Quote: hull2524 "great to have him back in league,but imo there was a lack of integrity on all sides,nobody really come out smelling of roses,yes ex players had a dig etc but that happens in all sports cricky yeaman wouldn't play any game after the stuff thrown at him lol, he knew what he was letting himself in for and hes a big tough lad ,it just all went t.its up, anyway hes back and boy would I like to see him in a black and white jersey'"
I think thats a tad harsh on Sam. Hes played 21 games for Barrrth and 5 games for England and 1 for the Saxons in 12 short months. He did nothing wrong in the WC. He was taken off in the Wales game when we were winning. His performances were far from the worst in the entire squad and yet he seems to be copping the blame for the entire fiasco that was the WC campaign. Is that what he expected? Should he have expected that level of criticism? I'd say no.
I saw articles in the usual tory leaning Rugger press after the Wales game which imho had been written the day he was selected and not following a good assessment of the actual game. To read it would have suggested that Sam was entirely to blame for the defeat. No mention of not taking the penalty in the 77th minute to draw level. No mention of the fact that at the point when he was pulled from the field England were leading and simply had to close out the match. A match that up until that point they had dominated. No it was all because he had been selected. That was totally unwaranted and simply a dig at RL and Sam especially.
He was not bought by the RFU he was bought by Barrth. If Lancaster saw him as a centre he should have discussed that with Ford and his coaches at Barrth. At any international level of sport you can not play people out of position. Boy do we know that in RL. Yet that discussion does not seem to have taken place.
He played 6 for Barrth and 12 for England. Bonkers. Not Sam's fault though. He did as all good pros would do. He was selected and played as requested by his coach. And it would appear that his coaches were pleased with his performances.
So Lancaster is to blame as he had no idea what to do with him. Lancaster picked 15 players for the wales game and was criticised. At the point of the match when we were in command he pulled the very players hed been criticised for picking and the result bares out the folly of that. He failed to hold his nerve.
I blame Farrell, a man who should have known better than anyone what to do with Sam. Sam is imho better than SBW. If England had played Sam like teh ABs play SBW it may have been totally different. The ABs follow SBW and allow his to off load at will. Sam can do that only his mates expect him to die with the ball and recycle it. Farrell should have ensured that did not happen.
Finally I blame Ford who has completely miss handled Barrth prized assest. He is now blaming Sam and not himself with the support of his loyal son.
So welcome back Sam. I honestly can't blame you for wanting out. You were set up to "fail". But I will say this, you achieved far more in 12 months in a sport than most of your distractors have done in a lifetime.
