George Smith wins Nobody's medal again

[Cutter]

Mate having an opinion isnt fishing as long as you can justify it. I agree with many of the points you have made and have made some of them myself previously.

Captaincy isnt relevant to who is the best openside. McCaw has improved this year anyway.

Smith is a better ball player. I would love to see them swap teams. They are extremely close but McCaw's efforts this year have tipped the scales in his favour.

 

[disco]

oh please, by whom?
Biggest pile of shit ive ever heard. Yes your right, McCaw is evil, and Smith plays inside the law and never offends

I don't see Smith getting strangled by his national teamates in super 14 matches & Tialata isn't the only Kiwi I've seen go after McCaw illegally.

 

[disco]

What's not "Fair" about McCaws play?

You'll have to ask the Hawkes Bay fans who took banners to the NPC semi final at Jade Stadium this year.

They don't seem to think he's very fair.

 

[Virgil]

oh please, by whom?
Biggest pile of shit ive ever heard. Yes your right, McCaw is evil, and Smith plays inside the law and never offends

I don't see Smith getting strangled by his national teamates in super 14 matches & Tialata isn't the only Kiwi I've seen go after McCaw illegally.

Whats that got to do with anything?
Teams and players target him because hes the biggest threat. Makes sense doesnt it?

 

[Pfitzy]

Absolutely. And he's a better 7 than Smith because he does a 7's job bloody well and doesn't do stupid shit like grubber/chip kicks.

 

[Virgil]

Absolutely. And he's a better 7 than Smith because he does a 7's job bloody well and doesn't do stupid shit like grubber/chip kicks.

Certainly not trying to say Smith aint good, he shure as shit is. World Class for sure and just as much of a target as McCaw.
Anyone with half a brain could see the impact McCaw made when he returned during the 3N this year....he was fucken huuuuuge.
Had a quiet game for sure in the final game in Brisbane, but that was more due to the way he was taken care of by you guys. We are lucky though that in Rodney we have someone who can play off him so well.

 

[naza]

Who do you Kiwis have behind McCaw though ? Openside is a young man's game (Neil Back aside). I don't see McCaw being around for 2011, the way he plays.

 

[Virgil]

Who do you Kiwis have behind McCaw though ? Openside is a young man's game (Neil Back aside). I don't see McCaw being around for 2011, the way he plays.

Not much at the moment!
have picked Scott Waldrom for the EOYT. Trouble is in the last couple years we have gone more for allround loosies, ie Masoe and Thompson.
Havent really picked the straight out back up number 7.
But now it appears we need someone to back up Richie, a true openside.

 

[Gagger]

Absolutely. And he's a better 7 than Smith because he does a 7's job bloody well and doesn't do stupid shit like grubber/chip kicks.

Anyone with half a brain could see the impact McCaw made when he returned during the 3N this year....he was fucken huuuuuge.

His impact was "huge" because you have no-one close behind him in 7, and a massive leadership gap without him as well (even though he ain't a blinding cap'n)

I'm not denying he means a lot to the ABs (does this mean I have half a brain?) but technically, while it's close, I reckon Smith is a better 7

Still waiting for someone to argue that point otherwise, rather than folding with conventional 'wisdom'

 

[Scarfman]

Well, as far as conventional wisdom goes, I would pick McCaw over Smith in a World XV without much of a struggle.

As far as a "7" goes, I agree that there are a few things that Smith does better. Above all else, he is the best at pinching the ball that the game has ever seen. The stats back us up there.

But I think Richie makes a bigger all-around difference to the R&M. His ability to get away with illegally slowing the ball down by lying on the opposition's side of the ruck is a game-winner by itself. Then there is his exceptional positional play where he always seems to be in the right place at the right time to do someting annoying. Then there is his fitness.

Still too conventional?

 

[Gagger]

At last, thank you Scarfman.

I agree McCaw has great positional sense and the shit he gets away with on the wrong side of the ruck makes Aussie blood boil - so kudos to him.

However, positionally Smith is pretty spot on as well. How many times have we seen him pop out of a ruck with a turnover just at the most vital time? For examples; in the last minutes of Brisbane this year and MCG last year. This also talks to his fitness - I don't see it being any less than McCaw's. And I repeat - defensively Smith lets fewer clangers through.

I'll admit it's freakin close and while McCaws value to the ABs is over an above his technical skills, I stand by Smith as a better 7.

But now I'm even starting to bore myself.

 

[Major Spliff Biggins]

Back to the topic

I agree with Naza, how was Moore not nominated?

And how did fucking Elsom win the fan's vote? :nta:
I vote per tackle missed?