Best League to Union convert
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Baron Silas Greenback" data-cid="584496" data-time="1464753240">
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<p>The skill step he bought was the off load, that whilst used in rugby before was a truly a leap above what union had seen before.</p>
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<p>Really?</p>
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<p>I've got an old copy of Terry McLean's <em>Willie Away </em>book of the 1963-4 AB tour. In it, McLean talks of players ability to pass the ball out of the back of their hands - even while being tackled. Mind you, that was the tour where prop forwards dropped goals from 40m and sold outrageous dummys...</p>
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<p>A pic is attached.</p> -
<p>I remember the Welsh scored a try against Scotland and the commentator went "League, League, League" as Gibbs, Bateman and Quinnell handled. It was the mid 90s and I think the gap between league players being bigger and stronger was a huge factor ( not now, they'd be even keel as athletes )</p>
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<p>Alan Tait from Scotland did the Union-league-Union switch and formed an awesome midfield with John Leslie on his return. His nickname when he went to league the first time was "pidge" as in pidgeon chest because he was so poor at the strength testing. He rectified that though, he was a great tackle buster on his return.</p>
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<p>Gibbs and Bateman were great to watch, neither very tall but so solid and strong. Quinnell was awesome too. Fucken bulldozer....</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MiketheSnow" data-cid="584838" data-time="1464878789"><p>This was better :)<br>
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It's well known that footage was faked, like the Apollo landings. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Victor Meldrew" data-cid="584847" data-time="1464897481">
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<p>Really?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've got an old copy of Terry McLean's <em>Willie Away </em>book of the 1963-4 AB tour. In it, McLean talks of players ability to pass the ball out of the back of their hands - even while being tackled. Mind you, that was the tour where prop forwards dropped goals from 40m and sold outrageous dummys...</p>
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<p>A pic is attached.</p>
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<p>great book</p>
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<p>Also, Scott Gibbs was awesome, one of my favourite players ever</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="584859" data-time="1464904215">
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<p> </p>
<p>Alan Tait from Scotland did the Union-league-Union switch and formed an awesome midfield with John Leslie on his return. His nickname when he went to league the first time was "pidge" as in pidgeon chest because he was so poor at the strength testing. He rectified that though, he was a great tackle buster on his return.</p>
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<p> Am I right in thinking he was the only player other than Canada's Gareth Rees to play in both the 1987 and 1999 RWCs? </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Smudge" data-cid="584880" data-time="1464911845">
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<p> Am I right in thinking he was the only player other than Canada's Gareth Rees to play in both the 1987 and 1999 RWCs? </p>
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<p>I don't know the answer to that, but it does lead into a thought I had the other day - that quite a few RWC 2003 ABs made it to RWC 2015, but we're already shorn of all RWC 2007 ABs. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Smudge" data-cid="584880" data-time="1464911845">
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<p> Am I right in thinking he was the only player other than Canada's Gareth Rees to play in both the 1987 and 1999 RWCs? </p>
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<p>Yeah I reckon you could be, he was a replacement in the 87 cup. Also played for the Lions in 97 with fellow hard running cross coders Gibbs, Bateman and Bentley.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Smudge" data-cid="584880" data-time="1464911845">
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<p> Am I right in thinking he was the only player other than Canada's Gareth Rees to play in both the 1987 and 1999 RWCs? </p>
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<p>Rees is the only player to participate in the first 4 RWCs - an impressive record in the amateur era. Plenty of others have played in 4 consecutive RWCs since. It would be interesting to know if any player is a chance for 5 RWCs in a row.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="584911" data-time="1464919065">
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<p>Rees is the only player to participate in the first 4 RWCs - an impressive record in the amateur era. Plenty of others have played in 4 consecutive RWCs since. It would be interesting to know if any player is a chance for <strong>5 RWCs in a row.</strong></p>
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<p>Brian Lima was first to do it as well as putting in the most overrated big hit of all fucken time.</p>
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<p>Mauro Bergamasco did too.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="584911" data-time="1464919065">
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<p>Rees is the only player to participate in the first 4 RWCs - an impressive record in the amateur era. Plenty of others have played in 4 consecutive RWCs since. It would be interesting to know if any player is a chance for 5 RWCs in a row.</p>
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<p>Not sure if there are any.</p>
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<p>Given Nonu was mentioned earlier in the thread, have there been any other ABs that have made a RWC (2003) then dropped for the next one (2007) and then played the next two (2011 and 2015)?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584820" data-time="1464863927"><p>
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.<br><br><a class="bbc_url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby</a>)<br><br>
