There are a number of similarities between rugby union and rugby league, but it takes a special player to achieve success on the field in both codes of the game. There have been a number of players that have achieved success in both sports, but which stars have gained more success than most?
Sonny Bill Williams
It could be argued that no other star in the world of rugby has been able to adapt to both sports in the way that Sonny Bill Williams has. The All Black began his career playing rugby league for the Canterbury Bulldogs where he made 73 appearances across a four-year stay with the club.
He won the NRL Championship before deciding to switch codes for the first time. The decision would be an immediate success as he became an essential part of the Toulon and then Canterbury sides. With the latter, he would win his first trophies in union as Canterbury won the Ranfurly Shield and ITM Cup in 2010. His performances saw him called up to the New Zealand national side, where he would win the World Cup in 2011.
Williams changed codes again in 2013 as he joined the Sydney Roosters. During that year with the Roosters, he won the Minor Premiership, NRL Premiership and the World Club Challenge. Williams returned to union against after that successful season with the Roosters, and he played an essential role as the All Blacks won the World Cup for the second time in a row in 2015. The All Black has once again changed codes as he has joined the Super League’s newest side, the Toronto Wolfpack.
Jason Robinson
No other Englishman has been able to achieve the success that Jason Robinson has in both codes. Robinson began his career playing league with Wigan. He made 302 appearances across a nine-year stay with the club and success immediately followed the fullback. During his time with Wigan, he won the World Club Challenge twice, the Super League once and the Challenge Cup on five occasions.
After initially playing union at the beginning of his career for Bath, Robinson made a return to the sport in 2000. He would play on the wing for Sale Sharks for seven years between 2000 and 2007, where he would make 159 appearances and score 248 points. At the end of the 2005-06 season, he became the first player to achieve success in both codes in England by winning the Guinness Premiership. As well as winning the Guinness Premiership, Robinson would also win the European Challenge Cup on two occasions and the Anglo-Welsh Cup on one occasion.
However, Robinson’s union career is most fondly remembered from his performance in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia, as he scored a try as England won the World Cup for the first time. In total, he scored 30 tries in 56 games for his country.
His switch from league to union was an unrivalled success when it comes to his international career, as his traits on the pitch ensured England were constantly mentioned among the favourites in the online betting markets for the Rugby World Cup. As such, sports betting sites and even non Gamstop bookies are careful when adjusting their lines for the inclusion of Robinson as a major factor.
His tally ensures that he is the sixth-highest tryscorer in England’s rugby union history, while he also holds the record for the second-highest number of tries scored in a match, as he scored four in England’s 134-0 victory over Romania is 2001.
Lote Tuqiri
Lote Tuqiri also enjoyed a successful career in both codes, as he made over 167 appearances across three separate spells in league and 107 appearances in two spells in union. Tuqiri began his career in league where would play nearly 100 times for the Brisbane Broncos.
During that spell, he scored 56 tries and helped the Broncos win the NRL Grand Final and NRL Premiership in 2000. However, he turned his back on league in 2002 when it was reported that he was in discussions with Australian Rugby Union. The move became official in 2003 when he signed for the NSW Waratahs. He would stay with the club for six years, and he made 89 games and scored 29 tries.
Tuqiri would play in the play-offs for the Waratahs on two occasions but was never able to claim a success in the competition. During this spell, he also played 67 appearances for Australia and scored 30 tries. Tuqiri moved to England in 2009 to play for a season with the Leicester Tigers, before moving back into rugby league with the Wests Tigers and then South Sydney. Over this four-year spell, he made 68 appearances and scored 34 tries. His final success came in 2014 as he played a crucial role as South Sydney beat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NRL Grand Final in 2014.
