By Sherry
July 10th 2009 @ 1:48am
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The strongest and fastest on the same rugby team?
A friend suggested a fun topic for The Roar: pick two guys who played on the same Test team, one of whom was extremely strong and the other extremely fast.
For example, Martin Johnson and Rory Underwood played on the same Test team, and Johnno sure was strong and Rory was a rocket.
I think it’s an interesting challenge.
There are a whole raft of possible combinations of the quick and the strong, and the following occurred to me:
* For France, Olivier Merle and Philippe Bernat-Salle.
Olivier was a giant lumberjack, so big he looked ridiculous in rugby shorts. Bernat-Salle was a grass-scorcher who tortured the All Blacks and the Wallabies, among others.
* Staying with France, Robert Paparemborde and Patrick Esteve.
Paparemborde, the prop, had biceps the size of his thighs, and Esteve, playing outside of the great Sella, would leave everybody in his dust.
* For the Boks, the young Os du Randt and Chester Williams.
* For the Scots, Iain Milne and Roger Baird.
So let’s have your personal choice for these four countries, and your choice for Ireland, Wales, the All Blacks and the Wallabies.
And remember, your players have to have played on the same team.
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(18)
Knives Out said | July 10th 2009 @ 4:47am | Report comment
England:
Andrew Sheridan and Ugo Monye.
pothale said | July 10th 2009 @ 5:24am | Report comment
Ireland: a man totally unsuited to his era of 1994.
Simon ‘mad trout up a burn’ Geoghegan and Mick ‘Gaillimh’ Galwey.
If ever there was a mismatch in a silky speedster compared to an ornery, niggly plodding forward, this was it. Watching Geoghegan at Twickenham win the match for Ireland was a special pleasure. Galwey might have got over the 22 by the time Geogeghan crossed the try-line.
Knives Out said | July 10th 2009 @ 5:36am | Report comment
Nick Popplewell might not have been too far off.
pothale said | July 10th 2009 @ 6:15am | Report comment
Nah – Poppy was a veritable Usain Bolt compared to Gaillimh.
Knives Out said | July 10th 2009 @ 6:41am | Report comment
I meant to imply that Popplewell might not have been too far off Geoghan. I probably should have made that clearer.
craigb said | July 10th 2009 @ 8:09am | Report comment
NZ: Lomu and errr Lomu
Jameswm said | July 10th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana
Cliffy Palu and Lachie Turner
Carl Hayman and Sitiveni Sivivatu
Bring Back Rucking said | July 10th 2009 @ 10:36am | Report comment
Topo and Campo
Chris Beck said | July 10th 2009 @ 10:54am | Report comment
USA. RWC 2007.
Takudzwa Ngwenya (the guy that burned Habana).
Mike MacDonald (#1 on the same lineup that day).
Dublin Dave said | July 10th 2009 @ 11:13am | Report comment
For Ireland I would go with a more recent combination of Bull Hayes as the strongman and Denis Hickie as the speed merchant. Irish rugby players are not famed for their raw pace but Hickie had gas to burn. Probably the fastest Irish international ever.
Hayes is a man mountain who came late to rugby and started off as a lock before being converted into a tight head. Many would say his scrummaging is not of the highest order but his physical presence around the park and his work in the lineout make him a legend. It was noticeable, to me anyway, that when he came on as a replacement for the Lions in the third test, Paul O’Connell seemed to be geting an extra yard in height in the lineout. Probably because Hayes was grabbing his shorts and flinging him into the air like a piece of confetti.
O’Connell must have a bollox as tough as a jockey’s after that.
Another speed merchant who made a big impression on me was France’s Patrick Lagisquet, the Bayonne Express. He could certainly burn off the grass when he moved. One of his team mates was a granite jawed blind side called Marc Cecillion who as as strong as an ox and hard as nails. You didn’t mess with him. Especially if you were married to him. He is currently in jail having shot dead Madame Cecillon following a row at a party a few years ago.
If you want to see how Lagisquet could move have a look at this clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gN_PlBY1kE
Just listen to the roar of the crowd when he picks up the ball and starts running into space. I was at that match all of 21 years ago and I can still remember the anticipation. He popped up again later in the move to give the scoring pass. It was the start of the worst stuffing I have ever seen an Irish side take. And at my age, I’ve seen a few.
Virgil said | July 10th 2009 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Australia : Rodzilla and Barry Lea
Sam Taulelei said | July 10th 2009 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
NZ 1996 team
Strongest – Christian Cullen, recorded the highest strength to weight ratio results among the All Blacks
Fastest – Jeff Wilson
Temba said | July 10th 2009 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
You have both in one man… Piere Spies
Hoy said | July 10th 2009 @ 7:03pm | Report comment
Sam, you could almost just leave it at Cullen. I would say he was definitely stronger and probably faster than Wilson.
Virgil, what a blast from the past Barry Lea is. Did he even play the same decade as Rodzilla?
Knives Out said | July 10th 2009 @ 9:29pm | Report comment
You had the privilege of watching Ondarts live, Dave.
Thurston said | July 11th 2009 @ 6:10am | Report comment
DUBLIN DAVE – Hays and Hickie is a good one. Nobody gave Hays any lip, and Hickie was pure pace. Thanks for the clip of Lagisquet. I remember seeing him play – a true flash. For France it’s between another winger I saw at Twickers, one that Sherry mentions – Patrick Esteve. A tall sprinter who loped along till he got the ball then bang! he was gone leaving speed lines behind him. Did you ever see Olivier Merle? A giant destroying everything in his path. Merle versus Craig Quinnell would have shaken the foundations.
Thurston said | July 11th 2009 @ 6:19am | Report comment
SAM – that’s an interesting stat re. Chris Cullen but I’d like to see your pick for the strongest AB forward who played on the same team as Jeff Wilson, one of my all-time favourite wingers.
And while I’ve got you, or any other Kiwi reading this, what can you tell us of a man named Tom Hall? Rumour says he’s knocking on Auckland’s door for a tryout. He’s reputed to be
6′ 9″ (2.057) and tip the scales at 340 pounds (155). If he can run, jump and scrum, all us Aussies better hide under the kitchen table.
jc said | November 7th 2009 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
You idiots! You obviously don’t know Brian Habana and Os du Randt. Os was a strongman before he played rugby and Brian…. well need i say more. Ask any of you boys how he passed them without them ever catching him!