Since the Wallabies imploded yet again Sunday morning Australian time, there have been upwards of a dozen analyses of the defeat posted on The Roar.
So I thought it might be time for a change of thought, to avoid another week of groundhog day.
Recently fellow Roarer Frank O’Keeffe offered his ’10 Greatest Wallabies of the 2000s’.
I’m now asking Roarers to select their favourite rugby team. It doesn’t have to be made up of the best players, but should contain the players who thrill you and for whom you would gladly pay money to watch them play.
We all have different perceptions of what makes rugby an attractive game. Consequently, we also have different perceptions of what makes a great rugby player.
The beauty here is that there is no wrong selection – it is entirely your own team, therefore it is correct.
I will start by nominating a squad of 22 Wallabies who have thrilled me over 45 years of watching rugby.
15 – Russell Fairfax (NSW). Long blonde hair on a stick frame, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do on a rugby pitch. Always looked for an attacking opportunity. Forerunner to Chris Latham. Sadly defected to league.
14 – David Campese (ACT/NSW). Needs no introduction nor explanation. A pure thrill machine.
13 – Michael O’Connor (ACT/Queensland). Of all the defections to league, his hurt me the most. A beautifully balanced athlete possessing sublime skills. My first-choice goal-kicker.
12 – Michael Hawker (NSW). Although Tim Horan was better, the midfield combo of Ella-Hawker-O’Connor was something to behold. Sadly, the trio only played together in a handful of Tests. What a sporting tragedy that was.
11 – Brendan Moon (Queensland). I’m a believer in ying-yang sporting combos. Moon was the straight man to Campo’s maverick. He was a technically correct winger, who did everything perfectly.
10 – Mark Ella (NSW). Another who requires no introduction nor explanation. Always looking for an opportunity to attack and thrill. My backline leader.
9 – John Hipwell (NSW Country). At the peak of his career, only Gareth Edwards was considered better. Good ball, bad ball, indifferent ball, it didn’t matter, he found a way to use it effectively.
8 – Mark Loane (Queensland). Described as a runaway rhino in the scrub or even a runaway train without a destination. You get the picture. Hard and tough.
7 – Ray Price (NSW). Another whose defection was keenly felt. Could have passed as Fairfax’s twin. Totally fearless and indefatigable.
6 – Greg Cornelsen (NSW Country/Queensland). Tireless worker. Superb physique allowed him to play any back-row position well.
5 – John Eales (Queensland). Any guy nicknamed ‘Nobody’ (as in “nobody’s perfect”) must be okay. Clearly our best-ever Wallaby. My team leader.
4 – David Hillhouse (Queensland). Freakish lineout jumper from the days of no lifting. Mobile and aggressive around the park.
3 – Tony D’Arcy (Queensland). Built like a fridge with a head. Strong, tough, technically excellent.
2 – Bill Ross (Queensland). Understood the scrum, a clever lineout exponent and played like an extra flanker. Smaller than either Tom Lawton or Phil Kearns, but resilient.
1 – Topo Rodriguez (NSW). Like D’Arcy, strong, tough, technically excellent, possessing endurance strength. Both props could play both sides and as a party trick, swap sides during a match!
22 – Jason Little (Queensland). Little was a superb physical specimen who is remembered as an outside centre, but could cover all the three-quarter positions.
21 – Paul McLean (Queensland). As much as I would like to throw in Latham, I also want the “holy trinity” (Loane-Shaw-McLean) in my squad. McLean covers fullback and flyhalf.
20 – Phil Cox (NSW). Although it’s tough to omit Nick Farr-Jones, Ella said his favourite halfback to play with was Coxey, so he gets a jersey here.
19 – Tony Shaw (Queensland). They called him ‘Crazy Eyes’ and he played like a madman. At his peak he was the best mauler in Australian rugby. He covers both the back row and second row.
18 – Tim Gavin (NSW). Big, raw-boned, country born boy who excelled at eightman and could also cover lock. You can’t have enough country boys in your team.
17 – Stan Pilecki (Queensland). Minister for social occasions. Heck, there might have been better props than Stan the man, but he never shirked the tough stuff. Off the field, yes, but on the field, no.
16 – Peter Horton (NSW Country/Queensland). Pilecki’s sidekick. English-born hooker who had the wonderful habit of annoying the life out of opponents, which you need in your team.
I love this team. The pack wouldn’t take a backward step and the backline would be trying to conjure tries at every opportunity. If ever they lost, you would know it wasn’t from a lack of trying.
But these guys would thrill you day-in and day-out.
Of course, I could select many more players, but this will do for the moment.
