Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 12:09 am  

post wrote:

I think whoever would want to leave Saracens for RL would only do so as a way of having an extended pre season training camp. Eg Owen Farrell, if he wanted to come, take a drop in money, continue to play for England RU as he’d have the blessing of Eddie Jones who I believe is a fan of RL, would come across and go back to union fitter and better defensively and also with a lifelong dream fulfilled.

I can't believe England RU would field any player who wasn't playing union and was playing league every week.

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:15 am  

Just because it looks likely that Saracens are being relegated from the Premiership of Union, it does not mean that Owen Farrell has any inclination of coming back to League, especially with the income and lifestyle he is enjoying in the rival code.

It is more than likely that would move to another top Union club in London or the Midlands like, Harlequins, Leicester, Northampton, Wasps etc.

Especially when he his still part of the England Union elite squad and captain.

By the time, he is no longer at the top in Union, he will be too old and too long out of league to consider.

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:26 am  

moto748 wrote:

I can't believe England RU would field any player who wasn't playing union and was playing league every week.

Especially when you factor in that England RU won’t select a player who plays for Ospreys as he’s not playing in England. It’s just a ridiculous situation which the RU hierarchy would never allow and to be honest wouldn’t be feasible for us either. He’d have to learn the modern game and by the time he’s learned it he’d be back to RU. It’s be all or nothing IMO.

I’d be intrigued to see where OF would fit in in RL. I would firstly suggest it’s at 13 following in his Dads and Lockers’ dynasty but as someone has pointed out he doesn’t look muscularly big enough to fulfil that role and I don’t believe the evolving of the 13 role from what it was in his Dad’s days and even Lockers’ days to an extent suit him. That leaves him with with stand off which he’s probably more suited to.

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:36 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

It’s always looked a bit like a case of Owen Farrell not being quick enough to play as a RL stand off and not big enough to play as a RL loose forward. There’s certainly not enough there to make you want to throw multi hundred thousand pound deals at him, even if we could afford it. His fathers move to Union is the best thing that ever happened to him IMO.

I'd be suprised. He tore it up as captain a year above his age group when he did play RL. He did have a clear size advantage in those days though...

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:05 am  

any of them would cost over 1million a year, rather take NRL stars

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:13 am  

post wrote: I think whoever would want to leave Saracens for RL would only do so as a way of having an extended pre season training camp. Eg Owen Farrell, if he wanted to come, take a drop in money, continue to play for England RU as he’d have the blessing of Eddie Jones who I believe is a fan of RL, would come across and go back to union fitter and better defensively and also with a lifelong dream fulfilled. not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html

post wrote: I think whoever would want to leave Saracens for RL would only do so as a way of having an extended pre season training camp. Eg Owen Farrell, if he wanted to come, take a drop in money, continue to play for England RU as he’d have the blessing of Eddie Jones who I believe is a fan of RL, would come across and go back to union fitter and better defensively and also with a lifelong dream fulfilled. not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:31 am  

Pieman wrote:

any of them would cost over 1million a year, rather take NRL stars

But then you wouldn't get the cap dispensation.

It's a bit of a conundrum, but of course - counting on the cap or not - someone still has to fork out the cash, so I agree, they'd be taking a big risk.

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:40 am  

100% Warrior wrote:

Especially when you factor in that England RU won’t select a player who plays for Ospreys as he’s not playing in England. It’s just a ridiculous situation which the RU hierarchy would never allow and to be honest wouldn’t be feasible for us either. He’d have to learn the modern game and by the time he’s learned it he’d be back to RU. It’s be all or nothing IMO.

I’d be intrigued to see where OF would fit in in RL. I would firstly suggest it’s at 13 following in his Dads and Lockers’ dynasty but as someone has pointed out he doesn’t look muscularly big enough to fulfil that role and I don’t believe the evolving of the 13 role from what it was in his Dad’s days and even Lockers’ days to an extent suit him. That leaves him with with stand off which he’s probably more suited to.

Not willing to include a player from Ospreys, include numerous players from down under who had a English grandparent.

We too, are now following the same nonsense!

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:01 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Not willing to include a player from Ospreys, include numerous players from down under who had a English grandparent.

We too, are now following the same nonsense!

Risking going a little OT here but in some senses I agree with that and in others I don’t. I’m kinda 50/50 on it. The only “Aussie Brit” who you could give credit to really was Coote given he’d already plead allegiance to Scotland even when he was in the NRL. Austin and Hastings you can’t say the same for but equally did we go looking?

I’d prefer absolutely all Brits/English players in by GB/England squad but if there’s a player who qualifies who is better or a good replacement for a player who is unavailable I think we’d have to look at him.

Re: IL 'unlikely' to look at Saracens : Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:03 am  

tugglesf78 wrote: not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html Was it Eddie Jones that Stevo was having banter with before the Wigan v Bath game at Twikers? Edit - Sorry, no it wasn't. I'm thinking of Stuart Barnes.

tugglesf78 wrote: not sure on that specific front. Typical rugger bugger IMO https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... rgess.html Was it Eddie Jones that Stevo was having banter with before the Wigan v Bath game at Twikers? Edit - Sorry, no it wasn't. I'm thinking of Stuart Barnes.