Person changes jobs and career for more money or prospects or something else.

Mind you I doubt anyone who posts on here would do such a thing would they?

At a different level buying a larger house, faster car etc if the opportunity was there?

Nah!!!

Just wouldn't happen would would it

In a normal job, in most circumstances, I'd agree.

But this is rugby league and rugby union. It goes far deeper than just a change of jobs.

correct....just ask Jonathan Davies, John Devereux, Allan Bateman, Scott Gibbs, Scott Quinnell, John Bentley or even Ray French.....and many many others that went the other way, although the drain from Union to League seems to have dried up and even reversed since the slower, but more popular code went openly professional

When the gap in quality and athleticsm between the codes became a gulf it was inevitable the traffic would flow one way. If we can get a union player early enough they have a chance of making it in RL otherwise the pickings are that thin they are simply not worth the salaries they can earn catching a cold on the wing or getting stomped on by a fat bloke in union.

Can you name me one wallabie who would make either SOO team? Folau aside lol.

Now the truth has been revealed, and most of what has been written on this thread is exposed as pure poppycock. news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sp ... 330lf.html Sam Burgess did not switch to rugby union for the money. He switched because he wanted a new challenge. Rugby league could not provide that challenge, because its international game is too small. Nigel Wood and his cronies are perpetuating that handicap by their abandonment of licensing and expansion. The RFL, since the departure of Richard Lewis, has shown itself utterly clueless, and quite frankly, from a business point of view, utterly destructive of our game's future.

Now the truth has been revealed, and most of what has been written on this thread is exposed as pure poppycock. news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sp ... 330lf.html Sam Burgess did not switch to rugby union for the money. He switched because he wanted a new challenge. Rugby league could not provide that challenge, because its international game is too small. Nigel Wood and his cronies are perpetuating that handicap by their abandonment of licensing and expansion. The RFL, since the departure of Richard Lewis, has shown itself utterly clueless, and quite frankly, from a business point of view, utterly destructive of our game's future.

And the moon is made of cheese!

I don't believe his basic wage will be much higher at Bath, yes they have a higher salary cap but they have a bigger squad too. Union clubs usually have squads of 45 to 50 players.

The only Inglish r.union plyrs on big money are the ones who play regularly for England, I bet K Eastmond hasn't got much more than he would have had he stayed with Saints. S Tomkins is on £400K basic, he won't get any more than that from Saracens. Apparently A Cuthbert got £96K for playing for Wales through the 2012 6 nations. Nice bonus on top of his basic from Cardiff.

As much as it pains me to agree with Jean the pseudo Frenchman, Burgess has gone for the exposure........and outside of Sydney and the Yorkshire evening post, he will get more of that playing the slower but more popular code.

If he "fails" at Union (which I think he will) he can fall back into SL where someone like Mar will pay him a decent wage....if he succeeds, then he becomes a national hero........

...on the topic of national hero, I asked an English Union fan to name to 2003 RWC winning side the other night.....other than Wilkinson, the Neanderthal Martin Johnston and Jason Robertson, he couldn't name anyone until some KIWIS in the bar helped him out.....Burgess had better score a hat trick in the RWC final if he wants a LEGACY

They had Jason Robinson too as well as Jason Robertson



Hell I don't care for RU but I could tell you Matt Dawson, Dailleigio (spelling?), Neil Back and Mike Tindall quite confidently. Will Greenwood, Lewis Moody and Mike Catt ring a bell too but I'm not certain on those.

Closet Unionite eh? I bet you feel free now.....liberated even



appalling mistake on my part by the way....

Nah didn't even get up to watch the final, was 17 so probably hungover lol. But some are easy to guess, Dawson never shuts up about it when he's on tv.

Maybe that's why Burgess has gone to RU, increase his chances of one day being a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing?

Dawson's only moment worth remembering EVER was the dummy v SA in the lions test.....he went to pass overhead/basketball style and to be fair, all of SA and the TV audience bought it. If little sammi T had done that, Kleenex would have had to take on extra staff..


[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JO5UTMwQhA[/url

What about when he scored 38 out of 40 for his Waltz in the Strictly Final?

Lol Burgess has gone for the money plain and simple. At Souths he is probably on around $500-600k. At bath he will be on over $1million between Bath payment and ERU top up. I am sure the bright lights of a little town in the South of England isn't the same draw as living in a multi million $ apartment in Wooloroo enjoying dinners with Nicole kidman, Tom cruise, Oprah and the like. Still he can take consolotion that Times readers know who he is I suppose?

Bath's attendance avg is around 11.5k, a bit different to playing at the Olympic stadium in front of 50k for 2 club games and 30k+ for 3 club games like he did last season. Bath makes Cronulla look like a glamour club lol.

He had better make it to twickers or club RU is going to be some let down after the bright lights of the NRL.

What a come down:
From this:


To this:


I guess ERU doesn't have min standards for stadiums?

Didn't enjoy last year apparently. He thought some criticism was deserved but some went well over the norm.

Expect him to keep his head down this year.

Oh and

Iain Balshaw
Jason Robinson
Will Greenwood
Mike Tindall
Ben Cohen
Jonny Wilkinson
Matt Dawson
Jason Lenord
Steve Thompson
Phil Vickery
Martin Johnson
Ben Kay
Richard Hill
Neil Back
Lawrence Dallaglio

At a guess. Couldn't name 5 of the current side though.

He is a Thug and he can not see it, from Moi Moi to the tackle grapple, always has been.
He should be cut loose.
How many employers keep staff on when they have shown their intent to leave the company to work for the opposition?
If he stays I hope he gets it served up in Spades.

Yet Gallen gets hero status. Go figure!

Yes but Gallen is a straight forward thug similar to Les Bundy Davidson and does not shy away from it.
He is not doing the ball grabbing etc that Burgess did while still trying to be a media darling.

Yeah Gallens never been on tv and he's a straight forward thug, Mickey Paea told me.

Burgess was milked for all he was worth, what happened to all of his getting Australian citizenship and bringing the family over, even the ones that were not that good.
He is full of it.
I am old School and my handshake is enough, not my handshake and contract is ok till a better deal comes up then I want out.
Get rid of him, I hope he gets smashed the dirty hunt

Ah the ramblings of an Australian bogan.

You're old school all right.

Now, Now Sheldon, I have been called many things but I am no Bogan.

What does old School mean? we like people to keep their word?

But he has kept his word, let's not forget he was under contract when Souths approached him. Souths didn't have to accept the offer from Bath. He hasn't walked out on a contract, he's been sold!

I bet we don't see the same level of abuse that Burgess will get directed at Nathan Peats or Justin Hunt.