1
All Blacks claim No.1 and No.2 spot on ex-England skipper Dallagio's opensides GOAT list
Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio has named a pair of All Blacks as his picks for the greatest opensides of all-time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Writing in The Sunday Times, the No.8 who was no slouch himself, unsurprisingly named Richie McCaw as his greatest of all time at openside, with Michael Jones taking the number two spot.
McCaw was named World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year Award on three occasions (2006, 2009, 2010) and is widely accepted as the greatest openside to have played the game.
Dallaglio said that he couldn’t “see how anyone would not have McCaw as their best openside.”
“Just look at the figures: 148 test caps, with a win rate of almost 90 per cent – and 110 of those as captain.
“Probably the only player I know who was so dedicated to getting better that he turned down an invite to Prince William’s wedding in 2015.”
“Stuart Barnes, who also had McCaw in the No.1 spot suggested his leadership was also a huge part of his mystic. He wrote “hard to know where McCaw’s greatness as a captain ends and his ability as an openside begins.”
“There have been bigger, nastier and faster sevens but none has endured like the Crusader and none has possessed the capacity to dominate the breakdown like the All Black skipper.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The more athletic Michael Jones, the All Blacks openside who dominated in the late 1980s and early 1990s and who many Kiwis still favour ahead of McCaw, is described as a “the Porsche of opensides, purring up on the shoulder of his three-quarters, cutting opposing tens in two, doing everything at high-speed precision’’, compared to McCaw’s ‘battered old roadster’.
Other players made both Barnes and Dallaglio’s list including current Welsh tyro Justin Tipuric. Wallaby great George Smith, England’s Peter Winterbottom, Ireland’s Fergus Slattery also feature in both the former internationals’ top ten lists in the position.
Recently retired back rows like Sam Warburton, Schalk Burger and Heinrich Brussow, are also named. There’s no room however for any Scottish, Italian, Japanese, Fijian, Samoan or Tongan’s on the list; with only Argentina getting a nod for the New World, with Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe taking Dallaglio’s 10th spot.
LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO: 1: Richie McCaw (NZ), 2: Michael Jones (NZ), 3: Peter Winterbottom (England), 4: George Smith (Australia), 5: Neil Back (England), 6: Fergus Slattery (Ireland), 7: Sam Warburton (Wales), 8: Schalk Burger (South Africa), 9: Justin Tipuric (Wales), 10: Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina).
ADVERTISEMENT
STUART BARNES: 1: Richie McCaw (NZ), 2: David Pocock (Australia), 3: Michael Jones, 4: Ruben Kruger (South Africa), 5: George Smith (Australia), 6: Fergus Slattery (Ireland), 7: Peter Winterbottom (England), 8: Heinrich Brüssow (South Africa), 9: Serge Betsen (France), 10: Justin Tipuric (Wales).
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments