Honestly, I just find it pathetic.

Money talks etc = Yeah, cos he will be on peanuts at the NRL = Greed
Homesick = Fine, then go with the game that made you, again its not like you wont be able to afford to live = Greed
Bigger Internationals = Boring internationals, possible scapegoat, but higher national recognition in England = Ego

In short, very disappointed.

I know I sound bitter but I would have zero sympathy if he failed at Union and came back wanting a new contract.

I would have even less if the NRL told him where to go if that was the case.

Kyle Eastmond touches the ball about 5 times in an average match for Bath. Rest assured that they will have every last ounce of creativity and confidence ripped out of him and he will return to RL in a few years as a pale shadow of his former self.

So, if you left the job you are currently in, to go and live in another country by the beach, on possibly 3 times as much as you are on now for 5 years, and you decided that you wanted to come home - would you want to come back to that same job you were doing before, for 3 times less money than you had been earning for the last 5 years and basically go back to that same position you were in before you left (therefore going backwards in your career) you would do that?

Or, would you take the chance to come back home, still earn the same money, or maybe more, and challenge yourself in a new role and use the skills you have learned in your last job?

It's not greed, it's common sense. At the end of the day it's his job, and anyone in any other job in the world would do exactly the same thing - and if they say they wouldn't they are lying! Everyone wants a better job for more money, it's the way of the world I'm, afraid!

Your right it is common sense, if your greedy. Playing a sport isn't a normal job with normal career aspects.

Look at another situation, you work in England and your employer pays for you to do a masters. You do this, then go abroad and earn good money, 5 years later, with a full wallet, you decide to return home.

You can go back to your old employer, who got you on the ladder and opened all the doors for you, and you can get a decent wage for it, have your choice of where to go etc.

Or you can go to the big competitor company, for some more money and everyone off.

Its just annoying.

You are right, it isn't a normal job with normal career aspects - it's a lot shorter career, if you compare your average joe working in an office till you are 60/65.

How many ex pro's actually get back into the game in any capacity that pays them anything decent? Not many if you look at the number of pros in the game! So they deserve to have the chance to earn as much as they can while they are playing - be it, SL, NRL or Union!

And the stress and strain that is put on a professional sportsman's body you would have them earn 30/40 grand a year like your average joe that sits on his/her backside for 40 hours a week? They already earn peanuts for what they put themselves thru compared to football, so I say good on him - look after number 1, as no one else will!!

I never really understand this point of view. Most people move jobs for more money! It doesn't really matter how much you earn, unless of course you have worked for the same company since you started working ?

Why just because he plays sport should he have to stay somewhere for less money than he can earn somewhere else?

Yeah no one was looking after him in Aus, turning him in to a superstar, with a documentary about him no less. Im sure he would have struggled to find a role when he retired.

Again, Im not saying your wrong, I just wish people would be honest really.

He will talk about wanting a new challenge, about a different game etc. But really, when it comes down to it, its money.

And a little bit of a spit in the face of the people who made him so big Union even got interested.

See above, its just my opinion.

I mean, does anyone know what figure he is on at South Sydney? Im willing to bet its a decent wage.

This ^^^
Of course its a loss, but not sure how anyone can criticise Sam for taking the chance to earn greater exposure and money...what RL needs to do is improve its own International game.

My Sister, a well very qualified accountant, has just moved jobs to a role that pays her less.

On hearing that she was leaving, her now former employers offered her an even better deal, but she still chose to leave. Why? Two reasons - the new role will be more enjoyable/less stressful for her and evn though it may not pay as much, its still enough to live very well. The extra 10,15 or 20K a year just simply wouldn't be enough to make up for the reduced quality of life.

However, Sam is only going to be a player until he's 30 something, which somewhat changes the goalposts, he's got a long time after that and a stint playing Rugby union for England can open a lot of doors. Players who won the world cup in 2003 get money thrown at them by large corporations for "motivational speaking" and like that, nevermind the seemingly more lucrative coaching carer paths that code offers.

Massively disappointed about his move, but expected it. A world class player and probably the best prop in the world in his prime. However, he has never won anything in his career. In a few years, that's what he will be known as, the good player who never kicked on to win anything.

Fully understand this I turned a job down last year marginally more money but would have meant more time away from my family.
However had that job been 10 years ago when I was young and single I would have taken it as it didn't matter then. And it was only marginally more, one would assume Sam is leaving for at least marginally more and let's be honest sportsmen and women only really "work" for a couple of hours a day over the course of a calendar year so it certainly won't impact his family life! Well aside from they all live in aus now!

Just always make my wonder why fans can't see that it's just work to them.

Fully understand this I turned a job down last year marginally more money but would have meant more time away from my family.
However had that job been 10 years ago when I was young and single I would have taken it as it didn't matter then. And it was only marginally more, one would assume Sam is leaving for at least marginally more and let's be honest sportsmen and women only really "work" for a couple of hours a day over the course of a calendar year so it certainly won't impact his family life! Well aside from they all live in aus now!

Just always make my wonder why fans can't see that it's just work to them.

Fair play to Sam Burgess I say..

