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    Rugby Freaks

    Sports Talk
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    • Crucial
      Crucial last edited by

      Had a clip pop up on SM the other day showing a highlights reel of Rupeni Caucaunibuca and it reminded me of his freakish abilities.

      Had me wondering what other 'freaks' have we seen in the game? Players that transcend their contemporaries and have you in awe at their play.

      Lomu and Cully are obvious examples to add to Rupeni IMO. Who else?

      taniwharugby 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • taniwharugby
        taniwharugby @Crucial last edited by

        @crucial was possibly this one?

        https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/3880/classic-rugby-vids/173

        Crucial 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • Crucial
          Crucial @taniwharugby last edited by

          @taniwharugby said in Rugby Freaks:

          @crucial was possibly this one?

          https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/3880/classic-rugby-vids/173

          Ha, could have been. I probably saw the same link as you.

          Have had a look for a clip that includes decent footage of that Blues game against the Brumbies in the wet. That's the one that really sticks out for me. He was on another planet that day, scooping up a wet ball one handed and looking like he was jogging to the line until you see the name players all around him that can't get near. Even Howlett is going flat out to be in support.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • Kiwiwomble
            Kiwiwomble last edited by

            the context plays a role in this a little, but i remember goldie playing for harbour in dunedin prem, was an AB at the time, cant remember if he was coming back from an injury or somethings...he didn't hold back, just opened us up from where ever he liked, this was arrogant ball hog goldie at its finest

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • Catogrande
              Catogrande last edited by Catogrande

              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.

              Crucial Nepia Dan54 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Crucial
                Crucial last edited by

                I would also add Michael Jones to the list.

                Showed the rugby world a new dynamic in loose forward play.

                Catogrande 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                • Crucial
                  Crucial @Catogrande last edited by

                  @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.

                  Agree with you on Blanco but not regarding Cully. I think you are seriously underestimating his other abilities. You only have to watch his first few tests to see that his natural play brought something to the field that hadn't been seen at test level before (except in flashes).
                  His tackle breaking strength was second to none but it was his stepping without losing speed that was the real standout.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                  • Kiwiwomble
                    Kiwiwomble last edited by

                    i think we're just going to end up with a list of the world best players...but

                    one that might not stand out as much because its not try scoring...Richie, i went to school with Richie and people legit made comments like "future AB right there" in 3rd form

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                    • Catogrande
                      Catogrande @Crucial last edited by Catogrande

                      @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.

                      Crucial mariner4life 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Crucial
                        Crucial @Catogrande last edited by Crucial

                        @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.

                        🙂 which in my eyes made him a freak...

                        Not looking for best players ever. Many of these guys had big failings in other areas but I guess it's down to players that made you go 'WTAF!!' on a regular basis

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • MN5
                          MN5 last edited by

                          This post is deleted!
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Victor Meldrew
                            Victor Meldrew last edited by

                            I'd suggest Gregor Townsend deserves a mention. Some of the stuff he did was pretty outrageous

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • Bovidae
                              Bovidae last edited by

                              I was always amazed at some of the things Sivivatu did, all the while looking like he was in 2nd gear. 5 tries against Auckland was good to watch. 🙂

                              Zinny for his drop-kicking ability.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • taniwharugby
                                taniwharugby last edited by taniwharugby

                                Not sure I'd put Lomu in freakish skill/ability, he was just a phenom, large and fast with good skills, but not freakish IMO.

                                For me, Cully is possibly the closest to Rupeni in terms of freakish ability, Goldie near the top too, and the fact we had Goldie, Lomu & Cully at the same time!!

                                I'd put Blanco & Campo up there too for outsides.

                                Crucial 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                • Crucial
                                  Crucial @taniwharugby last edited by

                                  @taniwharugby said in Rugby Freaks:

                                  Not sure I'd put Lomu in freakish skill/ability, he was just a phenom, large and fast with good skills, but not freakish IMO.

                                  For me, Cully is possibly the closest to Rupeni in terms of freakish ability, Goldie near the top too, and the fact we had Goldie, Lomu & Cully at the same time!!

