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Rugby Union All-Time Draft
- Thread starter 99*
- Start date
I'll select Jo Maso at no. 12.
One of the great French centres. His career was only diminished by French selectors (mainly forwards) who felt he played with too much flair. In all honesty, there's such a hoard of great centres left that I could have chosen that I'm not sure whether Maso was the best choice...
Lots of great centres still to choose from.
My side thus far...
3. Francis Cotton
4. Gordon Brown
5. Willie John McBride
6. Ian Kirkpatrick
7. Jan Ellis
8. Zinzan Brooke
9. Ken Catchpole
10. Cliff Morgan
12. Jo Maso
15. Gerrie Brand
One of the great French centres. His career was only diminished by French selectors (mainly forwards) who felt he played with too much flair. In all honesty, there's such a hoard of great centres left that I could have chosen that I'm not sure whether Maso was the best choice...
Lots of great centres still to choose from.
My side thus far...
3. Francis Cotton
4. Gordon Brown
5. Willie John McBride
6. Ian Kirkpatrick
7. Jan Ellis
8. Zinzan Brooke
9. Ken Catchpole
10. Cliff Morgan
12. Jo Maso
15. Gerrie Brand
Indipper, for mine you are winning this thing hands down! Such a great side that and the fact that you recognised Iain Milne makes me happy. I've got a Barbarians match on DVD between Australia and the Babaas and Iain Milne came up against an Australian named Stan Pilecki who was in his late 30s at the times. It seriously looked like a son crippling his father because poor old Stan's legs couldn't handle the sheer force of Iain Milne.
If I'm picking the best rugby side of the 80s, Milne is in there.
Interesting to note: When selecting his best side of all-time, Barry John selected Jo Maso in his side. John retired in 1971 and Maso retired in 1973. So John was well exposed to Maso. I just find it interesting because there's not a lot of players I've known who've seen Maso and Sella and commented about it in their books. John picked Maso over Sella.
If I'm picking the best rugby side of the 80s, Milne is in there.
Interesting to note: When selecting his best side of all-time, Barry John selected Jo Maso in his side. John retired in 1971 and Maso retired in 1973. So John was well exposed to Maso. I just find it interesting because there's not a lot of players I've known who've seen Maso and Sella and commented about it in their books. John picked Maso over Sella.
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ripper868
International Coach
Yeah well everyone else picked Sella over Maso, including me
Indipper
State Regular
Thanks. I was rather glad when you picked Cotton (
) cause that meant Milne was practically mine.
Smudge
Hall of Fame Member
My pick for this round is the incredibly hardnosed hooker Uli Schmidt - another player who we didn't see the best of, thanks to SA's isolation, but even at the back end of his career, he was brutally physical in more ways than one.
Voltman
Serafin Dengra (#1)
Uli Schmidt (#2)
Aaron "Okey" Geffin (#3)
Michael Jones (#7)
Dawie De Villiers (#9)
John Rutherford (#10)
Rupeni Caucaunibuca (#11)
Mike Gibson (#12)
Danie Gerber (#13)
Prince Alexander Obolensky (#14)
Voltman
Serafin Dengra (#1)
Uli Schmidt (#2)
Aaron "Okey" Geffin (#3)
Michael Jones (#7)
Dawie De Villiers (#9)
John Rutherford (#10)
Rupeni Caucaunibuca (#11)
Mike Gibson (#12)
Danie Gerber (#13)
Prince Alexander Obolensky (#14)
Johnners
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Next pick for me is Tony Woodcock as a loosehead prop. Big fella has decent ball handling skills, and apart from du Randt/Leonard, he's the best loosehead prop that I can think of (as I was saying, my rugby history knowledge is basically non-existent). Do resent him for the 2 tries he scored against the Wallabies in August last year though 
Clapo
Tony Woodcock (#1)
John Smit (#2)
Carl Hayman (#3)
Nathan Sharpe (#4)
Richie McCaw (#7)
Justin Marshall (#9)
Stephen Larkham (#10)
Jeremy Guscott (#13)
Jeff Wilson (#14)
JPR Williams (#15)
Clapo
Tony Woodcock (#1)
John Smit (#2)
Carl Hayman (#3)
Nathan Sharpe (#4)
Richie McCaw (#7)
Justin Marshall (#9)
Stephen Larkham (#10)
Jeremy Guscott (#13)
Jeff Wilson (#14)
JPR Williams (#15)
99*
International Debutant
Will finish off my front row now then. I'll have Tom Smith (SCO).
Tom Smith (#1)
Phil Kearns (#2)
Richard Loe (#3)
Colin Meads (#5)
Sir William Wavell Wakefield (#6)
Jean Prat (#7)
Wayne (Buck) Shelford (#8)
Hugo Porta (#10)
Frank Bunce (#12)
Andy Irvine (#15)
No South Africans yet, hmm.
Tom Smith (#1)
Phil Kearns (#2)
Richard Loe (#3)
Colin Meads (#5)
Sir William Wavell Wakefield (#6)
Jean Prat (#7)
Wayne (Buck) Shelford (#8)
Hugo Porta (#10)
Frank Bunce (#12)
Andy Irvine (#15)
No South Africans yet, hmm.
Johnners
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Hmmm, just looking on Scrum.com, he seems to have been listed at 12 far more than 13. Brumby, are you able to confirm if he played best at 12 or 13?
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Definitely remember him best as an outside centre. Played dozens of times with Carling inside him at 2nd 5/8. In fact, if memory serves, he (Gusgitt) played on the wing a couple of times too.
Think it was a superstition thing. I know Will Greenwood played 2nd 5 & wore 13 and I think Carling was the same. I certainly recall him (Carling) as an inside centre.
99*
International Debutant
Probably best to E-mail it to someone who can do the picks for you. But you run the risk of having both the players you want being picked and having no back up.