World Rugby’s team of the decade was just released and among the debate was the selection of Brian O’Driscoll at centre.
A great centre? Absolutely! In the 2010s? Perhaps not.
But what struck me when arguing the merits of one centre over the other was how many great centres there were in that decade, and how few are currently playing.
Looking out across the not inconsiderable landscape of Test rugby I could find precisely one centre I would consider as being a top player for their country. One. His name is Jonathan Davies and he’s been playing for Wales for 11 years.
(Photo by John Berry/Getty Images)
The next closest is probably Robbie Henshaw in Ireland, a very good player, and probably in the running for being one of the best in world, but not really of the same calibre as Jonathan Davies or the greats of the last decade.
And so my question is where have they all gone?
Where is the next Jean de Villiers, running lines of such perfection that even the best defences were carved into a disorganised rabble? Where is Brian O’Driscoll changing pace like a Formula One car coming out of a corner? Where is the sublime perfection of Conrad Smith refusing to make a single mistake and being so utterly dependable he made playing competently look like a work of art?
One of the great challenges of the modern era is trying to beat the rush defence, and I can’t help but feel part of the issue is the lack of absolutely top shelf centres who can bend the line, break it or send their outsides around it.
I’ve noticed in watching a lot of recent games a lack of quality in execution of plays across the back lines of every country I have seen. Stuttering actions in midfield shut down plays or poor decisions result in wingers caught flat footed or not released when they should be.
A lot of the current crop have had a decent number of Tests to make their mark. Damian de Allende has got magic in his feet, but sometimes he casts the spell on himself. Jonathan Joseph is coming into his own after a long build up, but still seems short on the full package.
The aforementioned Henshaw is rock steady but a better defender than on the other side of the ball. Australia has an enormous talent in Jordan Petaia but he is so far from the finished article the ink hasn’t left the pen.
New Zealand can’t work out who their centres even are, having taken one guy who looked on the path in Jack Goodhue and pushing him to 12, putting a centre utility in Anton Lienert-Brown in instead, dabbling with a wing in Rieko Ioane and never quite settling on anyone.
I have a sneaking (and not a little biased) suspicion that if Braydon Ennor can stay healthy, he might be the start of a bright new dawn but he is still unproven at Test level.
KiwiHaydn
Roar Rookie
Forget centres, where is Australia’s next great back? Not one of the the current squad would make a backline of the best Australian players of the past 10 years.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Kolbe?
kent
Guest
professionalism is the death of small skillful players. As long as you are 6 feet tall, 100kg and can run all day you get the position. The role of a centre now is a battering ram, run head long and try to get over the advantage line. There will never be another David Knox or Carlos Spencer - running across the field bamboozling the defence (and their own players) wondering what they are going to do.
pm
Roar Rookie
I think Tuilagi is overrated too. I think it's cause he's relatively unusual in the NH, as a power rather than skills-based centre.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Very late reader here, PP. Good article, great discussion....well done and thanks :happy:
J Jones
Roar Rookie
Agree... soon it will be true of halfbacks...It'll be shoulder to shoulder spanning the width of the field - the largest gap will be that of the one between the players ears.
Etepeus
Roar Rookie
I think Hodge is ideal for 2nd5 or centre, currently listed at 191cm and 95kg, at 26 years old he could easily have 5-6 years - with todays conditioning I would think adding 5+kg to him would not be that hard.
Etepeus
Roar Rookie
Michael Jones was listed at 98kg, Josh Kronfeld also 98kg Walter little 78kg, Matt Giteau 85kg Flankers have got a bit bigger 5-10kg but centres 20kg With the ability of forwards to run and defend wider, you need bigger weapons to counter, Jonah showed what happens when you put a giant with speed on the field, becomes very hard to stop. The whole reason there are weight groups in boxing etc, a big man will generally beat a small man. It why I think Jordie Barrett would be a good at 2nd, got the size and ability, NZ has plenty of faster options for wing/fullback. Same for Hodge for Wallabies
MO
Guest
He was friggin last man standing as well and being in form and I think one of the top try scorers in the NRC. There was nothing else he could do.
MO
Guest
Sorry. Apologies to Uni.
Antony Henrie
Guest
Yes i do mean the guy who is running around Brisbane. Australias best centre. You are talking about where the centres are? Right lol Oh yeah.Rennie is a total failure as a coach and as a selector. You only have to look at Samu McDermott Hanigan Swinton Gordon blunders to see it. 6 tests 1 win. That's a massive FAIL. Champ.
Heels
Guest
Tom wore dark blue not light blue. I blame the clown again for another player in form not getting a go.
ojp44
Guest
Both observations correct there I reckon - crappy passing only amplifies the issues presented by the rush :rugby:
ojp44
Guest
I was of the understanding that Carlo played for UWA rather than Nedlands, as per this from RugbyWA ? https://wa.rugby/news/2019/09/04/rugbywa-senior-academy-players-on-the-rise-in-2020 'Tizzano, 19, has spent his entire club career with UWA Rugby Club and has currently earned the starting no. 7 spot in the Western Force’s NRC side.'
MO
Guest
And could take Matt Dunning in pie eating contest.
MO
Guest
It was nuts. When English was the only 13 who wasn't injured and had a very good super season he still didn't get picked. Someone must really dislike him as a person coz it couldn't have been his rugby.
MO
Guest
Pretty much Etepeus. Pocock played 12 in high school out side Quade Cooper. That may sound a long time ago but then consider Pocock went straight from high school rugby to Super Rugby to Test rugby pretty much immediately. George Smith apparently played a few games at 12 in France. Carlo Tizzano (Nedlands, Force now Tahs) played centre and then switched to 7. In a barbarians game in England Toutai Kefu and and his brother Steve(?) were the centres. Not quite the same but Radike Samo was a pretty good winger.
J Jones
Roar Rookie
Agree... but it’s become the standard not the exception.... go back a few more years and that wasn’t the case. There was a difference between Michael Jones and Walter little etc. I’ve always advocated a ball player/line bender combination in the midfield.
Etepeus
Roar Rookie
the centres is not a place for small men - centres are the same size as flankers, bigger in some cases Nonu 108kg 182cm, SBW 110kg 191cm, C Smith 95kg 186cm, ALB 101kg 185cm, JG 100kg 187cm, Ioane 105kg 189cm, Laumape 103kg 171cm McCaw 107kgs 187cm, Cane 106kgs 189cm
Etepeus
Roar Rookie
Take a no 7 make him faster with a better passing game and you have a centre.