Gasnier ready to thrill in Australian rugby
Roar Guru
By ScottWoodward.me, 8 Feb 2010 ScottWoodward.me is a Roar Guru
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While I was critical of NRL’s champion halfback Jonathan Thurston being a success at the highest level in rugby union, there was never any doubts with Mark Gasnier.
It is fair to assume that the majority of Rugby fans in Australia have actually never seen Gasnier play a full game in either League or Union.
Well, if so, you are in for a thrill if the Melbourne Rebels is successful in negotiations and can lure him back home from Stade Francais.
Gasnier earned his stripes in the NRL playing for his famous club St George Illawarra where he scored 81 tries from only 141 games, an amazing effort considering he played right centre and did not have the luxury of a noted distributor on his left. His tries were largely individual efforts emanating from sheer brilliance.
He was just as imposing at rep level:
City Origin: 1 try from 2 games
NSW State Of Origin: 4 tries from 9 games
Australia: 11 tries from 15 Tests
Gasnier, like his immortal uncle Reg, possesses blinding speed off the mark and an excellent fend followed by a deceptive swerve and a massive side step that makes him unstoppable when he is eye-balling any fullback in the clear.
Despite his tries to games ratio stat, the criticism when he played for St George was that he often would hardly touch the ball which often happens in the “robotic” centre position.
To give him more ball, his coach Nathan Brown experimented at pivot playing second receiver, which had mixed results similar to Greg Inglis, who like Gasnier is a brilliant ball runner and not a visionary.
I would have loved to have seen him play at fullback where he would have plenty of space. It would have caused opposition coaches nightmares.
It seems the norm that when a brilliant NRL player ‘crosses over’ that he starts on the wing to learn his new trade in the 15 man game. Gasnier is too good to waste on the wing.
Let’s hope that he has passed the test and we get to examine this rare talent close up again for the Rebels and as a Wallaby.
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M1tch said | February 8th 2010 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Outside centre would be his position, we saw him in origin and for the dragons when moved to 5/8 and he doesnt have a passing game.
Brett McKay said | February 8th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment
Scott, I wonder how much you’ve seen of Gasnier playing for Stade too?? You say that Gasnier would be wasted on the wing, and that is a common belief that wing is the best spot to convert league players (if only the Reds knew that before playing WIll Chambers at 13), but yet in two seasons for Stade, Gasnier still hasn’t really cemented any one spot. He’s still alternating between 12, 13 and 14..
While I agree, 13 would probably be the logical spot for him in attack, it’s probably the hardest defensive channel in the backline (again, ask Will Chambers). Gasnier wasn’t exactly Matt Cooper when it came to defending for the Dragons..
ScottWoodward.me said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Brett,
It is true Gaz did have trouble with lateral defence, but so does Greg Inglis and Justin Hodges, and Michael Jennings has trouble full stop.
I have never considered Cooper in the same class as Gasnier and Chambers should not be mentioned in the same sentence.
Brett McKay said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:43am | Report comment
but Scott, that’s just glossing over the issue. My reference to Cooper was in relation to Cooper being one of the best defensive centres in the NRL; you’ve said that yourself. Gasnier is nowhere near as good a defender as Cooper in his League days, and it seems nothing has improved since he crossed codes.
You’ve led off by saying you have no doubt about Gasnier being a success in rugby, but it seems you’ve overlooked a fairly major question mark in making this statement.
By the way, of all those league centres you mention, Inglis is the only one who I’d be interested in seeing cross codes. But even then, it would be as a fullback probably, not a centre.
Hammer said | February 8th 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Well from all accounts he’s hardly setting the world alight in France …
but one things a nailed down certainty – if he comes back he’ll be in the wallabies – and he’ll join the growing list of converts that will provide a few bright spots surrounded by mainly dross
Mike G said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:04am | Report comment
“Well from all accounts he’s hardly setting the world alight in France”…Interested to know where these “accounts” are coming from Hammer…Gaz is currently equal first in tryscoring for the season in Top 14…Perhaps you’ve just rehashed what you read in the Daily Telegraph & passed it off as your own independent thought??
Hammer said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:30am | Report comment
hardly rehashed – see comment below … and from the games I’ve watched he doesn’t look like he knows what defence is and is suspect under the high ball …. but good luck to him – his name and reputation will secure an over the top salary – and he’ll get dual international status … just don’t expect him to the next horan / little / mortlock … expect him to be the next rogers, sailor
Mike G said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Hammer, I have an open mind to how Gaz will go in Oz rugby if/when he decides to do it…I can see him doing very well on the dry Oz tracks-( he’s still the leading tryscorer on the wet tracks of France)…The conditions here will suit him even more & if anything, it’ll give Deans more ammo…As for your flippant remark about paying overs for him, I think JON has learnt his lesson in that regard
ScottWoodward.me said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment
He has a 100 yards on Rogers.
Dassie said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Hammer hit the nail on the head. Enough of League wannabe converts
Wylie said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:05am | Report comment
I’ve watched lots of him playing for Stade – he does some good things in attack but looks to be a pretty poor defender. I suspect he’d go ok at 13 (or more likely a utility) for a S14 side but unless he improves his defence dramatically he’s got no shot of a starting spot in the Wallabies. Better than Ryan Cross though.
Wally James said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Scott
I understand there is always a tendency to think Leage players will do well in Rugby. There seems to be little doubt in the minds of those who follow League that Gasnier was a good player.
