Rugby Freaks
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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?
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@crucial was possibly this one?
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/3880/classic-rugby-vids/173
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@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.
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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
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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.
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I would also add Michael Jones to the list.
Showed the rugby world a new dynamic in loose forward play.
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@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. -
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
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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.
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@catogrande said in Rugby Freaks:
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
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I'd suggest Gregor Townsend deserves a mention. Some of the stuff he did was pretty outrageous
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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.
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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.
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@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
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I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.
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@dice said in Rugby Freaks:
I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.
Most Waikato supporters would agree.
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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.
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@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).
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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.
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@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.
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@crucial Cullen is listed as 1.80 m and 85 kg.
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@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.
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@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.
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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.
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Cullen Campo J van der Westhuizen Serevi Hugo Porta would be my top 5.
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Also, of all the freaks mentioned so far I'd say he'd easily be the best defender.
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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.
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@catogrande said in Rugby Freaks:
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.
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@nepia I mentioned Zinny - a 1st 5 trapped in a no.8s body.
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@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).
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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.
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@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.
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@dice said in Rugby Freaks:
I'd put Joeli Vidiri in the freak category.
Faster than both Jonah and Cullen at full speed apparently.
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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.
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@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.
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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.
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@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.
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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.
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@majorrage I'd go Pierre Spies, that dude was a freakish athlete, although never really fulfilled the potential
