Rocky Elsom signs for Toulon

some interesting comments made by deans regarding rocky at the end of this article: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/oconnor-shines-in-new-role-as-leader-20130307-2fo6y.html I always wonder what degree of control deans has within the wallaby setup, is his comments here an admission that he made the wrong calls with rocky or do his comments hint at frustration at the calls made by the higher ups in the ARU (people like nucifora among others).

Robbie's comments today were very interesting and are probably very close to the mark. He is against the idea of playing sabaticals as the players don't get a sufficient break from top rugby. In Robbie's view Rocky never recovered from his European adventure. You can see where many overseas playing sabaticals have not worked out for top players. Look at what happened to Dan Carter. Ma'a Nonu came back from Japan last year and never got going for the Blues in 2012. Sonny-Bill was injured in Japan. There's probably a lot more. Ellison came back last year and was OK but having no break between seasons until a short break at the end of 2012 he is now out injured for most of 2013. Even Brad Thorn is currently injured. So it seems that if a players takes a playing sabatical overseas he better consider taking a break before getting back into the heavy stuff when he returns. Interestingly as well, there's very few who come back from a stint in Europe as better players. Vickerman, MacAlister, Chris Jack came back and couldn't go on. There's probably a lot more.

Rocky Elsom was 'rated' on a handful of European appearances and not a single Test appearance in that time frame. That's ridiculous, and as for the best in the world in 2009 I don't ever recall hearing that. And the UK media... the same UK media who are pilloried n the SH. Elsom had some very good games in an excellent side. When he returned to Australia he was just as flawed as he was before he left. In 2009 I wouldn't have even had him close to Tom Croft or Juan Smith, for example.

No thanks, you might need it - after all you're the one w*nking over Rocky's former 'glories'.

Agreed, a somewhat disappointing list.

They had also put in a a few more years and had earned that sabbatical hadnt they. Elsom was only really becoming a consistent feature when he took off.

Sorry one thing Rocky did not have was bone jarring defence. He rarely stuck the shoulder in, tended to just use his frame to lump on blokes. Now Jerry Collins had bone jarring defence. Rocky, not so much.

Jerry, It's time to man up and admit you you misjudged Rocky as a player in his prime. Picking two lesser players out of a team full of international superstars and comparing them to Rocky is flawed. Tissue?

Must be getting old. At 8 it was Anthony Foley in The Dream Team.

While most of the players on that list are very good players, ROG (to a lesser degree) and Murphy demonstrate that what makes a good club player doesn't always translate to test rugby. They both had substantial talent in many areas, however they also had some glaring weaknesses (neither of them could tackle for instance) which are more ruthlessly exposed at the higher level.

Yes, I wouldn't put ROG at the top either although he had a stellar career for Ireland (and the Lions). But if nothing else he was a great goalkicker and played the field kicking game well. But internet searches can find many interesting articles. The Independent newspaper in London ranked and published its Top 50 International Rugby Players for 2009. After players like O' Driscoll, Brussow, McCaw, Du Prez, Paul O'Connor etc. there sitting as the 12th best International rugby player in the world was Rocky Elsom. Around that time you will see Rocky as 6 in numerous World Rugby Teams selections made by international rugby journalists. So it's clear Rocky was rated overseas. It's a pity he wasn't rated to the same extent in Aus. It's a greater pity his career in Aus fell in a hole and he is now lost to Aus rugby.

The presence of Geordan Murphy and ROG in that team also reflects Rocky's standing.....

Well, Rocky was celebrated in Europe, if not completely in Aus. The greatest players to have graced the Europeon Club game over the years 1995 to 2010. Selected by the ERC. Known as The Dream Team; 15 Geordan Murphy 14 Josh Lewsey 13 Brian O'Driscoll 12 Yannick Jauzion 11 Vincent Clerc 10 Ronan O'Gara 9 Rob Howley 8 Anthony Howley 7 David Wallace 6 Rocky Elsom 5 Fabien Pelous 4 Martin Johnson 3 Sylvain Marconnet 2 William Servant 1 Christian Califano Not a bad team and reflects Rocky's standing in the game.

Agree Jutise, it probably wasn't fair. It's also unlikely many would have done differently from him themselves either.

And sometimes it's easier to use cheap rhetorical techniques rather than stick to the point. Elsom was good in 08/09 but wasn't even a majority, let alone unanimous World XV selection.

Yeah thats a good point, but that highlights my point further, is it fair on elsom that due to the expectations of supporters and his team's lack of success he was labelled a pariah for taking the same opportunities that players like roff and carter had taken previously without a peep from supporters.

not sure why but my posts keep doubling up lol

It could be Jutsie. Maybe it was also the Wallabies fortunes: in Roff and Carters' cases their teams were doing much better than the Wallabies in Elsom's day.

Joe roff did similar in the early 2000's, he took a sabbatical to biarittz, carter has done similar with the AB's. They both went with the ARU/NZRU blessing as well as the blessing of most supporters. Maybe its not the man or the entitlement culture, maybe its just the supporters who have become more and more judgemental and demanding of their sports stars.