Former Manly and Wests Tigers star Sam Harris, who also had two stints with the NSW Waratahs, has just returned from playing in Japan and said the standard was slightly better than the Sydney club competition that Southern Districts compete in. "I think it's a developing sport in Japan but I wouldn't really see it as being in competition to the NRL," Harris said. "Benji Marshall is one of the biggest stars in the NRL, so why the NRL would want to give him an ultimatum and make him choose is something I don't understand.
"I've played four years of rugby and four years of league and I think these days players can just switch between the two. With a guy like Lote Tuqiri whose played for about 10 years professionally, you might get a bit sick of pre-season training and would rather just play all year round."
Dragons star Wendell Sailor, who was unaware of any opposition to his proposed off-season stint in France last summer, said he had been fresh when he returned from a similar stint playing rugby union for Leeds in 1998 and believed Marshall would have no problems.
"I was training with the Broncos the week I got back," Sailor said.[/b]
