O'Driscoll voted Player of the Decade

Zzippy

From the Irish Times:
http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/rugby/2010/0106/1224261758896.html

O'Driscoll voted player of the decade

Rugby – Award: Ireland’s Grand Slam winning captain Brian O’Driscoll has been voted as Rugby World magazine’s player of the decade. The Leinster centre announced his arrival on the world stage in 2000 with a stunning hat-trick in Ireland’s Six Nations victory over France in Paris.

O’Driscoll finished the decade captaining Ireland to their first Grand Slam in 61 years and playing an instrumental role in Leinster’s long-awaited Heineken Cup triumph last season.

A three-time nominee for the International Rugby Board’s world player of the year, O’Driscoll played on three British and Irish Lions tours, including one as captain.

The Rugby World team of the decade includes three members of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning team in Martin Johnson, Richard Hill and Jason Robinson but there was no place for the likes of Munster’s talisman Paul O’Connell.

Rugby World team of the decade: M Muliana (New Zealand); J Robinson (England), B O’Driscoll (Ireland), M Giteau (Australia); D Carter (New Zealand), A Pichot (Argentina); G Jenkins (Wales), J Smit (South Africa), C Hayman (New Zealand), M Johnson (England, capt), V Matfield (South Africa), R Hill (England), R McCaw (New Zealand), S Parisse (Italy).

Replacements: R Roncero (Argentina), M Ledesma (Argentina), S Marconnet (France), JM Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina), F Du Preez (South Africa), J Wilkinson (England), Y Jauzion (France), JM Hernandez (Argentina)

Team listed has only 14, I'd guess Habana for the other wing position...

oisin_t

I think POC at least deserves a spot on the replacements...

Riskymove

cant really argue with Johnson and Matfield as locks ahead of O'Connell

but as Johnson only played til 2003, there is some argument that since then POC could be in with a shout

its funny how these teams always seem to have one or two you dont really know

Muliana at Full back is not someone as familiar to me as the others

zAbbo

Zzippy wrote: »

From the Irish Times:
http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/rugby/2010/0106/1224261758896.html

Team listed has only 14, I'd guess Habana for the other wing position...

Nearly sure it was Williams, but I've seen it posted as Habana somewhere else as well. What about Joe Rok?

Zzippy

zAbbo wrote: »

Nearly sure it was Williams, but I've seen it posted as Habana somewhere else as well. What about Joe Rok?

Can't find it on Rugby World site, they obviously want people to buy the magazine. I'd have Rok ahead of Williams any day, but Habana would be my choice over the decade.
Anyway, delighted BOD was properly recognised, well deserved IMO.

PhatPiggins

Zzippy wrote: »

Can't find it on Rugby World site, they obviously want people to buy the magazine. I'd have Rok ahead of Williams any day, but Habana would be my choice over the decade.
Anyway, delighted BOD was properly recognised, well deserved IMO.

Yeah its a UK magazine so I guess they re trying to appeal to the English and Welsh.

If Habana was playing for NZ or OZ he'd be properly utilised and we'd be calling him the best winger of all time. Wasted by the Boks especially under the current coach.

CowboyTed

How did they get 5 players on either team or the replacements...

The team looks like they over looked a few. France have no player on the team and one on the replacements, Surge Benson could have been named.

Riskymove

CowboyTed wrote: »

How did they get 5 players on either team or the replacements...

The team looks like they over looked a few. France have no player on the team and one on the replacements, Surge Benson could have been named.

I guess we'll have to read their article to see the justifications for selections; should be interesting

Spore

Ha ha ha stuff your 'Player of the Year'. 'Player of the Decade' sounds a tad better!

Only one French player and he only makes the bench?!! Typcial anti-French bias from the English

CowboyTed

Two players on the bench. Still awful...

Benson deserves the nod.. Thought the guy was thief for years..

zenmonk

Benson was a good butler but not a great rugby player!

Ridiculous listomania nonsense again.

Judgement Day

BOD truly is GOD and I'm a Munster fan. Back to back grand slams anyone - with BOD as captain of course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ5aqy4bHAQ&feature=related

anonymous_joe

In fairness I think the New Zealand 2005 team would fcuk that team hard.

On paper, that could be considered the best 15 of the decade.

Personally;

15. Muliaina v 15. Montgomery
14. Robinson v 14. Ehm... Hmmm. Lomu? Nah... Leave this one open. Oooh. Dominici?
13. BOD v. 13. Mortlock
12. Gits v. 12. Umaga or Jauzion
11. Shane Williams v 11. Habana

10. Din Carter v 10. Wilkinson (at his peak)
9. Pichot v. 9. Gregan or Du Preez?

8. Parrise v 8. Dallaglio.
7. McCaw v. 7. Wallace? Smith? Who was England's 7 in 2001, wasn't Dallaglio or Hill...
6. Hill v 6. Elsom? Betsen? Schalk?
5. Matfield v. O'Connell? Pelous?
4. Martin Johnson v. Nallet?
3. Hayman v. 3. Castro. Or CJ even. Vickery?
2. Smit. v 2. Wood. Or Ledesma.
1. Jenkins. v 1. Benn Robinson?

I mean, it's possible to pick a few 15s of the decade really.

