X-Factor/Box Office Players
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@MiketheSnow said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@junior said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
The problem with this article is that they don't actually define what they mean by "box-office". Presumably, they mean guys who drew crowds, but then they mention a guy like Quade Cooper, who people turned up to boo not watch.
If they mean guys with sublime skills who could really entertain, then bloody say that. But then don't nominate Jonny Wilkinson (all due respect to the man, he was an all-time great, IMO).
Gavin Henson filled seats and had sublime skills.
A player that could have been so much more
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@sparky said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
The Walrus and the Fat C**t have done a list of their top ten Box Office players for the Sunday Times. As ever, I suspect the Fern can do much, much better than those two bitter, old, gas bags.
Rugby's 10 greatest box office players (as selected by The Times)
STEPHEN JONES: 1-Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Fiji), 2-Jonah Lomu (NZ), 3-Shane Williams (Wales), 4-David Campese (Australia), 5-Christian Wade (England), 6-Jeremy Guscott (England), 7-Mark Ring (Wales), 8-Timothy Lafaele (Japan), 9-Waisale Serevi (Fiji), 10-Quade Cooper (Australia).
STUART BARNES: 1-Lomu, 2-Jonny Wilkinson (England), 3-Carlos Spencer (NZ), 4-Micky Skinner (England), 5-Finn Russell (Scotland), 6-Cooper, 7-Leone Nakarawa (Fiji), 8-Eric Champ (France), 9-Ring, 10-Simon Zebo (Ireland)
Sparky's Top Ten NZ Rugby Entertainers
1-Christian Cullen 2-Carlos Spencer 3- Beauden Barrett 4-Jonah Lomu 5-Jeff Wilson 6-Zinzan Brooke 7-Sonny Bill Williams 8-Israel Dagg 9- Ma'a Nonu 10- Damian McKenzie
Sparky's Top Ten Overseas X-Factor Players
1 - Waisale Serevi (Fiji) 2- Serge Blanco (France) 3- David Campese (Australia) 4- Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Fiji) 5- Gareth Edwards (Wales) 6 -Shane Williams (Wales) 7- Nemani Nadolo (Fiji) 8- Patrice Lagisquet (France) 9- Bryan Habana (SA) 10-Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Click bait
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@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
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@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
I think most people are in this boat. I can only think of one match where people literally turned up only to see one guy (a Counties v Wellington NPC match in about 1995 at Athletic Park in terrible weather). And then, even at his peak, more people would turn up (at least in NZ) to see the great AB team of which he was a part.
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@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
i was at that game
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@junior said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
I think most people are in this boat. I can only think of one match where people literally turned up only to see one guy (a Counties v Wellington NPC match in about 1995 at Athletic Park in terrible weather). And then, even at his peak, more people would turn up (at least in NZ) to see the great AB team of which he was a part.
He didn't disappoint. It's on youtube somewhere but pretty sure he handed off Tana, Ieremia and a number of lesser known players in one amazing try.....we then went off down the road to Georgie Pie for a feed before catching the bus home and making sure I caught the try on the Sports News that night.
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I didn't specifically go to the match for this reason, but watching Cullen tear the Scots a new one in Dunedin in 1996 was a high point of X-Factor/Box Office from one player alone.
But, during that era there were so many players to go see for those reasons in the ABs.
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@mariner4life said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
i was at that game
As was I. Orene Ai'i started at 10 from memory. Rokocoko's Super Rugby debut but he was overshadowed by a certain other winger.
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@KiwiMurph said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@mariner4life said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
i was at that game
As was I. Orene Ai'i started at 10 from memory. Rokocoko's Super Rugby debut but he was overshadowed by a certain other winger.
Seeing Rupeni tear the Scots another new one live in Sydney was pretty fun in 2003. Luckily the other 14 weren’t quite as good and the Scots snuck into the quarters.
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@KiwiMurph said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@mariner4life said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
i was at that game
As was I. Orene Ai'i started at 10 from memory. Rokocoko's Super Rugby debut but he was overshadowed by a certain other winger.
yeah i know Carlos was injured to start the year, which was a bit of a bummer. Weather was shit too wasn't it?
Anyway, Blues won, i had a massive night out, then played subbies rugby the next day still a bit pissed.
oh to be young again
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when Sione Lauaki was on, he was quite the sight.
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@mariner4life quite the wasted talent regrettably
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For forwards running fast at backs, I still can't go past Richard Bands running over Los, that was some funny shit
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@KiwiMurph said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@mariner4life said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@ACT-Crusader said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
i was at that game
As was I. Orene Ai'i started at 10 from memory. Rokocoko's Super Rugby debut but he was overshadowed by a certain other winger.
Rupeni didn’t disappoint. Scored a couple of tries that night against a pretty good Tahs side. I remember Orene barely made a kick that night and the score was closer than it should’ve been.
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@voodoo said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
For forwards running fast at backs, I still can't go past Richard Bands running over Los, that was some funny shit
Spencer wasn't actually much better at defending than Merhts was.
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@MN5 said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@voodoo said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
For forwards running fast at backs, I still can't go past Richard Bands running over Los, that was some funny shit
Spencer wasn't actually much better at defending than Merhts was.
He was when younger, but after he busted his shoulder (maybe in 1999) he was definitely at Mehrts level.
