I do not see this as good news for BBC or rugby. Every league club in the country will now be chasing him.another GPS boy lost to league I bet.
I can't quite agree with you Guru. All schools have brought in League players to bolster their First XVs nowadays, and I challenge you to find me a team that doesn't have one.
These players have been identified as talented athletes while playing at league tournaments for league representative teams, often already contracted to rugby league teams. For many new boys the first experience they have with union is at their new GPS School training. These boys play union to get the good education and win games of footy for their school - in my experience, they are all men of good character and quickly get amongst the passion the schools have for First XV competition.
But I digress. In the case of Syd Smith, I would say he's a league boy through and through, who'd rather play origin than against the All Blacks, and good on him for it.
When the league clubs come calling, it'll be to bring home one of their own. Union never had a shot. I believe it's a pretty transparent business deal, and if all parties agree to it then nobody gets shafted.
Even if you're a kid who's been dropped to the Seconds, the future grandkids will be more interested to know that you got dropped from the XXXX First XV for the next Sonny Bill Williams or Israel Folau. Especially more interested at least then if you didn't, and struggled through a season giving up 70 points a game to those same guys playing against you.
Just my two cents before bed time
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