As self-designated old timer’s rugby selector of the ‘favourites fifteens’ from Australia and New Zealand, I can now proudly announce the Favourites Overseas XV.
After much research, YouTubing and searching of memory banks, the XV is as follows. These are my favourite players, not necessarily the best in their position:
JPR Williams
Gerald Davies
David Duckham
Philippe Sella
Danie Gerber
Barry John
Joost van der Westhuizen
Mervyn Davies
Jean-Pierre Rives
Willie John McBride
Martin Johnson
Francois Pienaar
Fran Cotton
Keith Wood
Ian “Mighty Mouse” McLauchlan
What is the best, anyway? It is all about opinion. Some would say Serge Blanco was a better fullback and yes, that was a close call as Blanco typified the brilliance I enjoy. I recall the cleverness of Davies and the sidestep of Duckham.
What skill it must have taken to offer a dummy and sidestep concurrently as seen by David Duckham in the 1972 Barbarians versus All Blacks match. I can watch that over and over!
I do not know if you could find a better centre pairing than the fictional Sella and Gerber combination at any time in rugby history, Frank Bunce and Walter Little? Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu? Jason Little and Tim Horan? All will have fans, but for polished skills and sheer power, Sella and Gerber were potentially the best. Barry John will live long in my memory for his deeds on the 1971 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
Joost van der Westhuizen. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
As is the modern way I will abbreviate the halfback pick to JvdW, a player who had steely eyes to match his playing ability. He will compete with Sid Going and Gareth Edwards as one of the best, with Aaron Smith and Antoine Dupont the greatest of modern times.
Merv ‘the swerve’ Davies was the Welsh number eight during their glory years – no more needs to be said. The bloodied and blonde Rives was another of those players to stick in the memory and holds great respect from All Black fans.
Francois was probably a controversial, close call, but for one moment in history, 1995, he gets the nod.
Does the word “uncompromising” fit well with the two locks McBride and Johnson? They’re the minders of the team, who led by example in the intimidation stakes. I relied on others’ opinions for the selection of Cotton and McLauchlan, with Os du Randt and Graham Price competing. The nuggety, speedy bald fellow in the middle of those props was the inspirational Keith Wood.
So, there you have them, my Overseas Favourites XV.
Martin Johnson. (Photo: Nick Wilson/ALLSPORT)
It would be remiss of me not to compare this team with my New Zealand and Australian fifteens. I will use surnames, nicknames and abbreviations to compare the options for an overall favourite team, as I’m sure those who read this will be clever enough to know who I am talking about.
– JPR vs Cullen vs Gould: You cannot go past Christian.
– Tune/Roff vs BeeGee Williams vs Duckham: I’m showing my bias – BeeGee at his finest.
– Robertson vs O’Connor vs Sella: This is tough, I’ll go Sella.
– Stu Wilson vs Moon vs Gerald Davies: I changed my mind, was initially Moon but have switched to Davies.
– Joe Morgan vs Gerber vs Ken Wright: Gerber, no doubt.
– John vs Spencer vs Ella: Barry John for 1971.
– JvdW vs Going vs Gregan: My Northland bias prefers Sidney Milton Going.
– Mervyn Davies vs Zinzan vs Loane: Zinzan by a 50m dropkick.
– Rives vs Michael Jones vs Poidevin: The Iceman cometh.
– Haden vs Eales vs McBride: John Eales, the kauri of the tall trees.
– Whiting vs Sharpe vs Johnson: Martin Johnson, otherwise known as ‘Ferengi’.
– Kirky vs George Smith vs Pienaar: The Aussie Smith.
– Steve McDowall vs Rodriguez vs Cotton: Topo, the ‘Expert’.
– Fitzpatrick vs Kearns/Lawton vs Wood: The guy you want on your side, Fitzpatrick.
– Hayman vs Daly/McKenzie vs Mighty Mouse: ‘Carl Hayman doesn’t want to forget’.
My favourite overall team from NZ, Australia and the World:
Christian Cullen
Bryan ‘Beegee’ Williams
Phillipe Sella
Gerald Davies
Danie Gerber
Barry John
Sidney Going
Zinzan Brooke
Michael Jones
John Eales
Martin Johnson
George Smith
Topo Rodriguez
Sean Fitzpatrick
Carl Hayman
Who would coach the Overseas XV? I cannot go past legendary Welsh coach Carwyn James, who would battle Alan Jones for Australia and Fred Allen the New Zealander if such fictional matches took place.
I hope you have enjoyed the articles about my favourite players. This is the end of the series and it has been a pleasure to bring them to you. They are not meant to be taken too seriously, but more of a record of great players from the past who would disappear if such writings did not take place.
