Is Isa Nacewa the best foreign import ever

Crimsonforce

Ive been watching him over the years and I thought I would start by saying what a servant and an astonishing player he is, a guy that gives blood and sweat for the Jersey. A guy who punches way above his weight, with ferocious hits. Without him I believe Leinster will be poorer and is almost impossible to replace..He is up there with Odriscoll or dare I say , has been more important to Leinster. Two of the four tries against stade came directly from his break. A gentleman off the Pitch and a warrior for Leinster on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=528HoWAprvo

almighty1

I'd agree with most of your post. Perhaps excluding the BOD piece.
He is an amazing player.

iDave

yes....yes he is.

vienne86

I don't think this needs asking of Leinster fans....answer will always be YES. I used to think Rocky was our best import, but for me, ISA ISA ISA!

justsomebloke

I was going to say he is probably a more important player to Leinster then BOD due to the influence he has had on our Rabo runs when BOD isn't around. However Isa has never actually won the Pro 12 trophy

But yes he is by far our most influential foreign signing

Larbre34

Mr George has a piece on this today. I wouldnt normally but its good for discussion....

Amazing how quickly guys like Holwell and Halstead fade from the memory

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/nacewa-up-with-greatest-imports-29279592.html

Coburger

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Ive been watching him over the years and I thought I would start by saying what a servant and an astonishing player he is, a guy that gives blood and sweat for the Jersey. A guy who punches way above his weight, with ferocious hits. Without him I believe Leinster will be poorer and is almost impossible to replace..He is up there with Odriscoll or dare I say , has been more important to Leinster. Two of the four tries against stade came directly from his break. A gentleman off the Pitch and a warrior for Leinster on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=528HoWAprvo

Excellent player, and, in my honest opinion, has been played out of position when Kearney is playing. I think he's a better fullback than a winger (not saying that he's a bad winger).

Honorable mention to Contepomi who was also fantastic during his time at Leinster.

Podge_irl

Larbre34 wrote: »

Mr George has a piece on this today. I wouldnt normally but its good for discussion....

Amazing how quickly guys like Holwell and Halstead fade from the memory

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/nacewa-up-with-greatest-imports-29279592.html

Really goes to show the respective strengths of the provinces though (or more accurately, the respective weaknesses), with most of the best back imports being Munster and and most forwards being Leinster.

Fireball07

Larbre34 wrote: »

Mr George has a piece on this today. I wouldnt normally but its good for discussion....

Amazing how quickly guys like Holwell and Halstead fade from the memory

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/nacewa-up-with-greatest-imports-29279592.html

Who's forgotten Halstead? Honestly don't think we'd have won in 2006 without him, he was immense.


Nacewa is a class player, and for how many years he spent here and his importance to the team, it's hard not to pick him.


Pretty much everyone on that team named was very very good, hugely important to their team. Jim Williams was class.

Larbre34

Fireball07 wrote: »

Who's forgotten Halstead? Honestly don't think we'd have won in 2006 without him, he was immense.


Nacewa is a class player, and for how many years he spent here and his importance to the team, it's hard not to pick him.


Pretty much everyone on that team named was very very good, hugely important to their team. Jim Williams was class.

As a Leinster man I'll admit he'd slipped my mind, but I recall his name very clearly in the '06 HEC final

Its hard to pin down a XV, Ollie Le Roux was great for Leinster in a lot of ways, not least the connections made to the Cheetahs etc, however I reckon H Vd M has contributed more over a longer time. And Nick Williams is unlucky not to get in

Name an overseas bench anybody?!

Grimebox

I think Pienaar is more important to Ulster than Isa is to Leinster

Stev_o

I think he's the best import based on how long he's been here. Hard to imagine he was initially brought in to play 10 and had a lot of Leinster fans wondering was this going to work out, thankfully for them it did and I think he surpassed every other import in pretty much every attribute you can think of.

Compare us to the Welsh regions in terms of imports and quality of service its really night or day.

