Top 10 Over-hyped rugby players

[TRF_heineken]

This was the beginning of the end for Williams...

 

[Amobokoboko]

Don't touch Ali Williams. He's one of my rugby heroes.
Don't forget he had multiple injuries the last couple of years and altho he's playing really like crap, his other teammates aren't doing that much better.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Don't touch Ali Williams. He's one of my rugby heroes.
Don't forget he had multiple injuries the last couple of years and altho he's playing really like crap, his other teammates aren't doing that much better.

Don't worry...

I wouldn't even touch

pussy with ---> dick...

 

[welshglory]

That's exactly why he's on the list, though.
His injuries and then sabattical from rugby, and then more injuries has meant he's never consistently lived up to his potential (or at least hasn't in X amount of years) meaning he's very over hyped due to everyone saying how good is he/could be yet him not showing it!

Those aren't the reasons the journalist/blogger gave though

 

[Teh Mite]

So Henson is fully deserving of all his rugby-press despite doing... what?

 

[DariusLovehall]

An article I found by Gregor Paul (a Kiwi), on the 10 most over-hyped players in international rugby, before people start saying how some of these players are quality, the author says that in the article, he's just saying the media went overboard on them

http://www.nzrugbyworld.co.nz/news/2012/05/top-10-dont-believe-hype

Errrr I only read a few of these - including this first post claiming the author Gregor Paul is a Kiwi .... ?

You do realize Gregor Paul is Scottish - born and bred with the accent to boot - don't you?

smh

 

[Cave Dweller]

I have seen Mike Catt do his best interpretation of a potato sack against him though.



To add to the list; Ali Williams. I think even in his best, he wasn't what was advertised. And in between injuries, bad character/attitude, and being out of form, he was rarely at his own best anyway.

Haha he tried to dive out of the way.

Did anyone see how quickly fast players slowed up when running in the cover defense lines to intercept Lomu? haha they always end up with a diving ankle tap attempt

 

[lucky number 7]

Errrr I only read a few of these - including this first post claiming the author Gregor Paul is a Kiwi .... ?

You do realize Gregor Paul is Scottish - born and bred with the accent to boot - don't you?

smh

That explains this madness...

 

[Cave Dweller]

Re: James Small.
Just my opinion, but I think he was overhyped.
Most wingers coudl score the tries he did, and to try and bring up one tackle in order to prove the point is a bit of a nonsense. I also saw Lomu mandhandle him umpteen times. Also, I don't recall Small being the main reason Lomu was contained. Small was simply one part of a well executed team plan.
Again- its just my opinion Chief.
But I will say that it used to irk me, the way that the SA commentators would bang on and on about the guy.
I have the 96 and 97 Super seasons at home. I think in 96 Small was the top try scorer (and before you say anything - yes that is nothing to be sniffed at) but in all honesty, the vast majority of credit for those tries should go to the players inside him for putting Small into space. They did the work 90% of the time. A few of those tries, all Small had to do was catch the ball and fall over. But the way the commentators hyped him, you would think he was demolishing backlines.
So thats why I say he was over-hyped.

Yeah just like Jeff Wilson. At least Small did not lose the ball when tackled going over the try line

 

[DariusLovehall]

Yeah just like Jeff Wilson. At least Small did not lose the ball when tackled going over the try line

James Small 47 tests and 20 tries

Jeff Wilson 60 tests and 44 tries

he only dropped it over the line once and it was a hell of tackle....

 

[Cave Dweller]

James Small 47 tests and 20 tries

Jeff Wilson 60 tests and 44 tries

he only dropped it over the line once and it was a hell of tackle....

Like you said. Every winger could have scored those tries. No he made the tackle worse due to diving like a show boat and giving Gregan a good view of his ribs vulnerable in mid air. Then Dominici made a arse out of him


Looked like more of a **** poor handling error than a legendary tackle by Gregan. Still, did the job, did enough to make him drop it.

 

[DariusLovehall]

Like you said. Every winger could have scored those tries. No he made the tackle worse due to diving like a show boat and giving Gregan a good view of his ribs vulnerable in mid air. Then Dominici made a arse out of him

errr, i never said that - even though i concur - Goldie made an idiot of many a winger in his time ... i doubt Small did .... regardless Dominici had his day too ....

 

[Cave Dweller]

errr, i never said that - even though i concur - Goldie made an idiot of many a winger in his time ... i doubt Small did .... regardless Dominici had his day too ....

Might as well call Peter Hendricks a legend as well beating people with speed.....


Jeff Wilson was not a legend because of his 44 tries. I am still waiting for the one to post the reason why he was considered as one of the greats

 

[DariusLovehall]

Might as well call Peter Hendricks a legend as well beating people with speed.....


Jeff Wilson was not a legend because of his 44 tries. I am still waiting for the one to post the reason why he was considered as one of the greats

Is that the best James Small could do - he didn't beat one tackler.... he ran, passed the ball and then ran as the two tacklers tripped over the the other S.A player ---?
James Small was an average player who is a racist prick - who picked on and taunted black players on and off the pitch.

Jeff Wilson was a great player - debuted at age 19 with 3 tries against Scotland and continued dominating opposition until he retired to early at age 28, not to mention he found time to play test and one day cricket for New Zealand and could well have played pro basketball...

and 44 tries in 60 tests is a damn good strike rate ....

 

[donmcdazzle]

Might as well call Peter Hendricks a legend as well beating people with speed.....


Jeff Wilson was not a legend because of his 44 tries. I am still waiting for the one to post the reason why he was considered as one of the greats

If you don't know why Jeff wilson is so highly rated then you don't know too much about footy. He could pretty much do anything, kick (punting and could kick goals), take the high ball, great handling and passing ability, could beat a player one on one, chip and chase, tackle, pace.. You name it he could do it. They didn't call him the golden one for nothing. James small had good gas and was aggressive, that's about it. He was good but far more limited than Wilson to the point where a comparison isn't fair on small.

