..the difference between the 2 games and the positions being mentioned is more like a skateboard and a space shuttle.

Bye bye Sammy

Farrell and Ford have got a job to do, they can recruit who they like. It's up to us to decide if we want to do something to enourage players to stay ( or come back to SL after NRL) or to decide it's something we'll live with as a price we're willing to pay to avoid wage inflation, etc. But we can't operate by expecting individual ex-players to 'be nice'. If I was Burgess, Farrell or Ford copping any flak over this, I'd turn round and say 'none of us three told you to have that cap. Why should he/I play a much harder game for a ton less money just to keep you happy?'

Just disappointed I suppose

But for loads more money and the opportunity to play in front of huge crowds in the WC, the media profile etc etc. I can understand why

But still disappointed

I'm with you bud.

I can understand why he's gone, just wish he hadn't.

2288 posts a union troll spending his hole life in front of his computer trying to promote his memeplexes on the unconverted, sad but true. My guess is your post count on these forums is probably triple that.

I'm far more worried for Sam than for RL, the world at his feet in league could become a legend and will probably end up as yet another failed league convert scapegoat when England lose the next RWC.

I still don't understand the 'he will play Centre in Union' idea. Maybe I just don't know enough about union

Imo the main two reasons he's going are money and longevity.

Good luck to the guy. I'm sure it won't be long before the rest of the Burgii clan follow suit.

I doubt it mate.

What a weird move! I don't see a position for him in Union and I always thought he loved the Sydney lifestyle that much he'd be there forever (wasn't he trying to get residancy). His whole family have moved to the other side of the world with him as well.

It's a hammer blow make no mistake. I suppose the more I sit and think about it I realise he's hardly turned out for the national side in the last few seasons (bar the World Cup) so he's not been as big an asset to us as maybe I'd first think. The issue is that when he does play he's exceptional!

He's made to play league but will now waste away in Union. He'll be richer and more famous like Joel Tomkins, Kyle Eastmond, Chris Ashton etc but I doubt he'll enjoy the game as much as league or that the Union fans will enjoy his skills as much as we do.

I would have thought that Andy Farrell and Mike Ford would know more about transitioning to RU from RL than myself, but I don't see this as a good move for Sam or for England RU.

The only real RL to RU success story is Jason Robinson. And that was due to his quick feet which allowed him to take advantage of even slower footed defenders to race into gaps and create havoc. (This is why I expected Kyle Eastmond to be a RU success but improved defensive athleticsm appears to have diminished his impact.)

I do not see Burgess's skill set succeeding at the top level in RU. Yes, he may develop into a marginal England starter, but he will not be the once in a generation player he was in RL. His offloading is ill suited to union, his charging runs will be hurt by the necessity to position yourself to maintain the ball and his bone crunching defence will again be impacted by the need to try to win the breakdown.

Centre is the only position Burgess can play in RU. He will not learn scrummaging quickly enough to make an impact there. However, with Manu Tuilagi firmly ensconced in one centre position, Burgess's inclusion will only ensure that England have a complete lack of guile in the centres, and they will struggle as a result of that.

I hope I am wrong, however. I would love to see Burgess play a starring role in winning the World Cup in 2015.

Good point in him not been playing much for England RL over the last couple of years, however after a rise in performances from England in the WC and particularly SB been awesome England were looking to build a team around Burgess, sadly thats now gone. Who is the future England Captain? How long will it be until Tomkins does the same? Its an awful day for Rugby League. I dont think the response on here warrants anywhere near how bad this is.

3 steps forward from the WC, 6 steps backwards. I think Marwan Koucash is a bit of a clueless idiot with his views to the salary cap, however I wish he could open his cheque book and get SB into SL.

Sam who?