Isa Nacewa appreciation thread - Part II

prawnsambo

leakyboots wrote: »

Super player, probably the best of the imports across any of the four provinces you'd argue - brilliant footballer, intelligent and tough as nails but creative too. Always wondered - why he was out of the game for 2 years? There's a poster on another forum who hints at something negative but never spells it out.

There's always somebody with a conspiracy theory. :rolleyes:

He said at the time he was giving up rugby completely and he'd never play for anyone but Leinster. But he announced he was retiring to Leinster management a while before it was announced publicly and they had tried to get him to stay. It was mooted at the time that his wife wanted his children to go to school in NZ and not Ireland.

He was as good as his word. He never played for anyone but Leinster. The Blues tried to persuade him to play for them but he refused.

Former Former

He had to retire in Ireland to get his tax relief. That's about as sinister as it gets.

LeinsterDub

Legend of a player. Always half expected to one day see him line out at 2

Dave_The_Sheep

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Going to be a bit awkward when Strauss and Isa are displayed on their final appearance in the RDS together as retiring ... and all they can both hear is Isa, Isa, Isa!

Sure when the ISA ISA ISA is starting to die down I'll start up a Straussy Straussy Straussy so long as you join in...!

prawnsambo

swiwi_

ProudIRISHman wrote: »

Dougie Howlett Lite

Good but definitely not the best import.

Jeepers mate you’re painful based on the posts I’ve seen. He might weigh less than Howlett, if that’s what you’re suggesting??

Squidgy Black

swiwi_ wrote: »

Jeepers mate you’re painful based on the posts I’ve seen. He might weigh less than Howlett, if that’s what you’re suggesting??

Dougie's listed as 93kg on Wikipedia and Isa as 91kg, so he's not wrong there....

errlloyd

I just can't get over Isa.

As far as I can remember he's made the Heineken cup longlist for player of the tournament 3 times. The first playing the majority of his rugby at fullback, the second on the wing and the third time at centre. Outrageous.

Leinster rugby has his position listed as "universal back". He's a freak. Top try scorer in the champions cup last year too.

prawnsambo

Forgot to mention that he's scored 54 tries so far. Not sure where that stands in the Leinster table but it has to be up there.

Burkie1203

prawnsambo wrote: »

Forgot to mention that he's scored 54 tries so far. Not sure where that stands in the Leinster table but it has to be up there.

Horgan is the record holder with 68 I think so Isa wouldn't be too far down the list

prawnsambo

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Horgan is the record holder with 68 I think so Isa wouldn't be too far down the list

Horgan has 69 according to the Leinster website. But that page only credits Nacewa with 43. I counted 54 from his individual stats on the same site.

Need to look at it again.

Edit: And I was wrong . It's actually 47. The difference is this season's stats aren't included in the stats page I linked above. Which places him in 5th behind Denis Hickie (55), Gordon D'Arcy (60), Brian O'Driscoll (61) and Shane Horgan (69).

He's 4th top points scorer (700) behind Ian Madigan (827), Jonny Sexton (1217) and Felipe Contepomi (1225). As those stats don't include this season, Jonny Sexton is now the top points scorer on 1322.

Sangre

prawnsambo wrote: »

Horgan has 69 according to the Leinster website. But that page only credits Nacewa with 43. I counted 54 from his individual stats on the same site.

Need to look at it again.

Edit: And I was wrong . It's actually 47. The difference is this season's stats aren't included in the stats page I linked above. Which places him in 5th behind Denis Hickie (55), Gordon D'Arcy (60), Brian O'Driscoll (61) and Shane Horgan (69).

He's 4th top points scorer (700) behind Ian Madigan (827), Jonny Sexton (1217) and Felipe Contepomi (1225). As those stats don't include this season, Jonny Sexton is now the top points scorer on 1322.

Wow, I didn't realise that D'arcy had scored so many. Always thought of him as a creater rather than a finisher.

Buer

Sangre wrote: »

Wow, I didn't realise that D'arcy had scored so many. Always thought of him as a creater rather than a finisher.

He was a full back and winger for the first 3-4 seasons with Leinster and scored a decent number of tries.

prawnsambo

Buer wrote: »

He was a full back and winger for the first 3-4 seasons with Leinster and scored a decent number of tries.

