Mission accomplished

I've never really thought Farrell would be more than a Matty Smith level RL player. The only reason he gets in the side is nepotism. I'd much rather see Eastmond, Falou, and Burgess back in RL than those 2.

Quite agree with that

Ford never has been a league player and with a Championship level skill set isn't likely to be when he can make a good living in yawnion.

Baring in mind the massive lack of decent English half backs in league I'd like to see them both give it a shot.

Would love to see Eastmond and Luther Burrell back as well.

Burgess goes without saying.

Both wouldn't be good enough for SL. Union half backs are generally below average compared to RL ones and both Farrell & Ford are average by Union standard anyway.

What about Myler? below average for RL but up there in terms of Premiership FH's.

Farrell would not be a HB, he would most likely play loose. He is a great tacker, who can run very direct with a great kicking and passing game.

Ford would be an excellent number 6. No doubt about it! I would say both would play for England within a couple of years were they to switch.

Don't get why people are so afraid to admit great players in the opposite code. I like both, I dislike the way our coaches make us play union in the northern hemisphere. Ford is obviously of the same opinion. He is as clear a Rugby League player playing union that you will see! They force him to kick up and unders when his instinct says run the ball!

Whilst we are getting those two lets have Eastmond, Burrell and Tuilagi! Lets see the RFL support teams who want to go and get these guys. Maybe pay a percentage of their wages like Union would do when they look at a league player.

My point exactly.

Union half backs arent anywhere near close to the quality RL has and plodders like Myler prove my point.

Farrell & Ford wouldn't do anything in SL and would run back to Union in under 12 months.

They're made for life and lauded by the masses in union, why would they even contemplate likely failure in league? The money available to even average players in union is massive compared to league

I think there are quite a few union lads that'd do just fine in league, it's just that they might need a few adjustments ball handling, fitness are the two that spring to mind, the physical contact aspect shouldn't be a problem.
No top union player would want to try league when at the top of their game in any case, not these days.

Ford would be a Richie Myler-level player in League. There's nobody I've seen in limited viewing of the RUWC who I've thought "he'd be great at league" other than Folau and the massive Fijian backrowers who can offload at will. That does include Burgess though so maybe Union isn't the best place to judge their skills.

It is always hard to judge how good backs are in RU,

For a start they have little influence on a game because it is largely forward dominated. Secondly they are playing on a same size pitch which has two extra players on it ( on each side)..

There are plenty of RU players who would turn into good RL players given time and training.

George North, Tommy Bowe, Farrell, Cian Healy etc

Lots of Union players would make it. They are playing a different game now so you can't judge the skills the same.
You couldn't take a front 5 forward but the rest would be fine. They don't have to be Thurston to play Super League.

Many people forget how different the games are. Just because a player is good in one code doesn't mean they will be good at the other. The front row in union certainly wouldn't cope with league. They are plodders who do little else than add weight to a scrum. As for the rest there is only one way to find out.

And here is me thinking the OP was discussing Farrell and Ford Senior the coaches! I would say Farrell Senior has been almost Bond like in infiltrating England RFU and successfully creating the dullest back line in either code.

Welcome back Andy job done.

Union to League can clearly be done by exceptional players like Davies, Gibbs & Tuigamala but they are the exception that proves the rule.

Union players do not have the required skill set to switch and be successful, their game simply does not require them to!

Those who are close would not have had the years of mental conditioning to enable them to perform core skills under the pressure and intensity of League defences. Then when you add the extreme fatigue they'd suffer because of Leagues continuity and they'd go under and stay there like a Russiin Submarine.