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AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass

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  • rotatedR rotated

    @gt12 said in [AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass]

    Jones comes off the bench, with Kaino, McCaw and Zinny starting in my team. I'm only selecting players I've seen play, so Kirkpatrick isn't in the equation for me. Read was great for about one or two years, but he wasn't the athlete that Brooke was.

    So was Kaino though by the same standard, no?

    Am I alone in understanding Kaino and Read getting mentions, but don't think peak Kaino/McCaw/Read was that much better than peak Collins/McCaw/Rodders?

    When was peak Read anyway? 2009 EOYT until the inury before the RWC or sometime during the 2012-2015 cycle?

    NepiaN Offline
    NepiaN Offline
    Nepia
    wrote on last edited by
    #44

    @rotated said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

    @gt12 said in [AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass]

    Jones comes off the bench, with Kaino, McCaw and Zinny starting in my team. I'm only selecting players I've seen play, so Kirkpatrick isn't in the equation for me. Read was great for about one or two years, but he wasn't the athlete that Brooke was.

    So was Kaino though by the same standard, no?

    Am I alone in understanding Kaino and Read getting mentions, but don't think peak Kaino/McCaw/Read was that much better than peak Collins/McCaw/Rodders?

    When was peak Read anyway? 2009 EOYT until the inury before the RWC or sometime during the 2012-2015 cycle?

    There’s a fairly decent gap for me. At any given time one of Read, McCaw and Kaino was the best loosie in the world and the other two were not far behind. Collins and Rodders were bloody good and top ABs but they didn’t reach the peaks that Read and Kaino did.

    1 Reply Last reply
    2
    • dogmeatD Offline
      dogmeatD Offline
      dogmeat
      wrote on last edited by
      #45

      If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

      He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

      Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

      mariner4lifeM 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • dogmeatD dogmeat

        If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

        He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

        Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

        mariner4lifeM Online
        mariner4lifeM Online
        mariner4life
        wrote on last edited by
        #46

        @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

        If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

        He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

        Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

        someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

        And then shoot him, because that's humane

        derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

        We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

        dogmeatD MN5M 2 Replies Last reply
        4
        • mariner4lifeM mariner4life

          @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

          If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

          He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

          Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

          someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

          And then shoot him, because that's humane

          derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

          We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

          dogmeatD Offline
          dogmeatD Offline
          dogmeat
          wrote on last edited by
          #47

          @mariner4life yeah nah. Jones was a more gifted 7 IMO.

          Wilson? Who is the demented one?? None of the various Wilsons would get near a best ever XV

          mariner4lifeM Crazy HorseC boobooB 3 Replies Last reply
          1
          • dogmeatD dogmeat

            @mariner4life yeah nah. Jones was a more gifted 7 IMO.

            Wilson? Who is the demented one?? None of the various Wilsons would get near a best ever XV

            mariner4lifeM Online
            mariner4lifeM Online
            mariner4life
            wrote on last edited by
            #48

            @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

            @mariner4life yeah nah. Jones was a more gifted 7 IMO.

            Wilson? Who is the demented one?? None of the various Wilsons would get near a best ever XV

            lol yeah right old man.

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • mariner4lifeM mariner4life

              @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

              If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

              He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

              Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

              someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

              And then shoot him, because that's humane

              derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

              We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

              MN5M Online
              MN5M Online
              MN5
              wrote on last edited by
              #49

              @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

              @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

              If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

              He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

              Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

              someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

              And then shoot him, because that's humane

              derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

              We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

              Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

              mariner4lifeM 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • MN5M MN5

                @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

                He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

                Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

                someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

                And then shoot him, because that's humane

                derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

                We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

                Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

                mariner4lifeM Online
                mariner4lifeM Online
                mariner4life
                wrote on last edited by
                #50

                @mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

                He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

                Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

                someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

                And then shoot him, because that's humane

                derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

                We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

                Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

                he's better than JK. And this coming from a guy whose rugby idol when he was a kid was JK.

                I am starting to believe people deliberately undersell jeff Wilson at 14 because he played 15 in '99. I can't think of another reason.

                MN5M 1 Reply Last reply
                1
                • mariner4lifeM mariner4life

                  @mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

                  He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

                  Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

                  someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

                  And then shoot him, because that's humane

                  derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

                  We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

                  Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

                  he's better than JK. And this coming from a guy whose rugby idol when he was a kid was JK.

                  I am starting to believe people deliberately undersell jeff Wilson at 14 because he played 15 in '99. I can't think of another reason.

                  MN5M Online
                  MN5M Online
                  MN5
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #51

                  @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  @mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                  If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

                  He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

                  Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

                  someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

                  And then shoot him, because that's humane

                  derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

                  We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

                  Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

                  he's better than JK. And this coming from a guy whose rugby idol when he was a kid was JK.

