Best League to Union convert

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Sabalom Glitz" data-cid="584674" data-time="1464826840">
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2011-2015, Cruden was probably the 2nd best first five in world rugby behind Carter (maybe the best if judging solely on form). Would we say that he was only average , considering he was never the first choice when Carter was fit?
 
Ma'a and Conrad is the best midfield combo the game has seen, yet SBW was good enough to be replace one of them for significant periods of time during crucial RWC matches.
 
I don't think being stuck behind Ma'a is a stroke against SBW. If you judge Sonny on his performances (2012, 2015 RWC) you'd say he was world class. His problem is that he hasn't produced that for any considerable amount of time. Once he gets to 45~50 caps, and been the best #12 in NZ for a couple of seasons (a good series against the Lions would help too) then maybe we can say he's the best convert, but until then its has to be Thorn
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People on here are saying SBW is the best based on his potential & what they think he'll do in the next 3 years. But then utterly ignoring what, say, Folau will do in those 3 years.
 
Last year pre WC he was pretty fucking average, then at the WC he was a super-sub - an outstanding super sub, but so were Charlie, Vito & Barrett. Is Charlie now one of the worlds best props? Is Vito a world beater because he was so good off the bench & has Read in front of him?
 
I do think he'll be outstanding, but calling him the best switch based on that is like calling Beauden Barrett the all blacks best fullback. I'm not arguing he's not probably going to be one of the top converts, but he hasn't really done shit yet, certainly not compared with Thorn, Robinson, Folau, even Lote Tiquri who (if we are going down that "But SBW had Nonu in his way!!!" bleat) somehow got 60 odd tests & a starting slot at 2 WC despite a wee bit of competition.

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="584628" data-time="1464819081">I played League when I was 8, I got man (boy) of the match when Toowoomba visited, then we did a roady and played Glenora Bears and the Manurewa Marlins, I got MOTM in both those fixtures too, got player of the year and was told I'd make the Kiwis one day...I never quite scaled those heights in rugby, although did make the Whangarei divisional side when I was 22, at half back of all positions, so maybe evens. Potentially, I was better than all these fellas mentioned, I just didn't have the opportunities they all did, they all had it easy.</blockquote> I played for the Marlins right through primary school

sparky

Easy to forget what a good player Jason Robinson was. He was a bit like Milner-Skudder in style but had an impact over a longer period of time than Milner-Skudder so far.
 
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sparky

Another Union - League Dual International was Keith Fielding. Not the best Rugby player in either code, but successful on the 1970s iconic show Superstars.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Fielding'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Fielding</a>
 
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MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="584762" data-time="1464851404">
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I remember him switching( Lambert) and the press coming out of sydney was pretty negative to be honest , not sure he got out of reserve grade , 
 
Rugby front rowers generally arent suited to league , guys like Kaino would make good league front rowers , 
 
I remember Karam playing for Glenora , played a few games for Auckland as well , he went ok , 
 
One guy that very rarely gets a mention that was very good, was John Schuster 
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There are a few exceptions but fuck all Rugby players from 1-5 make good league players.

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584793" data-time="1464858664">
Easy to forget what a good player Jason Robinson was. He was a bit like Milner-Skudder in style but had an impact over a longer period of time than Milner-Skudder so far. <a class="bbc_url" href="

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Jason Robinson was one of my favourite players to watch in his day, marking him must have been like trying to nail jelly to a ceiling .

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="584803" data-time="1464860648">
There are a few exceptions but fuck all Rugby players from 1-5 make good league players.</blockquote>
 
Remember when Bill Cuvabati announced all 145 kgs of him was switching codes? Oh how we laughed .

Rancid Schnitzel

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="584803" data-time="1464860648">
There are a few exceptions but fuck all Rugby players from 1-5 make good league players.</blockquote>
 
Two Australians, prop Tony D'Arcy and lock Garrick Morgan were disasters at league. D'Arcy ended up as a reserve for 3rd grade and Morgan was reserve for reserve grade. 
Back to best code switchers, I recall Trevor Gillmeister once saying that former Wallaby Brett Papworth was the best player he ever saw.

kiwiinmelb

Craig Innes was another good kiwi rugby to league convert, 
 
At one stage , when he was at manly, he was being referred to as the best league centre in the world

Frank

I'd say Folau by a country fuckin mile.

