Most Successful Union/League Convert

Watching Craig Wing play for Japan in Union today, it made me think about all of the converts we've seen over the years.

But which of them has been the most successful across both codes? Who has enjoyed the most success transferring from League to Union or from Union to League?

Tricky question - and plenty of options

Union to League

Code:

Name			Country		Top rugby union level	Top rugby league level			Top representation level			Playing Era
Frano Botica		New Zealand	All Blacks		NZ Kiwis, NRL				New Zealand (RU/RL) Croatia (RU)		1980/90s
Michael Cleary		Australia	Wallabies		NSWRL					Australia (RU/RL)				1960s
Ryan Cross		Australia	Wallabies		NRL					Australian Schoolboys (RU)			2000s
Jonathan Davies		Wales		Wales			Super League				Wales/Great Britain (RL) Wales (RU)		1980s/90s
Marc Ellis		New Zealand	All Blacks		NRL					New Zealand (RU/RL)				1990s
George Fairbairn	Scotland	SRU national league	Rugby Football League Championship	Great Britain					1970/80s
Russell Fairfax		Australia	Wallabies		NSWRL					Australia (RU)					1970s
John Gallagher		New Zealand	All Blacks		Super League				New Zealand (RU)				1980s
Scott Gibbs		Wales		Welsh Premier Division	Super League				Wales/Great Britain (RL/RU)			1990s
Scott Gourley		Australia	Wallabies		NSWRL					Australia (RU/RL)				1980s
Daryl Halligan		New Zealand	NPC			NZ Kiwis				New Zealand (RL)				1990s
Sam Harris		Australia	Super Rugby		NRL					Australian Schoolboys (RU) City v. Country (RL)	2000s
Nigel Heslop		England		International		Rugby Football League Championship	England						1990s
Craig Innes		New Zealand	All Blacks		NRL					New Zealand (RU/RL)				1990s
John Kirwan		New Zealand	All Blacks		NRL					New Zealand (RU)				1980/90s
Garrick Morgan		Australia	Wallabies		NRL					Australia (RU)					1990s
Rex Mossop		Australia	Wallabies		NSWRL					Australia (RU/RL)				1950s
Noa Nadruku		Fiji		Fiji international	National Rugby League			Fiji (RU/RL)					1990s
Scott Quinnell		Wales		Wales			Super League				Wales (RU/RL)					1990s/2000s
Matthew Ridge		New Zealand	All Blacks		NRL					New Zealand (RU/RL)				1980s/90s
Kevin Ryan		Australia	Wallabies		NSWRL					Australia (RU/RL)				1950s/1960s
Wendell Sailor		Australia	Wallabies		Kangaroos				Australia (RU/RL)				1990s/2000s
Brian Smith		Aus/Ire		Wallabies, Ireland	NSWRL					Australia (RU), Ireland (RU)			1980s/1990s
Ricky Stuart		Australia	Wallabies, Ireland	NRL					Australia (RU & RL)				1980s/1990s
George Smith		New Zealand	All Blacks		All Golds				New Zealand (RU/RL)				1900s
Alan Tait		Scotland	Scotland, Lions		Rugby Football League Championship	Great Britain					1980/90s
Brad Thorn		New Zealand	All Blacks		Kangaroos				Australia (RL) New Zealand (RU)			1994–2011
John Timu		New Zealand	All Blacks		NZ Kiwis				New Zealand (RU/RL)				1990s
"Inga" Tuigamala	New Zealand	All Blacks		Super League				New Zealand (RU) Western Samoa (RL)		1990s
Lesley Vainikolo	Tonga		England			Super League				England (RU) New Zealand (RL)			2000s
Gareth Thomas		Wales		Wales, Lions		Wales, Super League			Wales (RU/RL)					1994–2011

League to Union

Code:

