I remember some time ago one of the featured writers naming a team of union players for the 13-man code. It was interesting but it got me to thinking about union players around the world and who would be good league players.
Without doubt, in my mind, New Zealand is the deepest nation when it comes to rugby players, regardless of code.
I’ll leave out the obvious examples like Carter and Nonu but someone like Tim Nanai-Williams could be one of the most exciting players in the NRL, playing from full back.
Rene Ranger the Northland and Blues outside three quarter has a fantastic wide range of skills and would make a devastating centre. Liam Messam is one of the enigmas of New Zealand rugby, who shows his immense talent at points but has never set the international scene on fire. It would be interesting to see him at second row or lock in league where he might get a bit more space to show off his skills.
South Africa is well known for producing big intimidating forwards.
There seems to be a fascination in the NRL of “freakish” athletes and Pierre Spies, the South African No.8, would probably top the charts in the category. His athletic abilities are awesome and I’ve always thought he might suit league better as a winger or second row.
Schalk Burger is one of rugby’s most fearsome back row forwards with his incredible tenacity and complete lack of care for his body. He also possesses some fantastic ball skills if given the license and could be one of the best props in the NRL.
Fourie du Preez breaks the mould of a lot of modern day South African players with one of the best rugby minds around. I would see him keeping the No. 9 jersey in league that he adorns in union, and controlling the game just like his does in the 15-man code.
Felipe Contepomi of Argentina might be getting on in years but has always been one of the most creative players in the game who never fully settled in either first or second five-eighth, but excelled at whichever one he was in.
He would have made a fine five-eighth and his passion would have won over many a fan. Juan Manuel Leguizamon is a flamboyant back rower who most likely be one of those incredibly frustrating players with obvious talent but tries too hard. Would still be entertaining to watch.
The Tuilagi brothers, with reference to Henry, Alesana and Manu, would have a major impact on the NRL. Henry in the role of the interchange impact player with the incredible acceleration and power of his 120 KG. Alesana would be in the mould of Manu Vatuvei with his powerful surges down the wing.
Manu, the most complete of the lot could be one of the most devastating players in the competition with his taste for the big hit and his defence splitting charges.
Eliota Fuimano-Sapolu, another Samoan, would certainly fit in with the controversy of the NRL with his Twitter tirades, but as a player he would also certainly make an impact. I’d see him employed in the same kind of role as Feleti Mateo.
Napolioni Nalaga, the Fijian winger who has just signed on at Western Force, is the clinical finisher that NRL teams would love on their wing. Sione Kalamafoni, the Tongan back rower is probably the least well known player I’ll mention, but he made a massive impact during the World Cup and his dynamism and big hits would be welcomed in any pack in the competition.
Stephen Ferris would likely has a similar impact to Sam Burgess.
A big man with incredible power who enjoys the big hits but also very quick. Sean O’Brien was one of the players of pool stages of the recent World Cup, where his ball carrying style was described as if he just ignored the first up tackler and was looking for the next man. Would be interesting to see where he was employed, but I’m sure coaches would love to work with him.
Keith Earls has become a bit of a utility man due to his ability to play across the back line, but I’d say he would be a full back in league and his footballing skills and speed would make him a real danger to the opposition.
Sean Lamont the Scotland back would make a fine second row with his ability to drive his legs in contact and always trying to free his arms to keep the play alive. Tim Visser will soon be a naturalised Scot so will soon strut his stuff on the international stage, but if his Pro12 form is anything to go by, he would be a prolific winger.
With Courtney Lawes tendency for the big hit, there is no doubt he would be a big hit with the fans. Add to that his fantastic athleticism for someone his size and engine to work around the pitch and he would make a fine prop forward.
Ben Foden is one of the best counter attacking full backs in union and with the extra space in league he could thrive.
The energetic Danny Care would make the perfect half back with his quick runs, playmaking instincts and his footballing skills that had him as an academy member at Sheffield Wednesday when he was younger.
Jamie Roberts upright running style and strong no nonsense defence make him a good fit in League especially as he could excel in a number of positions due to his size and wide range of skills. Mike Philips has been described more than once as a great rugby player, but not a very good scrum half. With his physical style of play, he would easily assimilate into league and would make a top hooker.
James Hook has struggled to nail down a spot due to the restrictive nature of positions in union but would be freed at five-eighth in League where his immense talent might finally be shown properly.
Morgan Parra like Care would make an excellent half back. Matthieu Bastareaud the behemoth centre with a surprising change of speed would certainly cause defences in the NRL real problems and like Roberts could play in a variety of positions. Thierry Dusautoir just could not be left out in my opinion.
I would imagine that, like Dallas Johnson, his tackling stats would be off the chart most of the time.
Sergio Parisse is probably the most complete forward in the game of Union capable of throwing 30 metre passes of either hand, side stepping, behind the back passes and even the occasional drop goal.
Due to his incredible skills, he could genuinely play anywhere in the pack. Mamukha Gorgodze showed during the World Cup what many in France already know, that he is probably the most destructive forward in the sport.
The giant Georgian has a massive arm span to swat away would be tacklers and when that doesn’t work, he tree trunk legs do the business busting tackles. His short temper would also fair well when the biff is on.
Takudzwa Ngwenya, the lightening quick American is probably one of the least talented that I have mentioned on here but he has used his pace to devastating effect and it would be exciting to see him on an NRL pitch intercepting a pass on his own line.
There are many more I could have mentioned, but I thought I’d leave it to you to add.
john griffiths
Guest
If money didnt talk Samoa would be champs in both codes.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
PW That is not the point.The point is they adapted reasonably quickly and became Wallabies.IOW they made it. No NRL player in his right mind financially,.would switch to just play in the Sydney ru club com,unless there was a 7s opening for example..