He's a superstar in RL and other than GF wins he has acheived all that he'll do in RL... Internationally he can't get any more - England just can't win a title so no point him waiting on that each year.

Internationally and commercially RU is the bigger draw globally so his name and the challenges will be bigger for him.

You're only a professional sportsman for a few years of your overall life... he should try to achieve and collect as much as he can before retirement.

I think his best position will be centre in RU - the forwards is too much technically for him to master (especially if he wants to play in the RWC next year).

Let's enjoy Sam Burgess in RL for the coming season and wish him well for the future after that... chances are he may come back again, but no one can fault the effort and skill he has put into the RL game.

So he has won NOTHING.
He has been crocked for a 1/3 of his Test career.
He can show his kids all of the Medals he hasn't won.

Done bugger all other than be a show Pony and isn't good enough to lace his Idols mercenary Boots in $BW

I sincerely hope he breaks his leg and never recovers any sort of form.

not just because I think he's a Judas for moving to union, but the more big money 'flops' union sign means they're less likely to come knocking with their cherquebooks and the weight of the media machine firmly on their side


The rugby league-rugby union issue runs so much deeper than 'just another pay cheque', and players whom rugby league has made into the stars they are and delivered very handsome salaries to, should respect the history of our code.

Oh, and for anyone saying that a player's career is short and over by their early/mid-thirties, retraining within one's working life is a fact of life. Why should they be different to the rest of us plebs?

Point is... England will not win the World Cup, certainly not within his playing career. Nor will they win a 4 Nations in my opinion. we can win the odd game, but not consistently enough for a tournament. So internationally speaking RL offers nothing more for him other than going through the motions.

He can't play Origin so no point trying that angle.

South's were a good shout for a GF place last season, but lost out just before it. Whose to say if they don't get there this season they will next or the year after etc.

He's played SL and now NRL - no other international or domestic leagues/competitions left in RL for him.

My point is that in a short career RU is the other option for him to test himself in different leagues, competitions and internationally. I'm a RL fan, but can easily follow RU (I've taken the blinkers off) so personally think this is a good move for him. I think it is too late in the day for him to make the RWC in 2015, but I'm sure he'll succeed in RU and will pick up silverware internationally with the England set up.

It's not all about hating people for taking money or taking on a new challenge. As I say, he has played in pretty much every game other than a GF he can in RL.

A lot of bitter people here.

Sam has the ability and has put in the hard work to make choices available to him which are not available to most people.

He hasn't been given this on a plate, he's worked damn hard for it. It's up to half how he chooses to go forward with his life.

It's easy to criticise other people's decisions from the comfort of your own keyboard.

What the RFL and international organisation need to do is make it a more difficult decision to make.

A packedeaningful international RL schedule and a competitive international club competition would have made the choice a lot harder for Sam.

This is whee the blame lies, the governing bodies, not the individual sportsmen.

The rfu World Cup only really started in earnest 20 years ago

Get paid to do less and then make the Union World Cup on the back of a media wave, seems an easy decision to me. I hope Souths took Bath to the cleaners however, under contract and a transfer fee however.

I don't think he can learn the code in time for the 2015 tournament, he'd have been better off taking the rest of his Souths contract money and AUS endorsments and moving over for the 2019 RUWC.
Also his position isnt at centre, he doesnt have the speed and agility to play there. No 8 may be his position but England are stacked at the position.

Not overly bothered as he didnt seem interested in playing for England anyway.

NEXT!!

Are you drunk?

Paul Gallen has won the same amount of NRL titles as Sam. And he's 7 years older.

Ah, so you're a supporter of the principle of 'take no personal responsibility; blame everyone else'

Never read so much ridiculous bile. He *should* do this, he *should* do that, he's spitting in the face of the sport that trained him, etc, etc.

What a load of absolute tosh. As if the vast majority of people here would do anything different, in whatever career they're in. It's the sport's job to do what it reasonably can to attract/retain talent. If the definition of 'reasonably' has financial limits (in the opinion of the powers that be) then so be it - we live with the consequences. No point being bitter about the players' choices.

What's the alternative? "Listen Mr. Big Shot player ... WE choose the salary limits, YOU just have accept it, and HOW DARE YOU look at other competitions or codes, you filthy traitor"

Can't blame Sam for making the move, more money and all that, but it is a huge loss for RL in England

We need to be building international RL around players like Sam Burgess, unfortunately we just can't keep hold of them for the long term anymore, mainly due to ex-RL connections in RU (Farrell, Ford at Bath RU etc).

Apart from international RU, seems like a bit of a step backwards going to Bath. He could have been/is an absolute superstar in the NRL, but I guess money talks, and maybe homesickness.

BTW, for those people slating Bath - it's one of the nicest places I've been to!

Naturally I'm gutted about this loss. SB is an idle for many RL players.

However, can you really blame him? Playing at a sold out Twickenham? 6 Nations? Meaningful international games instead of losing to Australia/New Zealand or the occasional drubbing of Wales/France?

I'm no RU supporter. I can't watch more than 5 minutes but when you see these packed out stadia, the intensity of games v Ireland/Scotland/Wales etc I'll be honest it makes me bloody jealous.

More money, more fame, bigger games? Absolute no brainer.