Greatest full back ever!?!

NDM

God i just love Test Match days!! When theres nothing but rugby on your mind and perhaps the 3.15 @ Haydock!!

The full back debate that rages amongst Irish rugby always leads me to wonder who in fact is the best full back of all time??? (Internationally)

Now this question is a matter of personal preference, i believe anyway, so my own choice of the greatest full back ever is without doubt Christian Cullen. The guy was sheer class, serious pace, great in defence and just an all round devestating full back.There was always a sense of anticipation and excitment whenever he got the ball. A legend of the game. He was dazzling to watch and its only a pity that injury blighted his munster career.

so guys and girls would be great to hear other peoples opinions on who they believe to be the gretaest full back ever, so feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions....

cheers:D

Rattlehead_ie

I wouldn't normally add to these posts but I'd have to +1 on Cullen, one of the finest players that ever graced a rugby field. Not only was his ball skills out standing, attacking game, defensive but his ability to head a situation and read a game, what was needed and where / when it was needed.

I have spoken to a lot of ppl over the years and as NMD said, its unfortuante that his career in Munster (that alot of Irish ppl only know about) was dogged with injury and never was rarely on the field at 100% due to recovery etc.

I would also have a soft spot for Montgomory, although he was never as consistant as the likes of cullen, but when he had top class games for SA or Sharks it was an amazing sight to behold.

[Jackass]

Hands down Serge Blanco for me.

Honourable mention to Cullen, Hastings & Montgomery.

louthandproud

[Jackass] wrote: »

Hands down Serge Blanco for me.

Honourable mention to Cullen, Hastings & Montgomery.

I'd go along with that too, not forgetting a certain Mr. Hugo McNeil, my vote for our best.

Stev_o

A certain Jason Robinson?

louthandproud

Stev_o wrote: »

A certain Jason Robinson?

No way, not even best in last 5-10.

88show

Stev_o wrote: »

A certain Jason Robinson?

not even in the top 10!
CC was and is class.
couldn't catch him for what ever he played for, munster nz or wellington
but if you knew anything bout the game then nobody can go past Nepia.
if you don't know then start seaching, nobody has come close to what he could do even in the 'pro' times
heads up, he is all black, invincible's tour. that should get you learning

88show

88show wrote: »

not even in the top 10!
CC was and is class.
couldn't catch him for what ever he played for, munster nz or wellington
but if you knew anything bout the game then nobody can go past Nepia.
if you don't know then start seaching, nobody has come close to what he could do even in the 'pro' times
heads up, he is all black, invincible's tour. that should get you learning

or even don clarke would slot in at #5

Nukem

Kinda thought Chris Latham was outstanding

Stev_o

88show wrote: »

not even in the top 10!
CC was and is class.
couldn't catch him for what ever he played for, munster nz or wellington
but if you knew anything bout the game then nobody can go past Nepia.
if you don't know then start seaching, nobody has come close to what he could do even in the 'pro' times
heads up, he is all black, invincible's tour. that should get you learning

Most people recognize that by the time he joined Munster he was a shadow of himself and was undoubtly the worst signing they ever made and ended up being a waste of money.

On form though back in the day he'd cut anyone apart.

Still dont see the hatred against Billy Whizz most people recognize him as one of the best FB/Wingers in the the professional era.

anonymous_joe

Robinson was awesome! Too young to remember Blanco, etc.

Cullen's up there, Percy Montgomery, Latham...

Gavin Hastings maybe?

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

eigrod

Dick Spring

merlynthewizard

JPR Williams or Cullen

Sandwich

Cullen without a doubt from the last 30 years that Im watching.

Blanco was exciting alright, and a crowd pleaser because of his unpredictability and liability to try anything from anywhere in an era when we thought fullbacks were 80% defenders, 20% 'extra' man in the line between outside centre and wing to shovel the ball on and create an overlap. He certainly added more flair to the idea that JPR Williams had started of the attcking fullback as a genuine threat in his own right.

But Cullen just brought it to a new level. His defence while not frail, would not single him out. It was his pace, and timing to change direction that really made him special, particulalry the 45degree cut through the defensive line in 2 paces. At times you could almost see written on the faces of the defenders - " Oh crap, he's going to do it, he's going to do it !!!. Oh crap, he just did!!! Try." .

