Ford has come out of this looking like a lovelorn girl who believed the guy she was seeing really loved her and promised her the world when really he was just using her for sex. Now she realises that, she calls the guy a c*nt.

I have no sympathy with Ford in targeting RL players, but I can understand why he's bitter. He has been made to look an idiot by Burgess, probably on the basis that until almost the very end Burgess didn't tell him to his face that he was determined to leave. As a result Ford made some now daft-sounding comments to the media about how Burgess was going to stay. On top of that Ford has lost someone he saw as a key player in the middle of the season. Burgess' leaving would probably have a similar effect to when SBW walked out on the Dogs mid season in terms of its impact on the team and morale amongst the players.

Whilst some of the anti-Burgess bile is OTT, its quite clear that Sam saw the RUWC as his objective, and becoming a star on a big stage. He had no appetite for sticking around in RU once he realised he was likely to be stuck playing club rugby for a couple of years at least. Whilst that message (and the anti-Burgess bile) may help other RL players stay with RL, IMO Burgess doesn't come out of this squeaky clean by any means.

I tend to agree with DHM - had Burgess not been picked for England I think we could have seen him return far earlier.

Quote Him="Him"Mike Ford proving that if you spend long enough with pricks (the RFU) you eventually become one. Hopefully his pathetic actions will mean top RL players won't go anywhere near any club he's involved with and his career dies as quick a death as his credibility and reputation.'" His Lad's also had a dig at him too www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... mates.html

Quote Him="Him"Mike Ford proving that if you spend long enough with pricks (the RFU) you eventually become one. Hopefully his pathetic actions will mean top RL players won't go anywhere near any club he's involved with and his career dies as quick a death as his credibility and reputation.'" His Lad's also had a dig at him too www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... mates.html

Quote Genehunt1973="Genehunt1973"His Lad's also had a dig at him too www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... mates.html'" Lol at George Ford giving Burgess advice on hard work. The little sh|tbag.

Quote Genehunt1973="Genehunt1973"His Lad's also had a dig at him too www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... mates.html'" Lol at George Ford giving Burgess advice on hard work. The little sh|tbag.

This'll be the George Ford who left Leicester to join Bath just so he could be with his Dad, completely missing the point about family loyalty being stronger than club loyalty then?

Let's not forget Mike ford walked out on League to go get a better pay day in Union....

I don't see a problem with that. I don't think he made a secret out of wanting to play on the big stage which for a player of his pedigree is a reasonable ambition. This also shows that he didn't make the move for just the money. I also think it shows he knew and understood his best and quickest route to the England team was at 12 so he was not too happy to be switched to 6 by Ford as this greatly slowed down his experience and education as a centre. This would appear to have soured his relationship with Ford.

I do not think he only went for the RUWC and having made the squad he would have expected a long Union international career as he would only improve as he became more experienced. After the team played so badly his selection became the focal point of blame from a certain predictable group of anti League hacks and envious former players. So realising his planned International Union career had been unfairly thwarted in the short/medium term brought an about turn from Sam.

Although he fairly can be accused of letting down his club teammates by leaving at short notice I think he had good reasons to do so and he made the right decision for his own career

England 25 Wales 18 when Sam Burgess replaced by yes you've guessed it..George Ford. Wales win by 3..who gets the blame Sam Burgess..say no more!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is the highest rated comment from the article you posted.Couldn't agree more.

Quite correct,Brown the England fullback is moaning in today's press that he has lost trust with the England squad.
That would be the brown that was nowere to be seen when Wales crosskicked to score the try that ultimately beat England.
The main reason Lancaster was apointed was to instill team spirit and discipline after the World Cup in New Zealand.
If you recall some of the off field activities involved dwarf throwing and jumping from ferry boats to swim to shore.
All jolly good fun,you would have to have a heart of stone not to laugh at this present shambles.

Lancaster gone according to Sky Sports

yep.All this Sam Burgess hoo ha is deflecting a lot of the finger pointing that should be happening at many others who badly underperformed in that England side.