It seems Sam is having one more season at Souths then doing one to Kick and clap. Well dissapointed with this as feel was our best player for some time. Wonder If the rfl will now bow to Marwans wishes and allow teams to spend more to protect players of his quality. I say Yes If they play for our international team but not If there some one like SBW who just seems to want earn his wedge and then do one to next highest bidder. Makes You wonder what will be thought of the other 3 burgess brothers. George is the next best and doubt Souths will Let go but either of the other two would be decent.

Very disappointed with Sam on this. He could have been a great of rugby league.
He's of course going to do well at RU but he's going to be cold waiting for the ball. What a waste!

Still find this bizarre but there is nothing the RFL can do to stop this, whether it be money or salary cap. Not even a top contract with a leading NRL club, lifestyle in Sydney with all his family and being best mates with Russell Crowe has stopped him going.

Just shows how different the 2 games are when they are talking of playing England's best prop at centre in union.

League is too easy. Everyone who leaves does it for the challenge. How about winning a SL, NRL, challenge cup, Man of Steel or RL World Cup? Sam you've actually done bugger all in your RL career but were so close to becoming one of the greats. I'm disappointed for him, but money means more to some people, and it's not as if he is on the breadline in Sydney!

On the up side. With his wages, Sam is now a viable option as an investor in the Iconic Bulls.

Its a problem and needs to be looked at urgently. Any player with ability will be a target and our sport can expect RU to pick off who they want when they want. From a players view who can blame them, they can expect more media coverage, more money, and more stability in a well organised game. They can also look forward to more international games.
The writings been on the wall for ages, and in my view will develop in to a major problem over the next few years.

I also think many RL fans have very little understanding of RU, and seem to underestimate just how the games changed for the better over the last 5 years.

Ru benefits from investment, structure and organisation RL can only dream of at the moment. Our sport bobbles along from one short term plan to another.
We have a great product and given the right leadership and planing the game will thrive.
Ru set its stall out about 10 years ago, it knew were the game needed to be and went for it.
Pop tart ,Sam was a great in our sport . Thats why they wanted him.

He won't be remembered as a great. He may have been great but hasn't played long enough or been successful enough to be linked with Hanley, Murphy, Fox etc.
It's a shame but we need to work on it.

I also think it is insulting to the other RU centres who have played all their life and just been overlooked now. That investment could have developed 500 new ones.
If I were in rugby league administration, I'd be talking that fact up in the media now and inviting the Rugby Union players to come to league and learn how to play.

If he was going now i would say there was a good chance of him making an impression at the world cup. Giving yourself 6 months to get up to speed in a completely different sport is asking alot though.

He will be back in 2 years, bored but with a pocket full of cash. It will then take him another season to remember how to tackle.

Speaks volumes about rugby union really. Sam will be on a good crack at South Sydney, there's no doubt about that but he has expressed an interest in playing for England RU and the RFU have hinted at funding the move. He could have probably signed for any premiership club and he will pretty much walk into the international side despite not having a recognised position or any proven track record in the game. Game wise it's low on skill and low on fitness but the draws of playing for England in the world cup and 6 Nations are huge. The earning potential, the massive interest in the game across Europe and let's not forget, if you play your cards right you could end up marrying a royal, despite the broken nose and cauliflower ears!

If little Sammy wants to play 'kick and clap' that's just fine ... I just wish he had done it when he was 16....


Then he wouldn't have raised the expectation of thousands of young kids who worship him as a league player... And, if he had wished, league legend.

See ya Sam... Don't come back!

Gutted that he's going but it's more because I feel let down by him than that RL is losing him.

Not surprised at all that he has gone to Union (clearly cash) - which is indeed a completely different game to ten years ago. Not saying the skills have improved because they most certainly haven't, they have got worse - the wily skills of hookers and props disappeared long ago and the ability to break the line relies a great deal on just bashing your way through. What will come easily is the increased hit that has become part of the game and I do think the back line plays much more of a role in the general play especially at international level - just look at how much O'Driscoll is involved in games. Classy centres can be just as effective as a flanker who have a great deal to do in any union game.
The strangest thing though.......why Bath? Domestically they are not going to win anything - something that you would think was high on Sams list. And to be fair, not sure that England are going to be there with the true big boys come the next world cup. Yep he will be looked after like a precious child, stay in very expensive hotels, get to play in front of vast crowds in the most fantastic stadiums, but win antyhing...I'm not too sure.

What a waste - I'm sure he'll do well out of it financially, but I can't see him enjoying himself on the field.

Surprised that Russell Crowe couldn't find a sweetener for his sparkly-eyed man.

If I h

If I had of been good enough no amount of money would have tempted me to play the game that is still hellbent on destroying Rugby League.
Unfortunately the players of today do not seem to know their history and do not have the inbred allegiance towards RL.

It says more about rugby union that a league prop forward who has never played the game (I presume) will be a highly-prized coup.

As for Sam, I hope he hates it. Really hates it. Gets sick of waiting for the ball to emerge from some heap in the mud and the only pleasure he gets in life is looking at his bank statements. If that's what floats your boat, good luck to you.

Disappointing for RL but who can blame him? From a playing point of view he will find it very different but to just deride the game shows a lack of knowledge. RL fans slag the game off as dull and 'all pile in' but RU fans say the same things about our game. They see it as 5 short runs, kick, repeat. They find it monotonous and lacking skill! Sound familiar? Both games are different and should be treated as such. Lets be honest many thousands of people watch and play RU so it must have something going for it. He'll become a very rich man and with the infrastructure and media coverage within RU will have a job for life if he wants one.

Not sure it is all about money though but the chance to play at some extremely prestigious events. Just have a look this coming weekend at how much coverage the six nations gets and the crowds it attracts. It will dwarf anything RL gets for its international comps and that is just for an annual event. The RU world cup will be huge and any player would want to be involved in something like that. Like it or not the RFU know how to put on a show and capitilise on it as well.

The RFL did ok with this years world cup over here but how have they capitilsed on its perceived success? Yep by not scheduling any international games in this country this year and making the coaching position part-time! They also pulled money out of the celtic nations! All we have is a four nations down under that nobody in the media will be interested in and coverage will be minimal. Quite honestly I don't blame Sam one bit and I imagine Tomkins will follow after his 2-3 years in the NRL.

I agree. Whether we like it or not their international comp dwarfs ours. I can't imagine he'd be getting that much more anyway it's not like he's playing in France where all the dollar is. Frustrating mind

Perhaps old Maximus Decimus didn't want to find a sweetener. May well be feeling a bit let down having rolled out the red carpet for the whole family. Who knows?

He's gone but the game will produce someone else to take his place.

its not like there's a mad rush from a lot of the league players to change codes so you can only imagine its either to try something different or the billies, I personally think he has sold his sole to the devil but I never played the game but a friend of mine has played both and even though he loves his league he enjoyed union more to play.

union isn't out to destroy RL as it knows it doing well by its self, it is only pick the marquee players that can be enticed as and when

I agree and just said so on the VT thread. Got to admit it is a surprise, didn't think he'd leave Souths.

I actually playing both codes and loved to play both, but always preffered to watch League but still watch plenty
of Union.