Openside flankers
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Thinking about the depth we've presently got at openside flanker makes me wonder quite why it is that we've almost always had gun opensides?
I'm not sure quite when we shifted from using left and right flankers to using blind and open sides - it was after Waka Nathan and Kel Tremain, but even that pair were starting to be pretty complementary and by all accounts Nathan was a gun as a prototypical openside.
First really genuine openside might have been Ken Stewart? And since then we've had a nearly unbroken chain of Kevin Eveleigh, Graham Mourie, Jock Hobbs, Michael Jones, Josh Kronfeld, Richie McCaw and Sam Cane.
A few little lulls along the way, but also periods where we've had several excellent options - Frank Shelford, Ginge Henderson, Marty Holah and now Ardie Savea and Dalton Papali'i.
I don't think we've got another position where we've been so strong, so consistently.
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@chris-b said in Openside flankers:
Thinking about the depth we've presently got at openside flanker makes me wonder quite why it is that we've almost always had gun opensides?
I'm not sure quite when we shifted from using left and right flankers to using blind and open sides - it was after Waka Nathan and Kel Tremain, but even that pair were starting to be pretty complementary and by all accounts Nathan was a gun as a prototypical openside.
First really genuine openside might have been Ken Stewart? And since then we've had a nearly unbroken chain of Kevin Eveleigh, Graham Mourie, Jock Hobbs, Michael Jones, Josh Kronfeld, Richie McCaw and Sam Cane.
A few little lulls along the way, but also periods where we've had several excellent options - Frank Shelford, Ginge Henderson, Marty Holah and now Ardie Savea and Dalton Papali'i.
I don't think we've got another position where we've been so strong, so consistently.
yeah, it's NZ rugby's signature position. There has been an embarrassment of riches at times
Look at who was running around in say 2005 and couldn't get near a test gig.
It's a glamour spot in NZ, so athletes want to play there. And our national style compliments the position beautifully for creating hard bastards who are not only good on the ground, but hard defenders and good link players.
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lets also not forget all those that never got to shine because they spend their whole career in one of these legends shadows, holah is an obvious one for the AB's
But i think it was sam harding that was actually seen as a better prospect by otago/highlanders than Mccaw, history obvious shows how that turned out but he was a great player for years and you never know how he might have developed in canterbury/crusaders
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@kiwiwomble Might have been Sam Harding?
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@mariner4life
"First really genuine openside might have been Ken Stewart?"
Waka Nathan maybe? -
@daffy-jaffy See the sentence above that.
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@kiwiwomble said in Openside flankers:
lets also not forget all those that never got to shine because they spend their whole career in one of these legends shadows, holah is an obvious one for the AB's
But i think it was sam harding that was actually seen as a better prospect by otago/highlanders than Mccaw, history obvious shows how that turned out but he was a great player for years and you never know how he might have developed in canterbury/crusaders
Didn't Blackie start over McCaw in some age grade teams?
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@nepia yeah, i think harding, blakie (who i originally named) and Maccaw we're all seen as similar at the time...and how many went on to be arguably the best rugby player in history, im sure even richie would suggest some on that was down to the development he got when he was young and not solely god given ability
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had to look it up
Harding was the "swap" for mccaw but Blackie was also there competing at the same time along with another pretty decent 7 Craig Newby
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@daffy-jaffy or Bill Clark
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McCaw didn't even make the 1998 NZ Schools team. Neither did Newby and they both played in the final.
NZS 1998
SQUAD ​​ Backs Eni Afoa (Rongotai College) Nick Buckley (Kelston BHS) Tumai Edwards (King's College) Peter Epati (King's College) Gerrard Fasavalu (St. Pats Town) Riki Flutey (Te...
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Our flanker stocks have always been deep. Paul Henderson represented Southland and the Highlanders with distinction, at a level just under the top guys. Chris Masoe was great for the Canes and both he and Henderson got test appearances for the ABs
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pretty simple answer. The position that every kid wants to play in every team.. so to play there you've got to be good..
extrapolates from there!
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@bovidae said in Openside flankers:
McCaw didn't even make the 1998 NZ Schools team. Neither did Newby and they both played in the final.
SQUAD ​​ Backs Eni Afoa (Rongotai College) Nick Buckley (Kelston BHS) Tumai Edwards (King's College) Peter Epati (King's College) Gerrard Fasavalu (St. Pats Town) Riki Flutey (Te...
Rangi Vallance looked like he had McCaw's spot.
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@nepia said in Openside flankers:
@bovidae said in Openside flankers:
McCaw didn't even make the 1998 NZ Schools team. Neither did Newby and they both played in the final.
SQUAD ​​ Backs Eni Afoa (Rongotai College) Nick Buckley (Kelston BHS) Tumai Edwards (King's College) Peter Epati (King's College) Gerrard Fasavalu (St. Pats Town) Riki Flutey (Te...
Rangi Vallance looked like he had McCaw's spot.
That sounds like an obscure pub quiz question
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@bovidae said in Openside flankers:
McCaw didn't even make the 1998 NZ Schools team. Neither did Newby and they both played in the final.
SQUAD ​​ Backs Eni Afoa (Rongotai College) Nick Buckley (Kelston BHS) Tumai Edwards (King's College) Peter Epati (King's College) Gerrard Fasavalu (St. Pats Town) Riki Flutey (Te...
From memory I don't think Marty ever represented any Waikato age group teams until senior level.
Played one season of npc, then Chiefs seemed to be a bit of a toss up between him and Dave Dillon at BOP, Marty got it and pretty sure same season ended up in the AB's? So very quick rise up through the ranks (if my hazy recollection is correct).
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Highlanders: Sam Harding - Super Rugby News - NZ Herald
