Yep, and that was my opinion of him!

You can't pretend Eastmond doesn't have the potential to be a really good RL player, so it definitely is bad for the game in England if he goes. What ought to be most worrying is that SL doesn't produce standout prospects on a regular basis, at least in the backs - we simply can't replace the likes of Eastmond without going for the easy NRL option.

It's also yet another signal to young players in RL that it is a small sport compared to Union in terms of money and profile. If anything, it seems that in England at least that particular gap is widening.

For me its club before country everytime. I don't want to wind everyone up but if it helps our chances of regaining the title this season by him going then I'd take it. That England team will be shocking for a few years even with him in it

Brian Moore mentions the learning Ashton got from RL almost every game - then he is a quality broadcaster

Whilst I totally agree with that concept... let's get real, Kyle Eastmond is by far a superior player to either Smith or Walker. He's also much more of a RU style player too. Smith & Walker both fall into that same category of "Not big enough to hang with the big boys but not small/fast/skilful enough to hang with the world class playmakers."

My (outsiders) impression of RU is the best in the game are either huge and difficult to stop or skilful and rarely take a tackle. Whilst Eastmond would fall into the latter, Smith/Walker/Average RL Joe fall into neither.

I'd agree: he did have the potential to be a good RL player. On the positive side, that can be said of quite a few young players, and some of them will go on to fulfil their potential.

I'm interested to see where an RU side is going to play him.

IMO he lacks the speed and accuracy of pass required to play scrum half, the long kicking game to play fly half or the physicality to play in the centres. If you play him on the wing or at full-back he's going to have to deal with a barrage of high balls and spend half the game buried at the bottom of a ruck.

While he may be a good player, he's not of the same magical quality that Jason Robinson was - IMO.

Which of those categories does the current England RU captain fall in to?

It's a huge compliment being paid to League and should act as a recruiting sargeant for the sport. Any young players wanting to eventually get on in Union could do a lot worse than giving League a go if it's available to them (where they will get a greater opportunity to showcase their rugby skills - and noticed by the Union scouts.)

The boot is firmly on the other foot these days but it must be difficult for League figures to protest too much considering the history between the codes. At least League clubs have the potential to be compensated for their loss if they can tie their rising starlets to reasonably lengthy contracts.

absolutely no kin idea - complete mystery me that one - past his sell by date a good few years ago.

marrying into the royal family may help though

I'd agree with this. It'll also be interesting to see whether he's got the self belief that Robinson displayed when switching codes.

I don't even know who the current England RU captain is!

Is it Kate Middleton?

Must be, although I believe the correct terminology is Catherine these days.

Yep. One feels Catherine to be much more appropriate.

Quote: DHM "... I did laugh when hearing Jeremy Guscott talking about his tries on Saturday, saying that "you can't coach support play like that"...'" If you want another laugh, just click on Tackling Skills in here to see Guscott's idea of coaching tackling skills news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 198712.stm First you need a pair of wellies ...

Quote: DHM "... I did laugh when hearing Jeremy Guscott talking about his tries on Saturday, saying that "you can't coach support play like that"...'" If you want another laugh, just click on Tackling Skills in here to see Guscott's idea of coaching tackling skills news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 198712.stm First you need a pair of wellies ...