But please… I beg of you…. forget League as a source of Rugby talent. Thurston used Rugby as a bargaining chip to increase his League value. Tuquiri was a trouble maker. Sailor ended in tears. Rogers was a fringe player with a reputation vastly in excess of his actual talent. Chambers defence patterns are not up to scratch. Cross seems to have fitted in to the woodwork well but is no better or worse than blokes who come up through Rugby ranks.
Now don’t get me wrong. All of them were great League players and all contributed well, to one extent or another in Rugby. But for every Leaguie signed a Rugby man misses out. Let’s just forget League and move on.
Cheers
Wally
Jay said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:42am | Report comment
I guess that (rightly or wrongly) shows the difference between the administrators of the respective codes. When a RL player crosses the divide, RL retains a confidence in their junior development and there is a belief that the departure of one means that there is an opportunity for a younger player who will be just as good if not better. The same applies for players going overseas. There is a drain, but no expceptions are made, and last year we have the best season of the decade.
In RU, there is generally a worry when there loss of playing talent to offshore or even when a new team is introduced (Force, Rebels). I understand that there is a smaller pool in rugby, but its a worrying state when you need to recruit ‘marquee’ players on grossly overstated salaries in your top teams. Even though the recruitment of RL players may have eased, s15s clubs have started recruiting saffas and kiwis – which only serves the same purpose in impeding the patways of junior talent.
The investment in junior ranks is also worrying. The NRL established the Toyota Cup around the time the ARC went under. Generally, there is also a worrying reliance placed on private schools to produce the next wallabies. Will this change? Not sure – but getting $400m for super rugby when the NRL will negoiate a significant increase to their $500m+ deal will not help bridge the gap.
Jay said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:53am | Report comment
side note: ARU will get a third of the $400m over the next five years..
M1tch said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:49am | Report comment
offsiders said yesty aru will be getting about 150mil over 5 years
Jay said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
yeah read the same figure. but thats from the contract with fox (i.e. no fta for s15s), and there a component from re-sale to other rugby nations outside SANZAR and wallaby test matches. but even with those, it would be optimistic to put that are circa $300m over 5 years.
Sam said | February 10th 2010 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
I think the money figures can be deceiving. The money the ARU will get under the new deal is pretty good considering there are only 5 teams in Aussie and they don’t play a huge number of games (compared to the NRL at least). The ARU definitely need to develop players better I agree. It is hard without a quality competition below Super 14 level. Super 14 just isn’t an environment suitable for player development, but unlike the South African and NZ teams, Australia has little choice but to throw players in the deep end, maybe one reason no Australian Super 14 team made the top 4 last season?
ScottWoodward.me said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Wally,
I agree with you but my thread was simply to point out a rare talent.
I think the entire ARU development strategy is draconian and I cant see them winning any market share back from the other codes in the short term.
Sin-ick said | February 8th 2010 @ 9:38am | Report comment
Agree with most of the postings here.
I have seen Gaz play quite a bit on Eurosport on Fox, and he isn’t a world beater by any stretch of the imagination. He still seems lost on the paddock. a few glimpese of flair, but not much else.
I say when this French contract is up, he should either stay in France and build his bank account, or return to league. We can do without him Australian Rugby.
reds fan said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Spot on Sin-ick. Since Link took over at the Reds I thought I’d better watch him play, and I too have been less than impressed.
Hoy said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:28am | Report comment
I have seen highlights of games with him in them and he does what he used to do in holding the ball in two hands, and skipping outside his man, however I have not seen whole games or anything. Highlights generally show good bits. I think his defence was pretty frail in league anyway.
To respond to Jay above, I think the concern with Rugby about it’s lack of depth is due to a lack of pathways for talent. Whilst the NRL has their comp, rugby in Aus has traditionally only had the three super 14 teams, now four, going on five. The problem comes about due to the step up from club rugby to Super rugby being rather large. That is why everyone on the Roar has been calling for a seperate tiered comp to help players develop. You can’t learn unless you are playing against good players. So you have four professional clubs in Aus, with only a certain number of paid players able to step up. When you increase that by another team, say maybe 45 contracted players or something, where are they going to come from? Noone is ready to step up to that level as there is no place for them to play at that level yet.
All the clubs are looking to get good players immediately, and then build local talent once successful. Hence code crossers, and imports.
I feel a club would be better served paying for imports who have rugby knowledge, than cross coders who are expensive, as they have skill in league, however that rarely translates to rugby, as the games are different. I would have no problem if the league player is going on the same wage as the average player, however we have all seen they seem to get massive salaries, grossly overinflated given their lack of ability in RUGBY.
formeropenside said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:36am | Report comment
*shrug* I dont really care if he comes back to Australia or not. If he does, I hope its not to the Reds: we only need to keep the players we develop, we dont need southern dreck clogging up the team.
ScottWoodward.me said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:32am | Report comment
The key to Gaz is to get him early ball. Be good to see him rub shoulders with Giteau and former Bronco Barnes.
rugbyfuture said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
The difference here is that he isn’t being straight ported in to the wallabies, he’s had a couple of years to retrain himself as a rugby player and this is certainly the approach i think the ARU wants to take now. and to Jay about the development structure of rugby, the fact they fret wenever someone leaves for overseas is a fact which is reinforced because of the larger amount of leagues of a close to equal value (with less travel) overseas, that is why the ARU and NZRU are so protective, the fact that we produce great rugby players is also a worry without the money and support, whereas league has the best competition in the world domestically with not mucha of a competitor in britain.
the other thing is the lack of a domestic league means finding the new talent is harder, because they have to go to each of the seperate city comps.