NDM

Stev_o wrote: »

A certain Jason Robinson?

piss take post right????:D

Stev_o

NDM wrote: »

piss take post right????:D

Nope not at all, one of the finest players to ever play League and Union.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OhBsaDPXKw

Zzippy

Blanco for me too.

Sangre

Stev_o wrote: »

Nope not at all, one of the finest players to ever play League and Union.

Absolutely! He did jump around positions a lot (although played mostly as a fullback). He was definitely bested suited to fullback where he had the most space to attack. Unfortunately as a league convert his positioning and kicking weren't the best so he'll never claim the 'best ever' title but as an attacking force he is nearly unrivalled. I remember the days when I dreaded him getting the ball.

Crash

Sangre wrote: »

Absolutely! He did jump around positions a lot (although played mostly as a fullback). He was definitely bested suited to fullback where he had the most space to attack. Unfortunately as a league convert his positioning and kicking weren't the best so he'll never claim the 'best ever' title but as an attacking force he is nearly unrivalled. I remember the days when I dreaded him getting the ball.

What he said. Beautiful player to watch when he really got going, could be utterly terrifying.

Sparky14

Stev_o wrote: »

Nope not at all, one of the finest players to ever play League and Union.

One of the best players of the last decade, a better winger than he was fullback in that he had no attributes that made him more suited to Fullback than the wing. Though his pace made him a threat no matter where he played, if we were looking at great wingers that also made very good fullbacks i'd throw Jeff Wilsons name into the mix.

Pride Fighter

I only remember Simon Gheoghan (sp) being my favourite player as a kid, so I'll give him my vote for best Irishman. Oh wait, he played on the wing. I meant Conor O'Shea, thats what posting at 4 in the morning does to ya. I also read the thread wrong.

Sparky14

The thread is supposed to be best fullback, tho 2 good choices.

Also honourable mention to Brent Russell, true Baa Baas player one of the most exciting FBs I've seen. Again maybe better suited to the wing, never understood why the Sharks/Stormers played him at outhalf.

Pride Fighter

Sparky14 wrote: »

The thread is supposed to be best fullback, tho 2 good choices.

Also honourable mention to Brent Russell, true Baa Baas player one of the most exciting FBs I've seen. Again maybe better suited to the wing, never understood why the Sharks/Stormers played him at outhalf.

Fatigue got the better of me, but people were saying Jason Robinson so I thought it was greatest player ever (Robinson was always a wing IMO, not a fullback).

toomevara

Going Forward wrote: »

What he said. Beautiful player to watch when he really got going, could be utterly terrifying.

So true, wouldn't class him as the greatest ever,(possibly one of the greatest broken field runners ever?) but when that guy got the ball you knew anything was possible and as an Ireland/Munster or in my case Leeds Rhinos supporter you just hoped someone would get hold of him before havoc was wreaked.

There was a genuine ripple of fear and anxiety when he was in possession. Arguably now, with the increased role of aerial ping-pong in the game, he'd be even more potent... He was even better in league where a FB receives the ball more regularly and has more room to dance...fabulous player.

NDM

jason robinson was a very very good player but in my opinion was more suited and indeed more effective on the wing...

check out cully in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cDMXSB1Mss

i know a lot of people have seen what he could do but for anyone who hasnt really they should check him out on youtube!:D

tHE vAGGABOND

Blanco drank like a dipso and smoked 40 a day or something - he is the head of the french league and is a big boy these days, looks like a prop and not a full back - but was the best 15 ever I think

Second would go to JPR

Cullen looses out for me, in that he left the all blacks 'early', and came over here and did feck all

Jason Robinson would not get into my club team, let alone be the best full back of all time. He only played full back for England after Josh Lewsey lost all form, up to that point he was picked on the wing.

The lads we are talking about played at 15 for years and years. Get real folks.

toomevara

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

Blanco drank like a dipso and smoked 40 a day or something - he is the head of the french league and is a big boy these days, looks like a prop and not a full back - but was the best 15 ever I think
.

I had the great privilege to see Blanco play in the flesh, usually when thrashing Ireland, though I also saw him on a French team that gave an object lesson to England in Twickers and the guy was an absolute genius (much over used term, but when you see the real deal, you know it).

The guy embodied everything that was great about French Rugby, and I shudder to think how good he'd be in today's professional scenario, although tbh, he'd probably be a professional coaches nightmare.