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="584808" data-time="1464862201">
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Two Australians, prop Tony D'Arcy and lock Garrick Morgan were disasters at league. D'Arcy ended up as a reserve for 3rd grade and Morgan was reserve for reserve grade. 
Back to best code switchers, I recall Trevor Gillmeister once saying that former Wallaby Brett Papworth was the best player he ever saw.
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Except he only played less than 10 league games because he was injured all the time. I remember him carving up playing in the Wallaby midfield though.
 
Thorn and Robinson (and Folau) for me of the league to rugby converts. I don't buy the skill set being different means a player's better. Thorn is a greater rugby player than SBW and SBW is still a bloody good rugby player. 
 
The absolute worst is Marvin Karawana.

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="RoninWC" data-cid="584707" data-time="1464832720">
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From the Wallaby/Kangaroo perspective, around the same time as Ricky Stuart was one of my all time favorite league players... <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Gourley' title="Scott Gourley">Scott Gourley</a>.
 
He was also pretty handy at both codes... and by the way, none of the Aussie based Ferners seems to have recalled the original cross-coder - Dally Messenger.
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Original Aussie cross coder, in that All Golds team he toured with there were a number of recent ABs.

sparky

Chris Ashton, another who started in League before switching to Union:
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Ashton'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Ashton</a>
 
Played well for Saracens this year. apart from Eye Gouging ban. Not Eddie Jones' cup of tea.

sparky

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="584803" data-time="1464860648">
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There are a few exceptions but fuck all Rugby players from 1-5 make good league players.
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Paul Moriarity who played Lock for Swansea and Wales (Union) and Second Row for Widnes, Great Britain and Wales (League) is about the only dual international tight five player I can think of. He scored the match winner try in the 1987 RWC 3rd/4th place off.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby</a>)
 
His son Ross is in the current Wales squad and likely to be selected at blindside flanker in the absence of Dan Lydiate for the tests against the All Blacks.

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="584814" data-time="1464863051">
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I'd say Folau by a country fuckin mile.
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And its interesting he hasnt been mentioned yet , 
 
if you offered me him or Robinson to play FB in my team ,I think im taking Folau

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584820" data-time="1464863927">
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Paul Moriarity who played Lock for Swansea and Wales (Union) and Second Row for Widnes, Great Britain and Wales (League) is about the only dual international tight five player I can think of. He scored the match winner try in the 1987 RWC 3rd/4th place off.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby</a>)
 
His son Ross is in the current Wales squad and likely to be selected at blindside flanker in the absence of Dan Lydiate for the tests against the All Blacks.
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Rex Mossop played lock for the wallabies, and front row for the kangaroos

Siam

Paul Deveraux the Welsh centre
 
One bloke who never gets mentioned but if you youtube him he was really very good at both codes - Jonathan Davies. 
 
Played for GB against Aussie when blokes really put the filth in too, but despite being little, he never flinched

ACT Crusader

Andrew Walker was a damn good player and surely the most prolific code hopper in history. In 16-17 years his career went rugby-league-rugby-league-rugby 
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Rancid Schnitzel

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="584815" data-time="1464863178">
Except he only played less than 10 league games because he was injured all the time. I remember him carving up playing in the Wallaby midfield though. 
Thorn and Robinson (and Folau) for me of the league to rugby converts. I don't buy the skill set being different means a player's better. Thorn is a greater rugby player than SBW and SBW is still a bloody good rugby player. 
The absolute worst is Marvin Karawana.</blockquote>
 
Exactly, so for Gilly to say that means he must have been a very special player.

MiketheSnow

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="584823" data-time="1464865027">
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Paul Deveraux the Welsh centre
 
One bloke who never gets mentioned but if you youtube him he was really very good at both codes - Jonathan Davies. 
 
Played for GB against Aussie when blokes really put the filth in too, but despite being little, he never flinched
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John Devereaux. Good in both codes. One of many who led/joined the exodus from Wales in the 80s
 
The centre Alan 'The Clamp' Bateman was better IMHO.
 
Welsh Union caps at centre, then Wales & GB league caps, before returning to union for more Wales caps and 1 British Lions cap.

The Silver Fern

Best League to Union convert