Offiah and Davies are great players that came from union.
Tait was a good player but not in the same league IMO.

I think it's fair to say that more Union converts have been successful in league than the other way round.

Too right.
Isn't it true that at the time of the great split in 1895 that the northern clubs where dominating the southern softies.

you cant be certain of that

the RFU has been resistant to change for over a century, it like the way its game is played

the nswru/ARU and NZRU have been begging them for rule changes for 100 years and they never do much

and had RL not been around in 1908 there would only be 1 major sport in australia, AFL

union was on the wane and AFL taking over in nsw and queensland until RL came and took over

so really ive got a lot to thank the RFU for. they gave me the nrl indirectly

That’s a pretty big call

I would be fascinated to know how you would go about proving that? (or were you just being facetious)

To help get you started, below is a list of the League converts since 1996 who have gone on to achieve full Union international caps that I can think of

Over to you

Jason Robinson
Barrie Jon Mather
Andrew Walker
Iestyn Harris
Henry Paul
Brad Thorn
Mat Rogers
Wendell Sailor
Lote Tuqiri
Andy Farrell
Berrick Barnes
Ben MacDougall
Chris Ashton
Ryan Cross
Lesley Vainikolo
Timana Tahu
Sonny Bill Williams
Craig Gower
Shontayne Hape

Only because it has been the last 15 years since RL players went to play RU. Prior to that hardly anyone would have gone to RU from RL.

Despite that RU is desparate to sign RL players now because they have problems developing players with the requisite handling and tackling skills.

Some good players there. As well as one or 2 who possibly shouldn't of been allowed out of the changing rooms.

I'm not going to list them all but a simple check of the pages in this thread listing great RU names who have played league successfully will confirm my point.

Yes, many greats have been listed on the last three pages (probably because we were discussing the best converts) but for every Billy Boston there is a John Gallagher

Of the 35 England rugby union internationals who switched to league between 1900 and 1995, just eight went on to play for Great Britain, and five of those had played league as youths

148 Welsh union internationals switched to league between 1895 and 1986. Of those 148 internationals, only 28 went on to play for the Great Britain rugby league team

Are you sure that “more Union converts have been successful in league than the other way round”

Yep.

I think I’m going to have to concede defeat here – you are clearly running rings around me!

Congratulations.

It only took you 760 posts but finally you have made one that actually makes sense.

Since my time watching Saints, Apollo Perelini stands out for me.
Pretty much a complete prop forward and a great club man.

Gibbs was good, and had the potential to be great, but didn't actually stick around long enough before returning to Union.

Having watched plenty of Tait and Davies I'd say that Tait was the better RL player but then he had an advantage having played the game as a kid in West Cumbria.

That’s not True- All the league players who undertook National Service would have played Union due the rules regarding League in the forces. Alex Murphy I believe was one.

Brian Juliffe and Steve Diamond

Mike Lampkowski and Keith Smith