                  I am starting to believe people deliberately undersell jeff Wilson at 14 because he played 15 in '99. I can't think of another reason.

                  Possibly because he played alongside Cullen and Lomu too. Hard to top those guys to be fair.

                  mariner4lifeM 1 Reply Last reply
                  1
                  • MN5M MN5

                    @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

                    He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

                    Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

                    someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

                    And then shoot him, because that's humane

                    derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

                    We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

                    Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

                    he's better than JK. And this coming from a guy whose rugby idol when he was a kid was JK.

                    I am starting to believe people deliberately undersell jeff Wilson at 14 because he played 15 in '99. I can't think of another reason.

                    Possibly because he played alongside Cullen and Lomu too. Hard to top those guys to be fair.

                    mariner4lifeM Online
                    mariner4lifeM Online
                    mariner4life
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #52

                    @mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @mariner4life said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                    If you are picking the greatest AB side of all time then [sacrilege] you don't need McCaw [/sacrilege]

                    He wasn't as gifted a player as MJ but he had an engine that kept on going and never gave up. Two attributes which together with his anticipation made him much better than the sum of his parts.

                    Surrounded by the best ever those attributes aren't required to the same extent

                    someone ban this old fluffybunny, he's clearly fallen in to dementia, and he's going to end up sounding like that guy from the GC

                    And then shoot him, because that's humane

                    derpy derpy lets leave out the greatest rugby player of all time

                    We don't need Cullen at fullback, Lomu and Wilson and Carter and Nonu will score so many tries, lets just go with Ben Blair

                    Like he’d get in ahead of JK.

                    he's better than JK. And this coming from a guy whose rugby idol when he was a kid was JK.

                    I am starting to believe people deliberately undersell jeff Wilson at 14 because he played 15 in '99. I can't think of another reason.

                    Possibly because he played alongside Cullen and Lomu too. Hard to top those guys to be fair.

                    the best back 3 of all time by the length of the Flemington straight. With Bunce feeding them the ball.

                    sighs hornilly

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    1
                    • dogmeatD dogmeat

                      @mariner4life yeah nah. Jones was a more gifted 7 IMO.

                      Wilson? Who is the demented one?? None of the various Wilsons would get near a best ever XV

                      Crazy HorseC Offline
                      Crazy HorseC Offline
                      Crazy Horse
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #53

                      @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                      @mariner4life yeah nah. Jones was a more gifted 7 IMO.

                      We will never know because his time at 7 was all too brief. Too brief to call him better than McCaw IMO.

                      taniwharugbyT 1 Reply Last reply
                      1
                      • Crazy HorseC Crazy Horse

                        @dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                        @mariner4life yeah nah. Jones was a more gifted 7 IMO.

                        We will never know because his time at 7 was all too brief. Too brief to call him better than McCaw IMO.

                        taniwharugbyT Offline
                        taniwharugbyT Offline
                        taniwharugby
                        wrote on last edited by taniwharugby
                        #54

                        @crazy-horse although I think there have been plenty more naturally gifted players than McCaw, but his work ethic and drive pushed him beyond those natural talents of most top level rugby players.

                        He stands tall and is def in my all time back row, with Zinny & Kaino.

                        nostrildamusN 1 Reply Last reply
                        1
                        • taniwharugbyT taniwharugby

                          @crazy-horse although I think there have been plenty more naturally gifted players than McCaw, but his work ethic and drive pushed him beyond those natural talents of most top level rugby players.

                          He stands tall and is def in my all time back row, with Zinny & Kaino.

                          nostrildamusN Offline
                          nostrildamusN Offline
                          nostrildamus
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #55

                          Jones would have been an ok loose forward bench position (had played all 3).

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • WingerW Offline
                            WingerW Offline
                            Winger
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #56

                            https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-whiteboard-session-that-proved-maa-nonu-as-an-all-blacks-great/

                            Victor MeldrewV juniorJ 2 Replies Last reply
                            1
                            • WingerW Winger

                              https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-whiteboard-session-that-proved-maa-nonu-as-an-all-blacks-great/

                              Victor MeldrewV Away
                              Victor MeldrewV Away
                              Victor Meldrew
                              wrote on last edited by Victor Meldrew
                              #57

                              @winger said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                              https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-whiteboard-session-that-proved-maa-nonu-as-an-all-blacks-great/

                              It was pretty obvious Ma'a was a keen student of the game if you look at how he developed over the years. Certainly no-one's fool rugby-wise

                              Pretty happy with Bruce Robertson at 13. He's still the standard for an old bugger like me - think Conrad Smith but better and a bit more skilful. Could drop a goal from 40m if you needed him to.

                              kiwiinmelbK P 2 Replies Last reply
                              4
                              • BerniesCornerB Online
                                BerniesCornerB Online
                                BerniesCorner
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #58

                                Nonu, Bunce, JK, Ben Smith, Paekakariki . Job done.

