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General Rugby Union
Christian Cullen
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<blockquote data-quote="Randwick Kingfisher" data-source="post: 280066"><p>Cullen's running style is (like someone mentioned before) beautiful. He was strong, fast and elusive. He would score scintillating tries on a regular basis. Yes I too think he's the best fullback in rugby before him it was John Gallagher for me. Cullen made a lot of rugby fans in NZ, AUS, SAF, ENG....watch the Hurricanes, Lions and All Blacks hoping he'd provide some fine running rugby and most times he'd deliver.</p><p></p><p>However around about the time Cullen was dropped from the All Blacks he seemed to have lost some of his speed. He was becoming less elusive and he didnt have that glide in his run. I think Cullen realised this himself and began to adopt the more common kick-return by chipping or bombing for himself rather then running it back at the opposition like he use to. Sometimes I think that Cullens best years had come and gone fast. Which is a bummer for Wellingtonian rugby fans such as myself.</p><p></p><p>Although I hated John Mitchell at the time for axing Cullen, in hindsight it may have been a good option in the long run. Mitchell and backs coach Deans must have felt that Cullen was a 'has-been', and would not be suited to their plans. Cullen came back in the very next NPC game with a vintage run, but Mitchell wasnt convinced. So they picked Ben Blair, Leon McDonald and Mills all proved more then worthy of the 15 jersey but (in my opinion) were boring with ball in hand.</p><p></p><p>Hopefully will see another freak like Cullen one day.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Randwick Kingfisher, post: 280066"] Cullen's running style is (like someone mentioned before) beautiful. He was strong, fast and elusive. He would score scintillating tries on a regular basis. Yes I too think he's the best fullback in rugby before him it was John Gallagher for me. Cullen made a lot of rugby fans in NZ, AUS, SAF, ENG....watch the Hurricanes, Lions and All Blacks hoping he'd provide some fine running rugby and most times he'd deliver. However around about the time Cullen was dropped from the All Blacks he seemed to have lost some of his speed. He was becoming less elusive and he didnt have that glide in his run. I think Cullen realised this himself and began to adopt the more common kick-return by chipping or bombing for himself rather then running it back at the opposition like he use to. Sometimes I think that Cullens best years had come and gone fast. Which is a bummer for Wellingtonian rugby fans such as myself. Although I hated John Mitchell at the time for axing Cullen, in hindsight it may have been a good option in the long run. Mitchell and backs coach Deans must have felt that Cullen was a 'has-been', and would not be suited to their plans. Cullen came back in the very next NPC game with a vintage run, but Mitchell wasnt convinced. So they picked Ben Blair, Leon McDonald and Mills all proved more then worthy of the 15 jersey but (in my opinion) were boring with ball in hand. Hopefully will see another freak like Cullen one day. [/QUOTE]
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