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Most impactful foreign player for each Province

  • 18-03-2021 10:51am
    #1
    mooonpie
    Registered Users Posts: 255 ✭✭


    With CJ's retirement announcement, there's some interesting discussion in the Munster thread about their most impactful foreign player.

    I think a wider discussion would be interesting, so ... who is each most impactful foreign player for each province?

    I'll get the ball rolling:

    Connacht: Bundee Aki
    Leinster: Felipe Contepomi
    Munster: Doug Howlett
    Ulster: Ruan Pienaar

    Edit: Yeh ... Leinster should be Isa Nacewa


Comments

  • #2
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 40,927 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    as much as i love Felipe, i dont think there are many who would argue Isa Nacewa isnt the most influential foreign player to play in these shores.


  • #3
    bayern
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭bayern


    Leinster's is Nacewa and it's not close.


  • #4
    sebdavis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 891 ✭✭✭sebdavis


    Isa Nacewa by a significant distance


  • #5
    Some Yoke
    Registered Users Posts: 385 ✭✭Some Yoke


    Clint Newland, Leinster


  • #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    CJ aside, Jim Williams was a stalwart for Munster as they developed into a European powerhouse.


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  • #7
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,445 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    I know damn all about rugby, but even I know its Nacewa in Leinster, Aki in Connaught and Ruan Pieenaar in Ulster.


  • #8
    realhorrorshow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,846 ✭✭✭realhorrorshow


    Honourable mentions for Connacht: Ray Ofisa, Paul Warwick, George Naoupu, Michael Swift, who am I missing?


  • #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 596 ✭[Deleted User]


    Surely Leinster's should be Jamie Heaslip and Munster's own Ronan O'Gara ?


  • #10
    its_phil
    Registered Users Posts: 5,442 ✭✭✭its_phil


    realhorrorshow wrote: »
    Honourable mentions for Connacht: Ray Ofisa, Paul Warwick, George Naoupu, Michael Swift, who am I missing?

    AJ MacGinty would be technically given he came via USA.

    I'd consider Swifty Irish.


  • #11
    Former Former Former
    Registered Users Posts: 5,385 ✭✭✭Former Former Former


    I'd exclude those who qualified to play for Ireland.

    Leinster : Nacewa, absolutely no debate
    Munster : Howlett
    Ulster : Muller
    Connacht : Butler (yes I know he's now IQ)


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  • #12
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,172 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    I know damn all about rugby, but even I know its Nacewa in Leinster, Aki in Connaught and Ruan Pieenaar in Ulster.

    I know few will agree but I'd put Johann Muller ahead of RP for Ulster. Whilst RP took the headlines, JM was the heartbeat of their team and was key in driving their standards.

    RP's performances tailed off significantly during his last 1-2 seasons there. As beloved as he was, there's a solid argument that Cooney was an upgrade on the level of performance that RP had been delivering by the end.


  • #13
    phog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,642 ✭✭✭✭phog


    I think Rocky should get honourable mention for Leinster and John Langford must be very close to the top of imports for Munster. Also, I'd have Muller for Ulster. Aki is a cert for Connacht


  • #14
    cantwbr1
    Registered Users Posts: 303 ✭✭cantwbr1


    phog wrote: »
    I think Rocky should get honourable mention for Leinster and John Langford must be very close to the top of imports for Munster. Also, I'd have Muller for Ulster. Aki is a cert for Connacht

    Langford surely gets it as he is credited with changing the mindset at Munster from glad to be there to being there to win


  • #15
    bilston
    Registered Users Posts: 17,742 ✭✭✭✭bilston


    Buer wrote: »
    I know few will agree but I'd put Johann Muller ahead of RP for Ulster. Whilst RP took the headlines, JM was the heartbeat of their team and was key in driving their standards.

    It's a good debate. There are strong arguments for both players. What I would say is that Ulster tailed off significantly after Muller left, but then we also lost Court, Afoa and Ferris around the same time, so there were other factors for it.


  • #16
    Paul Smeenus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,270 ✭✭✭Paul Smeenus


    Buer wrote: »
    I know few will agree but I'd put Johann Muller ahead of RP for Ulster. Whilst RP took the headlines, JM was the heartbeat of their team and was key in driving their standards.

    RP's performances tailed off significantly during his last 1-2 seasons there. As beloved as he was, there's a solid argument that Cooney was an upgrade on the level of performance that RP had been delivering by the end.

    Absolutely agree on Muller, although his performances also tailed off considerably in his last season. Muller drove the culture and belief forward generally. Pienaar won us games almost single-handedly.

    If I could bring one back, in their pomp, it would be Muller. He would sort this pack out.


  • #17
    evil_seed
    Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭evil_seed


    Connacht: AJ McGinty. Wouldn't have won the Pro12 without him running things


  • #18
    Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,236 ✭✭✭Dr. Kenneth Noisewater


    realhorrorshow wrote: »
    Honourable mentions for Connacht: Ray Ofisa, Paul Warwick, George Naoupu, Michael Swift, who am I missing?

    I'd give Aly Muldowney a mention


  • #19
    FACECUTTR
    Registered Users Posts: 1,494 ✭✭✭FACECUTTR


    The "Lord of the Lineout" Mike McCarthy did pretty well.


  • #20
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,283 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    sydthebeat wrote: »
    as much as i love Felipe, i dont think there are many who would argue Isa Nacewa isnt the most influential foreign player to play in these shores.

    I would argue that either Muller or Pienaar had greater influence on their team than Nacewa did at his, without diminishing the immense impact Nacewa had at Leinster.

    I just think Nacewa was an excellent player in an excellent team, while Muller / Pienaar were excellent players that dragged their team to a higher level.


  • #21
    Bazzo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    realhorrorshow wrote: »
    Honourable mentions for Connacht: Ray Ofisa, Paul Warwick, George Naoupu, Michael Swift, who am I missing?

    Craig Clarke?

    Short stint in the end but always felt like he was a big catalyst for change in Connacht.


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  • #22
    The Inbetween is mine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,705 ✭✭✭The Inbetween is mine


    From a Munster viewpoint, I think back to Tapoki with huge fondness, and yet he only played about a quarter of the games Dougie managed in his time here... Williams, Mafi, Halstead all played their part... but it has to be Dougie for me.


  • #23
    joeguevara
    Registered Users Posts: 7,992 ✭✭✭joeguevara


    Andy ward for ulster is the best foreign player for me closely followed by rocky. Andy won the first Heineken Cup for a province and the guy came out of nowhere.


  • #24
    Green farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 4,005 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    For me, there was something special about Shaun Payne. Very low key, but lost count of the amount of times he saved munster at the back under the high ball and as the last man. Just so reliable and dependable. Also fond memories of Jim William's emptying the tank time and time again. Left nothing out there.


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