Lowes view on Yawnion

[JJ]

Besides Andy Farrell being drafted into the England squad
Brad Thorn for the All Blacks
Iestyn Harris for Wales
Henry Paul for England
Jason Robinson for England
Ben MacDougall for Scotland
Wendell Sailor for the Wallabies
Andrew Walker for the Wallabies
Lote Tuqiri for the Wallabies
Matt Rogers for the Wallabies
Johnathon Davies went straight back into the Welsh team from Warrington

And only one of those that could be considered a big success IMO is Davies - who of course was a rugby player to start with...

 

[ibeme]

And only one of those that could be considered a big success IMO is Davies - who of course was a rugby player to start with...

That doesn't say much for the national RU sides they all waltzed into.

 

[shiznit]

Brad Thorn certainly didnt walk into the all blacks... you can think what you like about the wobblies and the poms but the all blacks dont hand out jearseys with theyre contracts. in NZ you sign for maybe a super14 franchise and a province and the rest is up to you...

brad thorn for mine was probably the best league convert of them all. he came to canterbury becase it was his dream to play for the All Blacks and he had to go for half the money he was on in brisbane. he started off terrible as a loose forward and we all thought he was abit of a joke but he switched to lock and worked his arse off with aussie mclean and wayne smith and became a pretty handy player i reckon... he was never an established starter for the all blacks but he got to start in afew games against the likes of Italy & Canada or when injury's struck.

with Lote and Rogers they didnt have to change theyre game too much... infact they probably had to do abit less really... but thorn was the opposite.. he had to change his game completely which in my opinion was alot tougher to do then hang out on the wing and make 3 tackles a game...

i would love to see Benji Marshall come home and play for his home province of Bay Of Plenty. i think he would be a great 2nd five or fullback. god knows it would be easier on his body and who knows... he might be tempted to join when we defend(choking aside) the world cup at home in 2011. but before that he has the small matter of combining with SBW to win the RLWC...

 

[Sanchez]

league players would stick to thier own game except they all too greedy and think they are world beaters when really they big fish in small ponds and run back to league when things dont go well

 

[Green Machine]

And only one of those that could be considered a big success IMO is Davies - who of course was a rugby player to start with...

But didn’t you already give the tick to Robinson and Tiquiri in Union? You’re not going to say Gourley and Innes are great again, are you? I don’t think Jonathon Davies was a bit success when he returned to Union. He was at the end of his career. My point was that they have all walked into a National Union squad like the 6 that made the Lions Tour of 1997. I did mention that no one from Union has walked into the Kangaroo Squad. Michael O’Connor made his Rugby League debut in 1983 and waited to 1986 to make his Test debut on the wing. Ray Price made his Rugby League debut in 1976 and waited to 1978 to make his Test debut. Ricky Stuart played made his first grade debut for the Raiders in 1988 and didn’t play a Test until 1990. If you think those guys were failures, what does that say about international union?

 

[gunnamatta bay]

The simple fact is union is boring. Forget the debate about individuals. The game sucks. League is all about entertainment.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

league players would stick to thier own game except they all too greedy and think they are world beaters when really they big fish in small ponds and run back to league when things dont go well

:lol:

What hasn't gone well for Rogers, Sailor and Tuquiri in Union?

They both have been permanent fixtures in Union rep teams since they signed.

On the other hand, make sure you give Sam Harris a big welcome back...

 

[Sanchez]

Ha sailors a waste of space rogers cant make the starting team so is packing it in and theres always exceptions and lotes one of them.And sam harris hes jus crap at all sport im afraid

 

[gunnamatta bay]

Ha sailors a waste of space rogers cant make the starting team so is packing it in and theres always exceptions and lotes one of them.And sam harris hes jus crap at all sport im afraid

Can't you see the debate is not about individuals? The simple fact is Lowe was pointing out the entertainment value of both games and in his opinion league comes out on top. Are you a better judge?

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

And only one of those that could be considered a big success IMO is Davies - who of course was a rugby player to start with...

You're seriously geniused.

Are you suggesting that being a permanent fixture in one of the best Union teams in the world for 5 years isn't considered "a big success" in Union?

If that's the case, no one playing for NZ over the past 10 years has been a big success.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Ha sailors a waste of space rogers cant make the starting team so is packing it in and theres always exceptions and lotes one of them.And sam harris hes jus crap at all sport im afraid

Jesus, you aren't helping your cause.

