Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 1:26 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

...It's shocking really that from now on he will be probably seen as one of the major reasons England failed so massively at this WC when in truth, the team as a whole had far more shortcomings and were simply just not good enough.

How will he, though?

The only people who have been trying to blame Burgess are precisely those anti-league establishment figures, including some former players. The overwhelming opinion from reasonably unbiased people corresponds with the facts, namely that a very green Burgess did nothing wrong against Wales, was one of their better players, and England were winning and defending very well up to the point where he was substituted. Those are all facts.

He will only be seen as" a major reason" by a few strident biased trolls but they are not the writers of history.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 1:38 pm  

It seems from what was said that the issue was and is much wider than Sam. It seems a case of lots of middle class bitches (rather like same so called men in office jobs). Despite all their talk of being a team seems they are not. That probably goes some way to explaining while by far and a way the best resourced union (in terms of finance and player numbers) are consistently inept on the field. England should win every RU contest at a canter but they don't understand how to play or coach their game.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 1:49 pm  

His best comment is saying how Rugby Union never came close to testing his physical limits in the way that league does on a regular basis.

There simply wasn't enough involvement for him in Union. The ball isn't on play enough and when it is it's usually stuck under a pile of 12 players.

Looking forward to it all dying down and watching him get back to playing his game.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 2:12 pm  

The thing that stands out for me is Stuart Hooper, his captain at Bath, advising him that it probably wasn't for the best for him to come in to training and say goodbye to his former team-mates.

That smacks of an air of jealousy and resentment within the Bath dressing room. Probably explains why despite Bruce Craig pumping millions into the club they're still no closer to regaining their European glory days.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 2:15 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

The thing that stands out for me is Stuart Hooper, his captain at Bath, advising him that it probably wasn't for the best for him to come in to training and say goodbye to his former team-mates.

That smacks of an air of jealousy and resentment within the Bath dressing room. Probably explains why despite Bruce Craig pumping millions into the club they're still no closer to regaining their European glory days.

To me it smacks of this guy Hooper being a pygmy.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 6:00 pm  

I now see an England RU player saying (BBC Sport site) that he has lost all trust in his England team mates after something or other was leaked out. What a shambles Sam is well out of it.

Sam made every point that needed making extremely well in his Mail Online piece today. Just one other. Why do all the Unionists invent the idea that Sam got in the England RU squad in place of that Burrell? If anything, Sam was in there on merit but replacing that Tuilagi. It was that Slade who they picked instead of that Burrell.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:07 pm  

Mr Churchill wrote:

I now see an England RU player saying (BBC Sport site) that he has lost all trust in his England team mates after something or other was leaked out. What a shambles Sam is well out of it.

Think it was Mike Brown and I think the shambles has just started, the England set up has just imploded and shown everyone in sport that Union is not a community sport but one hidden in chinese whispers and "watch your back" thought processes. I see Mike Ford has changed his tune and has now joined the band wagon saying Sam didn't have the stomach to play rugby union.
Sir Clive Woodward called it right a few weeks ago and called "England" a laughing stock and now we have the Teflon coated ex players and "traitors" in the camp carrying on there expertise in making scapegoats.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 9:19 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

Think it was Mike Brown and I think the shambles has just started, the England set up has just imploded and shown everyone in sport that Union is not a community sport but one hidden in chinese whispers and "watch your back" thought processes. I see Mike Ford has changed his tune and has now joined the band wagon saying Sam didn't have the stomach to play rugby union.
Sir Clive Woodward called it right a few weeks ago and called "England" a laughing stock and now we have the Teflon coated ex players and "traitors" in the camp carrying on there expertise in making scapegoats.

Ford would change his mind after SAm said he wanted to play centre (which I guess Farrell tapped him up for after the RLWC try) and not flanker.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 9:51 pm  

Ford and his son coming out having a go as well as the Bath captain being a whopper must have convinced Sam Burgess he's made the right call in getting away Union. I presume Ford snr has the stomach for Union or is it that he likes the smell of cold hard cash?

Any chance of a cross code challenge anytime soon? It would be lovely to see Big Sam Burgess let loose on some of his 'former' pals.

Re: Sam Burgess : Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:00 pm  

If Ford has said the things being attributed to him then he really is pathetic in my view. What he also fails to mention is that it is what's the point in fighting for something and someone who is not worth fighting for?