World player of the decade

Bugnug

Congratulations to BOD having being voted world player of the decade by Rugby World magazine. What an amazing achievement and when you look at the 15 that were selected it makes it even more oustanding. It is an incredible achievement for the man and Ireland, we have one of the smallest pools of players in world rugby to choose from and we keep churning them out. Great stuff.

Hard to argue with the selection of the overall team.

castie

What was the team?

Auvers

castie wrote: »

What was the team?

Rugby World team of the decade:

M Muliana (New Zealand); J Robinson (England), B O'Driscoll (Ireland), M Giteau (Australia), S Williams (Wales); 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

Morf

Auvers wrote: »

Rugby World team of the decade:

M Muliana (New Zealand); J Robinson (England), B O'Driscoll (Ireland), M Giteau (Australia), S Williams (Wales); 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 is cut off at the end.

Risteard

Morf wrote: »

Hernandez is cut off at the end.

Should be cut off. Quite possibly one of the most overrated players IMO. He's good certainly but what has he done to get on the bench? A good world cup where he pumped balls into the air?

Umaga or Mortlock are far more deserving to get into that team and IMO would push for inclusion ahead of Giteau, certainly in the case of Umaga.

Just noticed they have three props (as is required now) but have four backs. Normally it would be 3 backs with 5 forwards as they only have Fernandez-Lobbe as back row and second row cover.

Doug Howlett also unlucky to miss out IMO.

thomond2006

Hernandez who tries to kick DGs anytime he's in the opposition half?

Should not be near that team.

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

Hernandez who tries to kick DGs anytime he's in the opposition half?

Should not be near that team.

Thats a T14 disease that often turns good attacking players into Jannie De Beer wannabes without the success.

Fanny Steyn on the other hand is right at home with Metro

phog

Bugnug wrote: »

Congratulations to BOD having being voted world player of the decade by Rugby World magazine. What an amazing achievement and when you look at the 15 that were selected it makes it even more oustanding. It is an incredible achievement for the man and Ireland, we have one of the smallest pools of players in world rugby to choose from and we keep churning them out. Great stuff.

Hard to argue with the selection of the overall team.

That's old news, perhaps both threads could be merged.:p

jdivision

I'm sorry but Shane Williams?

Risteard

jdivision wrote: »

I'm sorry but Shane Williams?

Highest number of tries scored this decade.
To be fair, on form he's a great player. Dislikeable and annoying yes, but good nonetheless.

Hasn't been on great form lately though.

d'Oracle

Risteard wrote: »

Highest number of tries scored this decade.
To be fair, on form he's a great player. Dislikeable and annoying yes, but good nonetheless.

Hasn't been on great form lately though.

Dislikable? Why? Cos he scores tries?

And why should two outside centres get picked at 12 head of one of the best 5/8ths players in the game?

And how is Hernandez overrated?
Do a couple of DG attempts overwright the fact that he is an excellent 8?

Doug Howlett only learned how to tackle 2 years before he came north.
He was also under constant pressure for his place at both S14 and International level, unlike the rest of the players, most of whom firmly kept great players out of their teams.

Also, the only thing more pointless than selecting a bench for an imaginary team is discussing the balance of players on said bench.

Risteard

d'Oracle wrote: »

Dislikable? Why? Cos he scores tries?

And why should two outside centres get picked at 12 head of one of the best 5/8ths players in the game?

And how is Hernandez overrated?
Do a couple of DG attempts overwright the fact that he is an excellent 8?

Doug Howlett only learned how to tackle 2 years before he came north.
He was also under constant pressure for his place at both S14 and International level, unlike the rest of the players, most of whom firmly kept great players out of their teams.

Also, the only thing more pointless than selecting a bench for an imaginary team is discussing the balance of players on said bench.

I remember once he said Marcus Horan had racially abused his team-mate despite the fact that there was no evidence of such and it was found that not only was there no evidence but that it didn't happen. Someone who makes up racial abuse allegations doesn't sound very likable to me.

