Re: Sam Burgess : Thu Dec 04, 2014 12:58 am
I've said before that RU is making the same mistake RL clubs used to make - signing 'big name' RL players rather than looking for RL players who fit more naturally in RU.Remember when RL clubs wasted money signing the likes of Stu Evans and Dai Young, in an era when it was clear that RU props were already completely unsuited to RL?
Andy Farrell, Henry Paul (and hopefully Sam Burgess) were players that were clearly outstanding RL players, but if you were after RL players for RU none of them would have been signed. Wingers and centres are the easiest fit, as they were when RL was doing the poaching. Iestyn Harris was clearly a good 'rugby' player, and had he gone a few years before he did would probably have been sensational in RU, but he's almost the exception that proves the rule.
Even wingers should be looked at carefully. Wendell Sailor was in many ways the perfect RL winger - strong, happy to act as an extra forward, reasonably quick. But he really struggled with RU where a lot of his skill (notably running the ball back) wasn't required. Tuqiri was a less dominant RL winger but made a much better job of RU, as did Matt Rogers.
Whilst I'm unhappy Burgess has moved, if he fails to make a real impact (which is quite possible IMO), then hopefully it will discourage more poaching. I couldn't care less if that means the likes of Stephen Jones have more 'evdence' to diss RL players.
BTW, I used to watch Headingley play before I started watching Leeds. The term 'one man and his dog' springs to mind when remembering the crowds, even when they had England international Peter Winterbottom playing for them.