[url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/rugby_union/s/1406946_sale_sharks_offer_kyle_eastmond_home_comforts?rss=yes&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RugbyUnion-Sport-ManchesterEveningNews-RssFeed+%28Rugby+union+-+Sport+-+Manchester+Evening+News+-+RSS+Feed%29Sale rugby union confident of landing Eastmond[/url

Not good for RL.

Very true, he's a brilliant player when fit.

I think thats key 'when fit'.



Eastmond is a brilliant player, one which we'd all love to see playing alongside Tomkins in the halves for England but given his current injury record, could we honestly say if he left Saints/England/RL would miss him? IMO thats arguable, considering the amount of games he missed last season.



People are forgetting behind every first team SL player is a talented youth raring and ready to go. Saints, Wigan, Leeds - just about any club could have the next 'Kyle Eastmond'. For me it wouldn't be such a huge loss as people presume.

An awful blow for rugbyleague if Eastmond goes over to Union. We have a weak backline as it is at national level without losing him. We'd have lost 2 huge attacking weapons that would both be regular internationals in League in Eastmond and Ashton and we can't afford for that to keep happening.

But also don't forget the Long factor. A youth star who got written off with injury then came back to bite us big time.

Long was not written off at Wigan due to his injuries.

As Rogues said, Long leaving Wigan was for entirely different reasons, however I do get where your coming from Grimmy.



My point is that with the lack of games Eastmond has played for England, would England RL really miss him as much as people think/presume? IMO no England RL wouldn't miss him purely and simply because he hasn't played so many times for England.



Where as if it were, for arguments sake, James Graham then yes England RL would definately miss him.



There's no doubting Eastmond is a class act, I'm not trying to say he isn't and him going to RU would be a blow to RL agreed, but it wouldn't be to the extent that is being banded about IMO.



However, the RFL really do need to put something in place to stop the RFU poaching our best young players. If we are too grow RL internationally and make our sport 'respectable' in the eyes of the media we need to compete regularly with the Aussies/Kiwis, and that means keeping our best young players in RL.

Eastmond is not in the same league as Long and never will be IMO

I know he's not as good as Long now, will he ever be? I think he could be, if he truely got over his injury problems. Regardless, the principle that losing a brilliant player who suffers from injuries can come back to bite you is still valid.

No? It was before I started watching to be fair, thought he was deemed a crock, or was that the official line when really it was off-field stuff?

It was because he broke a girls jaw on king street (its in his boook so im not breaking any laws by posting it on here..am i?)