Your team might be the Wallabies, or All Blacks, or Springboks, or anything else. In any case, let us know your favourite team.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
I have been searching around and have collected all the players that wouls have been able to have played for Zimbabwe one time or another and have a look at these names 15 Tonderai Chavhanga 14. Takudzwa Ngwenya 13. David Curtis 12. Bradley Barritt 11. Ray Mordt 10. Kennedy Tsimba 9. George Gregan 8. Gary Teichman 7. David Pocock 6. Bobby Skinstadt 5.David Denton 4. Dave Ewers 3. Brain Mujati 2.Pieter Dixon 1.Tendai Mtawarira Adrian Garvey Gerald Sibanda Shelton Dube Scott Gray Munyaradzi Mhonda Tonderai Chavhanga and Takudzwa Ngwenya got to be the two fastest guys in World Rugby.
Wal
Roar Guru
Thanks Sheek, Completely agree about being behold to your generation, I was a little tacker during the Canterbury Ranfurly shield era in early 80's. I loved that team. They set allsorts of records only for Auckland come along and annihilate every one of them in the very next defense. They were a typical Canterbury team of top shelf players without a whole raft of stars. They were super fit and won a multitude of games at the death. The side was tactically brilliant with the list of coaches/administrators that come out of that team including Wayne Smith, Robbie Deans, Jock Hobbs. Unfortunately their deeds we well and truly over shadowed by an Auckland team that were probably the greatest provicnail side of all time (sorry ABnutta never saw the Hawkes Bay team) that era included players like, Andy Haden, John Kirwan, Grant Fox, Gary Whetton, Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Jones, Joe Satnley, Zinzan Brooke, Inga, Alan Whetton, even Frank Bunce couldn't get a regular start they were unbeaten in 61 defences. But that Canterbury side still hold a very special place in my heart especially sitting in the now destroyed Lancaster Park with the old man screaming his lungs out at the Ref, greatest side I ever watched particularly through 30 years of rose tinted one eyed glasses
Jiggles
Roar Guru
He was a pretty handy 7s player too. Robinson was a player I genuinely feared when he was in the England/Lions jumper. Players like Wilkinson, Dallaglio, Johnson and Lewsey, for example, where all greats but they just didn't have the same aura around them with regards to breaking a game wide open with one amazing individual moment like Robinson did. You knew those players would grind the Wallabies down slowly over 80 minutes, not pull something out of the hat like Robinson did. On top of that game breaking ability he was also just as solid and consistently excellent as the names I mentioned above in his role as a winger or fullback. Cueto was good that year. I thought England were developing a really nice squad that year, but it all turned to sh*t at the RWC a bit like Australia.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Cory Jane is a fantastic player. Amazing to think he used to be a fly half. Sharples is apparently the quickest player in England, and he's a good finisher, but he's no Jane... England needs another 11 like Mark Cueto IMO, a player who can cover 15, and who has a big left boot. IMHO Cueto's performances in the 2010 Autumn Tests were the best performance of an English back since Robinson burst on to the scene.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
"11. Jason Robinson" forgot about him in my team! My favourite winger to watch right now is Cory Jane, and I became a big fan of Sharples on the weekend.
Shahsan
Guest
I don't think Farr jones would shirk tackling Jonah. Not that kind of guy. He is probably not the most flamboyant of scrum halves but he was probably the most tactically astute. The article asks for the players you most liked to watch. Botha was tough and a bit of a thug, which all teams must have, but he wasn't a joy to watch for his play, was he? Technically he wasn't that good, really, a poor man's Martin Johnson but with even more cheap shots in his armoury
Shahsan
Guest
I like your list. Good mix
Shahsan
Guest
Did you ever watch whetton at full flow in the mid 80s? Or did you catch him only in his older early 90s years? I dont think i have seen a lock forward run like whetton at full gallop. And he was no gangly beanpole like Ali Williams or Ian jones or eales, and I don't think bakkies or matfiled could run like him with ball in hand. His best years were in tandem with andy haden, when he was dominant at line out and in the open
Michael
Guest
The 1973 Aus schoolboys at Twickenham also had Ken Wright & Mick Mathers. Sorry for forgetting those guys.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Players I loved to watch, and by and large when at their peak (prevents me having to name years etc): 1. Jean-Jacques Crenca (small but eyewateringly tough), 2. Raphael Ibanez, 3. Franck Tournaire, 4. Simon Shaw, 5. Victor Matfield, 6. Abdel Benazzi, 7. Richard Hill, 8. Scott Quinnell; 9. Ben Youngs, 10. Dan Carter, 11. Jason Robinson, 12. Tim Horan, 13. Brian O'Driscoll, 14. Ben Tune, 15. Mils Muliaina
Jerry
Guest
George Smith once accused Schalk Burger of trying to steal his balls, I recall.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
I would not go into a game without Bakkies Botha or Victor Matfield. Eales could kick but Matfield could steal the opponents balls in his sleep. When hookers have nightmares Matfield is the boogey man. I got one question to ask. Can Nick Far Jones tackle Jonah Lomu? Van Der Westhuizen can the guy oozes inspiration to a team wouldn't go on a field without him or Pichot. But then there is Fourie Du Preez who was the pivot and made a guy like Morne Steyn looked good. I would put Roncero and Du Randt there in the front rowers with that man Fitzpatrick in between them. Have Bunce at 13 and put Ben Tune in there somewhere just to hear the commentator scream TUNE!!! for the last time
Happy Hooker
Guest
Just before the release of his book "I love my Money", as his Randwick team mates used to refer to it. (Actually titled "For Love not Money", but they used to pay out on him mercilessly about it).
