Has anyone mentioned Jim Fallon or Simon Irving?

Perhaps the Burgess rumour was just a smokescreen - I see Lee Smith has gone again.

Super League is doomed.

David Young??

Rob Ackerman.

I hope your not suggesting Dai was recruited as a back!!!

that said, he may have made a bigger impact for us in the backs

Further to my earlier report it is now official that big Sam has signed for Bath who it seems have financed it without the RFU. Big coup for RU and I am sure he will be a big success in whatever position they play him.

rlhttp://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12553/9170422/sam-burgess-hoping-to-become-dual-code-international-after-agreeing-bath-dealrl

Good luck to Sam. He's maximising his exposure and earning potential.. If SBW can do it, can't see why Sam cannot.

All we need now is a Sam v SBW boxing match.

According to Bath, Sam was offered significantly more money to stay in RL, Salford being the club named in England, Melbourne in the NRL.

Just shows you can throw all the money you want at wages, we won't be able to keep hold of the players we produce until the RFL get their heads out of their s and give us an international game that can attract public attention the way RU's can.

Sam Burgess to cross codes to Yawnion. Fair play, he's a huge talent and you can't blame them for throwing a shed load of cash to get their man.

BUT. Sam Burgess penciled in to play at centre. WTF? He is not another SBW. Maybe they believe he can evolve into a Mal Meninga type of player, who knows.

Now I can't stand RU and particularly the RFU so will be hoping they end up with egg on their faces over this deal. TBH I think he will be a success simply because he is a superb athlete. If he is a huge success we can only prey that the floodgates don't open and we end up losing out as RL fans.

Read something from a sports website down under that he had bigger piles if cash offered to him by Melbourne and Salford.

If Bath are financing this themselves it may not be purely about big piles of money. Hard though that is for some people to believe.

Personally I think if Bath really want to get the best out of him they should forget the quick answer of playing him at 12 and devote the time to teaching him to be an 8. He isn't a back.

It wouldn't have made any difference if Salford had offered him a million pounds a week, named their ground after him and bought him an aeroplane. Even if he'd accepted their offer, he wouldn't have been able to join them.

Despite what Bath or anybody else says, it came down to money.

You know this how?

He told me so.