Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years
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Maybe it was because of my age that Zinny’s freakish talent and skills for a number 8 had more of an impact on me than MJ’s game.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Maybe it was because of my age that Zinny’s freakish talent and skills for a number 8 had more of an impact on me than MJ’s game.
They were contemporaries. Did you not see early MJ? I doubt there was much that Zinny could do that MJ couldn't on a rugby field.
I say this as a huge Zinny fan.
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@Nepia said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@ACT-Crusader said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Maybe it was because of my age that Zinny’s freakish talent and skills for a number 8 had more of an impact on me than MJ’s game.
They were contemporaries. Did you not see early MJ? I doubt there was much that Zinny could do that MJ couldn't on a rugby field.
I say this as a huge Zinny fan.
I did. My earliest test memories is watching the 87 RWC even though the old man tells me that I watched the 86 Bledisloe series with him.
For me Zinny was abrasive as Buck, but then quick on his feet (not as quick as MJ mind you), a great passing game both ways and could put the ball on his boot.
MJ was a very different player to Brooke.
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Bernie Fraser
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I need 7: Jones, McCaw, Cullen, Lomu, A Smith, Carter, Nonu.
Ignoring that I've picked 2 x 7s, if I try to think of better players I've seen in those positions, from anywhere, I struggle. Rupeni Caucau maybe. Tim Horan maybe.I think Coles is a better player than Fitzpatrick, and Doug Howlett probably wouldn't make my top 5 Auckland wingers.
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Just curious but some of the 100 club didn’t make even a comment, didn’t see Woodcock or Mils even get a mention. Mils I get, but does Tony get a mention?
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@bayimports said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Just curious but some of the 100 club didn’t make even a comment, didn’t see Woodcock or Mils even get a mention. Mils I get, but does Tony get a mention?
Special shout out to the greatest AB centurian that hasn’t scored a try
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@ACT-Crusader said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@bayimports said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Just curious but some of the 100 club didn’t make even a comment, didn’t see Woodcock or Mils even get a mention. Mils I get, but does Tony get a mention?
Special shout out to the greatest AB centurian that hasn’t scored a try
I think a prop on a list like this is like a keeper in cricket.
You’re extremely unlikely to get a second thought.
As good as Mils was he was no Cullen.
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@bayimports said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Just curious but some of the 100 club didn’t make even a comment, didn’t see Woodcock or Mils even get a mention. Mils I get, but does Tony get a mention?
He does now. Top 5 AB's of last 50 years? Nah. Top player - great bloke by all accounts - Harbour legend - but not one for the ages across all positions.
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@Crucial said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@booboo said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@Chris-B said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@dogmeat said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@bayimports said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Since Meads was voted player of last century from NZ rugby he is in.
The criteria is from Lions 71 Tour on. You cannot pick Meads on that basis. He played four tests, captained poorly (not his forte) to our only series defeat against the Lions and was dropped.
Actually, my intention was that anyone who played in those tests can be considered for the entirety of their careers.
Fair enough. I had the same thought as @dogmeat.
Then leaving out Meads is a cardinal sin, and neglecting Sir Brian will probably book you a few years in Hades as well.
My revised list:
McCaw
Meads
Fitzy
Jonah
LochoreThe criteria is unfortunate. Two AB greats had their swan songs just within the period given.
I left them out as to me they would be part of the 100 year greatest or 'greatest between 1920 and 1970' discussions (and be the first on the list)I had in mind 50 years because that's including most of the people that at least some of us have seen play - including TV footage. Much beyond that and it's hearsay.
Including their whole career because otherwise it is e.g. BG Williams, but without South Africa in 1970. Dogmeat already explained Meads. Going, Lochore and Kirkpatrick others that you'd be sawing in half.
And, it forces pencils to be sharpened!
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@booboo said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@Chris-B said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@dogmeat said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@bayimports said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Since Meads was voted player of last century from NZ rugby he is in.
The criteria is from Lions 71 Tour on. You cannot pick Meads on that basis. He played four tests, captained poorly (not his forte) to our only series defeat against the Lions and was dropped.
Actually, my intention was that anyone who played in those tests can be considered for the entirety of their careers.
Fair enough. I had the same thought as @dogmeat.
Then leaving out Meads is a cardinal sin, and neglecting Sir Brian will probably book you a few years in Hades as well.
My revised list:
McCaw
Meads
Fitzy
Jonah
LochoreAre you old enough to have seen meads and lochore play?
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McCaw carter MJ Cullen Fitzpatrick
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@Billy-Tell said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@booboo said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@Chris-B said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@dogmeat said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
@bayimports said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Since Meads was voted player of last century from NZ rugby he is in.
The criteria is from Lions 71 Tour on. You cannot pick Meads on that basis. He played four tests, captained poorly (not his forte) to our only series defeat against the Lions and was dropped.
Actually, my intention was that anyone who played in those tests can be considered for the entirety of their careers.
Fair enough. I had the same thought as @dogmeat.
Then leaving out Meads is a cardinal sin, and neglecting Sir Brian will probably book you a few years in Hades as well.
My revised list:
McCaw
Meads
Fitzy
Jonah
LochoreAre you old enough to have seen meads and lochore play?
No. Reputation. It's not their talent as players that makes them "great". It's aura. They created her.
(My memory stretches back to 1977, with flashes of 1976.)
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Yeah I personally think it’s better to stick to what you’ve seen with your own eyes but each to their own. I started watching in 1987. So that’s my starting year.
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@Billy-Tell said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
Yeah I personally think it’s better to stick to what you’ve seen with your own eyes but each to their own. I started watching in 1987. So that’s my starting year.
So you pick the best players, I'll follow the instructions and pick the greatest.
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my earliest was probably the Springbok tour in 1981 (being 7 at the time) it was more that it thrust rugby into the headlines for me, the political stuff wasnt what made the impact on me, although I recall watching more league as a real little fulla than rugby.
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I know Lomu wasn't a complete player by any stretch, but his running game was so much better than anyone else that has played the game it's not even funny. Without exaggerating he was probably about 5 times more effective with ball in hand than any other player. People had nightmares about trying to defend against him. The combination of pace and power he had were basically inhuman. Has to be in the top 5 given the way he could break games apart with such ease.
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As a slightly younger poster one thing that has surprised me is Fitzy making the cut for a lot of people. Not that he doesn't deserve to be there, but I never really watched him play as he retired when I started watching. What was so good about his play that puts him in our top 5 all time lists?
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@No-Quarter said in Five Greatest ABs of the past 50 years:
I know Lomu wasn't a complete player by any stretch, but his running game was so much better than anyone else that has played the game it's not even funny. Without exaggerating he was probably about 5 times more effective with ball in hand than any other player. People had nightmares about trying to defend against him. The combination of pace and power he had were basically inhuman. Has to be in the top 5 given the way he could break games apart with such ease.
For different reasons I think Cullen was just as good in attack. The fact they played at the same time was just terrific.