Ospreys brought in Jerry Collins did he make them a better team? No.
Leinster brought in Elsom and he won them a HC in arguably one of the best single years of service by a rugby import.

Other things like Tipoki going to Munster, group of death year and he just put that team on another level. Crazy what having a spark in your midfield does for a team.

Dr.Evil

Contepomi was a huge part of Leinster, especially since he had a big part in developing Sexton I would imagine. Probably put him as Isa's main rival. Nathan Hines can be overlooked sometimes, I'd have him before Thorn. Thought Hines was a huge player for Leinster and am still so disappointed we let him go to Clermont.
Jim Williams, Trevor Halstead, Doug Howlett and Rua Tipoki. Ruan Pienaar. Other names that stand out the most to me I think...
David Holwell was immense when he was at Leinster from what I can remember too.

Buer

Grimebox wrote: »

I think Pienaar is more important to Ulster than Isa is to Leinster

Possibly but in terms of longevity and impact overall within the squad, I think Nacewa trumps him. Pienaar, for example, is still gone during international season. He didn't start for Ulster this season until mid/late October. He's a massive player for them but I'd still give the nod to Nacewa overall who has just been immense and given everything for the side throughout every season whether it has been away in Italy in front of 2,000 people or in Croke Park in front of 80,000.

125 caps in 5 seasons even allowing for a couple of significant spells on the sideline is phenomenal.

Buer

Larbre34 wrote: »

Name an overseas bench anybody?!

Kyriacou, VDM, Afoa, Langford, Williams, Whitaker, Holwell, Cullen.

tolosenc

Without a doubt. All the more impressive because he was relatively unknown until he came here.

irishbucsfan

Does Michael Swift count?

Fireball07

Buer wrote: »

Kyriacou, VDM, Afoa, Langford, Williams, Whitaker, Holwell, Cullen.

Cullen never really delivered.....I'd have Warwick, Mafi or Jared Payne ahead of him on a bench.

Winters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4iU-EizyCBc

This is a great clip of his try for the BaaBaas. Who is the Wales 15? Stoddard?

Also is this the only time Dougie and him played together?

Buer

Winters wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4iU-EizyCBc

This is a great clip of his try for the BaaBaas. Who is the Wales 15? Stoddard?

Also is this the only time Dougie and him played together?

Nah, him and DH would have played plenty together in NZ for the Blues. Both would have been there for a few years together.

Stoddart at 15 for Wales, yes.

dtpc191991

Absolutely. The only guy I can remember being close in terms of the influence he could exert over games was Elsolm.

peterako

Yes. He is.....

Like the 'Look-A-Likes' thread....a Swiss Army Knife of a player.

And World Class in all the positions he plays!

He'll be sadly missed

freyners

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Does Michael Swift count?

Swifty has been around so long I doubt there are many who consider him foreign anymore plus both his parents were Irish AFAIK. If your arguing that foreign import means no ties before arriving then I wouldnt count him. But you can certainly argue that him and Macca could both be considered "foreign imports".

CatFromHue

Contepomi and Nacewa for me.

With John Langford getting an honourable mention too. The Munster players always spoke very well of how he helped bring some professionalism and goals to their squad.

freyners

Rodney Ah You

/end thread

Spudmonkey

Good and all as Halstead was I'd have to pick Tipoki as our best import. He really galvanised Munster in the midfield in defense and attack in '08.

Neither really hold a candle to Nacewa though.

Almaviva

Contepomi made a greater contribution than Nacewa, in a position where Leinster needed it more at the time. Nacewa did some great stuff and did up the level - but only a little from what probably would have been there in his stead anyway.
Cullen was the greatest rugby player ever imported to Ireland. But wouldnt make the top 10 for impact while actually here.
Not mentioned, but I assume all this discussion is in an 'except for Hekenui of course' way.

jamiedav2011

Personally Rocky more important for me, he came as close as one man can to winning us a HEC on his own.

Isa a very, very close second though.

