Who has been the best import in Super Rugby?
Roar Guru By True Tah, 11 Mar 2010 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Todd Clever, Tri Nations
One of the main talking points about the Melbourne Rebels is where they will source their players from. Over the years a number of players from outside the Tri-Nations have had cracks in various Super rugby franchises, with varying degrees of success.
This poses the question: who are the best “imports” to have played Super rugby.
In order to answer this question, I defined an import as someone who meets two criteria. Firstly, that they are the “product” of a rugby system outside the Tri-Nations, and secondly, they have represented their respective nation at either full or underage levels.
From this definition, two significant groups of players are excluded as being imports. The first group of players are those NZ-based or born players who have represented Samoa, Fiji and Tonga, as generally these players are products of NZ rugby, contrary to what the likes of Stephen Jones believe. Thus guys like Joe Rokococo and Isaia Toeva are not imports.
The second group, albeit smaller, are players from Zimbabwe who are products of the Zimbabwe rugby system, but have not represented their home country, and this excludes the Beast, Brian Mujati and Tonderai Chavhanga.
Despite the exclusions, there is still a sizable list. Starting with Australian Super rugby teams, we have had players from Argentina (Patricio Noriega, Omar Hasan), Fiji (Radike Samo) and Ireland (Peter Clohessy). Of these, Noriega would have to have been the best import, given he ended up playing for the Wallabies and being an integral part of the Brumbies from the start.
Looking at the South African sides, the most notable imports are Freddie Michalak (France), Sireli Naquevuki (Fiji), Andy Goods (England) and Todd Clever (USA). On his form so far this year, Todd Clever would have to have been the best of this bunch. While Juan Martin Hernandez was contracted to play for the Sharks, he did not play any Super rugby.
It is NZ that has the most imports, and they have all largely come from Fiji. I’m talking about guys like Joeli Virdiri, Rupeni Caucau, Sireli Bobo, Vilimoni Delasau and Marika Vunibaka. Apart from these guys, Kevin Yates from England and Christian Califano from France propped for the Hurricanes and Blues respectively. Caucau, despite his perceived laziness, would be the best NZ Super rugby import, and in my opinion, the best of all the imports, due to his ability to glide through tackles, pick up balls off his bootlaces without breaking stride and ability to make you get out of your seat.
Little wonder that the New Zealand Rugby Union tried to get him in the All Black jersey.
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- Explore:
- Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Todd Clever, Tri Nations
March 12th 2010 @ 10:44pm
manu said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:44pm | Report comment
Forget the fat lazy Cau Cau…Though when at his best right up there. I’ve got one man that was the best import…”The chiropractor” Brian Lima. The hardest defender to ever play the game! played on almost every continent and the world record for the most world cup appearances. (5) over 50 caps for manu samoa, sothern hem winger etc. A career that started as an 18 year old in 1990 and ended at the rwc in 2007 as a 35 yr old. Though Rupeni was phenomenal while playing, you can’t go past a man that has played a lifetime that was entirely rugby.
March 13th 2010 @ 10:38am
True Tah said | March 13th 2010 @ 10:38am | Report comment
No doubts that Brian Lima was one tough mofo, but was he a product of Samoan Rugby or NZ Rugby?
March 13th 2010 @ 10:46am
ricardo said | March 13th 2010 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Brian Lima was first picked for Manu samoa in the 1989 tour of Europe as a 17-year at Marist-St Joseph’s College Lotopa, Samoa..his older brother Rev. Maafala Lima was a former Samoan no 8 and was the team pastor on that tour..
March 13th 2010 @ 11:01am
True Tah said | March 13th 2010 @ 11:01am | Report comment
Thanks for the correction ricardo…I guess on one hand you have the Chiropractor who had a long career and one that involved smashing other blokes, then on the other you had Caucau, who was brilliant, but had a tendency to go MIA.
Would have loved to have seen Lima at his peak up against Caucau.
March 13th 2010 @ 11:41am
Redhead said | March 13th 2010 @ 11:41am | Report comment
I agree with Hoy (seven from top). At his peak, Caucau was easily the best rugby player in the world in the last decade. He was so fast and strong, he had fantastic hands and due to his low centre of gravity the best swerve I’ve ever seen. He was magic to watch. He was probably better than Lomu at his peak in the 90′s. It’s a tragedy that he got fat and wasted his talent, even though he still scores more tries than most wingers dream of. As much as I like Brain Lima who was probably one of the best centres Samoa’s ever produced, at his best Caucau would have gone around him like he was standing still. In form, he was unbeatable !
March 15th 2010 @ 2:25am
ZimboWarrior said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:25am | Report comment
Nobody seems to have noted the great Zimbabwean openside flanker now playing for the wallabies – David Pocock…
March 24th 2010 @ 3:31pm
Dexter Tauvao said | March 24th 2010 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
Geeez. Is Brian Lima’s best 2003 when he knocked Hougaard out?
Or in 1991 when he could run around anyone like Caucau?
I’d say, Lima at his best would have had a lot more pace than 03
And Lima’s hits could have been a little harder when he was faster.
I’d say Caucau would easily run around after 2000
But Lima wouldnt place himself right in front of Caucau unless he knew he would definately get a hit.
Impossible to tell what would happen.
Sadly never is going to happen. I dont really see either man coming back to play rugby. 