Definitely the best I've ever seen with my own eyes.

NDM

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

Blanco drank like a dipso and smoked 40 a day or something - he is the head of the french league and is a big boy these days, looks like a prop and not a full back - but was the best 15 ever I think

Second would go to JPR

Cullen looses out for me, in that he left the all blacks 'early', and came over here and did feck all

Jason Robinson would not get into my club team, let alone be the best full back of all time. He only played full back for England after Josh Lewsey lost all form, up to that point he was picked on the wing.

The lads we are talking about played at 15 for years and years. Get real folks.

Cully only left NZ when he was contreversially ommitted from the '03 world cup squad...i dont know what happened but there was animosity twixt him and head coach mitchell anyway and there was uproar in NZ over it...

it was a huge pity to everyone in Munster and Ireland, who knew what Cully was about, that his time there was injury blighted..it really is interesting to think what could have been, had he been 100% fit!!

we'll never know but i for one still love to watch old NZ test matches and old super 14 games to watch the man shine!!

Its a mark of a man too when ya have a race horse named after ya!!:D

Stev_o

How the hell didnt he play a RWC game in his carrer then if my memory serves right NZ Played Wilson at FB for the 1999 World Cup

NDM

Stev_o wrote: »

How the hell didnt he play a RWC game in his carrer then if my memory serves right NZ Played Wilson at FB for the 1999 World Cup

unusually he was played at centre in the '99 world cup...i know my Nz mates were not happy about it one bit..why he was played outta position i do not know!!

88show

Cullen looses out for me, in that he left the all blacks 'early', and came over here and did feck all

The lads we are talking about played at 15 for years and years. Get real folks.[/QUOTE]

he left the ab's for good reason.
that was the darkest period of coaching and player selection ever for the blacks. but alot of players didn't agree with coaching methods who were on top of their game were over looked.

twinytwo

Blanco or JPR i doubt anyone comes close... id liked robinson at his prime though... his acceleration over the first few yards was unbelieveable

Pinetree Boy

hard to compare eras. Cullen was agreat attacker but even as an AB supporter I think Blanco was a better all round fullback. JPR was one of the best and I as much as I would like to forget him Campese was one of the best I have seen.

JOM34

Mr Cullen for me defo...

Watchin RL World Cup lately & also an Oz NRL Fan. The Aussie Billy Slater is awesome RL Full Back

toomevara

JOM34 wrote: »

Watchin RL World Cup lately & also an Oz NRL Fan. The Aussie Billy Slater is awesome RL Full Back

Slater would more than cut it in union (odd brain implosion a la WC final aside) great player, NZ RL's Brent Webb also superb.

I'm also told that Ireland's Tom Kiernan was a fantastic FB in his day.

Snickers Man

louthandproud wrote: »

not forgetting a certain Mr. Hugo McNeil, my vote for our best.

Hugo is in my all time greatest Irish team too, though that doesn't mean he could hold a candle to the likes of Blanco, Andy Irvine, Christian Cullen etc.


He was rock solid under a high ball and although he wasn't particularly fast he could time his entry into the line very well and either bullock his way over, if he was close in, or more importantly pass out of the tackle if he wasn't.

Classic example was the try he set up for Keith Crossan in Wales in 1985.

toomevara wrote:

I'm also told that Ireland's Tom Kiernan was a fantastic FB in his day. [/url]

Aarrgghhh!!!! I remember the latter stages of Kiernan's career and he was awful. Maybe that's being unfair because he was very old and slow but also, the law changes during his time had led to the emergence of a totally different type of full back.

In Kiernan's day a full back had to be able to catch a high ball and then boot it into touch. Out on the full, it didn't matter. The lineout was from where the ball crossed the line. With the restriction on kicking out on the full from outside the 22, there was, for a while anyway, less of an emphasis on kicking and so the role of the full back changed from last line of defence to first line of attack.

Some of the great attacking full backs of history came on the scene at the end of the 1960s start of the 1970s. JPR, Pierre Villepreux, Andy Irvine.

Kiernan was never that sort of player. A safe pair of hands but a painfully slow set of legs. He only scored two tries for Ireland in what was then a record-breaking career of 52 caps. Ironically, the second of these was in his last match v Scotland in 1973. They dropped him after that.

