It's not the fitness rather than the decision making and ability to perform core skills under pressure and intensity. The average to good RU player doesn't have the same instincts as a RL player either and that affects everything especially late footwork and lines.

I'd also argue that the RU game doesn't demand the same levels of energy system development that RL does.

There's no doubt that Union players have become very fine specimens but they're still not the all round athletes that League players need to be.

Not sure I agree in this case. Smith is a League player who’s just returned for a relatively short 2nd spell in Union. So he doesn’t really need much work if he is already fit - just a bit of tweaking hopefully.

I’ve watched a bit of Union of late and IMHO Union centres are every bit as good as RL Centres. They all run very good angles, draw their man and feed their wingers - a bit of a lost art in British RL so I’ll beg to differ with you on that one.

Have I missed something, has he signed for us?
If not, all a bit irreverent.

I wasn't particularly talking about Lee Smith rather RU players in general.

There are some very good skills on show in Rugby Union but unfortunately they're practiced within a game that lacks the intensity and pressure of Rugby League making the display of such skill easier to perform and slightly tainted due to the inadequacy of the defence.

I'd be really happy with this if true, Smith is a good quality super league centre and has always performed well for us, he's exactly what we need at present IMO

If he is coming back to league again then I would really hope he stays, is 3rd swap back to league now i believe

What position did Smith play in Union ?

They have some big lads in that position and Smith is a stone and a half light for a modern day union centre.
I know Burgess wont play all his Union career in that position but players like Tuilangi are certainly big units.

Inside centre and outside centre are different. Big lads on the inside centre position to hold the line up.
But he played on the wing most of the time.
He's not small though. He's quite tall and rocks up 15 stone ish.

yeah he used to carry a bit too much weight rather than anything else.
I think he would be a good short term signing as he has an ability to score tries (something we lack) and is a decent goalkicker. Has his weaknesses with defence and concentration, so a bit like shorter version of Craig Hall, but useful nonetheless given our centres are very average.

Give over a shorter version of Craig Hall. Smith is about 5 divisions up from Hall and I thought that when I still rated Hall.

Whats going on with Hall apart from his total lack of effort. I think Smith could run rings round Hall all day.

I rate Smith but let's not forget that Hall was a class act at HKR that's why everybody at Wakefield was glad when we signed him. He simply hasn't done it for us.
I sincerely hope Smith does sign for us - he's still young enough to produce as long as he's a bit fitter than he was when he left us.

Smith can create out of nothing with good footwork and is pretty good at being Jonny on the spot with the finishing. Just what we lack sometimes.

Give me Smith every time over Hall. Smiths got guts, hall does not. Hall needs the space, Smith can make it. I remember one good hall try against us when he played for Hull.
Halls total poor attitude and lack of effort show the player for what he is.

As long as we don't need L Smith as a half back

That's true but we are not comparing like for like. Hall may have been a class act at HKR but Smith played 150+ games over a 6 year period for a Championship winning side and was never far off England selection and has the medals to prove it. Hall has never been anywhere near that. I think we forget sometimes that being at a top 4 club gives you a head start before you take anything else into account. All things as they say are relative.

Was Hall a class act at H K R or just a steady Eddy.

Well 'class act' I suppose is really a matter of opinion. Let's say he has creative qualities, like I said before, he just isn't, for some reason, using them for us.
Of the two, give me Smith, I was a bit gutted when he left!

Lee Smith has played 4 times in 2 years for the Falcons he must be 20 stone of pure fat. If we can get him in radical shape then maybe!

Well then, what does that make you?

Where on earth do you form these opinions?

Clueless as ever

would I not be right in saying he was playing with us two years ago

You would indeed be correct.

so the comment by newgroundb4cas is again rubbish

Is the Pope Catholic

Do bears shyt in the woods