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Gibbit's Favourites XV Print E-mail
Written by Gibbit   
Friday, 13 July 2007

15- Christian Cullen video here 
John Gallagher ruined the fullback position for everyone who wasn't fast like he was. Wingers were shunted back to fullback and their careers stuffed (Timu) as coaches tried to emulate Gallagher's runs into the backline. Glen Osbourne looked pretty good in 95, but no-one quite pulled it off until Christian Cullen Culley came along and absolutely blew everyone away. Sometimes he'd outrun his support & eventually he was slowed due to too much bulk and a dodgy shank, but what a player in his prime!
Silver -John Gallagher Bronze-Serge Blanco

14- Rupeni Caucaunibuca 2003: video here
Like Lomu the man was an athletic freak who could glide through defenders like they weren't there. Was unfortunately brittle for a guy who played in such a robust way.

11- Jonah Lomu video here 
Other wings may have had a better all around game but who else had as big of a "Holy fuck" factor as Jonah?? No-one that's who. The 95 World Cup were some of the most amazing moments I've ever seen in the game that we all love. Played through the pain when his body was betrayng him and never once let on or used it as an excuse.
Bronze Sitivini Sivivatu

13 Tana Umaga video here
Had few rivals in terms of mana. Went from wild fullback to a scything right winger, to a monster at center who will be remembered as an All Balck great. He resatmped controlled aggresion into the All Blacks and led the best haka since Buck.. acutally the best EVER.
Silver Frank Bunce Bronze Joe Stanley

12 John Schuster
Set Gallagher up time and time again for Wellington and the AB's. A perfect blend of balance and skills. Was a hard arse on defence and could beat tacklers by stepping off either foot by smashing through them. Stoeln by the Newcastle Knights before we all got to see the best of him in black. He ended up as a pretty good goalkicker too.
Silver Tim Horan Bronze Denis Charvet

10 Dan Carter video here
In that 2nd Lions test he played the complete game. Every other 1st 5/8 I could think of had some sort of weekness, usually tackling. Carter has none apart from the odd rough game.
Silver Henry Honnibal Bronze Frano Botica

9- Graham Bachop
Was a small player but an All Black for nearly a decade. What a pass, what vision. Mehrts was young at the 95 Cup but Bach's accuracy and speed of clearance gave him a ton of room to work in. He was easily the best halfback at the tournament that year.
Silver George Gregan Bronze Simon Crabb

8-Murray Mexted
I used to watch him from the Millard Stand at Athletic Park and got a great view of him operating. Mex was EVERYWHERE on the paddock. His workrate was huge. Quick off the back of the scrum and tall enough to win plenty of ball at the back of the lineout and he hardly ever missed a tackle.
Ball needs to be carried to set up a ruck ?, Mex was there. Ball carrier needs support? Mex was there on his shoulder
Half back puts in a box kick ? Mex was there to field it.
His was a great story. A kid from Tawa, dreams of being an All Black. Not only does he grow up to do that, he ends up rooting Miss Universe! L-E-G-E-N-D
Silver Abdel Benazzi Bronze W.T. Shelford

7-Michael Jones 87-89
Ball skills, anticipation, the hanging leap at the back of the lineout, poetry. Best ever. Nuff said
Silver Richie McCaw Bronze Josh

6-Eric Champ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUDYiBi2MB0
He once punched out a truck and bit the head off a Rhino on the same day.
He was tall, fast, intimidating & fearless and completely 'gt' what the haka was about and responded in the right way.
Silver Jerry Collins Bronze Mark Shaw

5-Royce Willis - To Provide the power in the scrum, defence & in the ball carrying department. Never really cemented his place in the All Blacks before heading offshore. He was devastating during his years at the Blues and particularly in a test match against South Africa at Eden Park where he absolutely clowned Mark Andrews

4-Murray Pierce A sign at the World Cup Final in 87 read No Condom is too big for a kiwi. Pierce marked Condom in that game and the genius with the banner was proven correct. The Wellington polceman was the forgetten member of the 87 World Cup pack, but he never lost a lineout and was a hero to all tall white guys who prefer short shorts.
Bronze Martin Johnson Honorable mention Mike TePaa

3-Richard Loe - Tough,Mean & Strong. Thug reputation on the field was a shame because it didn't give credit to what a good player he was. Off it he was sharp and suprisingly funny.
Silver Carl Hayman Bronze Gary Knight

1-Steve McDowell - Good scrum technician but his charges around the paddock were what set him apart. His amazing technique in the point of contact came from Judo. Tore his left bicep the day before Fight For Life but still went ahead with it.. took a pasting but had guts enough to hang in.
Silver Tony Woodcock Bronze Brian McGrattan

2-Hika Reid
The Wellington years... Small but gutsy hooker who loved the physical stuff but shone in open play... and his middle name was Rockliffe!
Silver Tom Lawton Bronze Phil Kearns

Email YOUR favourites XV to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text6058 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , or PM it to BartMan via the Silverfern forum.

 

 
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