SBW to play Wallabies

[ozbash]

​

NRL defector Sonny Bill Williams is set to return to Australia in dramatic fashion by playing for the Barbarians against the Wallabies next year in the same week as league's showpiece event, State of Origin I.

Williams, Mark Gasnier and Craig Gower – all former NRL stars who now play club rugby in France – will be invited to play in the ground-breaking match at the Sydney Football Stadium on June 6 to kick off next year's international program. It will be the first time the Barbarians have played on Australian soil.
The timing is sure to get under the skin of league officials, who prefer to forget Williams's association with the game after he walked out on the Bulldogs in July in the most controversial code switch yet.
The first Origin match is to be played in Melbourne on June 3 but rugby could steal the spotlight with Williams's anticipated inclusion.
If the Kiwi is selected, it would herald his long-awaited return to Australia after secretly leaving the country – while contracted to the Bulldogs – to join Toulon. The Bulldogs and NRL took Williams to court but the matter was settled after he paid $750,000 to the club to free him of his contractual obligations.
Gasnier could be involved in the French Top 14 grand final that same weekend for Stade Francais, who are second in the French league, but Williams and Gower are genuine options for the Barbarians, along with a host of top-line international stars, including former Wallabies Chris Latham and Stephen Larkham.
Williams' Toulon club is struggling near the foot of the ladder, while Gower, who has been in fine touch of late for Bayonne at centre, would be available if his side does not qualify for the finals and he is not chosen to play for Italy, whom the Wallabies host a week after the Barbarians game.
ARU managing director John O'Neill refused to name specific players but the SMH understands the former league trio will be headhunted along with other high-profile figures, including All Blacks Aaron Mauger, Luke McAlister, Carl Hayman and Chris Jack, Springboks Percy Montgomery and Brent Russell, Japan-based former Australian skipper George Gregan and World Cup-winning English five-eighth Jonny Wilkinson.
Clearly, Williams holds the most appeal, even more so for the controversy surrounding his switch than his playing ability, although the prospect of watching him clashing with Stirling Mortlock and Lote Tuqiri is a marketing dream for the ARU, which must hatch innovative ideas to lure back dwindling crowds.
Williams is extremely keen to play for the Barbarians, and with Toulon unable to qualify for the French finals, he will be free from May 16.
The 23-year-old was to have represented the Barbarians against the Wallabies at Wembley Stadium on December 3 during their European tour but was unavailable due to a leg injury. It was that game, won 18-11 by Australia, that sparked the idea to bring the Barbarians here.
"The success of that match hardened our resolve to finalise discussions with the Barbarians about them coming to Australia for the first time," O'Neill said. "In terms of their playing personnel, the possibilities for the Barbarians are enticing. Without going into specifics, we're confident this Barbarians team will have showstopping appeal.
"The British and Irish Lions will be on tour to South Africa, but there are high-profile All Blacks and Springboks, current members of the World Cup semi-finalists Argentina, and some very well-known Australian players tied to overseas clubs at present.
"The Pacific Islands have a number of players based in Europe who thrilled a global audience at last year's Rugby World Cup. There is also a chance a number of extremely recognisable British and French players will be available."
The Wallabies have not played at SFS since a 41-29 victory over the New Zealand Maori opened the 2001 domestic season.
Australia first played the Barbarians in 1948, and the Wallabies have won seven of the 10 games.
After the Barbarians match, Australia will play Italy twice – in Canberra and Melbourne – before returning to Sydney to host France. Their Tri Nations campaign kicks off on July 18 with a match against the All Blacks in Auckland.
Australia v The Barbarians
June 6, SFS
Possible targets: George Gregan (Australia); Aaron Mauger, Luke McAlister, Carl Hayman, Chris Jack (New Zealand); Percy Montgomery, Brent Russell (South Africa); Jonny Wilkinson (England).
The one-off match will also be the first in the 60-year history of the Wallabies and Barbarians to be played in Australia. Barbarians matches have traditionally been scheduled as finales for the Wallabies' European tours, with nine games played between 1948 and 2001 before the concept was revived during this year's spring tour.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/4801582a1823.html

 

[Alehana]

be good game to see, i'd back the wallabies to win, but i'd be going for babaas, hope Luke and Mauger play, good to see if Northern Hemi is as competitive as they say it is.

