Following on from recent articles by Brett McKay and JD Kiwi about creating teams based on players and team units from victorious Super Rugby teams of the past, I have decided to go the other way and create an XV based on players who have never won a title.
New Zealand teams have won 17 of the 24 completed tournaments, including the last five editions. These have come in clusters, such as for the Blues (1996 and 1997) and the Chiefs (2012 and 2013), and we all know about the Crusaders’ dominance of the competition, winning ten times with three periods of winning consecutive titles. The Highlanders and Hurricanes have one title each, in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
For the purposes of this article players must have never been involved as a player in a victorious Super Rugby squad over the 24 seasons, must have been eligible for New Zealand (but not necessarily capped) and must no longer be playing Super Rugby.
15. Christian Cullen (Hurricanes)
There was no better sight than seeing Cullen in full flight at the advent of Super Rugby. He is one of the greatest attacking fullbacks of all time and was known for some trademark long-range tries. His pace and body swerve allowed him to rip defences up at will. He scored 56 tries in 85 appearances for the Hurricanes.
14. Jeff Wilson (Highlanders)
One of New Zealand’s most talented sportsmen and a dual international who played cricket for New Zealand. Wilson and the Highlanders came agonisingly close to winning in 1999, losing to the Crusaders 24-19 in the final. Wilson was a well-rounded rugby player who had great anticipation and speed and a great kicking game.
13. Conrad Smith (Hurricanes)
After battling for regular game time early on his career, Smith went on to make 126 appearances for the Hurricanes, forming one of the greatest midfield pairings in history with Ma’a Nonu. Smith played with a lot of smarts and was one of the best decision-makers on the field. He played in one final in which he captained the Hurricanes in the 2015 loss to the Highlanders.
(Tim Anger)
12. Ma’a Nonu (Hurricanes, Blues, Highlanders)
With 174 games across three teams, Nonu is one of the best backs to play Super Rugby. He was still playing at a high level in 2019 for the Blues and many were predicting he would be a surprise inclusion in the All Blacks. Nonu played his best rugby at the Hurricanes, starting on the wing before settling in the midfield. Nonu made two finals, including the infamous fog final of 2006.
(Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
11. Tana Umaga (Hurricanes, Chiefs)
Albeit that Umaga generally played on the right wing or the midfield, I had to include him in this team as I did not want to split the Nonu-Smith combination. Umaga is one of most respected rugby players to have played Super Rugby, playing 129 games. He was part of a formidable Hurricanes back three in the early 2000s with Cullen and Jonah Lomu. Umaga is currently an assistant coach for the Blues.
10. Tony Brown (Highlanders)
Like Wilson, Brown was a member of the Highlanders team that made the 1999 final. The game was held at the old Carisbrook stadium and was dubbed ‘the party at Tony Brown’s house’. This was a play on a popular New Zealand commercial at the time. He amassed 857 points in 91 appearances for the Dunedin franchise. Brown was a great tactician at flyhalf as well as a solid defender. He was the assistant coach for the Highlanders when they won their sole title in 2015.
9. Byron Kelleher (Highlanders, Chiefs)
The aggressive halfback with a swift pass was a key contributor in the 1999 Highlanders run to the final. In 2004 he moved to the Chiefs and helped them make their first play-off appearance that year. He played 92 games across the two franchises.
8. Jerry Collins (Hurricanes)
In selecting another player slightly out of his regular position, the late Jerry Collins was a brute force with the Hurricanes. He played blindside flanker but did play a number of games, including Tests at the back of the scrum. A strong ball carrier and one of the hardest tacklers to have played the game in modern times, Collins was part of a dynamic loose trio for the Hurricanes in the mid-2000s that featured Chris Masoe and Rodney So’oialo.
(AFP Photo/Files/Gianluigi Guercia)
7. Luke Braid (Chiefs, Blues)
This is a slightly controversial selection ahead of players like Josh Kron-field and Marty Holah. The loose forward always impressed with a great work rate and high-level performances in a Blues team that struggled in the period from 2012 to 2105. Braid was recently named in an XV of the best players when playing overseas. He amassed 329 carries, 350 tackles and 40 turnovers in 36 away games.
