Burgess at 6 for Falcons match

[JackFlashJonny]

Whilst I think this will be interesting to see if you were Newcastle would you see this as a slap in the face? No doubt an opportunity for them to exploit him I reckon..

In my opinion Burgess is running out of time to make any impact in union and will be off back to league before too long..

Why waste your time being rather average at one sport when you are one of the best in the world at another..

[Iain]

"So then, we've got one of the best League talents in the world signed to us. What position shall we play him in? Ooh I know, how about the one position that doesn't exist in League where the key skill of winning the ball in the tackle area doesn't exist either!?"

[drc_007]

If he had come to union 4 years ago I suspect the back row would be the best place for him, but not if you are trying to "fast-track" him.

[JackFlashJonny]

Iain sums it up really...

Watching him closely I personally think he doesn't have the acceleration required to play centre either because in leauge he can hit the ball at much more pace..whereas in union unless off first phase ball he doesn't have the time like in league to generate the speed to smash through people and has looked rather sluggish..

That's why I don't think he will ever be that good at our game but I would love him to prove me wrong (as long as this main proving was done in a white shirt and not a bath one )

[mol2]

I guess his problem is his experience in League wasn't ideal preparation for the role best suited to his physical attributes in Union.

So he's got to learn to play as a back row forward which won't happen overnight.
As a centre he seems to lack the penetration as a runner to compete with his rivals in the Bath side (let alone England) and needs to accept that the world cup dream of 2015 is beyond him.

If he can learn to compete at the breakdown then he may well have a future in Union.

[ellis9]

Frankly, I couldn't care less where they play him if I'm honest. He is so over rated in my opinion and has already played too many games for Bath as he has so little Union experience. If I was a Bath player and he had started ahead of me, I would be having a word with Mike Ford and telling him that if he thinks a Rugby League player is better than me, then I will be moving clubs at the earliest chance.

[amazing tiger]

Watched him a few times. He can only run straight because he comes from league and doesn't make lots of ground.i suppose he can tackle but he can't win the ball in the ruck. Bath could be taking newcastle too lightly.

[northerntiger]

Frankly, I couldn't care less where they play him if I'm honest. He is so over rated in my opinion and has already played too many games for Bath as he has so little Union experience. If I was a Bath player and he had started ahead of me, I would be having a word with Mike Ford and telling him that if he thinks a Rugby League player is better than me, then I will be moving clubs at the earliest chance.

Bit harsh to say he is over rated. A great player in league. Not, though, a union centre

[ellis9]

harsh to say he is over rated. A great player in league. Not, though, a union centre

Exactly. He is spoken about now as a Union player as how good he is going to be. He was a great League player and Union is a different game. For people to be mentioning him going to this years World Cup is stupid. He has done nothing substantial in a Bath shirt so far and thus he is over rated.

[amazing tiger]

Also didn't he have a game for the England Saxons and people said he really didn't do much so if he can't do it there then it shows something

[Dr H Flashman MBE]

I think it has been posted before, but the rumour in Bath is that he is back off to league next season. This is from a season ticket holder whose lad plays in the academy side. Shame but I think they should have choose a position and stuck to it. Bit of a kid in the toy shop mentality...I can have the best toy but not sure what to do with it. If he had come to us, I believe he would be playing for Nottingham regularly and then next season would have fallen out the end a union player.
Too much too soon. Feel for him, as he appears a really grounded and honest lad.

[G.K]

The model is already there - he'll be the England backs coach by the 2019 RWC. Does he have a son?

[Bunchy]

The model is already there - he'll be the England backs coach by the 2019 RWC. Does he have a son?

fantastic - my sentiments exactly

[JackFlashJonny]

The model is already there - he'll be the England backs coach by the 2019 RWC. Does he have a son?

This really made me chuckle...I mean if it wasn't true you couldn't believe it

[northerntiger]

He is 26, so any son could realistically only be 5 max. I'm sure that is old enough for Lancaster.