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Rugby Union Draft II

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Will complete my side with the recently named new French captain, Thierry Dusautoir on the blind side. Tackles himself to a standstill most games and, as all NZders will doubtless recall, a fine ball-carrier and support player too.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
As Matteh continues to be skipped with his non-selections over the last two rounds, I'll finally select my first five of Neil Jenkins, the second highest point scorer in the game behind Wilkinson.
 

99*

International Debutant
99* have I made a mistake distributing the players to your side or have you ended up with too many loose forwards?
*FACEPALM*

To myself btw. Forgot I took Burger and thought I needed a #6. Will just drop Kruger and take a #13 after everybody else has gone.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
*FACEPALM*

To myself btw. Forgot I took Burger and thought I needed a #6. Will just drop Kruger and take a #13 after everybody else has gone.
Just make your new selection when you like as I would've pointed it out sooner had I updated the list more recently.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
Francis and Ohtani's Jacket both up, as well as three selections for Matteh and a replacement pick from 99*.

If you want to change any positions to the default sides I've kept a track of for you, you're welcome to do so - its your team of course. ;) Also if you want to write a small summary of your side thats quite alright.
 

Francis

State Vice-Captain
Really wanted a Frenchman for this last selection, but I feel compelled to go for...

SCOTT HASTINGS

FRANK'S SIDE

1. Christian Califano
2. Daniel Dubroca
3. Jean-Pierre Gauret
4. Martin Johnson (c)
5. Ian Jones
6. Willie Ofahengaue
7. Simon Poidevin
8. Laurent Rodriguez
9. Rob Howley
10. Jiffy
11. Phillippe Saint-Andre
12. Denis Charvet
13. Scott Hastings
14. Emile N'Tamack
15. John Gallagher
 
Last edited:

ripper868

International Coach
My team wins because I have John Eales, and no players from England.


EDIT: and a dynamite centre pairing.
Am tempted to sub out Pichot for Genia tbh.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
Just a reminder that to finish this off, 99* needs to select his centre, and Matteh requires three players.
 

Eds

International Debutant
I think we should get another one of these going. I wasn't around for the last one, but I'd be keen if we had another.
 

Francis

State Vice-Captain
Wow this thing just went dead like 'that'. In my opinion Brumby has won this. But I might as well explain my choices...

1. Christian Califano
2. Daniel Dubroca
3. Jean-Pierre Gauret

Califano I always wanted right from the start and I was happy nobody picked him. Dubroca and Guaret were part of the 1987 French side. Brian Lochore rated that front-row as the best in the world at that time.

4. Martin Johnson (c)
5. Ian Jones

If I had my time again I wouldn't have picked Jones. But nevertheless it's here where I'm as strong as anybody who selected their side. I have two great locks here. The first is perhaps the best English player ever, one of the greatest captains ever, a hard-nosed grinder always in the play. Ian Jones could play a more open game like John Eales, covering territory better than most locks could dream of. I remember a Blesidloe Cup game from 1998 when Jeff Wilson made a break down the wing and Jones was the man in support to score the try. Just tremendously athletic for a lock.

6. Willie Ofahengaue
7. Simon Poidevin
8. Laurent Rodriguez

Willie O might be the best tackler I've ever seen. I remember seeing Mark Carter take the ball at full pace from a game in 1991. He was sprinting at full pace at Willie O and suddenly he was flying through the air. Willie just lifted him off the ground and pulverised him. Willie O was also probably Australia's best player in the World Cup final - making that stirring run just after halftime and again, tackling like a demon.

Poidevin is underrated. I know we don't count what happened before 1987, but Poidevin's work on the 1984 Grand Slam tour was phenominal. So many times the ball would go out to Campese and Poidevin would be the person to take the pass off him. The territory he covered was amazing. In 1991 whenever the play broke down Poidevin was there to clean it up as well. Terrific player. Yes his hands were terrible, but he made up for it by trying harder than everyone else. Buck Shelford says he respected him more than any other player.

Speaking of Buck Shelford, he rated Laurent Rodriguez the toughest no 8 he ever faced.

9. Rob Howley
10. Jiffy

I decided a couple of months ago that Howley was the second best scrum-half I have ever seen after Dave Loveridge. In fact he might be the best I've seen. Just outplayed Gregan so badly in that first Lions Test in 2001. To Gregan's credit he came back in the second half of the second Test when Howley got injured at the end. Pity he usually played behin a weak Welsh pack.

Jiffy is my kind of five-eighth. I was stuck between picking Lynagh or Jiffy. I think Jiffy was more of a game breaker. Bob Dwyer once picked his best XV from 1982-2003 and chose Mark Ella a five-eighth - but Ella retired in 1984 so he can't be picked. He then picked Davies on the bench as a replacement 5/8. You'd think Lynagh's own coach would pick him, but not Dwyer.

12. Denis Charvet
13. Scott Hastings


Chavet was known for being an individualist and could infuriate his coach and the selectors when he made errors. Players like Will Carling rated him especially highly, however, noting he could do things few centres could. Hastings' best accomplishment probably came in 1989 for the Lions. Bob Dwyer once said he didn't think the Lions could have won that series without Hastings' defence. In my backline full of expressive players it doesn't hurt having a safe player either.

11. Phillippe Saint-Andre
14. Emile N'Tamack

The French wings from the awesome 1994 French side that beat New Zealand in a series.

15. John Gallagher
Like Ian Jones I really didn't want to pick this guy, but he's rated highly in New Zealand as a running fullback. I'd have liked to have seen his contributions in the 1989 tour to Europe when he was asked to compensate for John Kirwan's absense by coming into the line more.
 

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