Comments on: The strongest and fastest on the same rugby team?

By: jc

jc — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:47:30 +0000

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!

By: Thurston

Thurston — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:19:46 +0000

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.

By: Thurston

Thurston — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:10:27 +0000

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.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:29:56 +0000

You had the privilege of watching Ondarts live, Dave.

By: Hoy

Hoy — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:03:21 +0000

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?

By: Temba

Temba — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:21:51 +0000

You have both in one man… Piere Spies

By: Sam Taulelei

Sam Taulelei — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:07:56 +0000

NZ 1996 team

Strongest – Christian Cullen, recorded the highest strength to weight ratio results among the All Blacks
Fastest – Jeff Wilson

By: Virgil

Virgil — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:45:57 +0000

Australia : Rodzilla and Barry Lea

By: Dublin Dave

Dublin Dave — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:13:37 +0000

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.

By: Chris Beck

Chris Beck — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:54:26 +0000

USA. RWC 2007.

Takudzwa Ngwenya (the guy that burned Habana).
Mike MacDonald (#1 on the same lineup that day).

By: Bring Back Rucking

Bring Back Rucking — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:36:14 +0000

Topo and Campo

By: Jameswm

Jameswm — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:15:33 +0000

Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana

Cliffy Palu and Lachie Turner

Carl Hayman and Sitiveni Sivivatu

By: craigb

craigb — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:09:18 +0000

NZ: Lomu and errr Lomu

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:41:53 +0000

I meant to imply that Popplewell might not have been too far off Geoghan. I probably should have made that clearer.

By: pothale

pothale — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:15:10 +0000

Nah – Poppy was a veritable Usain Bolt compared to Gaillimh.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:36:20 +0000

Nick Popplewell might not have been too far off.

By: pothale

pothale — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:24:51 +0000

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.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:47:59 +0000

England:

Andrew Sheridan and Ugo Monye.