Is Habana the best winger in either code?
Roar Guru By ScottWoodward.me, 24 Feb 2010 ScottWoodward.me is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Brian Habana, Jason Robinson, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union
139 Have your say
Springboks Bryan Habana looks to get a pass away as the Wallabies Matt Giteau tackles him to the ground during the Australia v South Africa Rugby test at Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Saturday, August 5, 2006. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
I wasn’t that fussed with Oprah’s guest today, so I switched to the boys on Talkin Sport as they posed an interesting question: “Is Bryan Habana the best winger in the world for either code?”
As a Rugby League nut, I would love to jump in and throw a name down your throat that is playing either NRL or Super League, but sadly I am struggling.
There is no doubt that the Habana’s swerve would be a huge success in League, and while there are some outstanding wingmen, none have the record of the flying South African.
National selectors in recent years have chosen players from other positions to carry shirts 2 and 5, with Jarryd Hayne (fullback) and Israel Folau, whose best position is right centre.
Specialist wingers are constantly overlooked.
The best known wing to make it in Rugby Union from League would be England’s “jack in the box”, Jason Robinson. He scored 30 tries in his 56 test matches, and who will ever forget the only try in the 2003 World Cup final, which England went on to win.
My dad was great mates with Ken Irvine, regarded as the greatest ever winger to play Rugby League. And I recall as a kid that Ken defended his tackling technique by telling the “old man” that his job was to score tries, and “the guys inside me should do the tackling before they get to me.”
Rugby Union’s version of the legendary Ken Irvine would arguably be David Campese. What an amazing man, both on and off the field.
Allow me to share how I met Campo.
The intercom buzzed in my Clarence Street office one day. It was colleague “Duck” Maree and he asked if I could pop down to his office. As I walked in, “Duck” stood up and with his big infectious smile, asked me if I remembered when I told him that “David Campese could not tackle a weet bix?”
I said yes, of course, and then “Duck” asked me to turn around and he then introduced me to the great man, who, bless his heart, laughed as he shook my trembling hand.
It is interesting that Irvine and Campo reached the top of the tree in their respective codes, but were both not noted for defending.
As for Bryan Habana, let’s just say he is the best winger in the world, either code.
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
- Explore:
- Brian Habana, Jason Robinson, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union
February 24th 2010 @ 9:39am
King of the Gorganites said | February 24th 2010 @ 9:39am | Report comment
Scott- by only try i assume you mean only try from england? australia also socred a try.
February 24th 2010 @ 10:52am
Corey said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
And that was Lote, the two last great wingers of League. League just doesn’t produce them anymore. You can see this easily, and I think Wayne Bennett started it with making better players fill roles that they weren’t used to, just because they were better overall not necessarily that position. Look at Boyd with the Broncos, Kemp, Hodges (albeit he is a centre he originally came for Fullback), Yow Yeh and Antonio Winterstein (I think he was initially a centre or second row), and Leon Bott (who moved because he didn’t want to play wing, he wanted centre- although he is probably the fastest winger I have ever seen, he supposedly made the national team for 100m sprint).
February 24th 2010 @ 11:43am
ScottWoodward.me said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:43am | Report comment
yep.
I actually backed England and I am still scratching my head about some of those penalties that Aust got.
February 24th 2010 @ 10:02am
captain nemo said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:02am | Report comment
the two tries he scored against the other night against the TAH’s would of been tries if the game was touch football.
February 24th 2010 @ 10:12am
JamesB said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:12am | Report comment
No – there is a bloke named Siviteni Siviatu.
February 24th 2010 @ 10:32am
Dandy said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:32am | Report comment
As lazy as Rubeni Caucau could be and not mention him not turning up to play or train, when he was on his game i think he was in league of his own. The pace, swerve, step and power i don’t think their has been a player with all those attributes in one package.
February 24th 2010 @ 1:46pm
stevo said | February 24th 2010 @ 1:46pm | Report comment
Glad I am not the only member of the Caucau fan club. At his peak he was undoubtedly the best attacking winger I have ever seen in either code. It was such a pity we only ever saw glimpses of him at his sensational best. Next best Eric Grothe snr. Campo was exciting and elusive but not quick enough to rate with Caucau.
February 24th 2010 @ 2:05pm
MyGeneration said | February 24th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
I am with you on the love for Eric Grothe snr. He and Campo would be the wingers for my Australian XIII-XV of the last 30-odd years.
