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Sam Burgess...What do we think?

This guy has made 47 posts so far and I'm sure I've read 42 of them and they are all stupid ..........

He has no idea whatsoever about rugby it's a shame because this is a thread about a really interesting part of recent rugby news that has been ruined
 
Phil de glanville..Jesus Christ...been well and truly rumbled with that one.

2005 Lions....Sir Clive Woodward....and he picks Wilkinson out of position at centre (yeah the same chappie)...ahead of "one of the greats" Will Greenwood.

I can also only surmise that some folk glossed over the "10 man Rugby" label directed at Clive during his England tenure, especially '03. Bit of a strange label given the "great centre pairing" England had. That centre pairing really lit up the tournament. Some folk are living in an alternate universe.
 
2005 Lions....Sir Clive Woodward....and he picks Wilkinson out of position at centre (yeah the same chappie)...ahead of "one of the greats" Will Greenwood.

There is something deliciously ironic about an Irish poster commenting on how good a centres career was - based off missing selection in a B&I Lions Test.
 
Oh dear..is this always the standard on here? Over 5000 posts and comes up with that. Do I need to point out that little fact about O'Driscoll being past his best a good 4 to 5 yrs? Given this is a Rugby forum where folk are expected to have some knowledge on the game its more than a tad surprising, especially on a current player.
 
The 10 man rugby played by England in 2003 was a result to the team a) Being somewhat over the hill b) The pressures of winning a World Cup. Even that was lit up by moments of very good 15-man play. Most of Woodward's tenure was marked by 15 man rugby when it was on, good backplay and high points totals. I'd argue that it's pretty hard to rack up 90 tries in 4 Six Nations tournaments if your backline isn't all that.

As for Greenwood - he had a better than 1 in 2 strike rate in the centres. Smith, Nonu, de Villiers, Fourie, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Jauzion - there's a list of pro era inside centres that didn't do that. Horan didn't manage it. Jason Little didn't manage it. Sella didn't manage it. Bunce didn't manage it. Umaga didn't manage it and he spent a fair bit of time on the wing! In fact, to simplify this, there is a grand total of 13 tier 1 internationals with a better strike rate than Greenwood and they are all back three players. No other centre has done better than 1 in 2. To put it into perspective in that England team - Jason Robinson and Ben Cohen have strike rates bettering his by 0.002 and 0.01 of him in terms of percentage.

I would like to suggest that the Rugby World unites in a prayer of thanks than Will Greenwood was only 'solid' - he'd have probably topped the strike-rate table if he wasn't! ;)

p.s. This video seems appropriate and must always be posted when appropriate.

- The ugly and unacceptable face of ten man rugby.
 
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It will be very interesting to see how he goes, particularly given how little time there is between now and the World Cup.

Also, I laugh at any poster who thinks that there is more skill involved in League than there is in Union...
 
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Oh dear..is this always the standard on here? Over 5000 posts and comes up with that. Do I need to point out that little fact about O'Driscoll being past his best a good 4 to 5 yrs? Given this is a Rugby forum where folk are expected to have some knowledge on the game its more than a tad surprising, especially on a current player.

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It will be very interesting to see how he goes, particularly given how little time there is between now and the World Cup.

Also, I laugh at any poster who thinks that there is more skill involved in League than there is in Union...

I think he'll actually go ok, he likes to work in those close contact area, his footwork is fantastic and he's so strong he always gets his upper body past the man.

The attacking game i dont think will be an issue as he'll just come in looking to physically dominate the collision.

the issue is going to be his defence, he's a league hitter, no arms goes for the ball everytime...yes spectacular but not efficient, in union terms anyway, and i think he'll get found out a bit there. I also think he's too slow to play 13 really effectivley - look at Tomkins who regulalry scored length of the field trys, yet he's a good yard or so off the pace at international level.
 
That video serves two purposes one.

1. Ten man rugby? What ten man rugby?

2. Sam Burgess should learn to pass like a certain 12 who features prominently in that video before he is allowed to play there for England.
 
Anyone listen to Full Contact on Talk Sport sunday/download?

Eddie Hemmings is pretty open about how dissapointed he is Burgess has gone, and makes a point that the general opinion arund the sky studios is that he's the exact type of player England don't need.
 
The opinion in the Sky Sports studios is the collective opinion of Stuart Barnes, Dewi Morris and Scott Quinnell... hardly the font of rugby knowledge and understanding.
 
Well you have 3 blokes who have played rugby Union at the highest level and 1 of them even played league for a bit so they might know something.
 
I saw them talking about him... they barely know who he is. I don't think Quinnell watches much league at all - let alone NRL.
Greenwood (one of the Sky Commentators) is extremely positive about it.
 
I just look at how long it took eastmond, Tompkins and Ashton to transfer over and I can't see him getting used to Union quickly, especially at centre which has the one of the hardest roles.

I think he will be a good thing for bath but at the expense at JJ that's harsh slightly.
 
Eastmond got into the England team after his first full season, with only half of that spent as a centre.
He was injured for the first year at Bath. We are only half-way through his second season.

Tomkins didn't take much longer and wasn't Ashton pretty much straight into scoring tries in the championship?

The better the player the less time it takes - Folau hadn't played a full season when he scored 2 tries against the Lions.

Clearly it takes time, particularly when you move infield, but let's not exaggerate.

Interesting to note that Andrew Fifita (the guy who the Rabbitohs are trying to replace Burgess with) is potentially swapping too!

 
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???

If you're questioning that then I suggest you have a look at the RC episode in question and see for yourself... they're clearly blagging it pretending to know who he is.
Barnes in particular is obviously tasked with being "controversial" by Sky, his opinions flit so often that it can only be by design.
 

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