X-Factor/Box Office Players
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@junior said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
The problem with this article is that they don't actually define what they mean by "box-office". Presumably, they mean guys who drew crowds, but then they mention a guy like Quade Cooper, who people turned up to boo not watch.
If they mean guys with sublime skills who could really entertain, then bloody say that. But then don't nominate Jonny Wilkinson (all due respect to the man, he was an all-time great, IMO).
Gavin Henson filled seats and had sublime skills.
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This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
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@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
The HQ boxes on the other hand
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@MiketheSnow said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
The HQ boxes on the other hand
Point.
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@MiketheSnow said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@junior said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
The problem with this article is that they don't actually define what they mean by "box-office". Presumably, they mean guys who drew crowds, but then they mention a guy like Quade Cooper, who people turned up to boo not watch.
If they mean guys with sublime skills who could really entertain, then bloody say that. But then don't nominate Jonny Wilkinson (all due respect to the man, he was an all-time great, IMO).
Gavin Henson filled seats and had sublime skills.
Yeah, and for a brief period of time, I agree he was "box-office" (if that's your definition of box-office).
The issue with Barnes' and Jones' lists are that they tend to mix between the mercurial, sublimely skilled players and the guys who people paid to see because they put in the big performances in the biggest moments (hence the inclusion of JW and the MJ comparisons). To me, "box office" is one or the other (probably the latter, IMO), but not both.
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@MajorRage said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
- No Larkham is a surprise. Expect at least one to remember his sublime skills.
Larkham had silky skills but he always looked like prey more than predator out there.
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no one mentioning George Smith is a surprise to me.
All the parts you want in a great openside (and he was a great openside) mixed in with sublime touches by hand and foot that would have made an inside back proud. A genius rugby player.
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You could arguably throw the 2015 version of Nehe Milner Skudder in there. Every time he touched the ball that season he had the majority of the Cake Tin on the edge of their seats and then did unbelievably well when he made the All Black's aswell.
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@Canes4life said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
You could arguably throw the 2015 version of Nehe Milner Skudder in there. Every time he touched the ball that season he had the majority of the Cake Tin on the edge of their seats and then did unbelievably well when he made the All Black's aswell.
I think Owen Franks would have more chance of a mention these days.
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For someone of the Walrus' vintage and tribe, no mention of Barry John confirms that reverse Alzheimers has taken root
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@MiketheSnow said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
For someone of the Walrus' vintage and tribe, no mention of Barry John confirms that reverse Alzheimers has taken root
Could older Ferners scratch their collective heads and try to come up with some reason, however far fetched, that Micky Skinner and Eric Champ make the list? Is this considered ‘box office Rugby?’
Fuck, I think he’s genuinely out walrused the walrus for Bullshit Rugby opinions.....
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@MiketheSnow said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
@junior said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
The problem with this article is that they don't actually define what they mean by "box-office". Presumably, they mean guys who drew crowds, but then they mention a guy like Quade Cooper, who people turned up to boo not watch.
If they mean guys with sublime skills who could really entertain, then bloody say that. But then don't nominate Jonny Wilkinson (all due respect to the man, he was an all-time great, IMO).
Gavin Henson filled seats and had sublime skills.
A player that could have been so much more
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@sparky said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
The Walrus and the Fat C**t have done a list of their top ten Box Office players for the Sunday Times. As ever, I suspect the Fern can do much, much better than those two bitter, old, gas bags.
Rugby's 10 greatest box office players (as selected by The Times)
STEPHEN JONES: 1-Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Fiji), 2-Jonah Lomu (NZ), 3-Shane Williams (Wales), 4-David Campese (Australia), 5-Christian Wade (England), 6-Jeremy Guscott (England), 7-Mark Ring (Wales), 8-Timothy Lafaele (Japan), 9-Waisale Serevi (Fiji), 10-Quade Cooper (Australia).
STUART BARNES: 1-Lomu, 2-Jonny Wilkinson (England), 3-Carlos Spencer (NZ), 4-Micky Skinner (England), 5-Finn Russell (Scotland), 6-Cooper, 7-Leone Nakarawa (Fiji), 8-Eric Champ (France), 9-Ring, 10-Simon Zebo (Ireland)
Sparky's Top Ten NZ Rugby Entertainers
1-Christian Cullen 2-Carlos Spencer 3- Beauden Barrett 4-Jonah Lomu 5-Jeff Wilson 6-Zinzan Brooke 7-Sonny Bill Williams 8-Israel Dagg 9- Ma'a Nonu 10- Damian McKenzie
Sparky's Top Ten Overseas X-Factor Players
1 - Waisale Serevi (Fiji) 2- Serge Blanco (France) 3- David Campese (Australia) 4- Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Fiji) 5- Gareth Edwards (Wales) 6 -Shane Williams (Wales) 7- Nemani Nadolo (Fiji) 8- Patrice Lagisquet (France) 9- Bryan Habana (SA) 10-Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Click bait
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@Catogrande said in X-Factor/Box Office Players:
This is an odd discussion for me. Sure I can see how these guys are exciting players to watch, but seat fillers? I cannot think of a time I would have gone to see a match or even made more of a effort to see a match because so and so was playing. Seeing someone like Jonah (THE man in this instance) would be a bonus but I would be going to watch England v NZ not Jonah.
I’m more in this boat. One of the great things about rugby is that it’s the ultimate team game.
I’ve seen some brilliant rugby players live over my lifetime, but I can only think of one time that I was genuinely excited with anticipation to see one player live and that was 17 years ago. I was in Sydney for the week and a mate rang me on the Tuesday or Wednesday and said he had corporate seats at the SFS for the opening round of the Super 12 and it was the Blues and Waratahs game. Rupeni was playing.
