Your team's greatest XV - from the Heineken Cup era / Super Rugby era

[psychic duck]

The South African teams in my opinion, do you agree?

Bulls:
J van der Westhuyzen, A Ndungane, J Pretorius, W Olivier, B Habana, M Steyn, F du Preez; G Steenkamp, J Dalton, R Bands, B Botha, V Matfield, R Kruger, W van Heerden, P Spies

G Botha, W Kruger, K Otto, P Wannenburg; J van der Westhuizen, D Hougaard, E Botha

Cheetahs: (from players who have played Super rugby for them)
B Fortuin, B Basson, R Ebersohn, M Bosman, J Nokwe, W de Waal, S Pretorius; O du Randt, A Strauss, J du Plessis, R Duncan, B Pieterse, H Brüssow, J Smith, A Johnson

T Liebenberg, CJ van der Linde, C van Zyl, K Floors; M Claassens, J-L Potgieter, M Joubert

Lions:
T Delport, A Willemse, J Fourie, J Mulder, C Williams, A Pretorius, W Swanepoel; du Randt, Dalton, van der Linde, J Ackermann, J Labuschagne, R Erasmus, A Venter, J van Niekerk

D du Preez, H van der Merwe, W van Heerden, A Vos; J Vermaak, L Koen, J van der Walt

Sharks:
P Montgomery, S Terblanche, A Snyman, F Steyn, JP Pietersen, B James, R Pienaar; O le Roux, J Smit, BJ Botha, J Muller, M Andrews, J Botes, AJ Venter, R Kankowski

B du Plessis, T Mtawarira, J Ackermann, W Alberts; C Davidson, F Michalak, P Muller

Stormers:
P Montgomery, B Paulse, J Fourie, J de Villiers, P Rossouw, B van Straaten, B Conradie; R Kempson, C Marais, C Visagie, S Boome, A Bekker, C Krige, S Burger, B Skinstad

S Brits, B Mujati, Q Davids, L Watson; N de Kock, P Grant, D W Barry

1. Stormers, on paper the best team easily
2. Bulls, the most successful franchise but were awful at the turn of the Millenium
3. Sharks, like the Bulls the Sharks have had their poor periods
4. Lions, got to S12 semi finals in 2001 and 200, but since have been awful
5. Cheetahs, since 2006 not really done much of note

 

[Cassie]

Yes true the Stormers team on paper looks the best. With new blood, new ideas and a brand-new, big-name sponsor, this was supposed to be the Lions breakthrough year. Seems they will have to wait another year and that is truly sad. The Cheetahs are rising and have to make sure they keep their players, and then only then they will become a better unit. The Bulls tasted success 3 times now but not nearly enough as the Crusaders who indeed is a role model team to all franchises. I do like the layout and teams and it would make for interesting reading if some of those players had to still play and were selected.

 

[munster4life]

15 Crotty
14 Howlett
13 Tipoki
12 Mafi
11 Dowling
10 O'Gara
9 Stringer
1 Claw
2 Flannery
3 'The Bull' Hayes
4 Gallimh
5 O'Connell
6 Leamy (couldn't think of anyone else)
7 Wallace
8 Axel Foley

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mafi is the best 12 that Munster have ever had?
Bleedin 'eck!

 

[DorceOutSide]

mafi the best 12 munster ever had ?????

 

[DorceOutSide]

where is keith wood he was one of the best hookers ever ?

 

[187]

Mafi is the best 12 that Munster have ever had?
Bleedin 'eck!

Yeah I wish he could play for Tonga!

My greatest ever Hurricanes team:
1. Bull Allen
2. Andrew Hore
3. Norm Hewitt
4. Inoke Afeaki
5. Jason Eaton
6. Jerry Collins
7. Rodney So'oialo
8. Filo Tiatia
9. Jon Preston
10. David Holwell
11. Jonah Lomu
12. Ma'a Nonu/Alama Ieremia/Pita Alatini
13. Tana Umaga/Conrad Smith
14. Hose Gear/Doug Howlett
15. Christian Cullen

Wada team!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I've never liked Mafi - alright centre but dirty tackler which detracts from his game (what's the point in playing a guy if he's going into the bin every match?)

 

[Teh Mite]

He was also dogshite once Tipoki retired.

 

[psychic duck]

I've never liked Mafi - alright centre but dirty tackler which detracts from his game (what's the point in playing a guy if he's going into the bin every match?)

He was also dogshite once Tipoki retired.

Yes, I agree with both those points, he has had 11 yellow cards in his Munster career, and presumably for the same thing, Tuitupou does the same thing, but kamikaze tacklers like them are sometimes fun to watch

Mafi did make the ML dream team in 07/08 and 08/09, and was good along with Tipoki but not the same without him

but who else did Munster have at 12 over the last decade?

