Kieran Read has delivered exceptional performance after exceptional performance in 2013 to all but cement his IRB Player of the Year crown.
Read has grown year after year and when he retires, will be compared favourably to other No. 8s when people talk about the best ever.
It’s not just Read of the current players that will be compared favourably to other players in their positions from different eras.
Dan Carter, Will Genia and Richie McCaw will forever be remembered as some of the best players to have played.
The same can not be said of the current outside centres of the world.
Brian O’Driscoll will be remembered as one of the best 13s, but it will be the Brian O’Driscoll from 2001 to 2010 that will be remembered, not the O’Driscoll of 2013.
He is not the player he was, but the fact he is still one of the best in the world is more a reflection on the reduced standards of 13s available.
At his best, O’Driscoll displayed everything expected of an outside centre. The attacking lines, good passing skills and handling, pace and acceleration from the mark, spatial awareness – both in attack and defence – ferocious tackling and defensive organisation.
O’Driscoll had no fear, and often led from the front doing the dirty work, as well as being able to produce the X-factor in attack. He was also fantastic at the breakdown to boot.
Conrad Smith is the current best in the world. His defensive reading and support lines are what you’d expect from the best in the world, but he isn’t what he was in terms of pace and attacking threat.
No other current outside centre comes close. Jonathan Davies can’t pass or defend to a high enough standard. Manu Tuilagi is close, but gets caught out too much in defence to be considered.
Tevita Kuridrani and JJ Engelbrecht could be close in years to come but have a lot to learn.
Kuridrani’s power and tackling is frightening, but I suspect his pace might not be enough. His inability to go all the way from intercepting against New Zealand was evidence of this.
New Zealand have tended to try to convert wingers into the 13 channel, with Tim Nanai Williams and Rene Ranger having moved in there in last year’s Super Rugby, and Ben Smith moving in for the November internationals.
Nanai Williams and Ranger looked extremely dangerous in that channel, and while they surprised me defensively, they still got caught out more than you’d allow for a top class 13.
Smith is doing well defensively so far, but his attacking influence has been significantly reduced, and his best position is definitely at fullback.
So how will Christian Lealiifano stack up there against Scotland? This will be the second positional change Lealiifano has had to make in the last two years, after impressing in both the outhalf, and second five eighth positions.
In attack, his passing is excellent but his running lines have largely been crash balls up the centre which, for a man his size, isn’t the smartest.
At 10, his defence was good, but that’s when compared to some dreadful tacklers.
At 12, it still wasn’t bad, but his cut-short debut for Australia shows it’s not great. He could be caught out if he’s kept there for longer than the Scotland game.
McKenzie should have put in Chris Feauai Sautia, or at the very least Israel Folau or Bernard Foley.
Feauai Sautia’s played there in underage, so he understands the defensive requirements of the position, and will probably end up there. He’s a built guy and is capable of making tackles, and has the X-factor in attack.
It would have been the long term solution, and potentially a glimpse of the next great outside centre.
john gray
Roar Rookie
sorry i am late to this party but excellent commentary Tane. just to illustrate your point was the time many of us remember when josh kronfelf said of ritchie mccaw's 2001 AB selection '' bloody incredible. you might as well give all black jerseys to everybody''
NicolasPA
Guest
MARCELO BOSCH
trev
Guest
W (Walter) Little was a 12. Do you mean Bunce?
Seb Vettel
Guest
well if benji plays at FB... then Piutau may play centre. Not what we want as blues fans... considering how hopeless Noakes is.
Seb Vettel
Guest
lol lions series over a really poor wallabies side... give us a break... AB's and SB's showed how hard it wasn't to beat the Wallabies.
Jerry
Guest
"Reputation even at his best often based on performances against lower-ranking teams." Like who? He's generally played well against the SH big 3.
Dane
Guest
Re: Halfpenny, I agree with you that he is not as dynamic as the other nominees. However, as far as teh Brit-centric IRB are concerned, goal kicking is the be-all and end-all as far as Rugby goes. Remember the BBC showing slow mo replays of Jonn Wilkinsons penalty goals a few years ago. Enough to make you sick
Jeff
Guest
Once I got to this sentence I stopped reading because the post will obviously be rubbish. Dan Carter, Will Genia and Richie McCaw will forever be remembered as some of the best players to have played.No argument with McCaw and Carter but Genia !!!!! Whatever you are smoking I would like some of it. At the moment Genia would struggle to be in the top 3 in the world. "
Schuey
Guest
Lovely decoy loop there, executed by moore n cooper. Stoked
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Nothing for years and years. Coasts on reputation. Hardly makes a linebreak. Reputation even at his best often based on performances against lower-ranking teams. Stands out in weak Ireland backs. Would never get near the All Blacks, only a NZ Super franchise by the skin of teeth. If you drink enough ale for the All Blacks game you can convince yourself Ireland are winning.
DR
Guest
Admittedly i am no BOD fan but his class and ability is undeniable. Great player.
DR
Guest
Agreed. Well thought out Tane.
TheGreyGhost
Roar Rookie
When BoD dies, they will stuff him, name him in the Ireland squad. It will be the job of the 12 and 14 to carry him out after the anthems and stand him in the back line. That is how undroppable he is. Despite, as you, the fact that he's never done anything on the big stages, and in fact the Lions had to drop him in order to win the series.
Derm
Roar Guru
Brian O'Driscoll - most overrated rugby player EVER! Can't pass, can't kick, can't run, doesn't score tries, doesn't tackle, can't defend - aimless on a rugby pitch. Might get a job as a ball-boy with the All Blacks. I mean what has he ever actually done? © KPM 2013
Magic Sponge
Guest
Agree with Tane on those selections . Great call
Magic Sponge
Guest
Agree with Tane on those selections . Great call
Jerry
Guest
The Smith era only covers half of those 4 seasons and his selections were nowhere near as bizarre as you're insinuating and I don't care who played where for Queensland that's why I omitted the reference in my original post. Latter period - yeah, that's what I was getting at.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
I'm pretty sure I mentioned Australia's bizarre selections through that period, and also pointed out that Herbert was preferred at 13 for the Reds then. Horan was at his peak from 97 onwards too. Little wasn't poor, he just wasn't a better 13 in that latter period.
Old Bugger
Guest
TM You'd leave out Joe Stanley.....big call?? I think Joe had Sella's measure - but have to agree, Sella was a brilliant player.
Jerry
Guest
Of the 67 tests Dan Herbert played, 54 of them were played from 1998 onwards so in fact the vast majority weren't played in the prime of Jason Little. Herbert only played 13 tests in his first 4 seasons of test rugby.