Serenity Now!

toomevara wrote: »

NZ RL's Brent Webb also superb

Aussie Brent? No way, Jose. Not even close.
Best fullback in either code I've ever seen is Darren Lockyer in his original position. He was bloody brilliant. A genius, in fact.

handsomecake

christian mathias cullen.no body else comes close. i also think he was the best rugby player of all time and the first "true" professional

handsomecake

stupid comment.............he didnt leave the allblacks. john mitchell shafted him,gave him the cold shoulder . dropped him for the autumn tour along with jeff wilson and the rest was history. he went on to have one of his best super 12 seasons(think he scored 8 tries and he scored 2 in the npc final against auckland.the ref even stopped the match when he was subbed (due to injury) so he could receive a standing ovation from players and fans alike

dub_skav

Blanco was an unpredictable genius, Cullen was superb at all facets of the game. Wilson took Cullen's 15 jersey and may have been a better fullback, but he never really got long enough at it to assess.

I know it's generally retired players we talk about in these things but Mils Muliaina is pretty special.
The ABs never seem quite as steady without him at the back and he can also turn a game with vision and running - See ABs v Munster, who gave the pass to Joe?. In years to come I think Mils will be up there with the Blancos, Cullens and Dempseys

Deedsie

Christian Cullen. In my opinion anyway.

ThomasH

Sangre wrote: »

Absolutely! He did jump around positions a lot (although played mostly as a fullback). He was definitely bested suited to fullback where he had the most space to attack. Unfortunately as a league convert his positioning and kicking weren't the best so he'll never claim the 'best ever' title but as an attacking force he is nearly unrivalled. I remember the days when I dreaded him getting the ball.

Neither was Cullen a good kicker but he was an excellent attacker.

ThomasH

dub_skav wrote: »

Blanco was an unpredictable genius, Cullen was superb at all facets of the game. Wilson took Cullen's 15 jersey and may have been a better fullback, but he never really got long enough at it to assess.

I know it's generally retired players we talk about in these things but Mils Muliaina is pretty special.
The ABs never seem quite as steady without him at the back and he can also turn a game with vision and running - See ABs v Munster, who gave the pass to Joe?. In years to come I think Mils will be up there with the Blancos, Cullens and Dempseys

I think main difference between Cullen and Wilson was Cullen was pure pace with a great attacking ability where as Wilson had pace, could kick well and had a better allround game.

ThomasH

Pinetree Boy wrote: »

hard to compare eras. Cullen was agreat attacker but even as an AB supporter I think Blanco was a better all round fullback. JPR was one of the best and I as much as I would like to forget him Campese was one of the best I have seen.

Did Campese not always play wing?

ThomasH

NDM wrote: »

unusually he was played at centre in the '99 world cup...i know my Nz mates were not happy about it one bit..why he was played outta position i do not know!!

And Umaga on wing which cost them the game!

Steffano2002

Blanco for me!

cmcsoft

From the last 20 years that I've been watching Rugby I would have to say Cullen, excellent to watch in defense and attack

Sandwich

ThomasH wrote: »

Did Campese not always play wing?

16 at fullback, 85 at wing for Aus.

His speed advantage was best over short bursts rather than running from deep which suited players like Cullen or Blanco better. A fantastic winger, (infact, with Cullen, the two players that I could see myself looking back in 50 years and thinking - damn, what a priveledge it was to see those two guys play) but a winger not a fullback.

sm.org

Sandwich wrote: »

16 at fullback, 85 at wing for Aus.

His speed advantage was best over short bursts rather than running from deep which suited players like Cullen or Blanco better. A fantastic winger, (infact, with Cullen, the two players that I could see myself looking back in 50 years and thinking - damn, what a priveledge it was to see those two guys play) but a winger not a fullback.

I think its impossible to out players like Cullen/Latham and Campo/Blanco in the same top five as the game was so different in their respective eras.

Blanco would never have made it as a pro and although Campo dragged out his career a bit he was hardly the model professional . I was always disappointed that Campo went on for so long as he was well past his best when he retired.

Outhalf

Bob Scott.
You have to go back a bit, but this guy was spookily gifted.. He's considered, among Allblacks past and present, to be one of the best pound for pound rugby players ever.. Read Fred Allen's book 'Fred Allen on Rugby', he talks at length about Scott's exploits..

Just thought I'd add: Blanco no.2