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David Watkins
Martin Offiah
Tom Van Vollenhoven
Jonathan Davies
Billy Boston
Keith Fielding
Maurice Richards
Brian Jefferson a014.gif a014.gif icon_wink.gif
Garfield Owen a014.gif a014.gif icon_wink.gif
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Terry O'Brian a014.gif a014.gif icon_wink.gif
Les Thomas a014.gif a014.gif icon_wink.gif
Stuart Gallagher a014.gif a014.gif icon_wink.gif

and loads more who have been involved with "The Greatest Game" over the years after moving from union.

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While he is remembered mostly for his goal kicking, Frano Botica was a pretty decent all round player

Watching Wigan as a younger man, Inga Tuigamala was impressive once his fitness was right for RL and of course Offiah speaks for himself

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Speaking for my own club there are obvious calls for Offiah and Davies but also worth a mention are Emosi Koloto, Alan Tait and to a lesser extent John Devereux - Paul Moriarty, also made Great Britain representation.

Ray French didn't do too badly either!

Along similar lines to Wally Lewis, Tony Myler and Dave Myers (rest his soul) were picked up from local RU.

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At Hull fc we've had Clive Sullivan , Roy Francis , Gary Pearce , Mark Jones, Tommy Harris . We nearly had Scott Gibbs but he went to Saints instead.

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Mybe people need to go back and look at their clubs history.

RL clubs are full of Ex RU players.

At Huddersfield we have the following all of whom are in the top 100 greatest Huddersfield players. The ones marked with a star i would regard as Huddersfield Legends.

Jock Anderson
Len Bowkett *
Aidan Breen
John Daly
Jim Davies *
W Davies

Alex Fiddes* 467 appearances
Alistair Ford
Bill Griffin
Ben Gronow * 395 appearances GB player on eof the best
Peter Henderson

Billy Johnson
Dennis Maden
Gwyn Richards
Johhny Rogers
Fred Talbot
Dave Valentine* GB captain etc
Rob Valentine
Richard Wallace

Nearly 20% of Huddersfield greats were ex RU players.

Many others have played RU at various times I am sure that the same is true of all RL teams.

Go back and look at your clubs histories especially between 1920 to 1960 and it will be full of RU converts from Scotland and Wales.

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As a young lad watching great centres like Deano, Gene Miles and Gary Connolly at Wigan, and playing centre for a couple of local junior sides, I was actually in awe of Scott Gibbs at Saints. There's been loads of great Union converts, but he was quite different to most that made the switch - a really exciting player to watch.

Also worth a mention, simply for his time at the very top in both codes, is Brad Thorn. Maximum respect to anyone that can play League at the highest level, go do the same in Union (albeit for the All Blacks, having represented the Kangaroos), then switch back to League, and finally back to Union again; collecting rep honours practically every year and winning Premierships (at least with the Broncos, if not in RU).

Can't forget Darryl Griff either - Was RU through and through before he played his first game of League in our junior side at Oxford Cavaliers; now an England international.

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The BEST R.U. Converts ever.

Martin Offiah
Jonathan Davies
Alan Tait

END OF.

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Quote: Widneslatic "The BEST R.U. Converts ever.

Martin Offiah
Jonathan Davies
Alan Tait

END OF.'"

If only you had stopped typing after the first two

There is certainly an argument for Davies and Offiah being among the most successful Union converts ever but you are pushing it with Tait – a very fine player, but really is he in the same category as Boston or Watkins?

Or did you mean these were the best Union converts you have seen play – END OF?

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Too many people have short memories or no sense of history. RL owes a lot more to RU than many would like to think.

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Quote: cjhatesunion "Which are the best players from the dark side to grace our game.
There have been some belters like Offiah,Boston,Davies,Coslett and so on.
For me(and this is going of my Dad)I will go for Tom Van Vollenhoven,who is your best,thoughts please.'"


So not Michael O'Connor then ?

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Quote: Dunbar "If only you had stopped typing after the first two

There is certainly an argument for Davies and Offiah being among the most successful Union converts ever but you are pushing it with Tait – a very fine player, but really is he in the same category as Boston or Watkins?

Or did you mean these were the best Union converts you have seen play – END OF?'"



To be fair to Widneslatic, Tait was a hugely exciting and talented player. The way he chimed into the line at Widnes was great to see and his depedency at full back made him one of the first on the teamsheet whoever he played for. He represented GB on 16 occasions including the World Cup final and won practically every honour in RL (unsure about Wembley) and won the Harry Sunderland trophy back to back in 88 & 89. When he went back to Union he was selected for te successful Lions tour of 97 scoring in the first test.

Not saying he was the best but he was right up there.

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Quote: Durham Giant "Too many people have short memories or no sense of history. RL owes a lot more to RU than many would like to think.'"

true if the RFU were an honest organisation wed still be playing RU

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Quote: Redchemic "To be fair to Widneslatic, Tait was a hugely exciting and talented player. The way he chimed into the line at Widnes was great to see and his depedency at full back made him one of the first on the teamsheet whoever he played for. He represented GB on 16 occasions including the World Cup final and won practically every honour in RL (unsure about Wembley) and won the Harry Sunderland trophy back to back in 88 & 89. When he went back to Union he was selected for te successful Lions tour of 97 scoring in the first test.

Not saying he was the best but he was right up there.'"

You are right, Tait was a very good player

I guess I just objected to the statement that those three were the "The BEST R.U. Converts ever... END OF" when there are obviously many other great players to consider

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Quote: nickcat0 "So not Michael O'Connor then ?'"

Can't deny nick that he was a great RL player when he came from union.
But in saying that when he played for Saints he was completely useless.
Doesn't he now coach the Aussies RU sevens side?

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Quote: dally messenger "true if the RFU were an honest organisation wed still be playing RU'"


Although it would be RU with 13 players aside, less kicking, no lineouts or scrums which are solely designed to cripple participants. It would also be faster flowing with more emphasis on passing the ball and would still be dominated by teams in the North of england.

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