Magners League, Top 14 and GP

[Lee Grant]

There was an exciting game in the GP London Irish were playing away at Quins.

Quins were pretty good and their flyhalf, Aussie Chris Malone looked like an expensive player. They were ahead 20-3 deep ion the first half.

Then Peter Hewat got switched from fullback to flyhalf and it worked a treat.

Later he did one his trademark intercepts and eventually London Irish won by 1 point 28-27.

Hewat as flyhalf? I never thought of that when he was at the Tahs.

 

[Lindommer]

There was an exciting game in the GP London Irish were playing away at Quins.

Quins were pretty good and their flyhalf, Aussie Chris Malone looked like an expensive player. They were ahead 20-3 deep ion the first half.

Then Peter Hewat got switched from fullback to flyhalf and it worked a treat.

Later he did one his trademark intercepts and eventually London Irish won by 1 point 28-27.

Hewat as flyhalf? I never thought of that when he was at the Tahs.

Malone still playing? How many clubs has he played for in Europe? Four or five?

Hewat at five-eighth? That makes, what, 15 or 20 Aussies who've played five-eighth in Europe over the last ten years. Nick, where'd I leave that list we made up last year?

 

[Cutter]

You two old timers will never find it so I will start again:

1. Warner
2. Edmonds
3. Malone
4. Howard
5. Horan?
6. Berne
7. James
8. Macrae
9. Warwick
10. Parks
11. Drahm
12. Spooner
13. Mark Sweeney
14. Tim Walsh
15. Tim Donnelly
16. Lachlan Mackay (prob only 12 at this stage)?
17. Gower (though playing mostly at 12 and 13)?

any others... was there another Queenslander who played mostly in the outside backs? Larkham never got to Europe.

Not many are Wallaby quality. Not many are S14 quality either.

I am surprised to have seen Malone do so well. His style obviously suits the English game although, notably, he left Bath when they started to play expansive rugby.

 

[Lindommer]

Missed Craig McMullen. Is he still playing? Naza, you should know.

Jim Hilgendorf played 12 overseas but not in Europe.

Malone's played for Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Harlequins in England; didn't he play for someone in Ireland as well?

 

[Lee Grant]

Geez Cutter - don't give Lindommer the 'old-timer' label. He's a lot younger than me and looks it too, especially when the light is right for him.

That's quite a big list isn't it? I would never have thought it was that big.

The best of them now is Brock James.

I saw a game from last weekend Clermont v Biarritz and he had a commanding game with boot and pass. He's not so good a runner or tackler but it never seems to matter. He's the best player in the team. I don't see him every week but I've watched a lot of him in the last 2 seasons and have yet to see him have a crook game.

I said on another thread that Oz hasn't had a regular flyhalf who can control a game with his boot since Noddy Lynagh - but I was talking about test players.

If the Wallabies were playing on a wet ground at Landsdowne Rd, Twickenham or Murrayfield and we had the choice between James or Giteau at flyhalf I know who I'd pick - James, and play Giteau elsewhere. It assumes that James would be in the squad already, which wouldn't happen of course.

For those who have just seen James play for Eastwood, Taranaki or the odd games he got for the Reds or Force - forget it, and download a few Top 14 games to see the quality of the leading teams and how well he does in that company. Warning - a majority of Top 14 games available have French commentary.

James is exactly the type of player that Oz would need at home if they ever got a 5th Super team, and if anybody wants to comment on that, start another thread. But he's played so well since he went there about 3 years ago that Clermont would have him priced out of our market by now.

 

[the gambler]

For those who have just seen James play for Eastwood

Gee, old age is really getting to you lately Lee. Getting James and Hilgendorf mixed up perhaps? I still disagree with you about having him anywhere near a Wallaby jersey no matter what the weather but he does seem to be going ok over here.

 

[Ash]

What about the Queensland winger who couldn't tackle and used to date Tania Zaetta? He also used to play a bit of fly half, didn't he? Nathan Williams?

 

[Sully]

He wasn't real fast either! But he dates Tania eh! WOW

 

[formeropenside]

Nathan Williams I thinkl he has returned from Japan to play for the Sunshine Coast Stingrays in the Brisbane Premier Comp. He was generally playing 10 for the Rays.

 

[RugbyReg]

And he's hung like a horse, apparently.

 

[Sully]

could explain why he runs so slow!