He's also the top capped player for Leinster with 257. Nacewa should be inside the top ten at the end of this season. He should probably get another three caps if he plays in all the big games leaving him on 185, ahead of Mal O'Kelly on 183. BOD finished on 186.

Synode

I'm getting emotional here. What a player and an absolute gentleman. He'll be sorely missed. Hopefully we go and win everything this year for Isa, Strauss and Jamie

ProudIRISHman

Deleted User wrote: »

Go on then, who was a better import

I think most level headed people outside of Leinster would agree that Doug Howlett was a better player but Nacewa was useful however. A good player and great character. If we're talking solely rugby though, Howlett was an animal.

irishbucsfan

ProudIRISHman wrote: »

I think most level headed people outside of Leinster would agree that Doug Howlett was a better player but Nacewa was useful however. A good player and great character. If we're talking solely rugby though, Howlett was an animal.

Interesting to note that Doug Howlett and Isa Nacewa arrived in Ireland the same year.

No doubt whose impact has been greater. 3 European medals (so far) for Isa and a whole host of other important contributions.

D'Arcy was right in his article when he said Isa isn't just Leinster's best import, he's Leinster's best player of the professional era.

Buer

He came and transformed rugby in Leinster. He arrived at a team in turmoil who could not see the light. He showed them the way and led them to the promised land performing miracle after miracle, convincing the doubters and bringing joy.

In 2013, he was cruelly taken away from us but in the third season, he came again to take his rightful place in Leinster rugby.

He will now ascend into the heavens and return to NZ.

We'll never have a signing like him again. Iosa.

prawnsambo

A lot of similarities in their backgrounds though. They both went to the same school and played for the same Super Rugby team (The Blues) before moving to Ireland. The only difference is their international careers and Nacewa's unfortunate sub appearance for Fiji put an end to his chances of playing for the ABs. I don't think anyone would believe that wasn't a possibility.

arsebiscuits1

ProudIRISHman wrote: »

I think most level headed people outside of Leinster would agree that Doug Howlett was a better player but Nacewa was useful however. A good player and great character. If we're talking solely rugby though, Howlett was an animal.

30 odd posts and you haven't managed that yet though :pac: ?

errlloyd

The only place howlett made significantly more impact was on the bonnets of a bunch of cars in London, and that was before he moved to munster. :pac:

PhlegmyMoses

Howlett was a class player as well, up there as one of the best imports. Ruan Pienaar would be in the convo too. Nacewa is just ahead in terms of overall impact imo, he brought more out of some lesser lights and was electric in attack and defence. Your kicker is going bad? Up steps Isa with no pageantry to the kick, few steps back and split the posts. He is borderline irreplaceable considering his utility and availability and he will be sorely missed in that backline

Trojan

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

Howlett was a class player as well, up there as one of the best imports. Ruan Pienaar would be in the convo too. Nacewa is just ahead in terms of overall impact imo, he brought more out of some lesser lights and was electric in attack and defence. Your kicker is going bad? Up steps Isa with no pageantry to the kick, few steps back and split the posts. He is borderline irreplaceable considering his utility and availability and he will be sorely missed in that backline

100%.

Plus 3, possibly 4 European cups. No one else is even close. I appreciate those trying to make an argument of it. But no.

arsebiscuits1

I don't think Isa needs any other testimonial to how good he is than this

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/brian-odriscoll-reveals-rugbys-biggest-cheat-favourite-ever-player-worst-man-tour-85941

Best player you've ever played with: Isa Nacewa (Leinster)

"I absolutely loved playing with Isa Nacewa," he said. "He came with a small reputation. He was one of, if not the most competitive rugby player I've ever played with. He would see things earlier than everyone else and, physically, he was very, very skillful. Not ridiculously quick but his ability to read play in advance was unrivalled.

"It looks as if he doesn't do anything remarkable but he does everything very well. He's a really good player.

"It was like a game of chess, he'd read one play ahead and it'd be a little bit of telepathy as to what they're going to do. You would take a huge amount of satisfaction when the two of you were on the same page.

BOD said he was the best. He was the best. End of

.ak

Godspeed Isakeli.

Shefwedfan

It was discussed on one of the Podcast on who was the most influential import. Pinnear in Ulster was mentioned, Dougie, John Langford, etc etc

Someone just said.....Isa, when you retire you look at the medals and Isa has a bucket load of them.......

Question answered!!!!