10 Of The Best Rugby League Converts
With news that the ultra talented Benji Marshall is set to cross codes and join Super Rugby side the Auckland Blues, College Times takes a look at some of the best cross code converts to ever grace a rugby field, League or Union.
Chris Ashton
Switched codes at the age of 20, just two years after making his debut for Wigan. He failed to bring home the silverware in rugby league but his first season at Northampton saw him help the side to Premiership promotion with a whopper 39 tries in 25 appearances. Quickly impressed in his first premiership season with the Saints and was fast tracked into the England side where, during only his third cap he scored an unbelievable length of the field try against Australia. Has amassed 17 tries in only 35 games for England.
Andy Farrell
Farrell earned eight England caps, including an appearance, and try, in the 2007 World Cup. His union career was merely a shadow of the success he achieved in rugby league, having won five championship titles, four Challenge Cups and two Golden Boot awards in his ten year career with the Wigan Warriors. . Has had a successful coaching career since retiring, most recently coaching the Lions backs, which included his son Owen, to victory in the test series against Australia.
Jason Robinson
The poster child for League to Union converts, Robinson was one of the greatest players to ever play for Wigan in a career that included 5 league titles and three challenge cups. Became the first ever player to win both the Super League and Premiership titles after his shock switch to the Sale Sharks. Managed to secure a place on the Lions tour to Australia later that season and went onto score a cracker of a try in the opening test vs the Wallabies. Scored an incredible 28 tries in only 51 England caps.
Brian Carney
The only Irish man on this list and probably the only world class Irish Rugby League player ever. Carney's pace on the wing and at fullback for Wigan was mind blowing at times which caused the Newcastle Knights of the NRL to spend big on bringing him to Oz. After only one season he made the shock switch to Union where he signed for Munster and was immediately fast tracked into the Ireland Squad to play Argentina that summer. In his test debut he scored an intercept try within minutes and went on to represent Ireland in the Sevens world cup before switching back to League in 2009.
Kyle Eastmond
The new boy on the scene and an exciting prospect for English Rugby, Eastmond has been likened on a number of occasions to Jason Robinson and in only one year of Union has made his debut for England and scored some absolutely brilliant tries for club Bath. One things for sure, the turn of pace from the 5'5 winger/centre certainly reminds us of 'Billy the Whizz'. Watch out for Eastmond to blaze a trail and leave numerous defenders behind him in next years 6 nations.
Lote Tuquri
Tuqiri was the top try-scorer for Brisbane during his first three years in the NRL from 1999. He also played six State of Origin matches for Queensland and nine Tests for Australia. The bulldozing winger took to rugby union in 2003 with ease, scoring a try in the World Cup final the same year. Tuqiri played Super Rugby with the NSW Waratahs (2003-09) and earned 67 Test caps with the Wallabies, including two World Cups, before returning to the NRL's Wests Tigers in 2010.
Brad Thorn
Brad Thorn is probably the hardest man in rugby union today, known for his commitment and work ethic. A dual international, Thorn played a total of 200 rugby league games for Brisbane in two separate stints (1994-2000 and 2005-2007). In making the switch to Union he joined Super Rugby's Crusaders and racked up 60 caps with the All Blacks as a lock, culminating in the 2011 World Cup final triumph. Thorn then took up a short term residence with Leinster where he secured the Heineken Cup for the Irish province. The 38-year-old is now with the Highlanders for a second season in 2014.
Israel Folau
The phenom Folau played for NRL side Melbourne Storm (2007-08) as well as the Brisbane Bronicos up until his change of career to Aussie Rules in 2010. But the powerhouse outside back made an impressive switch to rugby with the NSW Waratahs and was a standout for the Wallabies against the British Lions after just 13 Super Rugby games. Folau has since commited to the Waratahs for 2014 but who knows? Maybe Basketball next for the multi talented star...
Sonny Bill Williams
The multi-talented Williams was bought out of his contract with NRL club Canterbury mid-season in 2008 to play with French rugby side Toulon for two seasons. He then went back to New Zealand to join the Crusaders and played in 19 Tests for the All Blacks including fixtures in the 2011 World Cup win before a dominant 2012 Test season as an offloading centre during which he also won a Super Rugby title with the Chiefs. Williams also cashed in with a move to Japanese club rugby before a successful return to the NRL with the Sydney Roosters this season.
Berrick Barnes
Barnes began his career in the NRL with Brisbane in 2005. It didn’t take him long however to switch codes and join Super Rugby franchise Queensland Reds the following year before moving on to NSW Waratahs. He's played 51 Tests for the Wallabies as a five-eighth, inside centre or fullback. Small for the game, he has suffered numerous head knocks and injuries hence why he always has his scrumcap on.