I'm not biased against south African players either, just calling a spade a spade. South Africa have had a lot better players than small, not sure why youre defendingn him so vigorously.

 

[smartcooky]

If you don't know why Jeff wilson is so highly rated then you don't know too much about footy. He could pretty much do anything, kick (punting and could kick goals), take the high ball, great handling and passing ability, could beat a player one on one, chip and chase, tackle, pace.. You name it he could do it. They didn't call him the golden one for nothing. James small had good gas and was aggressive, that's about it. He was good but far more limited than Wilson to the point where a comparison isn't fair on small.

I'm not biased against south African players either, just calling a spade a spade. South Africa have had a lot better players than small, not sure why youre defendingn him so vigorously.

All of the above.

I have never seen a player who could predict what a bouncing rugby ball would do as well as Jeff Wilson. While others often snatched at the ball, Wilson would stalk it, waiting for the "pop" bounce that he knew would come. Wilson lacked size, but he more than made that up in skill, heart and desire. Not a huge player, Wilson, but a huge ticker!!

Christian Cullen made James Small look pedestrian on a number of occasions; mind you Cullen made a lot of players look pedestrian. Small's biggest flaw was that he was a dirty player.

Watch Cullen's try number 17 starting at 2:05. Cullen blasts past Small, then Small chases him down and foot-trips him at the end. (NOTE: A fair few examples of Jeff Wilson's skill on show in this video too)



If Small had cut the dirt out of his game, he would have rated more highly in my book.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Yeah, James Small was a dirty player, and he didn't have the skill of either Jeff Wilson or Christian Cullen (I don't think anyone has the Skill of Christian Cullen)... But he did have Heart, and that's what made him exceptional in the views of South Africans.

 

[Cave Dweller]

Is that the best James Small could do - he didn't beat one tackler.... he ran, passed the ball and then ran as the two tacklers tripped over the the other S.A player ---?James Small was an average player who is a racist prick - who picked on and taunted black players on and off the pitch.Jeff Wilson was a great player - debuted at age 19 with 3 tries against Scotland and continued dominating opposition until he retired to early at age 28, not to mention he found time to play test and one day cricket for New Zealand and could well have played pro basketball...and 44 tries in 60 tests is a damn good strike rate ....

Did you hear what he said or did you made that decision on hearsay based on opinions from the papers? He was a bad boy off the field but WTF cares? Its his private life none of anyones business yhe same as yours is not anyones business. So your opinion is not on the field based but you did not like his public image. Thanks

If you don't know why Jeff wilson is so highly rated then you don't know too much about footy. He could pretty much do anything, kick (punting and could kick goals), take the high ball, great handling and passing ability, could beat a player one on one, chip and chase, tackle, pace.. You name it he could do it. They didn't call him the golden one for nothing. James small had good gas and was aggressive, that's about it. He was good but far more limited than Wilson to the point where a comparison isn't fair on small.I'm not biased against south African players either, just calling a spade a spade. South Africa have had a lot better players than small, not sure why youre defendingn him so vigorously.

Well I know what made Jeff Wilson great his all round abilities. You are the first one to mention those btw better than just the tries and test matches. We all know try stats do not actually tell you anything about the player as a wing can do nothing out wide and just take the last scoring passes. But Wilson was a great all rounder. Now coming back to the Small issue. He would never have a great strike rate nor score as many as Jeff Wilson because SA and NZ played two totally different games. NZ played the more expansive game and utilizing space very well. Totally the opposite what we did as we played what has worked for us most of the time and that is the tactical kicking game and shutting space down as quickly as possible as well as not letting teams play the way they want to play. 95 He was the man marking Lomu when I say marking him I mean marking him like following him around. NZ did use Jonah as a decoy and catching him out of position but he scrambled very well and did what he does well and that is shutting space down and his good all round game. He was solid and yes NZ think he is totally **** because he has not scored a single point against them. To score 20 something tries in 42 games considering the time he played and the style it is pretty good. He did what he suppose to do and did it very well. For his efforts he got a winning WC medal and started off with the other 14 players Jonah's awesome try scoring record against SA. That is a big FAT ZERO. He did what half of the WC could not do. Stopped a player twice his size from scoring in a 100 minutes of rugby.

 

[Cave Dweller]

Yeah, James Small was a dirty player, and he didn't have the skill of either Jeff Wilson or Christian Cullen (I don't think anyone has the Skill of Christian Cullen)... But he did have Heart, and that's what made him exceptional in the views of South Africans.

They just ****** cause Lomu could not run over him.

 

[Cave Dweller]

All of the above.

I have never seen a player who could predict what a bouncing rugby ball would do as well as Jeff Wilson. While others often snatched at the ball, Wilson would stalk it, waiting for the "pop" bounce that he knew would come. Wilson lacked size, but he more than made that up in skill, heart and desire. Not a huge player, Wilson, but a huge ticker!!

Christian Cullen made James Small look pedestrian on a number of occasions; mind you Cullen made a lot of players look pedestrian. Small's biggest flaw was that he was a dirty player.

Watch Cullen's try number 17 starting at 2:05. Cullen blasts past Small, then Small chases him down and foot-trips him at the end. (NOTE: A fair few examples of Jeff Wilson's skill on show in this video too)



If Small had cut the dirt out of his game, he would have rated more highly in my book.

Seriously. What are you smoking? Can't compare Cullen with Small. Cullen make the modern players look pedestrian. Do we compare Habana with Shane Howarth?