All Blacks vs Wales
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<p>I won a bet with a workmate ( a case of Stenie pure, this was before I became a true beer Willis ) cos I predicted Lelia Masaga would be an AB and the bloke he was pumping wouldn't. Masaga hardly had a long career but he did make it whereas the other guy didn't and I can't remember his name. Island guy, played on the wing for the Canes, very quick, David someone ? He's the short guy beside Cory Jane....</p>
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<p>Mine is likely going to be James Lowe.</p>
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<p>However the guy I think should have gone lots further but didn't is Trent Boswell-Wakefield. He can't start for the Magpies (that's on the coach being a bit of a dick) and hasn't got close to Super Rugby because of it when I thought he'd be a regular at Super level and knocking on the door of ABs. The guy should have left HB a while ago.</p>
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<p>Ben T as well after his first year of NPC and then Super rugby.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="588043" data-time="1465942411">
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<p>Smith?</p>
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<p>That's the bugger. Trust me to forget a complicated surname like that. He was pretty good to watch, I did laugh my arse off during the above scrap though.</p>
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<p>Other players who never did as well as I predicted are Troy Flavell, Filipo Levi, Kristian Ormsby, Ross Filipo.......I seemed to have a thing for short locks.</p> -
<p>I remember a conversation with a mate who really rated Guildford when he was a U20s star. I said at that time that Dagg would play more tests than Guildford.</p>
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<p>For Waikato players, I thought Rory Grice would have a big future. He starred in the NZ U20s but never got much opportunity in Super Rugby. Then he buggered off to France, and by all accounts is playing very well.</p> -
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<p>I remember a conversation with a mate who really rated Guildford when he was a U20s star. <strong>I said at that time that Dagg would play more tests than Guildford.</strong></p>
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<p>For Waikato players, I thought Rory Grice would have a big future. He starred in the NZ U20s but never got much opportunity in Super Rugby. Then he buggered off to France, and by all accounts is playing very well.</p>
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<p>There's still time for Guildford, I'm sure all that time not drinking has allowed him to discover all sorts of skills like, actually beating his man....</p> -
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<p>That's the bugger. Trust me to forget a complicated surname like that. He was pretty good to watch, I did laugh my arse off during the above scrap though.</p>
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<p>Other players who never did as well as I predicted are <strong>Troy Flavell</strong>, Filipo Levi, Kristian Ormsby, Ross Filipo.......I seemed to have a thing for short locks.</p>
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<p>I thought you were a Wellington guy but to like Troy Flavell you must not have actually watched rugby but instead been taking the NZ Herald into your work toilets to jerk off over their glowing endorsements of him. God the Herald had a prominent bulge in their trousers over him - they continually reported he was set to displace Williams or Jack or, earlier, Maxwell or that nobody Blackadder. </p>
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<p>The guy shares the exact same birth date as me but that was the only thing I admired about him.</p> -
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<p>But Cory Jane ended up having a really good AB career?</p>
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<p>yea, but what's he done for us lately?</p> -
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<p>I thought you were a Wellington guy but to like Troy Flavell you must not have actually watched rugby but instead been taking the NZ Herald into your work toilets to jerk off over their glowing endorsements of him. God the Herald had a prominent bulge in their trousers over him - they continually reported he was set to displace Williams or Jack or, earlier, Maxwell or that nobody Blackadder. </p>
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<p>The guy shares the exact same birth date as me but that was the only thing I admired about him.</p>
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<p>Nah, i thought at the time Flavell was the ultimate impact bench player. Turns out he was just filthy and a bit shit. </p> -
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<p>Me too, never seen another player like him at club level.</p>
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<p>Was untouchable when given a bit of space.</p>
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<p>He was also solid under the highball and was a good tackler. Seemed to have it all, but coaches didn't want to give him a start, even at the Melbourne Rebels, who were hardly a great attacking force.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="588047" data-time="1465942929"><p>Mine is likely going to be James Lowe.<br>
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However the guy I think should have gone lots further but didn't is Trent Boswell-Wakefield.</p></blockquote>
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Yeah but on the other hand we've been spared the spectacle of Kamo trying to say his name. -
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<p>Julian Savea became the player Hosea Gear should have been</p>
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<p>And then morphed back into a fatter version of Hosea Gear.</p> -
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<p>That's the bugger. Trust me to forget a complicated surname like that. He was pretty good to watch, I did laugh my arse off during the above scrap though.</p>
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<p>Other players who never did as well as I predicted are Troy Flavell, Filipo Levi, Kristian Ormsby, Ross Filipo.......I seemed to have a thing for short locks.</p>
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<p>I remember an interview with Smith saying he struggled with the physicality of professional footy. Described a lot of the players as "mad men". I guess you do have to be a bit nuts to play at the top level, the battering you take would be immense.</p> -
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<p>I thought you were a Wellington guy but to like Troy Flavell you must not have actually watched rugby but instead been <strong>taking the NZ Herald into your work toilets to jerk off over their glowing endorsements of him</strong>. God the Herald had a prominent bulge in their trousers over him - they continually reported he was set to displace Williams or Jack or, earlier, Maxwell or that nobody Blackadder. </p>
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<p>The guy shares the exact same birth date as me but that was the only thing I admired about him.</p>
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<p>So not a fan then ?</p>
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<p>Back then I used to read it online and the computers in those days were far to bulky and clunky to take to the work toilets. Flavell was capable of doing some pretty amazing stuff that no other forward could do at the time but rarely showed it at the top level and I don't need to go into how blatant and stupid his indiscretions were.</p>
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<p>If things were a bit more settled upstairs I think he could have easily been a hundred test veteran.</p> -
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<p>For a while, Flavell was one of my favourite players. Athletic and good skills. Tough as teak in the tight as well.</p>
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<p>His mongerel let him down though</p>
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<p>Everyone mentions our bench nowadays but he could have been that player of his era, easy. Granted he was a bit short to be a regular starter but in saying that it didn't do Brad Thorn any harm, his toughness was harnessed so much more sensibly though.....</p> -
<p>I reckon Flava Flav was less of a thug than Troy Flav.</p>
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<p>Troy Flavell had all the raw materials in the world but really was most interested in being a cock.</p> -
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<p>I reckon Flava Flav was less of a thug than Troy Flav.</p>
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<p>Troy Flavell had all the raw materials in the world but really was most interested in being a cock.</p>
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<p>Yeah I think that second sentence sums him up and agree he may have rubbed people up the wrong way but as the man himself said he wouldn't have stood for the ABs being intimidated in 1999 ( probably punched or stomped on someone and gotten sent off but at least the intent to look after his mates would have been there )</p> -
<p>I don't know how many players I 've thought would have good AB careers that didn't - Randle, Masaga jump to mind as obvious ones but I also was a big fan of Delany as well ...</p>
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<p>There were also plenty who I thought never deserved to be near them who also made it - many with lasting impact.</p>
