Toughest Players

[Steve-o]

Pretty sure this topic has been covered before, so it's time to refresh the memory.

The toughest ever player I've watched was Henri Honiball. Now he was one tough fly-half, definitley the toughest ever fly-half for the Boks.

I'm not too clued up on past player (before 1990), although I've got some rugby video documentaries about major rugby national well before that time, I cant give a fair opinion.

So all you old school rugby guys please, enlighten us.

 

[mylogin]

Serge Betsen and Jean-Pierre Rives are the toughest players I've seen for France. Especially true if you consider their relatively average size.

 

[Dmx#1]

Buck Shelford without a doubt i don't really have to explain why.

 

[Caledfwlch]

brian lima without a doubt. that bugger has lasted for so long!

 

[SaiNTLY SiNNeR]

buck by a mile, incredible guy...

 

[Boggle]

From everything I've read, heard and even watched, definitely Buck Shelford.



Anyone who loses 4 teeth, gets a ripped scrotum and and allmost loses a testical in a ruck, then proceeds to get himself stitched up to get back into the game, just to get knocked out and be taken off, then still be able to watch the game from the grand stand is basically -made- of tough if you ask me.

 

[RC]

...or clumsy as f***.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Anyone who loses 4 teeth, gets a ripped scrotum and and allmost loses a testical in a ruck, then proceeds to get himself stitched up to get back into the game...
[/b]

No denying Shelford's courage, but JPR Williams used to stitch himself up before returning to the fray. Not too bad for a wussy back eh...

 

[BokMagic]

Respect to Buck, but I`ve always found them second rowers the tough ********. And none tougher than Willie-John McBride, Colin Meads and Frik Du Preez in the amateur era.

A couple of standout tough second row ******** of more modern times, Benazzi definately up there. And of course Martin Johnson, who started a HK Cup game without a gumguard once, if I recall correctly. And Mark Andrews, who not only didn`t wear his gum guards in a RWC warmup game in 99, but even had the audacity to forget the contacts, and go onto the field in his glasses.

 

[prolate_spheroid]

BUCK.

OF COURSE.

 

[TRUE LEGND]

The toughest ever player I've watched was Henri Honiball. Now he was one tough fly-half, definitley the toughest ever fly-half for the Boks.[/b]

Definitely agree with you on Honibal Ive never EVER seen a fly half as tough as this guy. He is actually the first person Ive seen sit Tana Umaga and Carlos Spencer on there arse's with a huge front on tackle. Now this guy had the technique of sprinting front on into the ball carrier he would do this ever time he'd make a tackle which in time earned him respect in NZ even today he still talked about in NZ...

My toughest player would be..



Well for me i grew up watching Buck shelford, Now this guy was as TOUGH as nails not only through his physical toughness but also mental toughness as well, i remember his body fat reading was lower then some of the backs, i think it was something like 19% off the top of my head. But i do remember looking at his massive 6 pack and how toned up his body physique and massive legs were on my poster i had when i was a kid. when i was young he came to my home town to play rugby, Auckland V Counties and it was 60minute's into the game when he came off, he took his head band bandage off his head and biffed it on the ground where he stood. Then a few minutes later a stampede of about 20 people lept over the security fence and wrestled for it, what made even funnier was the head band ended up getting ripped into about a few hundred pieces... He was a school boy's icon we all wanted to be like him... When you get schooled at the New Zealand Academy camp they give you the run down of all the past players that schooled there. They tell you first and foremost about Buck shelford and the things he did not only for the all blacks but the time he spent in camp. Most of the things they tell you about him leaves you breathless...The guys a True living Legend

Also i know the French player's where dirty but there were some intimidating tough bugger's in that team over the past year's and i know there packs use to scear the **** out of the ABs

 

[Flamingo]

Lee thomas..

plays for sale now.. tough as nails

they call him the barry bomber

 

[candybum]

i concur with most of you's who said Buck,.. bring back buck!!

 

[stormmaster1]

First time i went to Welford road i remember Dorian West playing most of the game with a broken Jaw.

 

[Bull]

And of course Martin Johnson, who started a HK Cup game without a gumguard once, if I recall correctly. And Mark Andrews, who not only didn`t wear his gum guards in a RWC warmup game in 99, but even had the audacity to forget the contacts, and go onto the field in his glasses.[/b]

I play without a gumgaurd!



For me the toughest would be Moaner van Heerden.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Bull on these forums, because he plays without a gumgaurd

nah serisouly, buck. anyone who can shrug off a ruptured ballsack like that gets my vote

 

[ozzy]

How bout old Norm Hewitt for breaking his arm in a super 12 match and then just kept right on playing. He was a hooker btw, throwing those lineouts in must have been a *****.
Still this thread could easily be called the dumbest players, rather than the toughest looking at some of the feats which have led to a few nominations........plays without a mouth guard......um duh.

 

[candybum]

didn't colin meads play with a broken arm? legend

 

[TRUE LEGND]

didn't colin meads play with a broken arm? legend [/b]

Im sure every body knows someone in there team that broke there arm at 1 stage and got too stubborn to come off the field.. I think breaking lims and ribs become second nature in a game of rugby. But getting yah ball bag ripped off you and playing on how ever definitly is another story

 

[dabith]

Definitely go with Buck on this one.

As a current player Victor Matfield would have to be up there. Very hard player, sometimes too much so.....