Have you ever contemplated who was the better team out of our three most recent Champion Super Rugby teams? I certainly haven’t, but there are some loonies lurking in the shadows of Green and Gold Rugby who not only think the ’11 Reds or ’14 Waratahs could match it with the ’04 Brumbies, but were better sides! The debate is on like Donkey Kong, or Samo as he liked being called.
Debaters:
Firstly we have me, Bobas, on the affirmative Brumby side of the debate, the intellectual angle. Secondly, Rugby Reg, who I’ve been informed has tested negative yet again for albinism valiantly arguing the Reds case. And last but not least, Braveheart81 who is going to let loose with one of Cheik’s golf clubs on the Brumbies and Reds as he argues the case for the ’14 Waratahs.
Super Rugby Championship Teams
They all played the Crusaders at their respective home grounds, but for the sake of our debate, we only have at our disposal the players that took the field on those fateful days. We’re also debating In chronological order so I (Bobas) won’t get to respond to Reg’s arguments, and so on.
| ’04 Brumbies | ’11 Reds | ’14 Waratahs |
| 15 Joe Roff 14 Clyde Rathbone 13 Joel Wilson 12 Matt Giteau 11 Mark Gerrard 10 Stephen Larkham 9 George Gregan 8 Scott Fava 7 George Smith 6 Owen Finegan (c) 5 Radike Samo 4 Mark Chisholm 3 Nic Henderson 2 Jeremy Paul 1 Bill Young Substitutes: 16 David Palavi 17 Guy Shepherdson 18 David Giffin 19 Jone Tawake 20 Matt Henjak 21 Mark Bartholomeusz 22 Lenny Beckett |
15 Jono Lance 14 Rodney Davies 13 Anthony Fainga’a 12 Ben Tapuai 11 Digby Ioane 10 Quade Cooper 9 Will Genia (vc) 8 Radike Samo 7 Beau Robinson 6 Scott Higginbotham 5 James Horwill (c) 4 Rob Simmons 3 Greg Holmes 2 Saia Fainga’a 1 Ben Daley Substitutes: 16 James Hanson 17 Guy Shepherdson 18 Adam Wallace-Harrison 19 Jake Schatz 20 Liam Gill 21 Ian Prior 22 Will Chambers |
15 Israel Folau 14 Alofa Alofa 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper 12 Kurtley Beale 11 Rob Horne 10 Bernard Foley 9 Nick Phipps 8 Wycliff Palu 7 Michael Hooper (c) 6 Stephen Hoiles 5 Jacques Potgieter 4 Kane Douglas 3 Sekope Kepu 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau 1 Benn Robinson Substitutes: 16 Tolu Latu 17 Jeremy Tilse 18 Paddy Ryan 19 Will Skelton 20 Mitchell Chapman 21 Pat McCutcheon 22 Brendan McKibbin 23 Peter Betham |
| ’04 Crusaders | ’11 Crusaders | ’14 Crusaders |
| 15 Ben Blair 14 Marika Vunibaka 13 Aaron Mauger 12 Dan Carter 11 Caleb Ralph 10 Cameron McIntyre 9 Justin Marshall 8 Sam Broomhall 7 Richie McCaw 6 Reuben Thorne (c) 5 Chris Jack 4 Brad Thorn 3 Greg Somerville 2 Tone Kopelani 1 David Hewett Substitutions: 16 Corey Flynn 17 Chris King 18 Ross Filipo 19 Johnny Leo’o 20 Jamie Nutbrown 21 Andrew Mehrtens 22 Casey Laulala |
15 Tom Marshall 14 Sean Maitland 13 Robbie Fruean 12 Sonny Bill Williams 11 Zac Guildford 10 Dan Carter 9 Andrew Ellis 8 Kieran Read 7 Richie McCaw (c) 6 George Whitelock 5 Sam Whitelock 4 Brad Thorn 3 Owen Franks 2 Corey Flynn 1 Wyatt Crockett Substitutes: 16 Quentin MacDonald 17 Ben Franks 18 Luke Romano 19 Matt Todd 20 Kahn Fotuali’i 21 Matt Berquist 22 Ryan Crotty |
15 Israel Dagg 14 Kieron Fonotia 13 Ryan Crotty 12 Dan Carter 11 Nemani Nadolo 10 Colin Slade 9 Andrew Ellis 8 Kieran Read (c) 7 Matt Todd 6 Richie McCaw 5 Sam Whitelock 4 Dominic Bird 3 Owen Franks 2 Corey Flynn 1 Wyatt Crockett Substitutes: 16 Ben Funnell 17 Joe Moody 18 Nepo Laulala 19 Jimmy Tupou 20 Jordan Taufua 21 Willi Heinz 22 Tom Taylor 23 Johnny McNicholl |