                                  I'd put Blanco & Campo up there too for outsides.

                                  Lomu had a two metre sidestep FFS! 🙂 His best attribute by far was balance though. Addthat to his other abilities and he was a freak.

                                  Goldie, Lomu and Cully? sounds like a good back three 😉

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                  • Dice
                                    Dice last edited by

                                    I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.

                                    Crucial MN5 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                    • Crucial
                                      Crucial @Dice last edited by

                                      @dice said in Rugby Freaks:

                                      I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.

                                      Most Waikato supporters would agree.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • Crucial
                                        Crucial last edited by

                                        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.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                        • Nepia
                                          Nepia @Catogrande last edited by

                                          @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).

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 11
                                          • Bovidae
                                            Bovidae last edited by

                                            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 taniwharugby 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                            • Crucial
                                              Crucial @Bovidae last edited by

                                              @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 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                              • Bovidae
                                                Bovidae @Crucial last edited by

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

                                                Crucial 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                • Crucial
                                                  Crucial @Bovidae last edited by

                                                  @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.

                                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                  • taniwharugby
                                                    taniwharugby @Bovidae last edited by

                                                    @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.

                                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                                    • Chris
                                                      Chris last edited by

                                                      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.

                                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                                      • A
                                                        ARHS last edited by ARHS

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

                                                        Victor Meldrew 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                                        • Nepia
                                                          Nepia last edited by

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

                                                          Dice 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                          • Nepia
                                                            Nepia last edited by

                                                            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.

                                                            Bovidae 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                                            • mariner4life
                                                              mariner4life @Catogrande last edited by

                                                              @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.

                                                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 7
                                                              • Bovidae
                                                                Bovidae @Nepia last edited by

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

                                                                Nepia 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                                                • Nepia
                                                                  Nepia @Bovidae last edited by

                                                                  @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).

                                                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                                  • mariner4life
                                                                    mariner4life last edited by

                                                                    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.

                                                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                                    • Dice
                                                                      Dice @Nepia last edited by

                                                                      @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.

                                                                      taniwharugby 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                                      • MN5
                                                                        MN5 @Dice last edited by

                                                                        @dice said in Rugby Freaks:

                                                                        I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.

                                                                        Faster than both Jonah and Cullen at full speed apparently.

                                                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                                        • MajorRage
                                                                          MajorRage last edited by

                                                                          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.

                                                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                                                          • taniwharugby
                                                                            taniwharugby @Dice last edited by

                                                                            @dice when he was interested...sometimes he didnt even look like he was trying!

                                                                            It was Cully's explosive pace that covered up his positional deficiencies on defence allowing him to cover.

                                                                            Dice 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                                            • antipodean
                                                                              antipodean last edited by

                                                                              Haven't read thread. I nominate the following three players without any prior thought.

                                                                              • Lomu. Sure he was bigger than everyone else, but he wasn't a lumbering buffoon; he had pace, power and balance.
                                                                              • Cullen. There's never been a better fullback. Never. Just look at any of his highlight reels on youtube.
                                                                              • Caucau. For a brief period he looked like he was playing against park footballers.
                                                                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 7
                                                                              • Dice
                                                                                Dice @taniwharugby last edited by

                                                                                @taniwharugby said in Rugby Freaks:

                                                                                @dice when he was interested...sometimes he didnt even look like he was trying!

                                                                                It was Cully's explosive pace that covered up his positional deficiencies on defence allowing him to cover.

                                                                                You're probably a better judge than me. I only really remember his defense for the Blues, which I found impressive.

                                                                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                                                • MajorRage
                                                                                  MajorRage last edited by

                                                                                  Skinstad was something else when he first came on the scene.

                                                                                  Andrew Walker probably the most natural runner I’ve seen on a rugby field.

                                                                                  taniwharugby Mick Gold Coast QLD booboo 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                                                                  • taniwharugby
                                                                                    taniwharugby @MajorRage last edited by

                                                                                    @majorrage I'd go Pierre Spies, that dude was a freakish athlete, although never really fulfilled the potential

                                                                                    antipodean MajorRage 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 3
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