 

[PhucNgo]

You two old timers will never find it so I will start again:

1. Warner
2. Edmonds
3. Malone
4. Howard
5. Horan?
6. Berne
7. James
8. Macrae
9. Warwick
10. Parks
11. Drahm
12. Spooner
13. Mark Sweeney
14. Tim Walsh
15. Tim Donnelly
16. Lachlan Mackay (prob only 12 at this stage)?
17. Gower (though playing mostly at 12 and 13)?

any others... was there another Queenslander who played mostly in the outside backs? Larkham never got to Europe.

Not many are Wallaby quality. Not many are S14 quality either.

I am surprised to have seen Malone do so well. His style obviously suits the English game although, notably, he left Bath when they started to play expansive rugby.

Cutter,

I think you left out arguably one of Aus's best first 5's David Knox who I think spent some time up north as a player in addition to coaching. I'd almost forgotten just how good he was until I saw the Wicks v Rats 96 GF highlights which were shown by the ABC during the halftime break of the GF a couple of weeks ago. Hands to rival Ella in my view.

 

[Lee Grant]

For those who have just seen James play for Eastwood

Gee, old age is really getting to you lately Lee. Getting James and Hilgendorf mixed up perhaps?

Yeah I did - I'm having a bad run. The connection is that they both played for Taranaki that year.

 

[Lee Grant]

Hands to rival Ella in my view.

Agree, and if he had the brain of the great man his career would have been different.

 

[Cutter]

1. Warner
2. Edmonds
3. Malone
4. Howard
5. Horan?
6. Berne
7. James
8. Macrae
9. Warwick
10. Parks
11. Drahm
12. Spooner
13. Mark Sweeney
14. Tim Walsh
15. Tim Donnelly
16. Lachlan Mackay (prob only 12 at this stage)?
17. Gower (though playing mostly at 12 and 13)?
18. McMullen
19. Knox

McMullen and Knox were two notable omissions. Nathan Williams is the "mostly in the outside backs" Qlder I mentioned in my first post but did he play in Europe (which is what this list is about).

I'm pretty sure Malone hasnt played in Ireland.

Knox was a beautiful distributor, a good kicker and, I disagree with Lee, a pretty smart operator. Dont forget, he was one of the foundation Brumbies and has coached successfully at Randwick and now at Leinster. His big failing was a perceived weakness in contact and definite weakness as a defender. Apart from the ABs and maybe the Boks, had he played anywhere else, he would have been capped many times. As it was, his handfull of caps came due to injury or in the changeover period between two Wallaby greats in Lynagh and Larkham.

 

[Thomond78]

Had coached at Leinster, Cutter. Past tense (and with no great success, either). He fought with everyone in Irish rugby, including Cheika, the referees, Deccie Kidney, the IRFU... He was given the arse last year. Gaffney is now the backs coach at Leinster, and will do well there, as he's done everywhere else.

Brian Smith, the Aussie Irishman (or vice versa), is the coach at London Irish, and will be coaching the England backs.

I'd also keep an eye on McGahan. He's shaping up nicely with us at the moment.

 

[Spook]

What about Kafer?

 

[Lindommer]

If my memory serves me correctly both Knox and Kafer coached in Europe but never played there. Happy to be told otherwise.

Nathan Williams? Didn't he play as a winger only while he was os?

Forgot about Brian Smith; add him to the master list.

 

[Ash]

If my memory serves me correctly both Knox and Kafer coached in Europe but never played there. Happy to be told otherwise.

Nathan Williams? Didn't he play as a winger only while he was os?

Forgot about Brian Smith; add him to the master list.

I do believe (if I remember correctly) that Kafer replaced Howard at Leicester for two or so seasons before retiring. Like Howard, I believe he mainly played at 12 there?

Nathan Williams did initially go to Europe - to Stade Francias:

http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/2001_july/nathan_williams_signs_with_stade_francais_11621,4236.html

Did he ever play in the halves there? No idea. He was considered a fullback / winger, but he may have played at 10 on occasion.

 

[Ash]

http://www.ercrugby.co.uk/eng/36_4571.php?player=477&includeref=dynamic

Interesting web page. Lots game information.

According to that, Williams' had a very very inglorious career of 7 games in 2 years for two different clubs (Stade Francais / Harlequins) Europe, consisting of 5 at fullback, 1 at right wing and 1 sub.