[JustinDee]

Originally Posted by KidMonT

BOD is defensively strong and combats well at ruck time but he doesn't do much else these days

What . . . the . . . heckety-yack???

[KidMonT]

Originally Posted by JustinDee

What . . . the . . . heckety-yack???

Reality sucks but even BOD can get old

[twinytwo]

Originally Posted by KidMonT

Reality sucks but even BOD can get old

Will he may not be at the peak of his powers... you would have to be blind to say all he does is defend and ruck??

[geotrig]

Originally Posted by ALH-06

Some surprising opinions here.

Neither Nonu or SBW are 13s but many here rank them as better than O'Driscoll at outside centre. Strange perspective.

Nonu has played quite a bit at outside centre ! sbw has played there as well !
i think the thing with the likes of nonu, smith and sbw to an extent is that they are used to swithcing between themselves throught a game so they can play both centre positions and all have a smiliar playing style of playing with ball in 2 hands .

[CatFromHue]

I am.

[KidMonT]

Originally Posted by twinytwo

Will he may not be at the peak of his powers... you would have to be blind to say all he does is defend and ruck??

Of course not. His leadership qualities and willingness to put his body on the line for Ireland and Leinster are also very valuable. But in this day and age you'd want a centre who can convert quick ruck ball into go forward ball. He doesn't do that for me especially if Ireland want to be expansive. Umaga was in a similar position (great leadership, commitment, defense) but he went off the pace. After the world cup the Ireland management will have to make some brave decision for the future. He's a solid centre but definitely not the best anymore.

[GerM]

Originally Posted by ALH-06

Fourie is about as awkward as a holocaust joke at a bar mitzvah, and has no ability to sidestep at pace. Strong runner and good finisher, but better than O'Driscoll he is not.

Have you watched Fourie this season? Even against Wales he danced around two players in the Welsh 22. His dexterity and footwork is superb for a man of his size. There is a lot more to him than just straight line power and pace.

[ALH-06]

What's this? People writing off BOD as past it after a few quiet games?

How extremely surprising and not at all predictable. I never tire of this forum.

[KidMonT]

Originally Posted by ALH-06

What's this? People writing off BOD as past it after a few quiet games?

How extremely surprising and not at all predictable. I never tire of this forum.

I for one haven't written him off. He simply isn't as great as people make him out to be anymore.

[Fight_Night]

Originally Posted by ALH-06

What's this? People writing off BOD as past it after a few quiet games?

How extremely surprising and not at all predictable. I never tire of this forum.

Despite what we might like to believe, he's still a human, he's getting older and he doesn't have the pace that the 25 year old drico had. That doesn't make him past it but it certainly makes him less effective. I mean he's still the best 13 this country has by a mile, just in terms of the top centres in the world, he probably wouldn't make the cut anymore.

[irishbucsfan]

Originally Posted by KidMonT

I for one haven't written him off. He simply isn't as great as people make him out to be anymore.

Whoa Deja Vu!


2008 all over again.

[colman1212]

Planet rugby have a poll on the best centre partnership of the last 10 years

http://planetrugby.com/poll/results/...307402,00.html

Drico & darce in 2nd place! No prizes for guessing who is first..

[pajunior]

Originally Posted by colman1212

Planet rugby have a poll on the best centre partnership of the last 10 years

http://planetrugby.com/poll/results/...307402,00.html

Drico & darce in 2nd place! No prizes for guessing who is first..

I would put Drico as the best individual centre of the last ten years but as a pair there is no beating Nonu and Smith.

[KidMonT]

Originally Posted by colman1212

Planet rugby have a poll on the best centre partnership of the last 10 years

http://planetrugby.com/poll/results/...307402,00.html

Drico & darce in 2nd place! No prizes for guessing who is first..

I wanted to pick D'Arcy/BOD and even Nonu/Smith but i went with JDV/Fourie simply because they were key towards SA winning the major prizes (Tri Nations/World Cup/Lions Tour).

[GerM]

Originally Posted by KidMonT

I wanted to pick D'Arcy/BOD and even Nonu/Smith but i went with JDV/Fourie simply because they were key towards SA winning the major prizes (Tri Nations/World Cup/Lions Tour).

They weren't the centre partnership for either the WC or the Lions. Steyn played 12 in the WC after JDV tore his bicep in the first game and Fourie was on the bench for the first two Lions tests.