Why should an outhalf get picked at inside centre? Umaga played 12 on occasion and I'm sure Mortlock could too.

Your third comment makes no sense as Hernandez is a 10/15. And both Mortlock and Umaga have done more than him. I'll answer it anyway. He had a good world cup in 2007 as it served the Argie gameplan i.e. pumping Garryowens up all day. That's grand but does it deserve to get him to be labeled in the top 22 players of the decade? I think he certainly had the talent to show he could run but the gameplan of the Argies restricted him, for the good of the team tbh.

Doug Howlett is the leading try scorer for the All Blacks and has scored the second most tries this decade. Despite not being the flashest of players, his speed and workrate and finishing ability makes him one of the best wingers of the past decade.

And surely if you're going to pick an imaginary team you'd go with a decent balance. Otherwise what would it matter if an outside centre was picked at 12? Or if you picked a prop at outhalf. It's an imaginary team after all.

Catmologen

Not much consolation for him, its a fairly meaningless award.

phog

Catmologen wrote: »

Not much consolation for him, its a fairly meaningless award.

What does he need to be consoled over? I think he deserves the award and 2009 was without doubt his year of the decade.

corny

d'Oracle wrote: »

Doug Howlett only learned how to tackle 2 years before he came north.
He was also under constant pressure for his place at both S14 and International level, unlike the rest of the players, most of whom firmly kept great players out of their teams.

Scoring 49 international tries (all black record) and a record 59 tries at super rugby level all while being under constant pressure for his place from the likes of Rico Gear. I agree he's rubbish!:)

jdivision

Risteard wrote: »

Highest number of tries scored this decade.
To be fair, on form he's a great player. Dislikeable and annoying yes, but good nonetheless.

Hasn't been on great form lately though.

Umaga was a better winger this decade than he was (when he played there which wasn't for very long!), so was Habana (even though I'm not a huge fan), Roff was too. Maybe even Lote although it took a long time to find form.

handsomecake

id have mccaw or carter over bod for player of the decade .

Size=everything

handsomecake wrote: »

id have mccaw or carter over bod for player of the decade .

Yeah but you'd also have McCaw over BOD as player of the year for 2009 so no suprise there.

Catmologen

phog wrote: »

What does he need to be consoled over? I think he deserves the award and 2009 was without doubt his year of the decade.

Over the world player award obviously. If this was a NZ magazine he wouldn't have got it. BOD definitely one of the top word players over the last 10 years but not the best. This award was a knee jerk reaction based on his magnificent season last year and partly borne out of sympathy for him not getting the world player award on 09'.

thomond2006

handsomecake wrote: »

id have mccaw or carter over bod for player of the decade .

You'd have them as masters of the universe if you could.

Risteard

jdivision wrote: »

Umaga was a better winger this decade than he was (when he played there which wasn't for very long!), so was Habana (even though I'm not a huge fan), Roff was too. Maybe even Lote although it took a long time to find form.

I would agree with you, I was just saying that it is understandable that he was picked if he scored the most tries.

twinytwo

handsomecake wrote: »

id have mccaw or carter over bod for player of the decade .

But then all you ever do here is cause contraversy... very few people here take you seriously anymore..For some reason you also find the need to have a dig at irish rugby.

twinytwo

Catmologen wrote: »

Over the world player award obviously. If this was a NZ magazine he wouldn't have got it. BOD definitely one of the top word players over the last 10 years but not the best. This award was a knee jerk reaction based on his magnificent season last year and partly borne out of sympathy for him not getting the world player award on 09'.

A nz version was done and they had more of less the same team .. but they had Richie as player of the decade. Hardly a knee jerk reaction though he has been more or less at the top of international rugby for the last 10 years

Chucky the tree

twinytwo wrote: »

But then all you ever do here is cause contraversy... very few people here take you seriously anymore..For some reason you also find the need to have a dig at irish rugby.