Name			Country			Top rugby league level	Top union level			Top representation level						Rugby League Debut	Rugby Union Debut
Karmichael Hunt		New Zealand, Australia	National Rugby League	Top 14, Biarritz Olympique	Australia (RL)								2004			2009
Chris Ashton		England			Super League		English Premiership		England (RL), England (RU)						2005			2007
Lee Smith		England			Super League		English Premiership		England (RL), Great Britain (RL)					2005			2009
Berrick Barnes		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RU)								2005			2006
Nathan Blacklock	Australia		NRL/Super League	Super 12			Australia (RL)								1995			2003
Willie Carne		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL)								1990			1997
Brian Carney		Ireland			Super League/NRL	Celtic League			Great Britain (RL), Ireland (RU)					1999			2007
Ryan Cross		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RU)								1998			2007
Andy Farrell		England			Super League		English Premiership		Great Britain (RL), England (RU)					1991			2005
Paul Franze		Australia		NRL			English Premiership		Australia (RL), London Irish(RU)					2002			2006
Iestyn Harris		Wales			Super League		Heineken Cup, Celtic League	Great Britain (RL), Wales(RU)						1993			2001
Sam Harris		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australian Schoolboys (RU), City v. Country (RL)			2003			2007
Wise Kativerata		Australia		NRL			Shute Shield			Australia Sevens (RU)							2001			2004
Ben MacDougall		Australia		NRL			Celtic League			Scotland (RU)								1998			2006
Stephen Myler		England			Super League		English Premiership		England Saxons (RU)							2001			2006
Henry Paul		New Zealand		NRL			English Premiership		New Zealand (RL), England (RU)						1993			2001
Jason Robinson		England			Super League		English Premiership		Great Britain (RL), England Captain and Lions (RU)			1991			1996
Mat Rogers		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL/RU)							1995			2002
Wendell Sailor		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL/RU)							1993			2002
Clinton Schifcofske	Australia		NRL/Super League	Super Rugby			State of Origin {RL}/Australia A (RU)					1996			2006
Timana Tahu		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL/RU)							1999			2008
Alan Tait		Scotland		Super League		Celtic League			Scotland (RL/RU), Great Britain (RL), British & Irish Lions (RU)	1988			1996
Brad Thorn		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL), New Zealand (RU)					1994			2001
Lote Tuqiri		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL/RU), Fiji (RL)						1999			2003
Lesley Vainikolo	England			NRL, Super League	English Premiership		New Zealand (RL), England (RU)						2002			2007
Andrew Walker		Australia		NRL			Super Rugby			Australia (RL/RU)							1991			2000
Chev Walker		England			Super League		English Premiership		Great Britain (RL), England Saxons (RU)					1999			2007
Barrie Jon Mather	England			Super League		England RU			Great Britain (RL), England (RL), England (RU)[16]			1992			1998
Sonny Bill Williams	New Zealand		NRL			Top 14, Super Rugby		New Zealand Kiwis (RL), New Zealand All Blacks (RU)			2004			2008
Craig Wing		Australia		NRL			Top League			Australian Kangaroos (RL), Japan (RU)					2002			2010
Craig Gower		Australia		NRL			Top 14				Australian Kangaroos (RL), Italy (RU)					1996			2008
Mark Gasnier		Australia		NRL			Top 14				Australian Kangaroos (RL)						2000			2008
Shontayne Hape		New Zealand		NRL, Super League	English Premiership		New Zealand Kiwis (RL), England (RU)					2003			2008
Fabrice Estebanez	France			Super League		Top 14				France (RL), France (RU)						2005			2010
Tasesa Lavea		New Zealand		NRL			Super rugby, Top 14		New Zealand Kiwis (RL), Samoa (RU)					2000			2010
Cooper Vuna		New Zealand		NRL			Super rugby			Tonga (RL), Australia (RU)						2008			2012
Setaimata Sa		New Zealand, Samoa	NRL, Super League	English Premiership		New Zealand Kiwis (RL), Samoa (RL), Samoa (RU)				2008			2012
Israel Folau		Australia		NRL			Super rugby			Australian (RL/RU)							2007			2013

 

Ben Kennedy played Union before league also.

 

It's definitely not Tasesa Lavea.

 

Brad Thorn presently but SBW not far off.

 

True. There's so many other players out there as well - I cut a load from the initial list I nabbed from Wikipedia to cut out most of the guys who weren't dual internationals.

 

Wendell Sailor must be one of the most successful. League World Cup winner in 2000, losing finalist in 2003. Same with Mat Rogers.

 

I can't really think of a single successful Union to League convert, at least in the NRL. But the other way around have most all been huge successes, even a nobody like Berrick Barnes played for Australia in Union.

 

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/w...ny-bill-williams/story-e6frf4pu-1226734632373

Read this earlier in the week which is what I thought Heef was basing the thread off originally