Jason Holland - OK, but I would say Mafi was better
Rob Henderson - Career went downhill after joining Munster
Trevor Halstead - I would probably say he would be my Munster 12
Jean de Villiers - didn't really play his best with Munster

My Munster XV

15 Shaun Payne
14 Doug Howlett
13 Rua Tipoki
12 Trevor Halstead
11 Keith Earls
10 Ronan O'Gara
9 Peter Stringer
1 Peter Clohessy
2 Keith Wood
3 John Hayes
4 Donncha O'Callaghan
5 Paul O'Connell
6 Jim Williams
7 David Wallace
8 Anthony Foley

16 Jerry Flannery
17 Marcus Horan
18 Mick Galwey
19 Alan Quinlan
20 Denis Leamy
21 Tomás O'Leary
22 Paul Warwick

 

[lucky number 7]

Yes, I agree with both those points, he has had 11 yellow cards in his Munster career, and presumably for the same thing, Tuitupou does the same thing, but kamikaze tacklers like them are sometimes fun to watch

Mafi did make the ML dream team in 07/08 and 08/09, and was good along with Tipoki but not the same without him

but who else did Munster have at 12 over the last decade?

Jason Holland - OK, but I would say Mafi was better
Rob Henderson - Career went downhill after joining Munster
Trevor Halstead - I would probably say he would be my Munster 12
Jean de Villiers - didn't really play his best with Munster

My Munster XV

15 Shaun Payne
14 Doug Howlett
13 Rua Tipoki
12 Trevor Halstead
11 Keith Earls
10 Ronan O'Gara
9 Peter Stringer
1 Peter Clohessy
2 Keith Wood
3 John Hayes
4 Donncha O'Callaghan
5 Paul O'Connell
6 Jim Williams
7 David Wallace
8 Anthony Foley

16 Jerry Flannery
17 Marcus Horan
18 Mick Galwey
19 Alan Quinlan
20 Denis Leamy
21 Tomás O'Leary
22 Paul Warwick

Yep , Team looks spot on

 

[superrprop]

6 Leamy (couldn't think of anyone else)

Eh what about a certain Quinlan or David Corkery and you call yourself a munster supporter.

 

[psychic duck]

Cardiff Blues all time team (since 2000)

15. Ben Blair

14. Leigh Halfpenny
13. Casey Laulala
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Gareth Thomas

10. Neil Jenkins
9. Rob Howley

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Jonathan Humphreys
3. Dai Young

4. Bradley Davies
5. Paul ***o

6. Ma'ama Molitika
7. Martyn Williams
8. Xavier Rush

Replacements:
16. Gareth Williams
17. Spencer John
18. Taufa'ao Filise/Ben Evans
19. Craig Quinnell/Deiniol Jones
20. Dan Baugh

21. Mike Phillips
22. Iestyn Harris/Nicky Robinson
23. Rhys Williams/Tom Shanklin

any thoughts on this team?

what changes would you make?

 

[Draggs]

10 is debatable as Neilo never played for the Blues.
Celtic Warriors was the only region he represented.
2000-Current would change things, if you included Cardiff RFC, as the Blues only came into existence in 2003.

Tough on Jamie Robinson and Shanklin, considering the relatively small amount of time Laulala was there.

Ed Fairhurst at 9. No questions.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

15. Girvan Dempsey
14. Shane Horgan
13. Brian O'Driscoll
12. Gordon D'arcy
11. Denis Hickie
10. Jonny Sexton/Felipe Contepomi
9. Chris Whitaker
1. Reggie Corrigan
2. Shane Byrne
3. Stan Wright
4. Leo Cullen
5. Malcolm O'Kelly
6. Rocky Elsom
7. Keith Gleeson
8. Jamie Heaslip

With the benefit of the having seen the Heineken Cup knock out games, I'd make a few changes to the above team:

15. Nacewa
14. Horgan
13. O'Driscoll
12. D'arcy
11. Hickie
10. Sexton
9. Whitaker
1. Corrigan/Healy
2. Byrne
3. Wright
4. Cullen
5. O'Kelly
6. Elsom/O'Brien (based on one seasons work v three seasons work)
7. Gleeson
8. Heaslip

 

[Teh Mite]

Bare in mind this was O'Briens breakthrough season; If he shows the same gamebreaking ability this time next year fair shout, but I think more people will be switched on to him next term and be ready to close him down (as is often the case). Elsom for me is a better player as it stands.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Definitely. If I had to pick one or the other in my team, I'd go with Elsom since he's proven he's a good player at international level too. O'Brien's impact this season and in his few Heineken Cup games last season has been hard to ignore though. Based solely on Heineken Cup form, O'Brien this season has been close to Elsom's form of 2009.

 

[Jockstap]

Bare in mind this was O'Briens breakthrough season; If he shows the same gamebreaking ability this time next year fair shout, but I think more people will be switched on to him next term and be ready to close him down (as is often the case). Elsom for me is a better player as it stands.

Aye I was thinking the same, BUT he's been doing this from the start of the season, surely the opposition team's analysis would have clued in to what he's capable of, but time will only tell I suppose.

 

[lucky number 7]

SOB was still a standout player for me this six nations ...hell he might not have been the best player on the park every day but never did he look out of place on the field and he won Motm the odd time too if I recall

 

[psychic duck]

what about Eric Miller and Victor Costello, how do they compare with O'Brien?