From League to Union: The biggest cross-code moves and how well they worked
Sonny Bill Williams looks on during a match in the 2019 Rugby World Cup
Credit: AFP
There has been a long history of cross-code moves in recent rugby history.
From World Cup winners to world stars, rugby union’s brother has given the game players who have gone on to be some of the biggest and best in the business.
This honoured tradition was invoked once again in recent weeks with the announcement that Bristol Bears have snapped up Ratu Naulago from Super League outfit Hull FC.
Known to his mates as the ‘Tank on the Flank’, the winger has in just one season already made his name in league by running in 17 tries in his 26-game debut season in the first team.
The Fijian-born behemoth is following in the footsteps of some legends of the 15-man code by crossing the divide, but even for him this is not his first foray into union - he played as guest player in both Bath and Saracens’ sevens teams in the past, including winning a Premiership 7s title with the latter.
All the signs are good for him, but only time will tell how he will fare. The men who have gone before him have shown that many things are possible when players switch sides, so let’s take a look at some of the men that made it work - and some who didn’t.
Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson lit up English rugby after crossing codes in 2000
Credit: PA
There was only one place to start with this.
Known as ‘Billy Whizz’ for his electric pace, mesmeric footwork and innate ability to create something out of nothing (see his assist for Will Greenwood’s try against Wales in the 2003 World Cup if you need any evidence), Robinson got his first taste of union after spending a season with Bath in 1996 but he finally crossed codes permanently in 2000.
It’s safe to say he didn’t need long to make his mark. Just three months after his debut for Sale Sharks, Robinson was selected for England’s Six Nations squad, making his first appearance against Italy, and at the end of the season was selected for the 2001 British and Irish Lions tour.
He capped off his meteoric rise through the union ranks by gaining a Test jersey in the First Test of that tour, scoring an exceptional try I’m sure Chris Latham would love to forget.
Robinson would come back to haunt the Australians again two years later as he scored England’s only try in the victorious 2003 World Cup Final, and three years later he became the first man to win both the Premiership and Super League titles as Sale became 2005/06 league champions.
He won pretty much everything there was to win in union after crossing from league and even captained England. Not a bad benchmark, is it?
Sonny Bill Williams
One of the iconic names in both codes, Sonny Bill’s freakish offloading has made him a star wherever he has gone.
Making his name in style with the Canterbury Bulldogs, his first switch to union was in 2008 when he joined French giants Toulon.
He would go on to feature for the Crusaders and the Chiefs over the next four years, playing a starring role for the All Blacks in their march to the 2011 World Cup being thrown into the bargain.
Blessed with immense carrying power, an eye for a pass no-one else could see and the execution to match, SBW remained one of the hottest properties in both codes.
He proved this when the Roosters produced big money to lure him back to league for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, in which time he helped them to a Premiership and a Preliminary Final appearance respectively.
Following his success with the Roosters, he made the move back to union with the Chiefs and returned seamlessly back to the All Blacks fold, becoming a crucial part in their 2015 World Cup campaign.
This included a major hand in the vital try scored by Ma’a Nonu in the final, before featuring against the touring British and Irish Lions in 2017.
A double World Cup winner is a hard man to top when it comes to cross-code successes.
Semi Radradra
One of the biggest names in world rugby at the moment due to his success in the French Top 14 and his outstanding performances with Fiji, Radradra is a man Ratu Naulago can look forward to seeing at close quarters next season.
Having also committed to the Bears in 2020/21, Radradra’s fleet of foot, classic Fijian handling ability and raw power has made him a force to contend with since his move to rugby union.
After lighting up the NRL with the Parramatta Eels, Semi switched to Toulon in 2017 and wasted no time in making the other code aware of his talents.
Consistent starring roles for Toulon and later Bordeaux-Begles saw his star rapidly rise in union, even among those that didn’t follow French rugby closely.
His standout performances in a largely poor Fiji side at the 2019 World Cup in Japan only confirmed his status, being named in The Guardian’s Paul Rees’ team of the tournament.
Bristol fans can look forward to some fireworks in 2020/21, if his career so far is anything to go by.
Sam Burgess
Sam Burgess during the 2015 Rugby World Cup
Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA
For so many reasons, this is one that didn’t go quite so well.
Regarded as one of the best players rugby league has seen in the modern era, Burgess joined Bath fresh off a heroic NRL Premiership win with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
This included winning the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match in the Grand Final after breaking his cheekbone in the first carry of the game.
The RFU were already sniffing around Burgess for the England squad the moment his signing was announced, but confusion clearly set in early surrounding the role he was to play.
Initially touted as joining the pack as a loose forward, the England hierarchy clearly had designs on him being a centre.
A victim of expectation, it almost seemed that whatever Burgess did was not going to be enough for some. He settled at blindside flanker for Bath as they made the Premiership final in 2015, putting in some strong performances along the way.
But the confusion over his role came home to roost when he was picked in the squad for the 2015 World Cup, ousting Luther Burrell who only months earlier had dominated the Six Nations.
‘Slammin’ Sam’ was introduced at inside centre during the tournament, having very rarely occupied the role at club level, and the inexperience showed.
As England crashed out of their own tournament in the pool stage, a lot of the blame was laid at Burgess’ door, perhaps unfairly.
Shortly thereafter, he left union to return to the Rabbitohs and the experiment was ended. The debacle continues to inspire debate to this day, no less since Burgess lifted the lid to Joe’s House of Rugby.
Regardless, it can certainly go down as a cross-code leap that did not work.
Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri
There is a good reason these two are put together and it is because their trajectories in so many ways mirror each other.
Both established themselves as league legends, playing starring roles for the Brisbane Broncos and the Queensland State of Origin side before switching codes, with Sailor moving to the Queensland Reds in 2002 and Lote following suit to the NSW Waratahs in 2003.
The two rekindled their wing partnership in the Australian setup, firmly establishing themselves as the first-choice wing pairing for the Wallabies in the 2003 World Cup with fellow league convert Mat Rogers making up their back three.
The pair were renowned for their power, pace and finishing ability in both codes throughout their careers. Born tryscorers, both translated their abilities in the 15-man game with minimal fuss.
Tuqiri in particular became a household name in union around the world, with his performances for the Waratahs swiftly making him a club legend and endearing himself to Northern Hemisphere audiences during stints with Leicester Tigers and Leinster.
Sailor’s career was hampered by a two-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine, but there is no doubt that in their pomp, both of these guys were among the most destructive players on the planet.
The one to watch - Suliasi Vunivalu
Suliasi Vunivalu will join the Queensland Reds in 2021 with a long list of achievements already to his name.
Credit: Scott Barbour/AAP
While not a union player just yet, this is one guy who fans of the 15-man code are going to be pretty familiar with soon.
Currently plying his trade with the Melbourne Storm in the NRL but having agreed a deal with the Queensland Reds for 2021 onwards, the Fijian is, quite frankly, a freak.
He was recognised as such from the moment he made his NRL debut in 2016, with his try-scoring record currently standing at 75 in 98 games.
One of the best aerial wingers going, a force of nature with ball in hand and the offloading skills you’d expect from the best of the Pacific contingent, the man known as ‘Air Suli’ is going to be a real handful when he crosses the code divide.
If you need any more convincing, you’ll be able to find his highlights on YouTube easily. He is an athlete in every sense of the word.
Suliasi Vunivalu. Remember the name.
