cant remember him but thats not a surprise cos iv'e never been any good with names.

Sam Tomkins.

I'm very surprised by this one. Not that Eastmond is chasing a pot of gold, but that a RU club is looking to sign a player like him. The easiest transition from RL to RU is in the outside backs. Halfbacks and forwards are completely different animals in either sport. Robinson was so successful in switching because he was a winger and therefore didn't get involved in play a great deal. The same goes for Ashton.

As a halfback, Eastmond will find it very hard to make the switch. It wouldn't surprise me if he only lasted a season or two before re-joining the greatest game of all.

We've had all these stories of doom about how RL is going to be pillaged since RU turned pro. It hasn't really happened and IMO it reflects really badly on RU that despite all their mega-millions, they still aren't producing good enough young 'in house' players to really compete at International level.

There'll be other 'Eastmond's' in the RL system and the sport will keep on producing them in far bigger quantities and to a far higher standard than the RU system could even dream of.

If anyone listend to Matt Dawsons programme on radio 5 about a month ago, Brian Moore outlined the reasons that RU pick up our youngsters and the reason that English RU players are at their best late 20's. He said that RL training methods for youngsters is far more advanced than RU. RU teach strict rules of how to play the game for juniors, don't deviate and hardley teach flare and skill with the ball. This is why we have excellent young players that they can develope quickly to suit their code. The other thing Brian Moore and Matt Dawson agreed on was that the career of a player is far longer at the top in RU than RL because RL puts a lot more strees on the body due to it being faster, more physical and generaly a far better game than that pile of kick and clap tripe that makes my bloody blood boil every time I have a conversation with a stupid southerner who tries to tell me that their crap code is better than the best sport on this planet. Phew, thought I was loosing it there for a moment.

Problem with that is he will get the ball once or twice a game and be encouraged to hoof it into the stands on both occasions. What a waste. I'd wish him well, but I wouldn't mean it.

OMG Chill out please matey. I read your post with genuine interest. I saw the last bit as funny as in humour.
Obviously you put your own slant on the last bit because clearly you don't like Union, which I just put a comment down which I thought was interesting to mention about the sport (and club) you support is influenced by where you are born or brought up - along with the early brain washing by parents/schools
.

it would be criminal if that was to happen.

Agreed, Tomkins > Eastmond by some distance.

Yeh you are right there. Just a shame he plays for the Pies as he is a great talent. More surprisingly I don't think any UK RU club could afford him.

im just surprised with everything thats on offer in RU there arnt more RL players clammering to switch codes.

Because they are men and are up for it.

i know they must love the game but i wonder how many players wish they could get the same benefits out of it as there RU counterparts.

Union could buy anyone willing to sell themselves. For a start, it sells out Twickenham six times a year or more, and (unlike Wembley and Old Trafford) it actually owns the stadium. Plus its international tv rights and its corporate sponsorship deals are worth a good deal more than ours. And that's ignoring the fact that it has double our number of participants, and that it is the sport of choice of the rich, old-money establishment and of the super-rich, new money in the City.

I think they'll see Eastmond as a fullback, much like they did with Robinson. The successful transition of Ashton, and particularly Myler, are the precidents.

I did warn about this a couple of months ago... when defending the importance of expansion as the only alternative to a slow and lingering demise as Union drains the stars from our game.