I was put in a situation where are coach at eastmoor who was going for the course left, as a parent 4 of us took over 1 with a coaching badge that couldn't make it all the time and three of us that kept it going,
its far from easy to even look after the kids never mind teach them to play rugby.

I bow my hat to all that take the course and go on to help the young ones

totally agree with that

you see snowie this is where things go wrong, most teams have good players till they get to say 11 then the ones who are coached better push beyond them, now through no fault of their own parents and some coaches dont know how to take kids to the next level. this is why they need help through the year. ive seen coaches at under 8s tell lads to run for the wing as they had more pace than anyone else but when they still tell them to do it at 11 and they cant its all over for most of the kids. get them to run hard and tackle hard and it sets them up for the future.

My lads head is down as at the mo as he's taken the brunt of what I think is absolute crap coaching and from a ex pro, don't get me wrong he knows is stuff but hes playing them like pro's,
firstly the kids have to enjoy the game or they will just drift away from the game, but you have to forgive the mistakes and miss timed runs they are only kids

I wish I was ten years younger, I would of put my heart into helping the kids now as I see a future for the game that I hadn't seen before until our lewis played

see your p.m. interested on your thoughts if not i will ask wider in the Wakefield area.

got it

My take on it is this.

So far the recruits from league have been expensive mistakes. Only Jason Robinson could be regarded as a success, but at league he was unique, one of the most exciting wingers I have ever seen. The rest perhaps went for the wrong reasons; ie, money.

Farrell was a publicity exercise. My abiding memory of Farrell going to Union was that they announced it on the opening day of Super League in whatever year it was, and at that point the contract hadn't been signed. It was a coup, a signal that league was dead because they could nick the best player in the game, and nothing more. For me, it said that they didn't know where they would Farrell would play, pack or centres, but he was deserving of an England place, but if the best person in whatever position that may be is a bloke with knackered knees who doesn't know union, then the English union game must be in a desperate position.

The rest of the 'converts' have failed. Lee Smith may be an exception. We should do all we can to keep our players in the game. Union players have brought to union a panache that league players have coached out of them. Would league have produced a Jonathan Davies? I doubt it. But we must protect our game and preserve our players.

Jonh makes a point about the salary cap. The problem I have with a Wigan fan talking about the salary cap is that what they usually mean is that the reason that they don't win anything is because they can't buy up every good player and watch the rest of the game bankrupt themselves trying to keeep up.

One of the problems we have is that is that the good English players are concentrated in just a couple of clubs, and they will never move as it is only in those clubs that that trophies are to be won, and the salary cap restricts what salaries can be paid.

I would like to see Lee Smith stay in League, and I appreciate that he has got to look after himself. But for people who leave League, I find it very hard to forgive, as they are undermining the one sport that has sustained me throughout my life.

Huge urban myth. Rivalling the NRL is boaring and Wigan do not support there young players.

very few have actually failed in union.

Spot on!!!!

What converts have failed in union?

I will start. Karl Pryce.

Who has actually succeeded ???

awaiting to see who in your opinion has failed.

Karl Pryce.
Andy Farrell (compared to the cost)
Iestyn Harris
Chev Walker

The only success I can think of is Robinson. Ergo, given the cost of any other transfer, the rest are surely failures.

Surely the question should be .. Who has succeeded???? JR being the exception!!!!

After all , the players who have left league have gone to supposedly better their careers... Would you go as far to say the ZIT (Volcano) has bettered his, or is it just for the £ signs???

Or, who has come from union and made a success ?

Cant think of anyone, the simple fact is that RL is a working class game paying very little compared to the RA RA onion game

Karl Pryce accepted.
Andy Farrell England International in the World Championship team
Iestyn Harris Welsh international and there stand out player in the World Cup in 2001 I think.
Chev Walker, less than a year in the code England A international


Henry Paul England International and voted in the top 3 players in England by his fellow players 3 years in a row.

Stephen Myler. Northampton stand off England A international.

Chris Ashton. Broke the try scoring record in his first season.

Jonathan Davis
Paul Moriarty
John Deveraux
Alan Bateman
Va'inga Tuigamala
Scott Quinell
Scott Gibbs
Steve Hampson
Martin Offiah
etc etc etc

You're really watching the wrong code then!!!

Your opinion, but then again i suppose i wouldn't know if i don't give two hoots about onion!!

I've no issue with union players coming our way, and they bring something to our game that I think our players lose at some point in their teens.

I'm not sure anyone in union circles would really regard Farrell as a success, given how much he cost. Their position is this:

"we don't know in what position you will play in this game that you haven't played at any real level before, and you are old, past your best, and your knees are shot, but whatever position you play in, there will be no better player in the whole of England in that position, because you will have the England jersey."

That was the RFU position, and for me, it showed the union game in a very poor light.

As for the rest, if Ashton has broken a try-scoring record and Myler has knocked on the door of the full England squad, then I reckon I could get a game.

Do you watch much union?
Saints are chasing Myler as a replacement for Long.

Andy Farrell England International, Captain of his club side and one of only 2 players retained by them for next season.

Only when I have trouble sleeping.

I like rugby because of the free-flowing running plays. For those who prefer a bit of that but interspersed with lots of wrestling on the floor, then maybe watch rugby league, but have Women In Love on hire for the half-time break when you can watch the naked wrestle with Oliver Reed and Alan Bates.

Personally, I am happy for my rugby to be interrupted by nothing more exciting than a warm pie.

So how can you claim the players you have listed failed?

Amended to be consistent with groundless rumour on here.

They would be brave to take Myler on, given that he has not proved himself at League and maybe the years have ticked too far on to be regarded as a protege.

Brough is 2 years older than Myler.