CowboyTed

anonymous_joe wrote: »

In fairness I think the New Zealand 2005 team would fcuk that team hard.

On paper, that could be considered the best 15 of the decade.

Personally;

15. Muliaina v 15. Montgomery
14. Robinson v 14. Ehm... Hmmm. Lomu? Nah... Leave this one open. Oooh. Dominici?
13. BOD v. 13. Mortlock
12. Gits v. 12. Umaga or Jauzion
11. Shane Williams v 11. Habana

10. Din Carter v 10. Wilkinson (at his peak)
9. Pichot v. 9. Gregan or Du Preez?

8. Parrise v 8. Dallaglio.
7. McCaw v. 7. Wallace? Smith? Who was England's 7 in 2001, wasn't Dallaglio or Hill...
6. Hill v 6. Elsom? Betsen? Schalk?
5. Matfield v. O'Connell? Pelous?
4. Martin Johnson v. Nallet?
3. Hayman v. 3. Castro. Or CJ even. Vickery?
2. Smit. v 2. Wood. Or Ledesma.
1. Jenkins. v 1. Benn Robinson?

I mean, it's possible to pick a few 15s of the decade really.

Think it would have been a better list if we had the best team of the professional era

Ciaran-Irl

anonymous_joe wrote: »

7. McCaw v. 7. Wallace? Smith? Who was England's 7 in 2001, wasn't Dallaglio or Hill...

Lewis Moody I think. Not a patch on Richard Hill.

Richard Hill & Martin Johnson, and to a lesser extent Wilkinson & Dallaglio were the stand out players in that world cup team I reckon.

anonymous_joe

CowboyTed wrote: »

Think it would have been a better list if we had the best team of the professional era

True this.

Though it wouldn't suit the whole, end of the decade vibe that's floating about sadly.

dub_skav

Ciaran-Irl wrote: »

Lewis Moody I think. Not a patch on Richard Hill.

Richard Hill & Martin Johnson, and to a lesser extent Wilkinson & Dallaglio were the stand out players in that world cup team I reckon.

Was it not Back?

phog

Truely deserved by BOD. Fairly big representation from the Pumas.

anonymous_joe

Ciaran-Irl wrote: »

Lewis Moody I think. Not a patch on Richard Hill.

Richard Hill & Martin Johnson, and to a lesser extent Wilkinson & Dallaglio were the stand out players in that world cup team I reckon.

True. Hill Dallaglio and Johnson should be in any team of the decade.

dub_skav wrote: »

Was it not Back?

One of 'em I think.

PhatPiggins

phog wrote: »

Truely deserved by BOD. Fairly big representation from the Pumas.

Rugby World were waxing lyrical about the Pumas for about 8 months after the 07 WC. Fairly sure this is why they ve gone so over board in the numbers.

The Pumas 07 was surely the team of the decade

crisco10

Judgement Day wrote: »

BOD truly is GOD and I'm a Munster fan. Back to back grand slams anyone - with BOD as captain of course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ5aqy4bHAQ&feature=related

Slightly OT but hilarious how the 3 irish lads (hayes, the claw and AN other) make no effort to stay on their feet in the ruck immediatley before hand! would be pinged off the park these days for that...

twinytwo

anonymous_joe wrote: »

In fairness I think the New Zealand 2005 team would fcuk that team hard.

On paper, that could be considered the best 15 of the decade.

Personally;

15. Muliaina v 15. Montgomery
14. Robinson v 14. Ehm... Hmmm. Lomu? Nah... Leave this one open. Oooh. Dominici?
13. BOD v. 13. Mortlock
12. Gits v. 12. Umaga or Jauzion
11. Shane Williams v 11. Habana

10. Din Carter v 10. Wilkinson (at his peak)
9. Pichot v. 9. Gregan or Du Preez?

8. Parrise v 8. Dallaglio.
7. McCaw v. 7. Wallace? Smith? Who was England's 7 in 2001, wasn't Dallaglio or Hill...
6. Hill v 6. Elsom? Betsen? Schalk?
5. Matfield v. O'Connell? Pelous?
4. Martin Johnson v. Nallet?
3. Hayman v. 3. Castro. Or CJ even. Vickery?
2. Smit. v 2. Wood. Or Ledesma.
1. Jenkins. v 1. Benn Robinson?

I mean, it's possible to pick a few 15s of the decade really.

tbh that AB team would have been hard pushed.. superior sr br and backs to that ab team... would have made for an excellent game though me thinks

anonymous_joe

twinytwo wrote: »

tbh that AB team would have been hard pushed.. superior sr br and backs to that ab team... would have made for an excellent game though me thinks

Aye. My point was though, only a few (Carter, Hayman and McCaw usually) would make a 'bestest team everz' list.

Even so, they're probably the best team ever.

flyswatter

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Yeah its a UK magazine so I guess they re trying to appeal to the English and Welsh.

If Habana was playing for NZ or OZ he'd be properly utilised and we'd be calling him the best winger of all time. Wasted by the Boks especially under the current coach.

They make an Irish version too.

LFC5Times

Stirling Mortlock a massive omission from the squad.Two great players ahead of him but he is another great player.

Dallaglio also should be in the squad at least and Habana too.