money, media exposure, international crowds, international games or opportunities. It’s a no brainer to stay in RU or for those who aren’t exactly lighting fires in SL to switch to RU if the opportunity arises. Chris Ashton springs to mind there.

It’s down to the RFL, IRL and NRL to turn it around. But this is broken record chat.

I think whoever would want to leave Saracens for RL would only do so as a way of having an extended pre season training camp. Eg Owen Farrell, if he wanted to come, take a drop in money, continue to play for England RU as he’d have the blessing of Eddie Jones who I believe is a fan of RL, would come across and go back to union fitter and better defensively and also with a lifelong dream fulfilled.

Other than goal kicking I don’t see what else Owen Farrell would bring to the team!

I think he’s make a good 13, the extra pivot, good all round kicking game and solid defensively with massive bucket loads of leadership too.

It’s always looked a bit like a case of Owen Farrell not being quick enough to play as a RL stand off and not big enough to play as a RL loose forward. There’s certainly not enough there to make you want to throw multi hundred thousand pound deals at him, even if we could afford it. His fathers move to Union is the best thing that ever happened to him IMO.

With crowds dropping would a Sarries player reverse that? Would they improve the squad? Probably not.
There's then no reason for IL to pay for a player out of his own pocket.

I can't believe England RU would field any player who wasn't playing union and was playing league every week.

Just because it looks likely that Saracens are being relegated from the Premiership of Union, it does not mean that Owen Farrell has any inclination of coming back to League, especially with the income and lifestyle he is enjoying in the rival code.

It is more than likely that would move to another top Union club in London or the Midlands like, Harlequins, Leicester, Northampton, Wasps etc.

Especially when he his still part of the England Union elite squad and captain.

By the time, he is no longer at the top in Union, he will be too old and too long out of league to consider.

Especially when you factor in that England RU won’t select a player who plays for Ospreys as he’s not playing in England. It’s just a ridiculous situation which the RU hierarchy would never allow and to be honest wouldn’t be feasible for us either. He’d have to learn the modern game and by the time he’s learned it he’d be back to RU. It’s be all or nothing IMO.

I’d be intrigued to see where OF would fit in in RL. I would firstly suggest it’s at 13 following in his Dads and Lockers’ dynasty but as someone has pointed out he doesn’t look muscularly big enough to fulfil that role and I don’t believe the evolving of the 13 role from what it was in his Dad’s days and even Lockers’ days to an extent suit him. That leaves him with with stand off which he’s probably more suited to.

I'd be suprised. He tore it up as captain a year above his age group when he did play RL. He did have a clear size advantage in those days though...

any of them would cost over 1million a year, rather take NRL stars

Quote ="post"I think whoever would want to leave Saracens for RL would only do so as a way of having an extended pre season training camp. Eg Owen Farrell, if he wanted to come, take a drop in money, continue to play for England RU as he’d have the blessing of Eddie Jones who I believe is a fan of RL, would come across and go back to union fitter and better defensively and also with a lifelong dream fulfilled.'" not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html

Quote ="post"I think whoever would want to leave Saracens for RL would only do so as a way of having an extended pre season training camp. Eg Owen Farrell, if he wanted to come, take a drop in money, continue to play for England RU as he’d have the blessing of Eddie Jones who I believe is a fan of RL, would come across and go back to union fitter and better defensively and also with a lifelong dream fulfilled.'" not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html

But then you wouldn't get the cap dispensation.

It's a bit of a conundrum, but of course - counting on the cap or not - someone still has to fork out the cash, so I agree, they'd be taking a big risk.

Not willing to include a player from Ospreys, include numerous players from down under who had a English grandparent.

We too, are now following the same nonsense!

Risking going a little OT here but in some senses I agree with that and in others I don’t. I’m kinda 50/50 on it. The only “Aussie Brit” who you could give credit to really was Coote given he’d already plead allegiance to Scotland even when he was in the NRL. Austin and Hastings you can’t say the same for but equally did we go looking?

I’d prefer absolutely all Brits/English players in by GB/England squad but if there’s a player who qualifies who is better or a good replacement for a player who is unavailable I think we’d have to look at him.

Quote ="tugglesf78"not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html'" Was it Eddie Jones that Stevo was having banter with before the Wigan v Bath game at Twikers? Edit - Sorry, no it wasn't. I'm thinking of Stuart Barnes.

Quote ="tugglesf78"not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html'" Was it Eddie Jones that Stevo was having banter with before the Wigan v Bath game at Twikers? Edit - Sorry, no it wasn't. I'm thinking of Stuart Barnes.

It's all a bit moot really isn't it apart from fun speculation, IL isn't going to pay for one of them out of his own pocket and the falling attendances means the club can't afford any of them anyway.

It was Barnes yeah

Fat red faced eater of quails eggs. Humourless nob IMO

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I remember hearing that he was on several RL clubs' want lists during his playing days.

No where near as bad as I'm far too good to lower myself down to playing rugby league Jeremy Guscott.
Crapped all over his team mates most of whom had never played league before.

When England won a grand slam you had Alex Murphy in the National press stating how much the players would be worth in league. The figures he quoted were embarrassing.

According to Will Carling's autobiography, Leeds offered him a million quid to join them, and that was back in the early 1990s.

Yeah ... sure, Will. Back on your meds.

Rumoured at the time that he was afraid of getting hurt by the tougher tackling of the Wigan players.

If true, what a coward!