George Smith

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="579100" data-time="1463045066">
Certainly open side in the unsung greatest XV</blockquote>
 
Not sure that he was so unsung. He certainly received his fair share of plaudits. I wouldn't be measuring his popularity or the fact other teams feared his ability on IRB awards or nominations. 
He was a phenomenal player and still doing the business. He was a cheat though

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="579107" data-time="1463045950">Back to Smith though - an outstanding player. Just an incredible 7, well rounded and read the game so well. Had it all I think - better than the Pooper for me. If he'd hung around, he'd have been neck and neck with McAwe for legends in the international game. 
Why did he leave, anyway? Got the pip with politics?</blockquote> 
Deans wanted to start Pocock

Provincial Stalwart

Waugh looked like Rocky Dennis from the movie " mask ". Not a bad player though. Any relation to the cricketers?

barbarian

No

Crucial

Smith >Pocock IMO 
Pocock is a good fetcher but Smith was as good and his game reading much better. Pocock is a one trick pony.

NTA

Its a pretty good trick...

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Provincial Stalwart" data-cid="579112" data-time="1463046366">
<div>
Waugh looked like Rocky Dennis from the movie " mask ". Not a bad player though. Any relation to the cricketers?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Someone on here once said "Waugh has a face like a smashed crab". This has stayed with me for many years and I don't think will ever go away.

Catogrande

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="579109" data-time="1463046200">
<div>
Not sure that he was so unsung. He certainly received his fair share of plaudits. I wouldn't be measuring his popularity or the fact other teams feared his ability on IRB awards or nominations. 
He was a phenomenal player and still doing the business. He was a <strike>cheat</strike> No7 though :)
</div>
</blockquote>
Semantics I know but...

booboo

If there was one player and one player only that I (being the guru of rugby talent judging that I am) felt even for a brief moment could be in consideration for being momentarily everso slightly as good and maybe not worse than Richie McCaw it was George Smith. 
I think he suffered from the NSW obsession with Phil Waugh who was a much lesser player and the need for the Wobs to pander to the NSW media to include him. They were IMO (refer guru statement above) not as good playing Smith and Waugh together and should have just picked the better player (much the same as Pooper).

NTA

In their youth, they were probably more equal. But once Waugh starting packing on muscle he lost a lot of his effectiveness.
 
Never rated him as captain material either.

antipodean

George Smith is the most talented openside flanker Australia has ever produced. Pocock looks like a fucking donkey in comparison to this bloke.
 
He encapsulated the hard work of Poidevin, the speed over the ball of Pocock and the running game of Hooper.

SidBarret

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="579107" data-time="1463045950">
<div>
Back to Smith though - an outstanding player. Just an incredible 7, well rounded and read the game so well. Had it all I think - better than the Pooper for me. If he'd hung around, he'd have been neck and neck with McAwe for legends in the international game.
 
Why did he leave, anyway? Got the pip with politics?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I remember Smith coming back from an injury in around 2007 (?) and really looking old and skinny.
 
I think his body just needed a break and Japan was very good for that.

Catogrande

He's not skinny now.

SidBarret

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="579161" data-time="1463064967">
<div>
He's not skinny now.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
He was unit back in the day. Ended up in the same bar as the Brumbies squad in 2004 or 2005. Recognised some of the frontrankers and they were tiny but Smith was seriously big, a little taller than you would expect (i'm 6'2" and he has an inch or two on me) and broad as a shit house.

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="579134" data-time="1463050072">
<div>
If there was one player and one player only that I (being the guru of rugby talent judging that I am) felt even for a brief moment could be in consideration for being momentarily everso slightly as good and maybe not worse than Richie McCaw it was George Smith. 
I think he suffered from the NSW obsession with Phil Waugh who was a much lesser player and the need for the Wobs to pander to the NSW media to include him. They were IMO (refer guru statement above) not as good playing Smith and Waugh together and should have just picked the better player (much the same as Pooper).
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I tend to agree with all of that. The only games where you could actually entertain a debate about if McCaw was outplayed by his opposite was Smith - and perhaps Brussow in those 2009 match ups, although it was a very different stylistic match up and a unique period.
 
Smith was certainly a more complete loosie, and to be honest he probably eclipses Greegan/Larkham to be the best Brumbie for me. He is probably underrated by the Aussie media because during a majority of a his tenure he was unflattering compared to Waugh, when the conversation should have been comparing him to McCaw, at least in the early days.
 
Not sure what it says about the competition where a 35 year old is MVP though.

Gary

Do you have the right smith - George would just be 6 foot in boots let alone 6'3"or 6'4" - maybe he wears high heals when he goes out

Gary

Do you have the right smith - George would just be 6 foot in boots let alone 6'3"or 6'4" - maybe he wears high heals when he goes out

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gary" data-cid="579168" data-time="1463068246">
<div>
Do you have the right smith - George would just be 6 foot in boots let alone 6'3"or 6'4" - maybe he wears high heals when he goes out
</div>
</blockquote>
<img src="http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Richie+Mccaw+George+Smith+Blacks+Captain+Run+x5lqAGWUWcil.jpg" alt="Richie+Mccaw+George+Smith+Blacks+Captain">
 
McCaw is what? 6 foot 2? He clearly has a few inches on him - you seem on the money.

sparky

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="579080" data-time="1463039793">
<div>
Wins the uk players player of the year. At 35.
 
That's outstanding. 
 
I do find it amazing that he was only once nominated for the IRB player of the year, and a shame he retired from international rugby much earlier than he needed to. 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Richie McCaw, who clearly knows a thing or two about playing Openside Flanker to say the least, said that George Smith was the best Test 7 he played against.
 
I've never got the hype about Pocock at all. Pocock is the most over-hyped Rugby player of all time in my opinion. George Smith was the only Wallaby 7 who I wish had chosen to play for New Zealand.

jegga

Does anyone remember seeing this guy play? My old man said he was outstanding the few times he saw him play <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www2.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabyHallofFame/GregDavis.aspx'>http://www2.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabyHallofFame/GregDavis.aspx</a>

The Silver Fern

George Smith