JustinDee

John Langford was responsible for a lot of the professionalism brought to Munster on and off the field. Great leader and was also one hell of a plus on the training field.

jacothelad

Buer wrote: »

Kyriacou, VDM, Afoa, Langford, Williams, Whitaker, Holwell, Cullen.

Kyriacou isn't a foreign import. He is 'Irish'. Best hooker to play here from abroad is Matt Sexton.

Edit: Also Robbie Kempson was probably the best foreign prop.

Clareman

For me I would have John Langford and Jim Williams as Munster's best imports, also Doug Howlett as better stats than Isa. I think an arguement would be made for a lot of different players for the mantel of best import, Isa was definitely the most successful though.

razorblunt

Id have Langford up there too.

Tox56

We got incredibly lucky with Nacewa. He's an All Black who slipped through the net because of those 3 minutes for Fiji. We basically got an All Black in the prime of his career who was never away on international duty (and had no ambition to move anywhere to increase his international chances) and at the same time totally bought into the whole set-up at Leinster. Amazing attitude, versatility and consistency of performance, he was just as committed and effective on a cold, wet night in Glasgow in the middle of December as he was in those H Cup finals.

Sundy

Clareman wrote: »

also Doug Howlett as better stats than Isa. .

Depends what you call better stats, Howlett has more tries but Isa has way more points.

He has scored tries, kicked conversions penalties & DG's.
Played in all 9 HEC games in 2011 & 2012

Its a massive contribution that will be near impossible to replace.

justsomebloke

Tox56 wrote: »

he was just as committed and effective on a cold, wet night in Glasgow in the middle of December as he was in those H Cup finals.

To me this is what has made Isa my favorite Leinster player. I always bang on about the importance of good NIQ players in the provinces as they more then the Irish players can help bring through the young talent, as they are the ones who actually get to play the most game time with them and Isa more then anyone showed how every game is important and not just the important ones.

The reason I would have Isa ahead of Contepomi, is that Contepomi always blew hot and cold and you never knew exactly what you were going to get from him. Yes he had many a moment of pure magic but there were also a good few wtf moments.

From a Leinster perspective I think Ollie's importance can't be over stated. He helped bring a new level of professionalism to our scrum and without him I don't think we would be here as 3 time HEC champions. The fact that after only one season with us he came out of 'retirement' to give us a hand the following season by playing a few games also helps cement himself as a legend.

Yes I think Hines and Rocky were also immense for us (and a lesser extent Thorne) but I don't think they have helped shape the rest of the squad as much as the others.

Sundy

justsomebloke wrote: »

Yes I think Hines and Rocky were also immense for us (and a lesser extent Thorne) but I don't think they have helped shape the rest of the squad as much as the others.

Slightly off topic but I was in the gym today and Brad Thorn asked me if I was finished with the bar. Walked off thinking that guy looked like brad thorne, then 10 minutes later remembered the highlanders were playing in perth this weekend.

Agree on the Ollie thing too, he brought a new efficiency to the leinster pack.

Larbre34

Sundy wrote: »

Slightly off topic but I was in the gym today and Brad Thorn asked me if I was finished with the bar. Walked off thinking that guy looked like brad thorne, then 10 minutes later remembered the highlanders were playing in perth this weekend.

Agree on the Ollie thing too, he brought a new efficiency to the leinster pack.

Might have been Bakkies, those two look like the brothers of destruction.

Ollie set a higher bar alright, Heinke has contributed more over a longer period

Just looking back at the overseas squad members over the years, lot of success built on the back of guys like Shaun Berne, Owen Finnegan, Will Green, Ben Gissing, Eddie Heineken, Cameron Jowitt

But the daddy of unsung heroes is Chris Whitaker, a true leader, Wallaby, Leinster vice-captain and team manager. Ledge.

Sundy

Larbre34 wrote: »

Might have been Bakkies, those two look like the brothers of destruction.

.

It was him alright, another one of the highlanders players was there too. Will be back tomorrow at the same time, see if he is as committed as I am:P

melekalikimaka

joe schmidt