PW
Guest
all those players were signed by the australian rugby union with massive wages and they were never going to be paid almost a million each by playing for gordon, west harbour or west bulldogs in brisbane.
mfree
Guest
and ther are also too many names in rugby league that would slot into international union straight up, i could be WRONG but the couple of league player i can think of in aus that made the change has made it to wallabies side in a very short time span. matt rogers,wendel sailor.,lote tuqiri.
PW
Guest
there are many rugby union players that will make it in rugby league but i dont think i have all day to name them from each of the 24 teams from the rugby world cup this year. two different games with each having their own strenghts and weakness.
PW
Guest
that team would have beaten the samoan rugby league international team.
PW
Guest
but been a league player tomkins could have stop digby ioane from scoring his second try but all he did was trying to give him a hug.
PW
Guest
you can add frano botica in that list. some of the greatest nzders have always been all blacks then and now.
PW
Guest
sound like gort.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
Scrums turn matches. for right or wrong. often there are dodgy ref calsl involved. Australia lost to ireland. large part of that was a "dominant" scrum from ireland. earned them 6 penalties.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Disagree. I will tell you a guy who couldn't handle the rl workrate in first grade Barry Stumbles former Wallaby,and St George buy,reserve grade was about as consistent as he could get. He was a fitness fanatic, and found the going extremely tough he was ,a former flanker/breakaway. He did on one occasion score 4 tries in reserve grade. The big difference anyway sledgehammer is the time in play,and the lack of long breaks (such as scrums and lineouts formations). Forwards in rl have a more of a roaming less structured task.Eg The Gallens,Watmoughs,Webke,Hargraeves,Hindmarsh,Ellis etc.I could name many more .For anyone can tell me, they sit around on their blots having lazy moments,incomparison to ru forwards,then IMO they are watching only snippets of a sport.Yes there are the odd lazy forwards.They don't last too long in the NRLW Mason is but one prime example. Have a look at the open field work rate of hookers in the NRL. Having 26 players on the field as opposed to 30 also puts a lot more pressure on attackers and defenders,simply by the more open space opportunities. Yes there are lazy times in rl,just as there are in all sports.That is never to distract from the athleticism ofthe players from both rugby codesThey have to be good to get where they are.No one forward can be fully committed in play 100% of a game's play time,the guy would have to be Luigi the Unbelievable.
sledgeandhammer
Guest
While there are breaks in rugby due to set piece, in league there is a lot of 'lazy' play, particularly in attack, and of course at scrums. So often you see forwards standing around watching the next hit up. In rugby forwards need to be in support, both in attack and defence. For me League also stops at each tackle for the attacking team. In union you have to back up the attacking player, clean out the ruck, and then compete for the ball. Of course in league the defending team has to run back 10 metres, which is really the only facet I can see in rugby league that makes it more challenging, perhaps along with the big hits. Of course, some games of rugby are slow - and there is less consistency, so you might find some divergence - but watch a game carefully pay attention to individual players and the work rate is really high. A guy who could probably make a good comparison would be Brad Thorn.
Johnno
Guest
But pinto Halliigan still played test rugby league, and quite a lot of tests for NZ, so he wasn't that bad and goal kicking is part of rugby league, so he was an asset more than he was a liability.
Pinto
Guest
Darryl Halligan was a wonderful goal kicker but not much of a winger
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
K Beale BTW MCfree, has a strong junior rl background.He would slot in quickly.
mfree
Guest
When you see beale weaving through scrambled defence is amazing but imagine him in league with less players on field and not having to worry about needing support to retain possession, and genias abillities is obvious.
mfree
Guest
And if i was a league coach, my first pick would be kurtley beale or genia.
mfree
Guest
Sledge if there was 1 position that could match a rl forward it would be a flanker but that would depend on the work rate of the individual flanker, i understand that a forward can be very tough in union, but it would really depend on the match they are playing cause union can be very flowing and fast but most of the time it isnt compared to league, there are a lot of small breaks in union like lineouts, scrums, slow rucks, but in league they dont have the need to kick it out of play unless they are trying to go for a 40 20 kick or they kick it deep in to opposition sideline to stall the opposition attack and organise defence, and keeping yourself onside in defence in league is tough when you are constantly running back and forwards to get 10m behind the ruck where in union you only have to be behind the last foot of the ruck, plus there are way more high impact carries for a forward in league due to the opposition being a minimum 10m away from when you recieve the ball to hit it up which gives you more room to pick up speed. I will try and find the reports of 1st grade players that have switched codes and confirming that league required more fitness and il post up the link. dont get me wrong union can be way more demanding but like i said it depends on the match played itself.
Whites
Guest
CC It's good to see the occasional win against the feed in the NRL. The problem is that the ref often thinks something must have gone wrong and calls the ball back to have another go.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
kov. I know they are important,but in reality fairly predictable,and IMO just an excuse to get the forwards out of the way.But you and I have to agree, the majority are won with the feed. I nearly fainted when I saw a couple won against the feed in the NRL this year,a rarety I know. My point is rugby league is not as simplistic as just running the ball which you intimated ,as a hell of a lot of preparatory work is done before the real running takes place. Else the code may as well be just a relay race in athletics. i have watched both competitive and non competitive scrums in rl over the decades.Give me the game as it is today(not perfect but entertaining without the penanlties and scrum reforms). Sorry I can't hack pushovers,then that is just me.My attitude for both codes,they have fast fit players.I want to see them in full flight,not watch technicalities,scrums,penalties or hollywood style refs. If anyone needs to see skill,speed,athleticism,amazing handling abilty,take a geek at the try scored by David Mead(winger) of the Titans againstt he Sharks.Even shark's fans including moi stood and cheered.. Set up by a deft kick from memory9the halfback0.That will do me.,