February 24th 2010 @ 2:18pm
Sam Taulelei said | February 24th 2010 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
I’ve seen many great rugby wingers come and go and apart from Lomu in 1995, nobody left as lasting an impression on me than watching Caucau from 2001-2003. Together with Lomu he was the most devastating runner with ball in hand. Nobody knew how fast he could run as he only ran as fast as he needed to and he never extended himself in training.
Habana is certainly the more consistent winger and better all round player, but to my mind Caucau was a more devastating and dangerous attacker.
February 24th 2010 @ 2:34pm
Rusty said | February 24th 2010 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
Agreed – Caucau is probably the most devastating runner I have ever seen. Thing is, in todays game do you want that level of x factor that can help you win the unwinnable but also lose you the games you shouldnt? As much as I appreciate the innate skill of Caucau if it came down to a game where my life depended on it then I would choose Habana over Caucau for his overall game and slightly less x-factor
February 24th 2010 @ 10:52am
Sam said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Most of the comments above discuss more than just number of tries scored as a criteria.
February 24th 2010 @ 10:59am
Red Cap said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:59am | Report comment
I have seen both players run and Habana isn’t a patch on Bevan’s elusiveness.
BTW, for a laugh, how many tries has Habana scored?
What fraction of 800?
February 24th 2010 @ 11:06am
Bondi said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Red Cap are you serious, the guy played 70 years ago in England.
What is the point in even bringing him up! He was probably playing against the town butcher and postman!
February 24th 2010 @ 10:57am
Dandy said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:57am | Report comment
Red Cap that is a lot of tries 796 to be exact, but i have 3 problems:
1) He played in England, not exactly a very competitive environment
2) Completely different era to what we are talking 1940- to 60′s
3) Completely different game to today, was it even professional?
Not down playing his achievements, as they are amazing, but it like trying to compare chalk with cheese. He was without doubt the best of his time and region but times have changed, you just can’t compare him to todays player, it is not fair on his legagcy or todays players.
February 24th 2010 @ 11:02am
Red Cap said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:02am | Report comment
Actually google boy, he scored over 20 tries in Wardonia Cup matches, which are not counted.
So his tally is over 800.
But don’t let me stop you googling… LOL.
As for your alleged “points”:-
1. England was the highest quality RL comp in the world at the time;
2. Van Vollenhoven is regarded as better than Habana by S Africans (same period);
3. Union was shamateur – so?
February 24th 2010 @ 11:11am
titus said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:11am | Report comment
I think we’re talking about the best winger playing today. Not best winger ever. I wouldn’t rate Habana as even the best winger in rugby union ever. Fine if you want to talk about past players in either code though.
February 24th 2010 @ 11:20am
titus said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Actually, you may be right but I got the feeling that the Campese and Irvine references was anecdotal padding. The last sentence gives it away I think.
February 24th 2010 @ 4:15pm
Nick said | February 24th 2010 @ 4:15pm | Report comment
Red Cap who the hell is Van Vollenhoven, and im a South African?
February 24th 2010 @ 11:12am
Sam said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:12am | Report comment
Thanks for the context Dandy, something Red Cap didn’t provide.
February 24th 2010 @ 11:06am
ballboy said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Bevan was a try scoring freak but he played almost 700 games spanning 24 year to score his 800 odd tries. Longevity doesn’t equate to best ever. His representative aonours totalled 18 tests scoring 29 of his 796 tries. I think we could call him one of the greatest clubman of all time and probably a fine international winger but I don’t think he leaves the others for dead.
February 24th 2010 @ 11:06am
JF said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment
How can you expect your opinion to even be considered on such a subject Red Cap? Every post you produce is a stinging anti-rugby rant, what sort of impartiality can we expect from you when comparing a player across both codes?
February 24th 2010 @ 11:51am
JF said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:51am | Report comment
‘Best’ is subjective, the title of the article wasn’t “Is Habana the most prolific try-scorer in either code?”
February 24th 2010 @ 11:22am
Rellum said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:22am | Report comment
If I had to choose it would be Inglis. His problem is he is too good to be stuck out on the wing.
February 24th 2010 @ 11:32am
rugbyfuture said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:32am | Report comment
he has a good 15 years on habana to be fair