17 replies to this topic

[AndyCapp]

Wallabies five-eighth Kurtley Beale says a stint in rugby league might be in his future following a cross-code training session with NRL premiers Melbourne.
The Rebels Super Rugby star hit the training paddock for the first time since Australia's tour of the UK and Europe late last year and he sweated it out in a two-hour session with the Storm.
The Storm are renowned for their tortuous pre-season campaigns but the Rebels were able to keep the pace.

Kurtley Beale of the Rebels. Photo: Getty Images

Rebels and Wallaby halfback Nick Phipps was one who never let his Storm opposite Cooper Cronk get the better of him.
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Admitting he was a huge league fan, Beale said he wanted to try his hand in the 13-man game.
"It's always lingering in the back of my mind," the 24-year-old said.
"I'm a massive fan of rugby league and I played it all my junior career and I'm always switching channels to watch it on the weekend.
"Hopefully later on, in the years to come, I will be able to put my hand up and have a crack at it."


Read more: http://www.theage.co...l#ixzz2IE2S3jqh

[RidingPie]

I'll bet a few more of these stories start to appear now the salary cap has gone up so much... I just wish we could afford the same.

[hindle xiii]

Let me know when Ian Beale signs.

[AndyCapp]

I'll bet a few more of these stories start to appear now the salary cap has gone up so much... I just wish we could afford the same.

Late last year SBW offered to take a pay cut so that the Roosters could sign his mate Quade Cooper.
Union really struggles at local Club level in Australia and the grass roots Junior Clubs/Schools are not travelling that well.
The Cap will change the direction of the game in the next few years.

[AndyCapp]

Let me know when Ian Beale signs.

No idea who that is Mate.

[hindle xiii]

No idea who that is Mate.

Funnily enough I thought the same about Kurtley. (wtf kinda name is Kurtley anyway?)

Ian is his uncle. From London I believe, the east end area I think.

[AndyCapp]

Funnily enough I thought the same about Kurtley. (wtf kinda name is Kurtley anyway?)

Ian is his uncle. From London I believe, the east end area I think.

I guess its the long version of Kurt, like Kurt Giddley or Kurt Sorensen.
I don't think "actors" are suited to League unless of course their main job is to influence the ref.

Edited by AndyCapp, 17 January 2013 - 11:10 AM.

[walter sobchak]

Nothing more than trying to increase his contract with ARU, quade cooper does it all the time, piri weepu and ma'a nonu did it all the time with the NZRU, professing their love of league and the NRL but never made the switch.

[keighley]

Nothing more than trying to increase his contract with ARU, quade cooper does it all the time, piri weepu and ma'a nonu did it all the time with the NZRU, professing their love of league and the NRL but never made the switch.

That's very true but all these instances were before the billion dollar TV contract the NRL have just obtained.

Is the ARU paying as much as the NRL teams will be paying? Top RU stars might just be tempted to jump codes if the money ir right and significantly weaken the Australian RU team to boot as they do not have the largest playier depth in the world.

[walter sobchak]

That's very true but all these instances were before the billion dollar TV contract the NRL have just obtained.

Is the ARU paying as much as the NRL teams will be paying? Top RU stars might just be tempted to jump codes if the money ir right and significantly weaken the Australian RU team to boot as they do not have the largest playier depth in the world.

Kurtly Beale aside there isn't much talent in the current wallabies side, the all blacks on the other hand have some great talent like Julian savea who would be devasting in league.

[Pie tries]

Is he any good ?

[AndyCapp]

Kurtly Beale aside there isn't much talent in the current wallabies side, the all blacks on the other hand have some great talent like Julian savea who would be devasting in league.

And yet they are still ranked third in the World behind the All Blacks and SA.
There are several backs in the Wallabies line up that would be decent in any first grade League team if they can adapt.

[The Big Gun]

And yet they are still ranked third in the World behind the All Blacks and SA.
There are several backs in the Wallabies line up that would be decent in any first grade League team if they can adapt.

Some might be decent, but they'd all demand big bucks from NRL teams and I'm not sure they'd be worth it.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Makes you wonder whether there are any union players from other nations that may want to make the switch to NRL.

Could make a good SA side that way...

[walter sobchak]

Makes you wonder whether there are any union players from other nations that may want to make the switch to NRL.

Could make a good SA side that way...

I'm almost certain a couple of south Africans signed with some NRL Toyota cup teams(under 20s side) a few years back but haven't heard anything from them since, but I agree south Africa is an untapped gold mine.

[kioli]

I'll bet a few more of these stories start to appear now the salary cap has gone up so much... I just wish we could afford the same.

Beale has been saying stuff like this for years now, long before the current tv deal was struck. He's a RL junior after all.

[kioli]

I'm almost certain a couple of south Africans signed with some NRL Toyota cup teams(under 20s side) a few years back but haven't heard anything from them since, but I agree south Africa is an untapped gold mine.

Easts signed two Saffer RU juniors a few years ago but both went back to SA after a while.

J.P. du Plessis and Brian Skosana were the names.

[walter sobchak]

Easts signed two Saffer RU juniors a few years ago but both went back to SA after a while.

J.P. du Plessis and Brian Skosana were the names.

To get south African rugby league up and running and competing at international level rugby league is going to have to do a Welsh rl, in that in the 80s and early 90s dozens of welsh rugby union players were signed up by English rugby league clubs like Davies, Gibbs, quinnell, ford, cordle, young etc and formed an international side. 16 NRL teams signing at least 1 or 2 south African youth players to play in the Toyota cup(u20s league) should give you a pool of at least 20-30 players, something to be considered with all the money floating about in the NRL.