(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
6. Jerome Kaino (Blues)
The double World Cup winner regularly stood out for the Blues, especially in their struggles since last making the play-offs in 2011. Kaino played 139 games for the Auckland franchise. After a brief stint in Japan he returned in 2014, when he continued on the strong form that saw him become one of the best loose forwards in the world.
5. Anthony Boric (Blues)
Playing 72 times for the Blues, Boric was an athletic lock forward that was effective at lineout time and had great mobility around the field. He was rewarded for consistent play in Super Rugby by being the first picked for the All Blacks in 2008. He was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad.
4. Paul Tito (Chiefs, Hurricanes)
The man nicknamed ‘The Fish’ for his ginger hair was a cult hero in his province of Taranaki and for the Hurricanes. Playing 84 games for the Hurricanes after a brief stint at the Chiefs, Tito was regarded as one of the best lineout forwards during his career. He was also a very mobile lock who loved running with the ball in hand.
3. Carl Hayman (Highlanders)
With a 120-kilo and 193-centimetre frame, Hayman is considered by many to be one of the strongest props to play the game. He was a dominate scrummager and a renowned lineout lifter utilising his immense strength. Hayman played 81 games for the Dunedin based franchise.
2. Andrew Hore (Crusaders, Hurricanes, Highlanders)
After limited game time with the Crusaders in 2001, Hore established himself with the Hurricanes from 2002 to 2011. In that time he was awarded the New Zealand Super Rugby player of the year in 2008. He was an industrious hooker who was difficult to remove at the breakdown with his great body position and strength. He was a busy player close to the tryline, including scoring a hat-trick in his 50th match of Super Rugby in 2006.
1. Carl Hoeft (Highlanders)
Being part of a strong front row in the late 1990s with Anton Oliver and Kees Meeuws, Hoeft built a strong reputation as a technically strong scrummager. He was not the flashiest of players but he generally delivered at set piece and made the effort to work on his general play to earn high honours. He played 98 games for the Highlanders.
Roarers, who would be in your XV of New Zealand players who have never won a Super Rugby title?
Kane
Roar Guru
Think Cullen left NZ in 2003, from memory he played for Munster from 2003-07 so was well gone by then. Great player but was never the same after that knee injury. Once he lost his outright pace he didn't have the all round game to help him.
chucked
Guest
Lots of Aussie players to pick from, with so few titles :happy:
Sinclair Whitbourne
Roar Rookie
I'd have Kelleher for his off field capacities on top of his on field - I'd like to think I might have met some of the exciting ladies he hung out with if I was attached to the team as some kind of hanger on. On his day, the man could also throw a pass as well as make them.
Sinclair Whitbourne
Roar Rookie
Yes, it is cruel in a way. I suspect some people who have the ideal personal qualities to be a head coach would not be great technical/assistant coaches but it is the head who gets the limelight and I guess we naturally feel that you haven't really climbed the mountain unless you have succeeded at that role. Yet in the modern game at the elite level, the success of the head coach does have a lot to do with the assistants/technical coaches - as you say. I often think of Wayne Smith's time as head coach for NZ vs his time as an assistant with the same. I actually think all he lacked was the requisite arrogance/self-belief to be a success as head coach. He wasn't bad at Canterbury, of course. I suspect that he and Cron were incredibly important in the outstanding All Black sides of their era. I actually think that Laurie Mains and Wayne Smith are the (relatively) unnoticed architects of the very successful style played by the AB's in the last two decades, despite both having a mixed record as head coach (and I will always think that NZ were the team of the tournament in 1995).
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Yeah that’s true. They have always had some decent loose forwards and occasionally good tight forwards but they never seem to be a dominant pack.
OzKiwi74
Roar Rookie
It’s telling that the Hurricanes have had amazing backs but rarely produced a solid forward pack. Forwards still win tournaments. Just look at what happened in the world cup.