                                Meads must have been a hell of a player to oust Whitelock.
                                People who remember Jones pre cruciate lig injury don't forget.
                                McCaw-Jones- Brooke I agree

                                Victor MeldrewV 1 Reply Last reply
                                1
                                • BerniesCornerB Online
                                  BerniesCornerB Online
                                  BerniesCorner
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #59

                                  No other AB has had more influence on percentage of wins than McCaw. By that crieria alone automatic selection. McCaw the greatest AB.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  2
                                  • sparkyS sparky

                                    @sparky said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                    Always tough to compare players from different eras. I can only really compare players I've seen live which rules out anyone who played before 1983. Based on what I've seen. My All Black greatest forward pack would be.

                                    1. Tony Woodcock
                                    2. Sean Fitzpatrick
                                    3. Olo Brown
                                    4. Brodie Retallick
                                    5. Sam Whitelock
                                    6. Jerome Kaino
                                    7. Richie McCaw
                                    8. Buck Shelford
                                    1. Aaron Smith
                                    2. Daniel Carter
                                    sparkyS Offline
                                    sparkyS Offline
                                    sparky
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #60

                                    @sparky said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                    @sparky said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                    Always tough to compare players from different eras. I can only really compare players I've seen live which rules out anyone who played before 1983. Based on what I've seen. My All Black greatest forward pack would be.

                                    1. Tony Woodcock
                                    2. Sean Fitzpatrick
                                    3. Olo Brown
                                    4. Brodie Retallick
                                    5. Sam Whitelock
                                    6. Jerome Kaino
                                    7. Richie McCaw
                                    8. Buck Shelford
                                    1. Aaron Smith
                                    2. Daniel Carter
                                    1. Ma'a Nonu
                                    2. Frank Bunce (who the Breakdown didn't even shortlist).
                                    sparkyS 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • Victor MeldrewV Victor Meldrew

                                      @winger said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                      https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-whiteboard-session-that-proved-maa-nonu-as-an-all-blacks-great/

                                      It was pretty obvious Ma'a was a keen student of the game if you look at how he developed over the years. Certainly no-one's fool rugby-wise

                                      Pretty happy with Bruce Robertson at 13. He's still the standard for an old bugger like me - think Conrad Smith but better and a bit more skilful. Could drop a goal from 40m if you needed him to.

                                      kiwiinmelbK Offline
                                      kiwiinmelbK Offline
                                      kiwiinmelb
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #61

                                      @victor-meldrew said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                      @winger said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                      https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-whiteboard-session-that-proved-maa-nonu-as-an-all-blacks-great/

                                      It was pretty obvious Ma'a was a keen student of the game if you look at how he developed over the years. Certainly no-one's fool rugby-wise

                                      Pretty happy with Bruce Robertson at 13. He's still the standard for an old bugger like me - think Conrad Smith but better and a bit more skilful. Could drop a goal from 40m if you needed him to.

                                      Bruce Robertson was silk ,

                                      And you forgot pace , he was genuinely quick to go with those silky skills

                                      sparkyS Victor MeldrewV 2 Replies Last reply
                                      3
                                      • kiwiinmelbK kiwiinmelb

                                        @victor-meldrew said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                        @winger said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                        https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-whiteboard-session-that-proved-maa-nonu-as-an-all-blacks-great/

                                        It was pretty obvious Ma'a was a keen student of the game if you look at how he developed over the years. Certainly no-one's fool rugby-wise

                                        Pretty happy with Bruce Robertson at 13. He's still the standard for an old bugger like me - think Conrad Smith but better and a bit more skilful. Could drop a goal from 40m if you needed him to.

                                        Bruce Robertson was silk ,

                                        And you forgot pace , he was genuinely quick to go with those silky skills

                                        sparkyS Offline
                                        sparkyS Offline
                                        sparky
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #62

                                        @kiwiinmelb Too young to remember Robertson but old enough to remember how fantastic Bunce was in the mid-90s. Great in attack, brilliant in defence. His performance against the Boks in 97 is right up there with Lomu against England in 95 and Carter against the Lions in 05 IMHO.

                                        Victor MeldrewV kiwiinmelbK 2 Replies Last reply
                                        4
                                        • BerniesCornerB BerniesCorner

                                          Nonu, Bunce, JK, Ben Smith, Paekakariki . Job done.

                                          Meads must have been a hell of a player to oust Whitelock.
                                          People who remember Jones pre cruciate lig injury don't forget.
                                          McCaw-Jones- Brooke I agree

                                          Victor MeldrewV Away
                                          Victor MeldrewV Away
                                          Victor Meldrew
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #63

                                          @berniescorner said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:

                                          Meads must have been a hell of a player to oust Whitelock.

                                          He was. Saw him at the end of his career. One of the hardest to pull on a black jersey and almost as skilful as Zinny.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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