Australia Vs Argentina, September 13, Gold Coast

[Pjmil]

You said "over the years" and I gave you some examples. All of those blokes played a tight game, in contrast to the athleticism of Eales.

Over the years of modern rugby which is where the modern lock role has formed. I think you might have some rose tinted glasses on when remembering Eales, great in the lineout but useless in the field. But that's fine because back then that's all what was expected from locks.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Over the years of modern rugby which is where the modern lock role has formed. I think you might have some rose tinted glasses on when remembering Eales, great in the lineout but useless in the field. But that's fine because back then that's all what was expected from locks.

Are you fair dinkum?

 

[Pjmil]

Are you fair dinkum?

Sure am mate, unless you've got a highlight package ready to go to prove me wrong.

 

[Pjmil]

Here's one, beautiful cover tackle at 0:57. Other than that just a bunch of line outs and trophy lifting and a great conversion all kiwis should have a look at.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Sure am mate, unless you've got a highlight package ready to go to prove me wrong.

Words fail me. One of the greatest ever Wallabies and probably one of the greatest locks to play the game ever and he was "useless in the field". Tight forwards tend not to have highlight reels, but there are plenty of good judges who reckon he's right up there:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...by-World-Cup-XV-second-row-middle-jumper.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/the-rugby-world-cup-master-of-all-trades-1121814.html

But hey, you know guys like Paul Ackford and Brian Moore know fuck all about forward play.


Anyway, back to the weekend. Our current lock pairing need to be a lot more productive or we're toast.

 

[Hawko]

Anyway, back to the weekend. Our current lock pairing need to be a lot more productive or we're toast.

Unless there is massive improvement, Link should have decided after 30 mins which of two is coming off for Horwill and do it before half time.

 

[Groucho]

Words fail me. One of the greatest ever Wallabies and probably one of the greatest locks to play the game ever and he was "useless in the field".

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/the-rugby-world-cup-master-of-all-trades-1121814.html

It's actually worth quoting some of that:

THERE IS NOT much that John Eales cannot do on a rugby field. Indeed, if all the skills in the game were turned into an Olympic sport then Eales would be a decathlete. He is a ball-winner in line-out and loose; passes as sweetly as Jeremy Guscott; scores tries like a winger; runs almost as fast; kicks goals like Michael Lynagh (he is fifth in Australia's all-time list of points-scorers); shoves more than his weight in the set scrums; tackles like a tank; handles the ball with aplomb; captains the side with intelligence; and leads it from the front.

That was written By David Llewellyn at the time, in 1999, not with the benefit of rosy hindsight.

 

[Groucho]

Nope. Big issue.

Robbie Coleman, Luke Jones, Cadeyrn Neville and Hugh Pyle are a pretty decent set of prospects who are still quite some way away from their peak years. Not to mention some of the young giants in the Waratahs development program.

 

[Joe Blow]

Australia has never really bought into the TH/LH lock and have mostly played only LH type locks over the years.

Only because there were no better alternatives a lot of the time. It puts a lot of pressure on the back row to be more involved in the tight.

 

[RugbyReg]

Over the years of modern rugby which is where the modern lock role has formed. I think you might have some rose tinted glasses on when remembering Eales, great in the lineout but useless in the field. But that's fine because back then that's all what was expected from locks.

C'mon. That can not be a serious thought? Eales useless in the field? He was one of the finest athletes to play for Australia. His work around the field basically redefining lock play.

 

[KOB1987]

Robbie Coleman, Luke Jones, Cadeyrn Neville and Hugh Pyle are a pretty decent set of prospects who are still quite some way away from their peak years. Not to mention some of the young giants in the Waratahs development program.

Isn't he a 5'6" winger?

 

[Slim 293]

I suppose this thread is as good as any............

Speight won't be fit until the spring tour after re-injuring his hamstring.

 

[Slim 293]

Over the years of modern rugby which is where the modern lock role has formed. I think you might have some rose tinted glasses on when remembering Eales, great in the lineout but useless in the field. But that's fine because back then that's all what was expected from locks.

Boy, you really don't know what you're talking about............

 

[Wilson]

Isn't he a 5'6" winger?

Think he probably meant to say Adam Coleman, at the Force.

 

[Scrubber2050]

C'mon. That can not be a serious thought? Eales useless in the field? He was one of the finest athletes to play for Australia. His work around the field basically redefining lock play.

I suppose if someone coukld post his stats then it could be put to rest.
Average tackles per game
Run metres
Ruck and maul involvements
etc.
and then compare them to current guys including AB's, Boks and Wallabies.

I think Eales was great, particularly his captaincy during the winning era of Aussie rugby. Was he a hard man of rugby? I don't think so.

Would he be a top liner in todays game. Would he be criticised as our current locks ??

Always difficult and dangerous to compare players from different eras.

 

[Slim 293]

I suppose if someone coukld post his stats then it could be put to rest.

I wouldn't have thought that this would be a topic up for debate for anyone who has watched rugby in the past 30 years?

Eales had a massive workrate around the field and was a strong defender, who also played against some of the toughest locks in recent history and still came out on top............

Suggesting Eales was "useless around the field" is just idiotic.

"That Richie McCaw is pretty good at lifting trophies, but he's pretty shit at playing rugby."

 

[Inside Shoulder]

C'mon. That can not be a serious thought? Eales useless in the field? He was one of the finest athletes to play for Australia. His work around the field basically redefining lock play.

and he played tests @ 8 also suggesting he got around the field a bit

 

[Scrubber2050]

I wouldn't have thought that this would be a topic up for debate for anyone who has watched rugby in the past 30 years?

Eales had a massive workrate around the field and was a strong defender, who also played against some of the toughest locks in recent history and still came out on top....

Suggesting Eales was "useless around the field" is just idiotic.

"That Richie McCaw is pretty good at lifting trophies, but he's pretty shit at playing rugby."

My comment was really only about his stats. Every player nowdays comes under that scrutiny. Why not John Eales ??? Would just love to see some hard facts

 

[Lindommer]

Where's the Aus v Arg thread? Can't find it here.

 

[Train Without a Station]

The only recent guys you have there are Giffin and Harrison and they're hardly rock shifters and Eales packed down at TH throughout his career. You can't put the modern day role of the lock on guys 20 years ago, it's changed.

Dan Vickerman