As for Burgess, who knows? He'll certainly have a much lower workload in terms of runs and tackles. He'll do well to achieve half as many of either as he does for Souths.

I'm not convinced his game is really suited to Union. In attack, he's largely all about punching holes and offloading. There isn't much of a passing or kicking game I don't think. Can his upward style of running work with both less room to build up speed, and with the defence contesting the ball on the floor? I suppose time will tell.

In defence, Union seem much more squeamish over tackling, so he might need to adjust his style a bit. It also seems less about the contact itself as in either forcing a turnover on the ground or slowing the ball down. Richie McCaw is probably the best defender in the world for that reason, yet you rarely see him giving anyone a big tackle.

I'd love to see him flourish as he's an incredible player with a fantastic mentality. Heck, he may do it through sheer force of personality, but there's one game that he's perfectly suited to, and that's League. I can see him perhaps being an impact sub from the bench in the same way SBW was.

What I meant was that he's not talked about in the same reverence as Robinson still is & although a couple of dozen tries for England isn't exactly shabby, I'm not sure his stock is or was ever that high. If it weren't for the swan-dives would he have been so beloved by the yawnion pundits?
Erm..

I'd put that then corrected myself without actually editing the post. You're right, I think England might want him thrown in at wing or centre, but I read somewhere that Bath have other ideas (can't remember what - & I generally lose the will to live thinking about union too long).

It may have been this quote from the BBC site -

Burgess, a forward in league, is expected to play at centre once he settles into life at the Recreation Ground, but is open to alternatives.

"I really don't have a clue," he added.

"I'll get there and get in to training and we'll see what's best." -

I also saw something with Mike Ford suggesting that they hadn't decided yet where to play him. And looking at Sam's quote it seems that things are far from clear. They have our prized asset and they haven't a clue what to do with him. Again - he'll be back in time for the 2016 season, much richer and probably much wiser too. I think it will also deter others from going, as I hope Joel's experience has deterred Sam Tomkins from thinking that he could do it.

Why would Bath play him centre when they already have the 2 centres who are shoe ins for the world cup, including Eastmond who is absolutely tearing it up in union now.

Regards

King James

Where do you think they'll play him or do you think he'll struggle to get a game?

It'd probably make sense to use him as an impact sub to be honest, but given the money they've spent and the hoohaa his signing has generated, I can't see them doing that.

He could redefine the job of a number 8. Don't waste energy in rucks and mauls but operate out in the centre channels when attacking, and defend on the inside of the stand off to smash the runners that come round the corner. As an extra back he won't be relied on for long passes and kicking, the 10, 12 and 15 can do that. With somebody like Brown following him then his offloads could work well. When it comes to big hits in defence I don't think they will be as effective as they are in League. Not on forwards anyway. The running style close to the ruck tends to be stooped over leading with the head and shoulders and prepared to go to ground in the best position to recycle the ball. Also some of the front five will be a lot heavier than league forwards and simple physics will negate some of the effects of the big hit. FYI I have played both and enjoy watching both. But would chose League to play or watch every time.

The publicity RU has produced from the acquisition of Sam Burgess has proved once again the saying “if you polish a turd it’s still a turd” is utter b*llocks!! and does not apply to RU. The brainwashed sheep who were indoctrinated from birth, and upper-class twits who run the game and the country will IMO always have the upper hand over our sport when it comes to the media, no matter how much we rant and rage about the injustice. They know what works in life, power and money. You can see it for yourself in the only successful attack on their power that the working classes ever had “football” Look what’s happening to that now at the top flight! The working classes are slowly being priced off the terraces.

Had a jaw dropping moment talking to my boss, who went to Public school... We did "games" on a Thursday afternoon.... They had "games" EVERY AFTERNOON... I had to ask him to repeat it. Heard a stat last week, happy to be corrected, that 46% of 2012 Olympic medallist, were public school educated.

So that means that more than half the top performers went to a Comp - although the exact numbers do depend on who you ask (lies, damned lies & statistics etc)
[urlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/9449422/An-Olympic-education-schools-producing-Team-GB-Olympians.html[/url

I'll also lump the club in missing the point too after this afternoon's announcement that we're playing Skolars again next year [iON A FRIDAY AT 2PM[/i WTF ?!


I'd actually like to go to this, but why a Friday? I've a job to do 200 miles north. Can't exactly take an extended lunch to trot down there (even if I wangled a meeting in the London office). It's also a school day, I thought RL in London was trying to get the kids involved?

Talk about a blown opportunity.

Point being, that a much smaller percentage of the population go to Public School...

It's being played in the square mile, so presumably an attempt to attract investors and corporate viewers rather than being aimed at regular fans.

A good idea if it pays off.

Yep. Exactly the same last year.

The same as last year yes, but as a day out to have a look at some of the younglings I'd actually like to have an option if you please. No problem trying to attract the corporates (also probably why Farrell is the guest speaker at the dinner - to appeal to the rah-rahs), but are there any figures from last year's event to back up the efficacy of this approach? Given that it's been going on between Broncos & Skolars for some years, has anything actually come from this "networking" attempt (sorry - hate that term).

It's actually more an indictment of the state of sport in Comps. The Bitch Thatcher started the wholesale sell-off of school land & her lick-spittle, Major carried it on with Blair & Brown not doing anything to reverse the problem.
The only places left that can conceivably grow our future elite athletes [iare [/ithe fee-paying schools, so it's no surprise (nor a problem, IMO) that a disproportionate number come from that direction.
Until we stop leaning so far towards academic subjects in curricula & cater for those people who are never going to remember Pythagoras' theorem let alone revel in Dickens or Maxine Peake as Hamlet (she was fab, by the way), then the demise of sport in state schools will continue until it crosses the point of no return. If it hasn't already.

I'm sure there'll be other opportunities for you.