Rugby Union World Cup: Is English rugby union just for posh kids?

[Wintergreen]

Tbh from an RL perspective the biggest lost was George Ford. He would have been the England/GB number 1 for the next 10 years.

Fantastic talent.

[Owd Codger]

I am not saying anything of what you say is wrong WW, far from it and to add to that Andy / Owen initially covered their options by Owen briefly playing for St Pats.

The other flip side and yes he could afford it but Andy was generous in his donations to school / amateur RL and never sought publicity for it. Far from it.

That maybe so, but the fact remains that he took a future International from our game for money in Union, both for himself and more so, his son.

For that, he lost my respect!

[Sutty]

I am not saying anything of what you say is wrong WW, far from it and to add to that Andy / Owen initially covered their options by Owen briefly playing for St Pats.

The other flip side and yes he could afford it but Andy was generous in his donations to school / amateur RL and never sought publicity for it. Far from it.

That maybe so, but the fact remains that he took a future International from our game for money in Union, both for himself and more so, his son.

For that, he lost my respect!

So, in your opinion, it's wrong for a parent to do what they think is best for themselves and their family and make a financial decision that will offer security on a much, much larger scale than anything they could have ever dreamed of, if they'd stayed local, just because some fans think that they're owed something?

As much as I like the notion of loyalty in sport, I've got a realistic perspective on the careers of Rugby players, in that it's a short career and unless you succeed at the very highest level, you're not going to make the sort of money that will secure your financial future. This isn't football, were even lower league players are getting £1k per week.

You're entitled to your opinion, but to say that a player has lost your respect, purely for making a decision that would offer a greater financial security for himself and his family is pure selfishness. Andy Farrell didn't and still doesn't owe Wigan anything. It's a sad fact that we've lost a great player, in Owen, to RU. But that's life. It's not worth getting so bitter about something so logical. I certainly know what I would do in exactly the same position and I'm fairly certain that a large percentage of other parents would as well.

[jobo]

I am not saying anything of what you say is wrong WW, far from it and to add to that Andy / Owen initially covered their options by Owen briefly playing for St Pats.

The other flip side and yes he could afford it but Andy was generous in his donations to school / amateur RL and never sought publicity for it. Far from it.

That maybe so, but the fact remains that he took a future International from our game for money in Union, both for himself and more so, his son.

For that, he lost my respect!

Bet he can't sleep knowing you don't respect him. You come out with some rubbish but this takes the biscuit.

[cpwigan]

Totally disagree with you WW.

Any father worth his salt wants the best for his son or his daughter for that matter. Just as Union players came North, League players are perfectly entitled to go South. The harsh reality is that in the present situation, Jim Sullivan, Billy B, Shaun Edwards, Ellery Hanley and MANY others would never have played for Wigan RLFC. Even Lockers one of our present day treasures when asked a few years ago when wewere fighting to avoid relegation what would happen if we are relegated, replied under the then rules he would become a free agent and forced to leave.

[Mike]

A great parenting style that - don't do what's best for your children.

He's lost my respect too now you've put it like that!

[Owd Codger]

So we now are all agreed that Andy did not go into Union just for himself as a end of career player and Union Coach but more so for his Son and his family!

Thank You!

And from what I have been told, young Farrell wanted to stay here in Wigan to play Rugby League, but was talked into going into Union by his Dad!

[Sutty]

So we now are all agreed that Andy did not go into Union just for himself as a end of career player and Union Coach but more so for his Son and his family!

Thank You!

And from what I have been told, young Farrell wanted to stay here in Wigan to play Rugby League, but was talked into going into Union by his Dad!

I think that, initally, the decision that Andy Farrell made to go to rugby union was one for his own career and a last big pay cheque in the twilight of his career. Once there, he probably realised that the financial rewards were far greater and more plentiful than in RL. Hence him remaining in Rugby Union.
Owen was always going to go into union once he'd moved to London. His desire to play rugby, even if it was the lesser of the two codes, meant that he'd play union anyway, purely to get his "fix" of playing the game. Once he started playing union he probably also realised that he could earn more in union and with endorsements than he could ever have dreamt of earning in league.

Of course Owen wouldn't want to move down south to start with! I mean, do you know many young teenagers that want to leave all their mates, their school, their rugby club and everything else that they've grown up with? I doubt you do.

You're blaming Andy Farrell for looking out for his family and making decisions that have ultimately given himself and his son a financial security that they would never, ever have got in rugby league. And for that he's lost your respect?!

Sorry, but that's such a selfish and completely bonkers opinion.

When you were younger, did you ever work for a company for a long time? If another company heard about you and asked you to go and work for them, for much more money, would you have gone or would you have remained with your current employer, purely out of your loyalty to them?

Sadly there are very few careers were people love going to work every day and for most of us, as soon as an opportunity comes along were you can earn a lot more money, we take it?

[Owd Codger]

So we now are all agreed that Andy did not go into Union just for himself as a end of career player and Union Coach but more so for his Son and his family!

Thank You!

And from what I have been told, young Farrell wanted to stay here in Wigan to play Rugby League, but was talked into going into Union by his Dad!

I think that, initally, the decision that Andy Farrell made to go to rugby union was one for his own career and a last big pay cheque in the twilight of his career. Once there, he probably realised that the financial rewards were far greater and more plentiful than in RL. Hence him remaining in Rugby Union.
Owen was always going to go into union once he'd moved to London. His desire to play rugby, even if it was the lesser of the two codes, meant that he'd play union anyway, purely to get his "fix" of playing the game. Once he started playing union he probably also realised that he could earn more in union and with endorsements than he could ever have dreamt of earning in league.

Of course Owen wouldn't want to move down south to start with! I mean, do you know many young teenagers that want to leave all their mates, their school, their rugby club and everything else that they've grown up with? I doubt you do.

You're blaming Andy Farrell for looking out for his family and making decisions that have ultimately given himself and his son a financial security that they would never, ever have got in rugby league. And for that he's lost your respect?!

Sorry, but that's such a selfish and completely bonkers opinion.

When you were younger, did you ever work for a company for a long time? If another company heard about you and asked you to go and work for them, for much more money, would you have gone or would you have remained with your current employer, purely out of your loyalty to them?

Sadly there are very few careers were people love going to work every day and for most of us, as soon as an opportunity comes along were you can earn a lot more money, we take it?

Actually, when I was around 19 and working for a well known local aircraft firm of the time, I was offered other jobs with more money with companies in both Gloucestershire and the Isle of Man but chose to stay on less money to stay near to my family and my friends.

But of course, I am talking about the days when people were not as greedy and materialistic as today and when socialising was a more important part of life!

[Smokie Jim]

No