 

[Parra]

Should be a beauty - at SFS too - even better.

 

[Non Terminator]

Definately loving the sound of it.
Should be a cracker, wouldn't mind seeing how Gower is doing these days too.

 

[roopy]

dangerous stuff for Union.
refs in baa baa games let the play flow and players will toss the ball around without worrying about the result.
A fast, open, attractive game involving a lot of league players will get a lot of fans having a look, then the next week they will dish up their usual boring shyte and fans will switch off forever.

 

[Johns Magic]

dangerous stuff for Union.
refs in baa baa games let the play flow and players will toss the ball around without worrying about the result.
A fast, open, attractive game involving a lot of league players will get a lot of fans having a look, then the next week they will dish up their usual boring shyte and fans will switch off forever.

The difference is SBW, Gasnier and Gower were three of the best league players in the world. They'll just be average international union players.

 

[Te Kaha]

dangerous stuff for Union.
refs in baa baa games let the play flow and players will toss the ball around without worrying about the result.
A fast, open, attractive game involving a lot of league players will get a lot of fans having a look, then the next week they will dish up their usual boring shyte and fans will switch off forever.

Another example of the crap you dish up, you state all over that you havent watched a game in years and you still feel qualified to comment on the content of the game....

Its the same sort of people who seem to think that best League player in the world would instantly be the best Rugby player. In the last 14 years since Rugby went professional only one ex-league player could be considered to have been the best in his position in Rugby... thats out of the dozens of internationals that have switched. and he wasnt even Australian.

 

[roopy]

The difference is SBW, Gasnier and Gower were three of the best league players in the world. They'll just be average international union players.

Rubbish.
In a 'normal' game they may appear 'average' because Union doesn't allow them to play a running game, but they will stand out in a game where the play is free flowing.
You could put a cross between Usane Bolt and Andre the giant in the backline of a Union side and he would look just like the rest if he touches the ball three times a game.

If there were all these hundreds of worldclass athletes playing union, League teams would sign up every backline player for all the pacific Island teams in a minute, but the sad truth is that not one of them would play NRL firstgrade without years of training.

 

[roopy]

Another example of the crap you dish up, you state all over that you havent watched a game in years and you still feel qualified to comment on the content of the game....

Its the same sort of people who seem to think that best League player in the world would instantly be the best Rugby player. In the last 14 years since Rugby went professional only one ex-league player could be considered to have been the best in his position in Rugby... thats out of the dozens of internationals that have switched. and he wasnt even Australian.

you can talk it up till you are blue in the face, but people only have to watch it for 20 minutes and all the talk is worth nothing.
Union would have taken over in australia after the incredible leg ups they had before, during and after their WC in Australia, except most of the people who jumped on the bandwagon got off after watching the shyte.

 

[Te Kaha]

Rubbish.
In a 'normal' game they may appear 'average' because Union doesn't allow them to play a running game, but they will stand out in a game where the play is free flowing.
You could put a cross between Usane Bolt and Andre the giant in the backline of a Union side and he would look just like the rest if he touches the ball three times a game.

If there were all these hundreds of worldclass athletes playing union, League teams would sign up every backline player for all the pacific Island teams in a minute, but the sad truth is that not one of them would play NRL firstgrade without years of training.

If these players are so much better than other Rugby players then they should be able to stand out... but they cant... so your argument holds no water.

And the reason they haven't been signed is that all the Test standard PI players are earning a sh*tload more in Europe than the NRL can pay.

