The other day, a team of journalists and past players from the Northern Hemisphere selected their best XV from the last fifteen years of the Heineken Cup.
European Dream Team:
15 Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers), 14 Josh Lewsey (London Wasps), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster), 12 Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), 11 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), 10 Ronan O’Gara (Munster), 9 Rob Howley (London Wasps), 8 Anthony Foley (Munster), 7 David Wallace (Munster), 6 Rocky Elsom (Leinster), 5 Fabien Pelous (Toulouse), 4 Martin Johnson (Leicester Tigers) (Toulouse), 3 Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français Paris), 2 William Servat (Toulouse), 1 Christian Califano
European Player Award: Ronan O’Gara
There were some interesting selections, namely Rocky after just one season with Leinster. Granted, it was a great season, but did it warrant getting picked in the best ever Heineken Cup XV?
The other point of note was O’Gara as the best Heineken Cup player of the last fifteen years.
It got me thinking, how would the Southern Hemisphere’s best Super XV compare?
So below is my best Super XV:
1. Hayman
2. Smit
3. Os du Randt
4. Eales
5. Matfield
6. Burger
7. McCaw
8. Kefu
9. Du Preez
10. Carter
11. Lomu
12. Horan
13. Umanga
14. Habanna
15. Cullen
Player of the Super Rugby: McCaw
It did pain me with the lack of Aussies (especially the ‘Tahs) in the team. I thought Larkham, Gregan, Smith, and Burke were unlucky not to be selected.
I dare say the Super XV would have this game in the bag.
Severian
Guest
Os du Randt was a fine player, but he wasn't in the top 3 or 4 tight heads in Super rugby. For all of his amazing athleticism getting around the field and brutal effectiveness in cleaning out at the breakdown, his scrummaging was pretty average.
Dynamite Dan
Guest
While I have the utmost respect for Toutai Kefu, surely Zinzan Brooke would be the 8-man?? And as for the Heineken Cup Team Heaslip should be in there for sure.
Mr Saunders
Roar Guru
Yes, Brad, and that is why only one SH player has made the side, because only one season is enough for them.
brad
Guest
Justin Marshall is way better than Fourie could ever dream of being. other than that good side. Scary for the Hcup dream team is that any of the winners since 1996 are better than their dream team! Rock ELsom? Perhaps the difference with an Hcup dream team and our super teams is that the hcup limits the number of teams so not all of the greats would have played in enough Hcups? but of course only one season is enough for them
mattamkII
Guest
mate, Cau Cau only played 13 super rugby games....scored 15 trues mind you. I guess this all again depends on the selection policy.
mattamkII
Guest
thats him...again, surely he offered more at Super level than Jack and Eales.
Derm
Roar Guru
See what I mean? If you start calling me that, I'm leaving.
Mr Saunders
Roar Guru
FYI, Jerry, a lot of the players you listed played European cup rugby in the NH, although I'm not suggesting they effected the same impact as in the SH: Dowd, Hayman, Visagie, Smit, Andrews, Kronfield, Krige, Collins, Finegan, Teichemann, Marshall, Honiball, Spencer, Carter, Herbert, JdV, Umaga, Mauger, Caucaunibuca, Roff, Berryman, Cullen. Incidentally, wasn't Berryman a midfielder?
Winston
Guest
Cau Cau has to be there. There's never been another like him
Mr Saunders
Roar Guru
Bad news Meeuws could also feature in the HC side.
katzilla
Roar Guru
Troy Flavell?
Jerry
Guest
Richard Loe? He only played 2 seasons of S12 and didn't exactly do much.
mattamkII
Guest
In fact, who was that half maori fella who played for the blues but always stuffed up his test gams...was skipper of the blues a few years back. He was a freak at super level.
mattamkII
Guest
Again, if you were selecting on super for and super form only, Jack might beat him on his early to mid 2000's form.
Coxinator
Guest
How far back we going here? Surely not Jack over Eales.
Mr Saunders
Roar Guru
I see, I see. That was his (Robin, btw) argument too. My argument was that some words are already too short to be shortened, and that certain *abbreaviated* colloquialisms end up longer than the initial word. Kidulthood/Adluthood are both set in West London FYI. My school demograph was reasonably similar to that of the film, so I can vouch for the authenticity. Gosh, those were the days, "Blad, I beg of you, lend me a pound or you're going to get merked!"
Jiggles
Guest
Tim Horan in for Mauger, that guy was all class
Rusty
Roar Guru
Very very handy team there Sam and just so so many classy options. I like that you have gone with Vidiri over Lomu as Vidiri was the man in the heady days of Blues dominance. I also like the more nostalgic feel of your team as opposed to only remembering the players of the last few years. Just one thing, hooker I would add Hammett. One more thing, Jeremy Paul? Seriously? :)
mattamkII
Guest
yeah I am always amazed how if you compare him to Lote they are almost each others evil twin. Lote was much much better at test level than Super. Roff was much much better at Super than test. Sadly we tend to be blinded by their poor side over their good.
Sam Taulelei
Roar Guru
Yeah Joe Roff was more of a threat at Super rugby than at test level. In hindsight I should have picked him on the left wing over Habana in my team.