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Official Rugby Thread
- Thread starter KennyD
- Start date
Smudge
Hall of Fame Member
There are some (so-called) Brumbie-supporting dicks on another rugby forum giving him **** for leaving now. Well, no offence, but he's past his best (hence why he's being usurped by Pocock). Can you blame him for leaving. Best that they give him the respect he deserves. A constant thorn in the side of so many teams.
I wonder how Smith compares with other great Aussie flankers like Col Windon? Surely Smith has to be up there with the best. I don't know whether he was greater than Poidevin. He was more naturally talented than Poidevin - better passing and catching skills. And Smith could put people into space as well. Poidevin was fitter and more fiesty.
I don't know whether he retired too early or not. I agree with Voltman that he is passed his best now. He also had some bad games last year. I remember he should have been yellow carded in the Auckland game for killing the ball when the All Blacks looked certain to score a try. In any event the penalty was awarded and the All Blacks took the lead after that. The next week he actually was yellow carded against South Africa for doing something I can't recall, but I remember it as being diabolical. Against England we went missing and Moody outplayed him - a bit of a shock.
Then again I think the competition he had with Pocock was good for Pocock, in the same way competition with Waugh was good for Smith. And Pocock, while brilliant in the Irish and Welsh games last year (and he should have played against Scotland), hasn't really done it against New Zealand. McCaw was rightly awarded MOTM in the Tokyo Test.
Australia is choc-full of players who are greater against NH teams than tri-nations teams. Latham did some freaky things against teams like Scotland and Wales, but only scored two tries against New Zealand in his career (and look at how many tries he scored). Giteau is the same, he usually plays well in the NH - ignoring the Scotland game last year, he was terrific against Wales. No wonder he's so overrated there. But against New Zealand he stands too deep, runs laterally, and rushes his kicks that go to no where.
Big question mark over how good Pocock will be next year. He needs to step up in the tri nations. If he does Australia will be better off for having Smith retire, because they need to go for the youth right now (Digby over Mortlock, Pocock over Smith, ANYBODY over Sharpe).
I don't know whether he retired too early or not. I agree with Voltman that he is passed his best now. He also had some bad games last year. I remember he should have been yellow carded in the Auckland game for killing the ball when the All Blacks looked certain to score a try. In any event the penalty was awarded and the All Blacks took the lead after that. The next week he actually was yellow carded against South Africa for doing something I can't recall, but I remember it as being diabolical. Against England we went missing and Moody outplayed him - a bit of a shock.
Then again I think the competition he had with Pocock was good for Pocock, in the same way competition with Waugh was good for Smith. And Pocock, while brilliant in the Irish and Welsh games last year (and he should have played against Scotland), hasn't really done it against New Zealand. McCaw was rightly awarded MOTM in the Tokyo Test.
Australia is choc-full of players who are greater against NH teams than tri-nations teams. Latham did some freaky things against teams like Scotland and Wales, but only scored two tries against New Zealand in his career (and look at how many tries he scored). Giteau is the same, he usually plays well in the NH - ignoring the Scotland game last year, he was terrific against Wales. No wonder he's so overrated there. But against New Zealand he stands too deep, runs laterally, and rushes his kicks that go to no where.
Big question mark over how good Pocock will be next year. He needs to step up in the tri nations. If he does Australia will be better off for having Smith retire, because they need to go for the youth right now (Digby over Mortlock, Pocock over Smith, ANYBODY over Sharpe).
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Anyone giving George Smith flack for his international retirement announcement is a fool. Hes been arguably the best openside flanker in the world alongside Richie McCaw for the last decade, and with over a century of tests to his name, he knows what decisions are best for him. You mention correctly that David Pocock now appears to be Deans' first choice at openside flanker for Australia, which given Pocock's form and talent is a fair inclusion, and I'm sure contributed to the decision of Smith's. Am glad though that hes committed to seeing out a final season of Super rugby.
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gonna miss George
Where do you think Smith ranks among the great Aussies brumby?
I'm talkin' bout...
David Ian Campese
Mark Ella
John Eales
Ken Catchpole
Michael Lynagh
Tim Horan
Col Windon
Topo Rodriguez
Nick Farr-Jones
John Hipwell
Willie Ofahengaue
Mark Loane
Cyril Towers
Simon Poidevin
Lloyd Walker
I'm talkin' bout...
David Ian Campese
Mark Ella
John Eales
Ken Catchpole
Michael Lynagh
Tim Horan
Col Windon
Topo Rodriguez
Nick Farr-Jones
John Hipwell
Willie Ofahengaue
Mark Loane
Cyril Towers
Simon Poidevin
Lloyd Walker
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Sorry.
Hard to know where to place him, really. I've seen a lot more of him than the majority of the blokes you've listed and the tendancy is often to trust one's own eyes.
Smith was a real force at the breakdown and a decent ball-carrier for a bloke who wasn't the biggest but what I loved most about him was his hands. Wonderful distribution and awareness.
Hard to know where to place him, really. I've seen a lot more of him than the majority of the blokes you've listed and the tendancy is often to trust one's own eyes.
Smith was a real force at the breakdown and a decent ball-carrier for a bloke who wasn't the biggest but what I loved most about him was his hands. Wonderful distribution and awareness.
Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
BoyBrumby
Englishman
England play yer Wallabies tomorrow, a fact that seems to have been largely overlooked with the round ball code having some minor summer tournie going on.
Hape to debut at 12, which is, er, interesting. Hope his journey from Kiwi league international to England union cap rather less bumpy than Henry Paul's or Vainikolo's were.
Wallabies front row looks a bit ****house, even by their own low standards, but the backs will still run rings round our mob on half the ball our pack will deliver.
Genia benched, I note. Odd call, for mine. Bloke looks the goods.
Hape to debut at 12, which is, er, interesting. Hope his journey from Kiwi league international to England union cap rather less bumpy than Henry Paul's or Vainikolo's were.
Wallabies front row looks a bit ****house, even by their own low standards, but the backs will still run rings round our mob on half the ball our pack will deliver.
Genia benched, I note. Odd call, for mine. Bloke looks the goods.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
Ireland vs NZ tonight. TAB is offering $1.09 on NZ. I have bet $20 to pick up a cool $1.80.
to be honest the TAB should probably offer like $1.03 it is a shoo in that NZ will win.
Anyways - Dissapointed the Sonny Bill wants to play 2nd 5 - I would rather he challenge Conrad smith for a spot than Maa Nonu.
I don't know enough about rugby to know which of the two positions centre or 2nd 5 is the more difficult to play.
I heard someone say 2nd 5 is harder on Radio Sport.
to be honest the TAB should probably offer like $1.03 it is a shoo in that NZ will win.
Anyways - Dissapointed the Sonny Bill wants to play 2nd 5 - I would rather he challenge Conrad smith for a spot than Maa Nonu.
I don't know enough about rugby to know which of the two positions centre or 2nd 5 is the more difficult to play.
I heard someone say 2nd 5 is harder on Radio Sport.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Barnes had no option. Heaslip kneed an All Black head (couldn't make out whose) twice in a ruck right in front of him. Brainless.
Turning into a massacre, tbh. Clinical stuff from NZ. Like the look of Dagg.
Burgey
Request Your Custom Title Now!
World's most terrifying open-side breakaway, potentially anyway.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Couldn't see him developing the ruck ball-scaving skills quickly enough; 7's a v technical position. Plus McCaw's a hard player to dislodge.
Sheesh. Another try for the ABs. 38-0
