Does Rugby have a Superstar?
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I'm not convinced Richard Loe would spend much time on the pitch in the modern-reffed game.
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Guys like Tupou and Asafo Aumua are ones that were starting off on the right trajectory, but the talent that got them highlight reels in their youth ends up being lost to tight, defensive test rugby.
It's generally going to be the guys who are freaks in their position and generally consistently do what others don't.
So it's going to be a front rower that runs like a barnstorming number 8, a loosie that flattens people and runs like a centre or a winger that tears opposition to pieces.
In saying that, our biggest superstar will be one of Ardie or Mounga at the RWC, whichever turns it on the most.
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If we were doing tier rankings, then obviously Jonah is alone at the top. And I'd put Carter alone in the second tier. I was in chemist warehouse at the weekend, and DC's face was plastered everywhere (I wonder how many of Chemist Warehouse's Melburnian clientelle have any idea who he is).
For a while Wilkinson was up alongside him, but thankfully that injustice has been corrected.
Third tier, I'd say starts to get busy. BOD, McGraw, Habana certainly. Shane Williams was very big for a little while. Gavin Henson was bigger, but for a shorter while.
I can't think of any Frenchies who are / have been up there - Dupont should be, this RWC could determine a lot. Aussies, don't know, I think because I live here I can't really judge how big their stars are - Eales and Gregan are the two that spring to mind.
Of course the whole thing is a bit of mockery, everyone who actually understands rugby knows that Adam Jones is the only real megastar.
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@GibbonRib said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
Of course the whole thing is a bit of mockery, everyone who actually understands rugby knows that Adam Jones is the only real megastar.
Who?
Anyway Honey Badger could do it, for different reasons
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Dan was probably the closest thing we had to a Beckham type superstar , men loved him for his rugby, women loved him too for his looks.
But Jonah was the biggest in as far as people knowing who he was all over the globe .
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@MN5 said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
I do wonder why Cullens aura isn’t quite up there with Jonahs.
Is it cos he kinda bombed out a bit in the only World Cup he ever played in ?
A casual fan would have easily look at him and marvelled at how good he was.
Cullen had the skills. It was his personality that couldn't take him to the next level. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't come across as an ahole or anything. Some players just resonate with the fans more than others
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@canefan said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
@MN5 said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
I do wonder why Cullens aura isn’t quite up there with Jonahs.
Is it cos he kinda bombed out a bit in the only World Cup he ever played in ?
A casual fan would have easily look at him and marvelled at how good he was.
Cullen had the skills. It was his personality that couldn't take him to the next level. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't come across as an ahole or anything. Some players just resonate with the fans more than others
He was in the same era as Jonah which hindered him, I don't think it was personality, just this. He was huge at the time, but Jonah was the hugest, and then Hart fucked him.
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@Bones said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
SBW was pretty big over in the UK. He was pretty well known amongst Bonesetta's mates and they wouldn't have been able to name anyone in the English side.
Contrast that with Ma’a Nonu who I saw pretty much every Saturday morning when our boys were swimming relaxing like any other parent. Not sure SBW could do that as easily.
He did his best back in the day with his makeup and off field shenanigans but then left that shit to the vastly inferior Gavin Henson and got on with being our best 12 ever.
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Perhaps controversial but I kind of feel to get the audience historically you either had to fuck the UK in a particular play or play for the UK in a world cup winning team, how consistently good they were was almost second.
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I can’t believe there’s any argument. We’ve had a few rugby only superstars, usually along nationalistic lines but there has only been one that truly transcends those nationalistic lines and transcends the sport itself and that is Jonah Lomu.
No one else comes close.
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@Catogrande said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
I can’t believe there’s any argument. We’ve had a few rugby only superstars, usually along nationalistic lines but there has only been one that truly transcends those nationalistic lines and transcends the sport itself and that is Jonah Lomu.
No one else comes close.
Nepia (the real one, not me) would have been close in the 20s, although that was limited to rugby playing countries, but he was a huge star in that time and crossed over from rugby (and league) in the NH.
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@Catogrande said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
I can’t believe there’s any argument. We’ve had a few rugby only superstars, usually along nationalistic lines but there has only been one that truly transcends those nationalistic lines and transcends the sport itself and that is Jonah Lomu.
No one else comes close.
lol, i don't think that is the question?, I believe it was, has there been anyone since? and potentially who is next?
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@bayimports said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
@Catogrande said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
I can’t believe there’s any argument. We’ve had a few rugby only superstars, usually along nationalistic lines but there has only been one that truly transcends those nationalistic lines and transcends the sport itself and that is Jonah Lomu.
No one else comes close.
lol, i don't think that is the question?, I believe it was, has there been anyone since? and potentially who is next?
Then the answers are no and no one
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@Nepia said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
@MajorRage said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
Taniela Tupou has the potential.
Are you serious?
Yes. As M4L said at the start, it's a philosophical discussion. It doesn't mean I think he will, it just means I think he has the potential.
What does it take to be a superstar? The main thing I think you need these days is a superb highlight reel. Wouldn't be that hard to build one around TT - he's had plenty of wrecking ball runs in his career. Then I think you need for commentator's / pundits to take notice. There is no doubt that he has that, up here at least. Paul Williams, Flatman have all mentioned his name plenty of times to their audiences.
And if you think he didn't have early career hype, then you weren't paying attention.
It hasn't really worked out (so far) and I think you need a bigger immediate impact to make a true go of it. Having said though, if he does a few blockbuster runs in the WC (against decent opposition), wins a few scrums & makes a couple of big tackles then he'll be back in the commentators writings / speakings again.
Perhaps the best ways of it putting it is this. If Ethan de Groot plays a blinder, and TT plays a blinder (at the same level as EdG), I think you'll find global commentators waxing lyrical about TT, with little said about EdG.
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@Nepia said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
@Catogrande said in Does Rugby have a Superstar?:
I can’t believe there’s any argument. We’ve had a few rugby only superstars, usually along nationalistic lines but there has only been one that truly transcends those nationalistic lines and transcends the sport itself and that is Jonah Lomu.
No one else comes close.
Nepia (the real one, not me) would have been close in the 20s, although that was limited to rugby playing countries, but he was a huge star in that time and crossed over from rugby (and league) in the NH.
Absolutely crucial clarification there. If not done, the whole TSF would have been unsure!
