that should be a warning to other league youngsters who see the bright lights of rugby union. Dunno why this kids wanna leave before they have even made an impression in rugby league.

It's not exactly fair this. Chris Ashton was within a whisker of coming back to RL, even 18 months after first signing for Northampton because he found the culture shock whilst learning a new game very hard. Sale have loaned Thornley out in much the same way Wigan or any SL team does, in order for him to learn the nuances of RU in a lower league. This isn't to say Thornley is lacking any of the attributes needed to make it with the rah rahs. The only thing that will stop him is himself cos he's got bags of talent.

Can't Union take Sam Tomkins instead of Joel? Many would be delighted to see the Mr Unpopular of Rugby League depart our sport.

You want one of the most talented RL players that England have produced to leave our sport? How strange

He must have turned down an invitation to go on Strictly Come Dancing..........................

Say most of these guys who have gone to the RFU were offered similar contracts to play in Aus, do you think many would come to the NRL?

I'm just trying to understand if the reason most cross is purely for the cash or, if the money is the same, it's the pull of playing in a higher profile international sport?

Its very possible that some players wouldn't want to move to Australia, so would pick union because of that.

Thornley has all the attributes to make it in either code.
It's not the lad himself or his ability, it's the coaches both at Sale and Leeds who don't know how to develop him into their game.
No one believes that he's learning anything, just going backwards.
Shame for such a talented lad!

It was Thorniley who chose to go, maybe he'll realise now that centre in RU is completely different to centre in RL.

They'll tell you they've switched to Union for "the challenge" and the higher profile international game.

Just try not to be stood in front of them when they do though, their noses might take your eye out.

Money talks.

Obvious troll account is obvious.

It will be one of the saddo previously banned a dozen time losers. Best to ignore.

100% prefer them to go to the NRL

Apart from the fact that it’s the game I support and not the individual players, Rugby Union has a habit of ruining good rugby players. I was talking to a mate of mine at work who (strangely, as he is a normal guy in every other way) is a fan of Rugby Union and we were discussing Jason Robinson. He mentioned that it took Robinson a few seasons to find his kicking game and play like a normal Union full back. I pointed out to him of course that as soon as he became a ‘normal’ Union player, most of his attacking instincts had left him. The reason why Robinson was such a success was that he was a League man playing Union – as soon as he became a Union player playing Union, the game itself drained him of his creativity and attacking instincts