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.</p></blockquote>
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Paul Moriarty was a loose forward , a 6 or 8, to my recollection (even if his wiki profile says second row, obviously written by a leaguie).<br><br>
His brother Richard was a lock. -
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584820" data-time="1464863927">
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<p>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.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Moriarty_(rugby</a>)</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>Except that Paul Moriarty was a blindside flanker. His brother Richard played lock.</p>
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<p>Edit: Immenso beat me to it.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MiketheSnow" data-cid="584832" data-time="1464872819">
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<p>John Devereaux. Good in both codes. One of many who led/joined the exodus from Wales in the 80s</p>
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<p>The centre Alan 'The Clamp' Bateman was better IMHO.</p>
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<p>Welsh Union caps at centre, then Wales & GB league caps, before returning to union for more Wales caps and 1 British Lions cap.</p>
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<p>I remember that game all too well. I was on tour and we watched the game after playing earlier on. Your boys cut us apart in the first half hour or so. What was the final score? Oh, had to look it up 60-26 :yes:</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584835" data-time="1464873853">
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<p>Dai Young went Union to League to Union as a prop. He's now Director of Rugby at Wasps.<br><br>
The greatest ever League/ Union dual international was Jon Bentley, at least in the opinion of Bentos.</p>
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<p>Bentos had a deceptive change of pace without being an out and out speedster, but his main skill was self-promotion.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="585095" data-time="1465030054">
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<p>Bentos had a deceptive change of pace without being an out and out speedster, but his main skill was self-promotion.</p>
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<p>He spoke at our annual rugby dinner last year (Aberdare RFC).</p>
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<p>45 min speech</p>
<p>Drinks break</p>
<p>45 min Q&A</p>
<p>Then a night with the boys drinking and chatting</p>
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<p>If you get the chance to hear him, take it. Pure entertainment.</p>
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<p>He's got some cracking party piece drinking games too.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="585095" data-time="1465030054"><p>
Bentos had a deceptive change of pace without being an out and out speedster, but his main skill was self-promotion.</p></blockquote>
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Martin Johnson says in his book he overheard him on the phone to his wife during the lions tour saying " you would not believe how famous I am over here". Gold -
<p>Probably said after that try against Umpumalanga (spelling banana skin).</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584793" data-time="1464858664">
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<p>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.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='
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<p>or course he was good, but that highlights reel shows his first 6 tries and 3 are against Uruguay.</p>
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<p>and the others scotland. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="584808" data-time="1464862201">
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<p>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.<br><br>
Back to best code switchers, I recall Trevor Gillmeister once saying that former Wallaby Brett Papworth was the best player he ever saw.</p>
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<p>Brett Papworth made the move from the Mighty Woods to Eastern Suburbs when he was at his very best and immediately fell victim to some serious leg injuries, as I recall, plus a couple of busted jaws. He was quick and skillful as a centre and his place with the Wallabies ('85 to '87) was pretty well assured at the time but the money was too good to pass up for a bloke in his mid twenties.</p>
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<p>He returned to the Great Club as President a decade ago and has proven to be so good at it he is not permitted to resign - a faithful servant to rugby and unafraid to take it right up to the ARU for their horrible mismanagement of club rugby.</p>
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<p>He followed his coach John Ballesty's move to Eastern Suburbs twenty years earlier, when he too was in his first two years of Wallaby selection - an opportunity which came about when Wallaby first five Phil Hawthorne joined St George in league in 1968. At about the same time Wallaby centre John Brass moved to Eastern Suburbs league. With Ballesty, Brass and Hawthorne league gained the best hands and passing skill one could wish to see. All three went on to play for the Kangaroos.</p>
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<p>Now - going back in the other direction the Brisbane Broncos' Peter Ryan was a central plank in the successful couple of years the ACT Brumbies enjoyed under wily Eddie at the turn of the century, before most of you young sprogs were born :i_am_so_happy:, in the Super7¾ epoch. He played lock and back row and was in pretty much the same mould as the exceptional BBBT (a notch or two lower) - honest toiler, never missed a game with injury, never missed a tackle, always on the ball, mature, reliable and so on.</p>
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<p>He was a Downlands College student (like Tim Horan) and played rugby for the Australian Schoolboys before turning out in league for a decade. With Brumbies captain Brett Robinson (also ex Downlands) he was the glue that made the joint great, before the egos and their factions took control.</p>
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<p>Ryan has since gone on to appointment as defensive coach with the Broncos, Cowboys, Reds and now the Brumbies.</p>
