Rugby Freaks

Dice

I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.

Crucial

@dice said in Rugby Freaks:

I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.

Most Waikato supporters would agree.

Crucial

Lots of Fijians being mentioned, I'm going to add Serevi.

Sevens is (at least used to be) a great arena for freakish abilities to shine with Jonah and Cully being good examples.

Serevi was one of those players that had you on edge whenever he had the ball. They'd be seemingly no options in front of him but he'd dance around on the spot for a bit, then having worked out a path, take off through the defence and dot down.

Nepia

@catogrande said in Rugby Freaks:

Rupeni and Lomu are the stand outs. Cullen great player, amazingly quick, ran great lines but not in the same league of freakishness for me. I’d say Blanco an honourable third.

WTF, Cullen was easily as freakish as those two. Ran great lines is barely scratching the surface, he could change direction and not lose pace as good as anyone (including Rupeni).

Bovidae

People also forget that Cullen wasn't a big guy but was strong and could bust through tackles. For context, he was smaller than TJP.

Crucial

@bovidae said in Rugby Freaks:

People also forget that Cullen wasn't a big guy but was strong and could bust through tackles. For context, he was smaller than TJP.

Really? Mind you TJP might have been measured with that funny ruler used for for Ardie.

Bovidae

@crucial Cullen is listed as 1.80 m and 85 kg.

Crucial

@bovidae said in Rugby Freaks:

@crucial Cullen is listed as 1.80 m and 85 kg.

Yeah, I'm just looking at pictures in my head. Just shows how much the average player size has changed as Cully was never considered small.

taniwharugby

@bovidae wasnt he reputed to be able to bench >140kg or something ridiculous for a guy his size, especially in an era when rugby players were only just embracing professionalism.

Chris

Cullen was a real freak player IMO,To be able to Step at full pace thats not easy to do most players lose pace when stepping, so I reckon thats freakish.Plus his instinct to find gaps was amazing.

ARHS

Cullen Campo J van der Westhuizen Serevi Hugo Porta would be my top 5.

Nepia

Also, of all the freaks mentioned so far I'd say he'd easily be the best defender.

Nepia

We're concentrating on backs, and of the forwards MJ has been correctly mentioned, but Zinny would have to be another forward, had all the skills of a back in a forward's frame.

mariner4life

@catogrande said in Rugby Freaks:

@crucial

Good call on Jones. I also take your points re Cullen but would say they weren’t freakish. Other guys had those attributes, just not all of them.

Richie, yes agree, what made him different was the motor and between the ears.

Cullen had physical gifts unmatched by anyone i have seen. Not the "huge islander who can move" gifts, but incredible acceleration, top end pace, the ability to change direction at pace, and he was freakishly strong for his size. There's never been another like him to have those attributes all to that level.

Bovidae

@nepia I mentioned Zinny - a 1st 5 trapped in a no.8s body.

Nepia

@bovidae said in Rugby Freaks:

@nepia I mentioned Zinny - a 1st 5 trapped in a no.8s body.

Whoops, that will teach me to read threads properly. (Well it likely wont).

mariner4life

see, i wouldn't have called Zinny a freak. Great player, my favourite 8 of all time.

But i feel you could learn to be him. Talented? Absolutely, but i never looked at him and thought "one of a kind"

Tongan Thor is a freak. The way that guy moves for his size is incredible. If he was a fraction less, lets graciously call it excitable, he's be World XV any day. Even with his shortcomings he an absolute weapon.

Dice

@nepia said in Rugby Freaks:

Also, of all the freaks mentioned so far I'd say he'd easily be the best defender.

Caucau was a pretty good defender too, he just didn't get credit for it.

MN5

@dice said in Rugby Freaks:

I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.

Faster than both Jonah and Cullen at full speed apparently.

MajorRage

Taniela Tupou is the biggest freak in the game these days.

How he can be that big and quick blows my mind.

He should have a 100mln NFL contract.

The Silver Fern

Rugby Freaks