Shane Williams

[Schadenfreude]

Which of these two guys looks like a great rugby winger? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2zC4Ha0DDc&feature=related



And this is the Campo defensive magic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jEfiSvXLn1g#t=127s How many games did he lose for his teams? Actually some epic Campo magic in that one.

 

[tigerland12]

C'mon mate its fair to say your on your own in this arguement.

I started this thread just to acknowledge Williams' career, it wasn't intended to have a silly arguement like this on it.

 

[Gnostic]

Which of these two guys looks like a great rugby winger? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2zC4Ha0DDc&feature=related



And this is the Campo defensive magic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jEfiSvXLn1g#t=127s How many games did he lose for his teams? Actually some epic Campo magic in that one.

ALright I'll bite, one last time. You could have pulled up two games Campo arguably did lose for the Wallabies, and one against the Lions with a brain snap pass on the goal line for Iuean Evans to score the series winning try 1989. Arguably the other was 1986 against the ABs and Kirwan but a more holistic view of the match was that the whole team struggled to contain a dynamic ABs side.

Instead you show yourself up as a poor researcher and somebody with a very narrow view on Wing play. Your Campo example shows a team well beaten with a very creative three on 1 overlap and Campo well beaten covering those three players. Argument can be made that he could have drifted quicker leaving the inside man for Herbert (who was slow in cover and out of position) but Campo still would of been beaten by the wing instead of the fullback chiming in. Your other example is the ultimate one trick pony Ngwenya who has little but outright pace so far in his career, yes he beat Williams cold, but I could post a few where Lomu, Tuigamala, Kirwan, Ioane, Dagg, Sivivatu, Rocks, Mitchell, Roff, Tune etc etc etc all got beaten similarly, or worse.

Williams scored so many tries behind an often beaten pack, so often. He is rightly lauded as a great winger, certainly one of the best Wales has ever produced, to say otherwise says more of your priorities in assessing Rugby than about Williams or Campo.

Rant over. Chin wiped.

 

[Slim 293]

Which of these two guys looks like a great rugby winger? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2zC4Ha0DDc&feature=related



And this is the Campo defensive magic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jEfiSvXLn1g#t=127s How many games did he lose for his teams? Actually some epic Campo magic in that one.

Ah, you pick a completely nothing example at the end of Campese's career as proof?

Poor trolling form...

Campo is up there with Horan, Eales, Larkham etc as one of the greatest Wallabies, nay... greatest rugby players of all time...

He was one of the most electrifying players of his time... the player of the 1991 World Cup... and a major drawcard for the game...

 

[Bardon]

Williams was great to watch as a winger in attack. Yes defence counts but you can't deny his attacking threat. Scored some wonderful tries in his career and had excellent footwork.

 

[rotary hoe]

I think Scadenfreude must be around 16 years old.Campo in his day was the superstar of world rugby, much like Carter and McCaw today ,you know?

I have spoken to All Blacks that played against him.Their game plan would be based on nullifying him.

Not bad for a winger from Queanbeyan who couldn't tackle.Should have seen the shit he did in club rugby.

And Shane Williams on his day right up there with him.

 

[Jay]

What? He's like our main ball carrier these days..

It's funny that Pocock has this rep of being a one hit wonder cause his main strength is so dominant. Realistically, he does 2 things outstandingly (breakdown turnovers and defensive efficiency) and is either good or capable at most other things. His hit ups, support play, passing etc are by no means a weakness, it's just that he's not the best in the world at them. But because he IS the best in the world at those other two things, people think that's all he's good at.

I suspect he'll improve on all those merely 'good' areas over the next few years anyway.

 

[Schadenfreude]

I'll retract my previous statements.

Williams and Campese are both very fine wingers.

If I were teaching my son, in the hope he would become a great rugby player. I would teach him defensive positioning, technique, and commitment to the tackle.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Hats off to a great career Shane. He gave 110% every game and scored many a classic try.

I think the defence comment is kind of fair, he's been shown up regularly by JOC (James O'Connor), who is good but makeshift, and he didn't really deserve that IRB Player of the Year gong.

That said, him and Jason Robinson would be the first two outside back picks in any "best NH team I've ever seen" XV, his footwork was electric and like most little blokes he was very easy to underestimate strength-wise.

For the record, Zinzan Brooke picked Jason Robinson over Lomu in his World Cup dream team.

 

[Antony]

What? He's like our main ball carrier these days..

I think he's getting better, so "never hits it up" was a harsh assessment, but if you're defining greatness by excellence in all fields his running game so far in his career would leave him short (compared to: McCaw, Smith, etc.). But just to clarify: that's not how I define greatness, and I do think he's great.

 

[qwerty51]

He's our go to guy when we need a 1st phase forward hit-up in our 22 from a defensive lineout. That responsibility generally goes to the best and most reliable ball carrier - which is Pocock.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

GAGR version of Godwins Law..

Every thread will somehow end up talking about good Pocock is!

 

[Jnor]

Well we've gotta have something good to talk about! I'd contend that the real GAGR Godwin's Law is every thread turns into discussion on how shit Robbie Deans is

 

[Swat]

Gagger-Godwins Law: Not so much a law, more play what's in front of you, and more likely than not it will be one of the following:
1. Our coach is shit, what type of selection policy is that!
2. Why our 7 is immortal and yours just cheats
3. The ref needs to be shot
4. Why this player needs to be in the centres
5. Giteau just crabs
6. Quade is awesome/crap
7. Campo said more shit but still played like a freak but couldn't defend/yes he can
8. Why GAGR is the best site in the world
9. Eye gouging
10. Rugby league is shit

 

[Schadenfreude]

10 topic rugby.

It's going to take the world by storm.

 

[Dai bando]

Some pretty complimentary things about our Shane, Has scored some wonderful tries, defensively he is OK, not a world beater but Hye he's a winger FFS, I thank you all a very level playing field this forum.

 

[Manuel]

Shane Williams scored 58 test tries, so far, in a team that has won around half the games in that time. Other great wingers (Lomu, Campese, Robinson, Rokocoko, etc.) scored many tries in very dominant teams. They would've probably scored many anyhow, and they were also one of the reasons of their teams dominance, but I think that puts Shane Williams' role in perspective.
As a french fan, it is always scary to see him in the opponent's matchday sheet and his defence is not as easilly exploitable as it seems at first sight. He manages most of times to hold his opponent until a center/backrower finishes the tackle.
I do think he is one of the best wingers in the last ten years, much much better than Habana ever was for instance. I also think that he complemented very well with George North (who I also think may become a world class winger when he grows facial hair).

 

[Gagger]

Gagger-Godwins Law: Not so much a law, more play what's in front of you, and more likely than not it will be one of the following:
1. Our coach is shit, what type of selection policy is that!
2. Why our 7 is immortal and yours just cheats
3. The ref needs to be shot
4. Why this player needs to be in the centres
5. Giteau just crabs
6. Quade is awesome/crap
7. Campo said more shit but still played like a freak but couldn't defend/yes he can
8. Why GAGR is the best site in the world
9. Eye gouging
10. Rugby league is shit

You forgot the Haka

 

[Swat]

You forgot the Haka

Well spotted gaggs, rookie error. Honourable mentions go to: Tom carter doesn't know how to pass, The IRB are ruining the game and Channel 9 have f#cked us