Will today’s players be remembered as fondly as these players?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
how many of his test matches did you see? amatuer as well in an era whan rugger was pretty brutal
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
yep, NFJ, Gregan, so many Kiwi 9's sit behind the ruck / maul / scrum & spin the ball off the deck giving 10 fast ball, then we had the likes of Luke Burgess & Genia take anywhere from 1 to 3 steps sideways before passing & wonder why the fly half can't get the backline firing
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Over Joost, Kent?? No way, as he wasn't half the halfback Joost was.
Hanibal
Roar Rookie
I wrote a similar article a few years ago choosing my favourite players.
Hanibal
Roar Rookie
Glaring omissions: Hugo Porta Colin Meads Frik Du Perez H O De Villiers J J Williams Mannetjies Roux
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Thanks Ray.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH, Jonah Lomu, was streets ahead of both Duckham & ‘ Thunder thighs ‘ BG as a winger!
RayinSydney
Roar Rookie
Cool series, well done on putting them together, I'd have Fitzpatrick for skip, what a team that'd be.
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Thank you mzilikazi (what does that mean anyway?)
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Nah ..even putting my bias aside , Muzza , Sid Going was a great link up sure ..Joost did stuff on the field that just made him unique ..For the record , I’ve seen both of them live on the field ..Joost had something going , Sid did not …Presence ! Everyone in the opposition watched him like a hawk….He could genuinely change a game in a moment ..If you followed the rebel Cavaliers tour to South Africa , Boks had a nr 9 , Garth Wright ..Just like Sid , sublime scrumhalf skills ..Deserves a mention here , but match winner ? Nope ..Just rambling hope to chat again :thumbup:
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Great work, Peter. Really enjoyed all these articles. Many thanks.
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Eales and Johnson are the locks, Smith is the flanker Dusty.
Dusty10
Roar Rookie
Hi Peter, enjoyed your article, well done. Am I reading your all-time top 15 incorrectly, or have you named George Smith at 4?? Is this another George Smith (I.e., not Australia's best ever 7)?
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep Michael Jones was the first try scorer, in a RWC, which is somthing they'll never take away from him, & was an excellent loosie, or 7 in his day, but the Oamaru born, Richie McCaw, was by far the better, especially in those dark places, being the workhorse he was, & the winner of two RWC, & three IRB ( now WR ) player of the year titles, to which only one other, Dan Carter, is also the in the same boat.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
After all SID was well known for his shocking passing at times. He was more a running halfback, & second string to Laidlaw, as I can clearly remember Sid being outplayed, in the running game by Laidlaw, in a couple of Inter Island games I was at. We might also might remember, that Laidlaw, when with the AB's was virtually told ( in his book also ) to capitalise on his fantastic pass.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yeh true Highlander, but with John outside him, & both being Welsh, they did to a point play off each other. Edwards did make John look good, by being able to stand well back to recieve that long pass. We also might remember, it was Chris Laidlaw, that did actually coach Edwards up on that long pass, when he was at Oxford. It's mentioned in Laidlaws first book ' Mud in your eye' .
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Interesting read Peter, & yes your Taniwha bias does show, especially with Chris Laidlaws bench warmer Sid. Even when Aaron Pene, before he went off shore before the 95 RWC, Zinzan was his bench warmer. No doubt IMO Joost was the best halfback of ALL the past mentioned, as even in the try scoring department, he actually scored approx twice the amount of his closest rival. Barry John! Nah, I so remember that 71 test series, & even I'll admit, he wasn't the same player without Gareth Edwards inside him, as I along with many others at the time do remember his total inability to adjust without Gareth. Remember he wasn't that long around in the game after that tour. Yep there are some that are definitely up there, but some, I would query, in the likes of ' Ducky ' Duckham.
Muzza
Roar Rookie
100% you wrong on No9. You can't beat data , records combine with pure talent ,speed,skill, defence and heart. Joost Van Westhezen was and is the world greatest no9 period. Why? There is half back in the history of Rugby that scored most tries then Joost. 39 tries is still the most tries as a No9 . The way he took control the game and dominated try scoring machine . Sid haven't even score more then 10 tries or 15 tries .. so your biased out of touch and does not match rugby history database
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Can’t go too far wrong with a World Cup winning captain. Rugby, so many variables, so much to admire and love. And so many conversations to be had. Thank you and good night.
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
I was going with McBride but for some reason flipped to Johnson. Maybe McBride would have been a more understanding understudy than Johnson, who knows?