Why do Andy Farrell and Jason Robinson speak differently now than they did when they played League??

Presumably northern working class accents have to change if you move to Union?

Mike Ford is already talking about Burgess looking forward to the next world cup. It'll be interesting to see what happens. I think Burgess will probably look to stay in RU, but when the reality bites of not having any particular media interest as he just learns to play in the forwards, and he's just trotting around playing club rugby, he may change his mind.

No other England coach will risk him until and unless he's not just one of the best forwards around but clearly the best in his position. I can't see him playing for England again for a couple of years at least.

Burgess himself has shown with his early departure from Souths that he doesn't particularly care about contracts. I'm sure if push came to shove and he wanted to go back to Souths mid contract he'd pull out his lifetime pass and wheel out Russell Crowe and his mum to talk about how important it is to him to be back with his family. Which is exactly what he milked for all its worth whilst at Souths, only to suddenly decide that he could actually quite happily live on the other side of the world from the rest of them.

It's one thing to say it now about saying in RU with a group game (as pointless as it is) to be played...wait until after the World Cup when sacrificial lambs are needed to appeased the press and fans.

I've always been curious to hear an explanation from Jason Robinson why he felt the need for elocution lessons when he switched to RU

I think bagging Sam Burgess is very unfair. He didn't select himself and did all he could on and off the pitch. His employment choices are his own as well. To even try to blame in any way Sam for England's failure is pretty stupid. Personally I wouldn't have selected him or Barritt (who was far worse as a centre) but that's not his fault and he was not responsible for England looking utterly clueless for three matches. That's all down to the coaches.

Not just Northern working class accents, ask Jeremy Guscott.

According to Ford on Radio Leeds last night the last conversation he had with Burgess was prior to the WC, when Burgess was no doubt on a media high. Things have changed significantly over the last week.

We touched on this on the wire forum. .. I believe they would have called it media training rather than elocution lessons. ... and to be fair rugby league must do it. ...

Ive seen people have a pop at big Eorl talking "posh Yorkshire" on the bbc but at least he's understandable and doesn't make you cringe...

And as I said on our forum we can't carry on wheeling players out to big tv audiences and have them mumble "it war ol about stickin t ' gearm plan, gerrin int arm ressul an seein out us sets".

We will continue to look like a hillbilly sport if people can't understand our star players. ...

Spot on. In particular if you have an interest in a career in the media after your playing days, it helps to be able to speak clearly and in an accent that everyone can understand.

Mark Chapman's from Rochdale, but you wouldn't know it to listen to him on the TV.

That said, can anyone particularly remember what Jason Robinson's accent was like before he went to Union? He was hardly one for giving lengthy TV interviews, so I'm struggling to remember just what he sounded like.

I agree we should have players who can speak clearly and maybe not say "them" instead of "those" but you don't need to change your accent for that.

Wilkin speaks well and still has a Hull accent. In fact I think he's really good on TV. Don't seem to like him as much when he's on the pitch playing against Leeds but that might be more to do with the fact that I think he'd have been a perfect second rower for Leeds over the past 5 or so years?

Another:
Michael Ford. Whilst in League[u Mick [/uFord. Now in Union[u Mike [/uFord, when he was on the radio today.
Was Mick too Northern sounding, or common? Or maybe he just fancied a change.

I'm sure he was Mike Ford at Cas. Mind you, Cas is a lot posher than Wigan.

I'd sooner live in Castleford, than anywhere over the Hill, and that's saying something!

I always remember him as Mike Ford, from his Oldham days.

Just caught the end of SA vs USA. 57-0
If Oz RL had beaten a lower team by that score it would be described as a non event.

Sorry. 62-0
Didn't realise they played for 85 mins!

64-0 you forgot the 2 point conversion.

Yup. Try, conversion and nineteen penalties

I'd turned off.

Hopefully our venture into Canada next year (and then into the U.S.) might mean we can see a serious expansion into North America and a boost for our international game. Although I remember USA did on in RLWC from memory.

Amazing how much time people spend watching and talking about stuff they don't they like, isn't it?

About 4 minutes.

I keep being told how good it is so if there's nothing else on I'll watch a bit.

It's not just the sport itself that I'm not keen on to be honest. It's everything about it. The players, the fans, the media, the referees (why do they all look and behave like PE teachers?), the terrible TV adverts with funny wimps like Jack Whitehall getting taught a lesson by some big well spoken but caveman like tough guys.

I know you think all league fans have a chip on their shoulder (and I'm sure there's something in that) but I can already imagine the lack of hype on Saturday for our (nearly) sold out event.

Put it this way, Public schools stop playing rugby union and union dies within 20 years and would be considerably smaller than league!

Interesting to note - with all the talk about the money this World Cup generates for the game - that the Canadian team have had to pay for their own flights to and from the UK because the governing body can't afford to.

There are those who will make out like kings off the commercial rights to this tournament, but much like League that wealth doesn't trickle down into the second tier.

Hardly surprising that the Establishment game results in the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer.