Christ, the man with more good young RL players at his disposal than anyone else says there aren't enough good young RL players? Tomkins, Ainscough etc must be very hacked off

I don't think Noble made a bad point.

It's a bit rich a coach like him saying that we haven't got enough young talent when he refuses to play it at his own club, but his comment about every SL club being granted dispensation to sign one international player from British RU wasn't a bad idea in principle.

The bloke from The Times gave a stupid response - "RL clubs shouldn't be allowed to sign RU internationals because they can't afford them". WTF! If they can't afford them, they don't buy them - but is that any reason why they shouldn't be allowed to investigate the possibility of buying them?

The British game could use some big RU-to-RL transfers, to raise its profile again and provide us with a bit of exciting talent in the style of Jonathan Davies, John Bevan, etc.

But I agree - for Noble to make this point seems a little like an own-goal, given his unwillingness to play many of the British players he currently has.

It's something I have been saying for a long time. Unfortunately though I think those days are over as there is too much money in RU nowadays. He wasn't saying at the expense of young British players he was arguing one per club. There is some great talent in RU. For example I think Shane Williams would making a cracking winger in RL but I can't see there being any incentive for someone like him to come across.

You can see Nobles coaching philosophy coming out re team strengthening eg

BUY PLAYERS OTHERS HAVE DEVELOPED.


I have never ever been a big fan of signing RU talent.
For me its money thats being taken out of the game.
It shows that from a historical perspective all professional RL clubs have paid mere lip service to developing the junior/amateur game.
Now that RL is unable to parasite off RU's own development, UK RL's fundamental weaknesses are being exposed. Many clubs AND FANS still want the quick fix of signing a star rather than bringing one through.
Its a cultural flaw within the sport that places more importance on signing a big name than bringing through junior talent to become a big name.

Poor error, should have been taken on the full

However there was a definite forward pass to send Radford away

Classic divertionary tactics from a failing coach imo.

He doesnt want to talk about wigan's shortcomings to the press....so he hides/ avoids the issue by creating a novel controvertial concept that everyone then wants to discuss!!

A bit like Saints then.
Goulding, Newlove, Sculthorpe, Sullivan, Nickle, Martyn, Joynt, Gibbs, etc

and now Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Gilmour, Long, Hargreaves, etc

There were as many players who started their careers in Wigan academy in the Saints starting 13 as players who stared at Saints.

And an ex Rugby Union player on Saints bench.

Ask some of the older generation fans should Saints ever have signed Tomy Voll, Len Killeen etc and tell them you think it was a bad idea.

[quote="Rogues Gallery"]A bit like Saints then.
Goulding, Newlove, Sculthorpe, , Sullivan, Nickle, Martyn, Joynt, Gibbs, tec

and now Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Gilmour, Long, Hargreaves, etc

There were as many players who started their careers in Wigan academy in the Saints starting 13 as players who stared at Saints.

And an ex Rugby Union player on Saints bench.

Ask some of the older generation fans should Saints ever have signed Tomy Voll, Len Killeen etc and tell them you think it was a bad idea.[/quote]

And Stuart Evans !!!!!!!

I think the idea is a great one about bringing in RU players and only having say 50k counted on the cap from whatever they earn, just one per team, cracking idea but them muppets on superleague show got the wrong end of the stick especially grayson and that times fella, he just doesnt want to see RL pinch their top stars so he scoffed at the idea. Me I think is a brilliant idea. You could sign Dan Carter/Shane Williams/O'Driscoll and with 50k on the cap payed by the club Im sure we could get sponsorship, IL dip into his pocket to top it up to what they would want, Im sure a lot of RU players would jump at the chance to play RL if the money is nearly the same as what they are on in union.

do you honestly think the likes of o driscoll, joe worsley would ever think of turning there back on ru and the money that goes with it. but wigan would not have to worryif they have not got a foreign passport noble would not be interested.