If you think saying Richie McCaw or Dan Carter should have won player of the decade award then you know nothing about rugby except what you look at through your green tinted glasses. Any of those 3 could easily have won player of the decade and no rugby fan could have any arguments.

twinytwo

Chucky the tree wrote: »

If you think saying Richie McCaw or Dan Carter should have won player of the decade award then you know nothing about rugby except what you look at through your green tinted glasses. Any of those 3 could easily have won player of the decade and no rugby fan could have any arguments.

tinted glasses?..i didnt say they couldnt have nor that they shouldnt.. im just pointing out that handsomecake has a chip on his shoulder. In the recent thread about double accounts he somehow managed to bring support for O Gara into it.. you will also find that anything that is said about irish rugby he will nearly always make a reference to something or someone that is supposedly better in Nz/SA/Aus... which is fine except when it starts to border on nonsence

carrollmark

Joe Roff was a good shout.

Joe Rockocoko was far better than Shane Williams.

George Gregan at scrum half maybe?

handsomecake

twinytwo wrote: »

tinted glasses?..i didnt say they couldnt have nor that they shouldnt.. im just pointing out that handsomecake has a chip on his shoulder. In the recent thread about double accounts he somehow managed to bring support for O Gara into it.. you will also find that anything that is said about irish rugby he will nearly always make a reference to something or someone that is supposedly better in Nz/SA/Aus... which is fine except when it starts to border on nonsence

but im irish.born in dublin,live in kildare.im not on a wind up.i think they are both better and i dont think im too far off the mark.i have nothing to gain from it,its is just my opinion.why would i hava a chip? brian o drsccoll never did me an harm.people on here get really precious about the irish team and its players.....if we cant debate stuff its just masturbation.there is a brian o driscoll appreciation thread and i did not post in it.

irishbucsfan

handsomecake wrote: »

but im irish.born in dublin,live in kildare.im not on a wind up.i think they are both better and i dont think im too far off the mark.i have nothing to gain from it,its is just my opinion.why would i hava a chip? brian o drsccoll never did me an harm.people on here get really precious about the irish team and its players.....if we cant debate stuff its just masturbation.there is a brian o driscoll appreciation thread and i did not post in it.

I think you could easilly make the argument that Richie McCaw deserves the player of the decade award. He's absolutely incredible, and is probably the best 7 in rugby history.

O'Driscoll is probably one of the best rugby players in history as well, but I don't think he's one of the best attacking 13s... which would be his one downfall.

Carter is a class act, best 10 in the world without a doubt, but he's not on the same level as those two.

Risteard

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Carter is a class act, best 10 in the world without a doubt, but he's not on the same level as those two.

I don't know about that. I think in terms of out half play, he is the complete package and is capable of doing great things. Like against (an admittedly poor) Lions team.

This is why it's hard to make 'Best player' choices because the positions are so varied. Can you really compare a wing-forward to an out half? Not IMO as they fulfill two completely different roles.

danthefan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think you could easilly make the argument that Richie McCaw deserves the player of the decade award. He's absolutely incredible, and is probably the best 7 in rugby history.

O'Driscoll is probably one of the best rugby players in history as well, but I don't think he's one of the best attacking 13s... which would be his one downfall.

Carter is a class act, best 10 in the world without a doubt, but he's not on the same level as those two.

He is, easily.

PhatPiggins

twinytwo wrote: »

tinted glasses?..i didnt say they couldnt have nor that they shouldnt.. im just pointing out that handsomecake has a chip on his shoulder. In the recent thread about double accounts he somehow managed to bring support for O Gara into it.. you will also find that anything that is said about irish rugby he will nearly always make a reference to something or someone that is supposedly better in Nz/SA/Aus... which is fine except when it starts to border on nonsence

But he has a point, all be it a badly put one, the words "world class" and "best in the world" are thrown around here all to frequently. Especially by people who cant see outside their own provence let alone country.