Rugby Union Internationals in League

[LeagueXIII]

I came across some interesting facts when reading Tony Collins Rugby Reloaded page http://www.tcollins.org/ on the conversion rate of rugby union internationals to league. We have all heard about Sam Burgess and his so called "short comings" in his union stay, well let's look the other way at rugby union and their short comings when it came to league:

International Wales RU players who switched to league 1895 to 1995

Total - 162

Played league for Gt Britain - 36


International England RU players who switched to league 1895 to 1995

Total - 35

Played league for Gt Britain - 8 (of which 5 played league as schoolboys)

 

[Knownothing]

I have read a lot of criticism of the England Rugby Football Union in general, and the England coach, Stuart Lancaster in particular, over the appallingly bad treatment that Burgess received.

Lancaster has since been dumped as England coach.



I have read no informed criticism of Burgess by any Australian rugby union journalists.


As for percentages of converts who end up representing in their new code, all that proves is that they are two quite different games. Yes, there are some similarities, but there are also some huge differences.


There are far more rugby union international matches every year than rugby league internationals. It follows that there are significantly fewer opportunities for converts to rugby league to represent than there are the other way around.

 

[LeagueXIII]

In modern times true, however for the first 100 years of Welsh international RU they only played 7 other nations:

1881 to 1983 they played 347 tests (from 1984 to 2016 played 263)

of these games only 28 were against NZ, Sth Africa and Australia so 319 were against Ireland, England, France and Scotland.

The first team from outside these teams to play Wales was Romania at the end of 1983, then Fiji in 1985 and Tonga, Samoa and Fiji in 1986

Infact the first Union World Cup in 1987 was when Wales started playing the minor nations.

Interestingly it's a similar path that our international game is currently on ie. playing the major nations, moving to the island nations then onto the developing countries. Fast forward 25-30 years and international league could be in a very healthy state given consistent funding (which comes from TV and World Cups which is how union did it) and development.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Looking at Welsh RU internationals who switched between 1895 and 1986

only 28 of 148 played league for Gt. Britain.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Looking at the NZ All Blacks their test history is similar from 1903 to the end of 1986

they had played 225 Tests against the Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England (who formed

the touring British Isles teams) also France, Sth Africa and Australia.

Of the 225 tests only 4 were played against outsiders the USA in 1913, Romania in

1981 and twice against Argentina in 1985.

Again it wasn't until the 1987 Union World Cup that they started playing other nations

regularly. From 1987 to 2016 the All Blacks have played 313 Tests.

Interestingly our Rugby League Kangaroos had played 226 Tests from 1908 to 1986

one more than the All Blacks when they started 5 years earlier.