 

[Johns Magic]

Rubbish.
In a 'normal' game they may appear 'average' because Union doesn't allow them to play a running game, but they will stand out in a game where the play is free flowing.

Funnily enough, a guy at my union club turned down good money NYC offers from several NRL clubs this season to play club union for a couple of grand. "Why would you turn down the money?" I asked him. "Because league is boring, it's just the same thing over and over again with no space, it's too structured and you don't get any space or chances for individual brilliance like you do in union." This is from an outside back who played Harold Matts and SG Ball.

Someone as untalented as McManus can make it in the NRL as long as he runs in a straight line, hits the weights and does what the coach tells him.

 

[Te Kaha]

you can talk it up till you are blue in the face, but people only have to watch it for 20 minutes and all the talk is worth nothing.
Union would have taken over in australia after the incredible leg ups they had before, during and after their WC in Australia, except most of the people who jumped on the bandwagon got off after watching the shyte.

bullsh*t... do you really have that little faith in your code??? League is ingrained into NSW and QLD.. no sport was or is going to take it over.

If League is that much better than Rugby, why hasnt it taken over form Rugby in the Islands? In NZ? in the UK? Could it be that people actually enjoy it???? i know its unheard of for a lot on LU but tehr eare people who do enjoy Rugby.

You never will... you have made up your mind and nothing will ever change it... bully for you.

 

[roopy]

You never will... you have made up your mind and nothing will ever change it... bully for you.

As i have probably said to you before, my mother's cousin played for the Wallabies and i watched all TV games he played including pretty much the entire Ella and Campese eras, and i even enjoyed it in those days.
I haven't watched more than 20 minutes or so of a union game in years, and that is not because i don't give it a look, but because my boredom threshold for union is about the same as for info-mercials these days.
If they game was worth watching, I, and millions of others, would watch it.

 

[Te Kaha]

As i have probably said to you before, my mother's cousin played for the Wallabies and i watched all TV games he played including pretty much the entire Ella and Campese eras, and i even enjoyed it in those days.
I haven't watched more than 20 minutes or so of a union game in years, and that is not because i don't give it a look, but because my boredom threshold for union is about the same as for info-mercials these days.
If they game was worth watching, I, and millions of others, would watch it.

Millions of others DO watch it... there is a world outside of Australia

 

[mt albert lions]

As i have probably said to you before, my mother's cousin played for the Wallabies and i watched all TV games he played including pretty much the entire Ella and Campese eras, and i even enjoyed it in those days.
I haven't watched more than 20 minutes or so of a union game in years, and that is not because i don't give it a look, but because my boredom threshold for union is about the same as for info-mercials these days.
If they game was worth watching, I, and millions of others, would watch it.

You don't like rugby union but you watch it for 19 minutes or less . Why ?

 

[roopy]

You don't like rugby union but you watch it for 19 minutes or less . Why ?

I'm afraid to answer that i would have to conduct a study on how the remote control has taken over my life.

 

[XIII]

Rubbish.
In a 'normal' game they may appear 'average' because Union doesn't allow them to play a running game, but they will stand out in a game where the play is free flowing.
You could put a cross between Usane Bolt and Andre the giant in the backline of a Union side and he would look just like the rest if he touches the ball three times a game.

If there were all these hundreds of worldclass athletes playing union, League teams would sign up every backline player for all the pacific Island teams in a minute, but the sad truth is that not one of them would play NRL firstgrade without years of training.

farq me how is this knob a moderator? mate i think you are one of these that just watches and didnt play. let me tell you both codes require a huge amount of ability to play at the highest level.

 

[Stagger eel]

I must say, seeing Timana Tahu play both codes has changed the way I think of Rugby.

 

[roopy]

farq me how is this knob a moderator? mate i think you are one of these that just watches and didnt play. let me tell you both codes require a huge amount of ability to play at the highest level.

way to miss the point dickhead,

 

[Johns Magic]

I must say, seeing Timana Tahu play both codes has changed the way I think of Rugby.

How so?