Wallaby Open Side Flanker of the Decade

[RugbyReg]

Here it is. Smith's the man I assume. Correct?

http://bit.ly/7jQaOH

 

[cyclopath]

Ummmm, Smith.

 

[Gagger]

OK, say that's this decade

Anyone want to guess a comparison of Pocock vs Smith career-wise?

 

[Pfitzy]

No.



I still prefer Waugh for the nasty teams like the Boks and Poms, but you can't deny Smith is a freak.

 

[naza]

I'm curious to see how the voting continues on this. Its early days (21 votes) but nobody's voted for Phil Waugh yet.

And nobody can praise Dave Wilson without commenting on his uncanny McCaw-esque ability to get away with killing the ball at the breakdown. Used to drive me nuts whenever NSW played Queensland. He would dive into the ruck and then simply lie all over the ball, slowing it down for days. I'm still pissed about it !! Mostly cause I can't work out why he got away with it so much - perhaps cause he had an innocent Mr Nice Guy face and demeanour. Good player though - always in support, tackled around the boots and all day, knew his role and didn't pissfart about. Odd he wasn't more popular - openside is such a glamour position these days.

 

[Pfitzy]

I'm curious to see how the voting continues on this. Its early days (21 votes) but nobody's voted for Phil Waugh yet.

If you look at the whole decade - and they've both been there consistently, then Smith has to win. But some years Waugh has probably shown a bit more in some Tests, while Smith has shown more in others. With Croft as the forgotten man, we really should consider ourselves having lived in a golden age of the openside craft.

 

[Ash]

Always have lots of time for David Wilson. But he retired after 2000, was it? Then we had Smith, Waugh, and Croft. I'm sure that Croft would have never disgraced himself in the Wallaby jersey if given more time, but couldn't get past Smith and Waugh such was the depth we had. And now there's Pocock. For the past decade plus, openside is the one position we've been fortunate enough to have great depth in - the one position where we could've lost two players to injury and not lost much at all.

But, Smith it is. Wilson retired at the start of the decade. You'd only consider picking Waugh for a tight, hard nosed type game. Pocock is the future, and needs more time to prove himself.

 

[Cutter]

Smith by a country mile. Even comparing his best games to the best games of the others he wins. That he is consistently so good and that he is incredibly resilient make it a no brainer notwithstanding the quality of the others.

I've never met Pocock, but Smith and Waugh would be lucky to be 6 foot but they are nuggets.

I would pick Wilson as no. 2, then Waugh, then Pocock. Pocock's time will come.

 

[Spook]

A struggle to recall a test match where Waugh dominated. :nta: