AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass
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@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@act-crusader I wondered who would call me on the hypocrisy.
My own bias wants me to pick BJ Lochore but I admit he doesn't deserve to be there. I never thought that I would see a more gifted 8 than Zinnie but at times I think Read outshone him, plus he was a genuine lineout option so there you go. Zinny's golden years probably lasted a bit longer but if I had to pick I'd start with Read and put Zinny on the bench.
Kirkpatrick, Jones, Read.
Kaino, Jones, Zinny (if that taxi accident caused a brain injury that turned him into anti vaxx, anti lockdown, Covid doesn't exist loon.) If he's just a loon then Buck, I always liked them both.
Never saw Kirky play but expect if I had I would have also seen Tremain and there'd be no way a Hawkes Bay boy could not pick the Magpie in a close competition.
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@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@act-crusader I wondered who would call me on the hypocrisy.
My own bias wants me to pick BJ Lochore but I admit he doesn't deserve to be there. I never thought that I would see a more gifted 8 than Zinnie but at times I think Read outshone him, plus he was a genuine lineout option so there you go. Zinny's golden years probably lasted a bit longer but if I had to pick I'd start with Read and put Zinny on the bench.
Kirkpatrick, Jones, Read.
I’m in the Jones, McCaw, Zinny camp with Read off the bench.
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@nepia said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@act-crusader I wondered who would call me on the hypocrisy.
My own bias wants me to pick BJ Lochore but I admit he doesn't deserve to be there. I never thought that I would see a more gifted 8 than Zinnie but at times I think Read outshone him, plus he was a genuine lineout option so there you go. Zinny's golden years probably lasted a bit longer but if I had to pick I'd start with Read and put Zinny on the bench.
Kirkpatrick, Jones, Read.
Kaino, Jones, Zinny (if that taxi accident caused a brain injury that turned him into anti vaxx, anti lockdown, Covid doesn't exist loon.) If he's just a loon then Buck, I always liked them both.
Never saw Kirky play but expect if I had I would have also seen Tremain and there'd be no way a Hawkes Bay boy could not pick the Magpie in a close competition.
So Zac Guildford should be a shoe in ahead of Jonah at 11 then.
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@mn5 said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@nepia said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@act-crusader I wondered who would call me on the hypocrisy.
My own bias wants me to pick BJ Lochore but I admit he doesn't deserve to be there. I never thought that I would see a more gifted 8 than Zinnie but at times I think Read outshone him, plus he was a genuine lineout option so there you go. Zinny's golden years probably lasted a bit longer but if I had to pick I'd start with Read and put Zinny on the bench.
Kirkpatrick, Jones, Read.
Kaino, Jones, Zinny (if that taxi accident caused a brain injury that turned him into anti vaxx, anti lockdown, Covid doesn't exist loon.) If he's just a loon then Buck, I always liked them both.
Never saw Kirky play but expect if I had I would have also seen Tremain and there'd be no way a Hawkes Bay boy could not pick the Magpie in a close competition.
So Zac Guildford should be a shoe in ahead of Jonah at 11 then.
To be fair to Zac, he did score tries against the Boks and could turn quicker than the QE2
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@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@act-crusader I wondered who would call me on the hypocrisy.
My own bias wants me to pick BJ Lochore but I admit he doesn't deserve to be there. I never thought that I would see a more gifted 8 than Zinnie but at times I think Read outshone him, plus he was a genuine lineout option so there you go. Zinny's golden years probably lasted a bit longer but if I had to pick I'd start with Read and put Zinny on the bench.
Kirkpatrick, Jones, Read.
Zinny for me. Did his core role so well, but brought those extras. 45 m droppie in a semi? No worries. Outrageous pass? No worries. Crunching defence... and his control at the back of the scrum was better than any modern era 8 (a skill we've lost)
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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.
- Tony Woodcock
- Sean Fitzpatrick
- Olo Brown
- Brodie Retallick
- Sam Whitelock
- Jerome Kaino
- Richie McCaw
- Buck Shelford
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@bovidae said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
He played both but more as a TH. Anyone who saw him play rates Gray as one of the best ever AB props, so not surprised at his selection.
Before even my time, but from what I've read, he was also pretty unbeatable at the front of the lineouts that existed in those days
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@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.
- Tony Woodcock
- Sean Fitzpatrick
- Olo Brown
- Brodie Retallick
- Sam Whitelock
- Jerome Kaino
- Richie McCaw
- Buck Shelford
- Aaron Smith
- Daniel Carter
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@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
Ken Gray was an absolute beast. I saw him play once but many times on TV. Unlike Meads he would still be competitive today.
Meads wouldn't be a 2nd rower these days - probbly a 6 or 8 - but having seen him in action, would be bloody competitive. Almost as skilled as Zinny as well
I also think the panel of 'experts' bottled it putting Jones at 6. Kirkpatrick is your six. Make a call and decide which of McCaw and Jones misses out - don't try and have it both ways.
I agree. Kirky was probably better than MJ at 6 and McCaw shaded him at 7, but you really can't leave MJ out. I'd put the 3 of them in the team and rotate MJ...
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@dogmeat said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@act-crusader I wondered who would call me on the hypocrisy.
My own bias wants me to pick BJ Lochore but I admit he doesn't deserve to be there. I never thought that I would see a more gifted 8 than Zinnie but at times I think Read outshone him, plus he was a genuine lineout option so there you go. Zinny's golden years probably lasted a bit longer but if I had to pick I'd start with Read and put Zinny on the bench.
Kirkpatrick, Jones, Read.
Zinny for me. If only because he won a proper Test series in Sth Africa.
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@victor-meldrew If you want a Number 8 who can offload, dummy like a French three-quarter and drop kick, then Zinny's your man.
Buck Shelford at his best was better of doing the key jobs of a Number 8, smashing through the advantage line with three guys hanging off, running, tackling, rucking, jumping in the line out. A brilliant enforcer and leader too. Tough as they come. Outstanding for the ABs in the inaugural World Cup. My choice at Number 8 for the Greatest AB XV.
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@victor-meldrew said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@bovidae said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
He played both but more as a TH. Anyone who saw him play rates Gray as one of the best ever AB props, so not surprised at his selection.
Before even my time, but from what I've read, he was also pretty unbeatable at the front of the lineouts that existed in those days
And in the photos he looked great sitting on a horse like meads did holding a sheep, classic old school forwards
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@sparky said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@victor-meldrew If you want a Number 8 who can offload, dummy like a French three-quarter and drop kick, then Zinny's your man.
Buck Shelford at his best was better of doing the key jobs of a Number 8, smashing through the advantage line with three guys hanging off, running, tackling, rucking, jumping in the line out. A brilliant enforcer and leader too. Tough as they come. Outstanding for the ABs in the inaugural World Cup. My choice at Number 8 for the Greatest AB XV.
Hard to disagree, but I thought Zinny was equally tough in the '96 Boks series. Probably the best we saw from him.
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@victor-meldrew said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@bovidae said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
He played both but more as a TH. Anyone who saw him play rates Gray as one of the best ever AB props, so not surprised at his selection.
Before even my time, but from what I've read, he was also pretty unbeatable at the front of the lineouts that existed in those days
Anyone of my father's generation who saw Gray play live raves about him.
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@bovidae said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@victor-meldrew said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
@bovidae said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
He played both but more as a TH. Anyone who saw him play rates Gray as one of the best ever AB props, so not surprised at his selection.
Before even my time, but from what I've read, he was also pretty unbeatable at the front of the lineouts that existed in those days
Anyone of my father's generation who saw Gray play live raves about him.
Yeah, that 63-70 era had a fair proportion of the all time greats. Weren't just lumbering forwards either, they were really skilful with the ball. Drop-kicks from 40m, off-loads SBW would drool over.
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so Laban thinks Fox is better than Carter
At some point Nisbett is going to name the wrong Polynesian
this is going reeeaaaal well
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was Gray the one Meads said he hit as hard as he could in AB trial, and Gray just stood there and asked if that was the best he had, and Meads, knowing it was, replied saying it was just a warning, and spent the rest of the game avoiding him.
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@taniwharugby said in AB Greatest 15 Rugby Pass:
was Gray the one Meads said he hit as hard as he could in AB trial, and Gray just stood there and asked if that was the best he had, and Meads, knowing it was, replied saying it was just a warning, and spent the rest of the game avoiding him.
Keith Murdoch.
Kiwi pundit backs Grant Fox over Dan Carter as best All Blacks No 10