 

[Woods99]

While I've got your attention, could anybody spare a few cents to help rugby league to expand in the West Indies? ..... You all know that it is a far better game than rugby union, but, for some reason, it seems to be struggling on the international stage. ..... And maybe, while you're at it, you could tell us just where we can find out about league's international governing body. Hello? Hello? Any information gratefully received. .....And a couple of dollars for the West Indies, if if you would be kind enough. Thank you.

 

[Sanchez]

While I've got your attention, could anybody spare a few cents to help rugby league to expand in the West Indies? ..... You all know that it is a far better game than rugby union, but, for some reason, it seems to be struggling on the international stage. ..... And maybe, while you're at it, you could tell us just where we can find out about league's international governing body. Hello? Hello? Any information gratefully received. .....And a couple of dollars for the West Indies, if if you would be kind enough. Thank you.

um go back to your own thread mate

 

[Sanchez]

Jesus, you aren't helping your cause.

yes i am im going back to my point of league players thinking they so great yet cant hack it in big time union

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

yes i am im going back to my point of league players thinking they so great yet cant hack it in big time union

Like who?

Rogers, Tuquiri and Sailor?

Those 3 blokes who have been permanent fixtures in Union rep sides?

 

[Green Machine]

um go back to your own thread mate

Hey Woods,
See how dumb you Union colleagues are,

 

[gunnamatta bay]

I posted Lowes article 6 days ago and still no reply from either the aru or nzru or any of their lacky scribes. I can only assume they agree:

The rugby looked like just another in a series of the very ordinary efforts we have seen throughout the much-hyped Tri-Nations series. Boring, appalling handling and yet another prima donna referee.

 

[Kurt Angle]

yes i am im going back to my point of league players thinking they so great yet cant hack it in big time union

Wendell Sailor: 37 tests
Mat Rogers: 41 tests

Mark Ella: 25 tests.

Seems they can hack it a lot more than Australian RU's finest ever player.

 

[JJ]

this is a bit boring, and obviously very few of you know sh*t about rugby.

First, many more tests are played these days, so Mark Ella has nothing to do with it.

Second, the All Blacks are quite different to the Wallabies, given the puddle of union talent in Australia - the NZRU does not target league players, Henry Paul tried to prostitue himself, and they told him to f**k off

people like Gibbs, Bateman, Davies, and Quinnell have been cited, yet they were all union players to start with.

The likes of Tuigamala, Ridge, Innes, Timu, Davies, Gibbs, Quinnell, Bateman, O'Connor, Botica, Price, Sherlock, Stuart, Gourley, Lambert, Halligan, Gavin Hill (very much a journmeyman union man, but a league international) etc etc all careved out quite respectable careers in league

and if we're talking about converts becoming fixtures at the hoghest level, - then Ridge,.Davies, Gibbs, O'Connor, Price, Stuart all did that

Since your quoting minnow rugby teams (yes, given the lack of depth, Aust are quite diff to NZ) the likes of Ridge, Davies, Timu, Ellis :lol:, Botica, Tuigamala, Schuster Hill all had opportunities in the Kiwis very early.

Halligan and Hill were very much journeyman union players in NZ, and both did well at the dogs, and of course Halligan set some impressive records. Ridge and Sherlock were fortunate to get All Black games (perhaps the equivalent of Phil Bailey in league) and Ridge didn;t play a test...

None of Tuqiri, Rogers or Sailor are anywhere near the best in their positions in rugby union, irrespective of how many tests they've played for the Wallabies - the AB's outside backs - Rokocoko, Sivivatu, Howlett, Gear and Muliaina are hugley superior - the Titans would have been much better spending 300K on Muliaina - who is young, and incredibly talents, and doesn;t have games off due to papercuts

 

[ibeme]

Halligan and Hill were very much journeyman union players in NZ, and both did well at the dogs, and of course Halligan set some impressive records.

lol. Thanks only to his goal kicking. He was definitely one of the best goal kickers I've ever seen, and he won us a few games as a result. But goal kicking was his only strength. He was one of the slowest wingers I've ever seen. If it wasn't for his goal-kicking ability, he would have been lucky to see first grade in Rugby League.