Andrew Johnson
Guest
Interesting way of looking at it. If NZ our only one team in super rugby I’m sure they’d have won even more, same cups be said for aus or sa. Having less teams means your national talent pool is less spread out. Isn’t that why Australia dropped back to four? So winning titles with only three teams should be expected.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Both of them have won titles so wouldn’t be included in this squad.
Targa
Roar Rookie
Mils and Marshall would be good to include too.
Targa
Roar Rookie
True. Mealamu was great and so is Dane Coles but Fitzpatrick was a legend.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Some great names there and wouldn’t be too many arguments. I would be tempted to add Keven Mealamu in there.
Pinetree
Roar Rookie
Even though I am critical of Blackadder as a head coach, I agree that he would have plenty to offer in a technical support role. He is great for keeping the team humble and working hard too. Being a head coach requires a vision of the overall season plan, and requires adaption and shrewd tactics, which I think is where Blackadder falls short at the elite level, but you should never dismiss a person's value to a team outside of head coach, such as for example, Wayne Smith or Mike Cron. Brad Thorn may end up being better too in a support specialist role, as he is a great motivator and hard ethics man with a lot of knowledge in forward play.
Targa
Roar Rookie
Great side. How about a NZ side that has won Super Rugby? It was very hard to pick the 2nd lock. 15. Ben Smith, 14. Doug Howlett, 13. Eroni Clark/Jack Goodhue, 12. SBW, 11. Jonah, 10. DC, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Read or Zinny, 7. McCaw, 6. Michael Jones, 5. Brodie Retallick, 4. ??? (Robin Brooke/Norm Maxwell/Chris Jack/Brad Thorn/Ali Williams/Sam Whitelock) 3. Olo Brown/Owen Franks, 2. Sean Fitzpatrick, 1. Tony Woodcock
Sinclair Whitbourne
Roar Rookie
Agree re Blackadder - a terrific bloke and team man and a very, very fine player and a good coach but as both player and coach not quite in the absolute elite and a bit unlucky. I'd have loved the Wobblies to have picked him up as a technical coach and I think he could offer a lot in that type of role at any club. I will add that I would have killed to be 1/10th the player or coach that he was/is.
Malotru
Roar Rookie
Weepu, Kelleher, hard to separate in my book Geoff. Quite a tough call isn't it.
Malotru
Roar Rookie
Mzilikazi how could you? :happy:
Carlin
Roar Rookie
It was his attacking prowess. He just seemed to make things look so easy and was so great to watch gliding through defences at ease. He was a joy to watch and I think people were just amazed with his freakish talents. He was also very committed on defence and was one of strongest players that could bench press on par with the forwards. There is probably more complete fullbacks going around but I think what he could do on attack not many will ever match.
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
I gotta ask, what is it with Cullen that touches so deep among almost all Kiwi rugby fans? Don't get me wrong, he was a true GAB. But there are many other GAB's, and very few of them, if any, can match Cullen's place in so many hearts.
Pinetree
Roar Rookie
Blackadder is a good bloke, with hard work ethics, but IMO, just didn't have the technical nous needed at that level. The Crusaders were playing the game too flat under Blackadder, without earning the right to go wide, which made them much easier to defend against. I am not saying he is a bad coach, and you are correct that he made the playoffs all but 1 time, including 2 finals, but that is well below any other coach for the Crusaders, and if you can get the best coach in SR rugby on offer, which the Crusaders could, Blackadder fell short for me. Really like Blackadder as a person though, just not tactically as a coach in rugby.
Carlin
Roar Rookie
I am not sure if they are favoured but the power players are from there. The current CEO & the former have both been involved with the Canterbury and the Crusaders in some capacity. Hansen was a coach for that region as well as others who were in the All Black coaching and support staff. What gets me is how well players who have been lacking game time down there can fit in so seamlessly and perform. That’s a credit to the development system, the collaboration of Canterbury and Tasman Unions and the extremely high standards the Crusaders culture has. There was a good RugbyPass article earlier this year on how the Crusaders work well with Canterbury and Tasman.