Marce
John Thornett (49)
Sam Burgess' gate was a completely disaster run by English board. He played one game at the backrow, the next at the centre, the next back to the backrow and so on. You can't learn a different code in six months playing in different positions. Even for someone like Michael Hooper would be difficult to switch to the centre, or pick a big centre like Nonu at the backrow. Burgess was a hell of a player and he would have been a beast in rugby with good management.Marce have a look at the performances of Sam Burgess or Tepai Meoroa while you’re orgasming over rugby league forwards playing crash ball center in Union.
In saying that there are definitely league players who would be elite backs in Union, and its not Justin Olam (a 12/13 centre combination of Jack Wighton and Lattrell Mitchell would be world class- both are athletes and footballers).
To that you must add the toxic environment that existed in that English squad:
Tepai Meoroa is far far away of the players we are mentioning, there's no point even saying it