Happy Hooker
Guest
Kava, Cheika & Poido were hard. Eddie was a cheap shot merchant.
Happy Hooker
Guest
England schools were always just that little bit older ... made enough of a difference even at that age to make it tough for our boys .
Happy Hooker
Guest
Sydney, with a healthy boost from country players (Tombs, Ekert, Gavin, Brial)
Neuen
Roar Rookie
Lets not forget the 1982 21 -12 beating the Jaquars which was basically 15 Los Pumas players playing that day gave South Africa in Bloemfontein and in 1985 we drew 21-21 all with NZ where the legendary Hugo Porta scored all the points in both matches. The game vs South Africa they used Jaquars name to basically bypass the international ban. That day we beat them with 15 Puma players but the record books will show Jaquars due to the technicality used to bypass that ban. Also remember we beat Australia in 1997 which was the start of Rod McQueen Building that great Wallaby team that won the 99 world cup. In 2007 we beat France twice for that third spot in that WC. We should have done better in that Semi vs South Africa but I guess we got a bit of stage fright and did not play like played throughout the tournament especially the games vs France. Just hope the IRB gives us the 2023 World Cup to host as it would do so much for country and rugby development. We already got stadiums and infrastructure to host such a event. Just sad that the IRB gave us a vote that counts 1 so the South will always be overpowered voting wise by the north who each got votes that counts 2 each which is ridiculous. How many times do we have to beat Scotland and Ireland to proof that we are not minnows anymore. We even drew with the British Lions in 2005 with a 2nd string Los Pumas team. In fact 26 of our players was unavailable for that game!
Jerry
Guest
Come on, you can find a more thrilling lock than Gary Whetton surely? Just limiting it to AB locks, Robin Brooke, Chris Jack, Ali Williams, and Sam Whitelock are much more skillful with the ball.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
That South African team from 97-98 that ran the French in the ground by 52-10 and went on to win 17 games on the trott. They played some very good attacking rugby and I remember in the France game the try by their 10 Honiball they passed it through the French team with about 20 passes almost he got the ball with a open try line and were looking to pass it! Its a shame we didn't see much of Honiball in International rugby as he made that backline look so smooth and flowing and they ran into space and not bumper car it up like we get to know them. At then end of that thrashing which was btw the last game at the old Parc De Prince the French crowd stand up and gave them a standing ovation as they played and beat the French with running and flair like we use to see of the French. Mallet was a great coach and always wondered why they let that guy go.
abnutta
Roar Guru
Favourite combinations XV from my time of watching rugby: Back three: Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu, Jeff Wilson. A combined try scoring strike rate of 71.08% which would statistically place them behind the 1980s back three combo of Gallagher, Kirwan and Wright (74.62%) but ahead of Muliaina, Rokocoko and Howlett (55.55%). Favourite Cullen moment has to be his try vs Australia at Dunedin 1997. A searing 65m try which turned Gregan (who had a knack of stopping breathtaking All Black movements) inside out. Fav Lomu moment came in the 1995 BC match in Sydney when Lomu left Campese and Little in the dust with the big fend on the way to a try and Jeff Wilson scoring in the 1997 BC match in Melbourne. Midfield: Frank Bunce and Walter Little. The best centre pairing in the world during their time. Just look at the scoring record of those who played outside of them. I loved Bunce's short passing game and Walter Little's "chop fend" Halfbacks: Daniel Carter and Aaron Smith. Smith is my favourite halfback to watch. I just love watching him pass the ball. Never seen anything like it. 1st BC test this year in Sydney. 60th minute. ABs get a turnover and he zips a 40m pass into Carter's bread basket as Carter is on the fly moving into the backline coming almost from the fullback position. Loose trio: Zinzan Brooke, Michael Jones and Josh Kronfeld. This trio was perfectly balanced for any type of game loose or tight. Locks: Ian Jones and Robin Brooke. My fav moment of them together is when they supported the Marshall break to set up Jeff Wilson's 1st try during the series deciding test at Pretoria in 1996. Front row: Craig Dowd, Sean Fitzpatrick and Olo Brown. Fav moment of scrummaging is one of the pushover tries scored against Australia in 1997 at Christchurch.