Wilko

Don't Often see diving in rugby well atleast out side of france. I have noticed a whole rash of french fellas falling on the ground for nothing in the last year.

Anyway. I was born and bred in Leinster played schools there so im Leinster blue through and through. My fellow fans have been very patient for years and jealous watching our Munster cousins but now finally our team is rewarding us. and boy are we feeling rewarded

@ Aristodemus
"WOW" nothing its well documented.
Mate really, can you say with honesty that france played well in the last 6 nations? their manager tried new players in nearly every game he rotated over 40 players. He was quite honest and said it didn't matter (the 6 nations) that he was building for the WC. Well he was a crazy nutter anyway and this year we will see a much stronger french team under a real manager.

Ireland Likewise were and not in secret, trying whole new patterns of play in preparation for playing in the Southern Hemisphere specifically in defence and off loading, off loading play has never been a part of the irish game to much extent, at least not in the last ten years. Always were a kicking team with O'Gara pulling the strings. This was confirmed by Brian O'Driscoll who talked about it in an interview before the England game. Ironically they finally got the patterns right that day.

Wales were all over the place trying to find the best FH for the job and satisfying the fans by giving the orange one yet another chance. While trying out lots of new players all over the park clearly building for the WC and in that case it worked out very well as we know. When you consider the quality of the kids they brought in to the side and their performances in the WC.

So ye i can say with certainty that Wales, Ireland and France were not fully in the 6 nations and used it to build toward the WC. So while not exactly uncontested certainly it was a good time for england to show good form. but it turned out to be something of a false dawn.

Arguably one of the greatest players in Rugby history

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You've truly got to be joking ?!?!?!?!? He was a good player, hell a decent player - but one of the greatest? Sorry no chance.

Oh by the way, i've met and chatted with him several times. Really top bloke and a great professional, but i'm afraid the title doesn't quite fit.....

l11dsu4ever - I still stick by it, I don't necessarily mean by terms of talent. However his achievements and what he has done for the sport has given him that accolade IMO

DingBatMan - Yeah it was a french prop, I wasn't even annoyed like I am in football. Just found it funny really.
However I also feel your harsh about the 6N win. Everyteam went for it and it has to be THE 6N to win. Every 6N before the world cup is the one in which you should be preparing your team for the WC and gaining momentum towards it. Unfortunately Ingerland disappointed where it mattered, but I still maintain that they looked the best going into the world cup and initially played the best.

Edin .... i've re-read my post and on reflection i've been a bit unfair. He was a really good player - and have to admit - some tackler. Had he stayed injury free (within reason), then who knows then perhaps yes he could've reached the realms of being considered one of the greatest. I just think down the years in a No10 shirt there's been some absolutely stand out players from both North/South hemispheres .... would he make an all time greatest squad - i just doubt it......

I might agree with that l11, yet if you had the option to play any flyhalf in history instead of Wilko for England I would take none. For what he meant for the team he was by far the greatest ever flyhalf IMO, only in this WC did he ever disappoint.

Considering he was deprived of his prime years (24-28) through injury, we never saw him at his peak. He also missed that time to develop his running game, which you know he would have done, given his constant striving for perfection.

HMMurdoch

Thats a fair point but you know something, he got injured because of the way he played. He hit rucks like a 6 he defended like a 13 and put his body where no fly would or should! He got involved in the break down far too much and was told that be Woodward. But he was a full on 110% team player and wanted to be in the mix at all times.

That was the way he played and so the result was he got injured alot. Such is life. But its to his credit that he was so good regardless.

Not the best ever and not a complete player but one of if not the best dead ball kicker.

DingBatMan:

I see you point, and he could have saved himself a lot of pain by turning it down 10% and still been the best defensive 10 in world rugby.

I do believe he would have been head and shoulders above all 10's had he had the time to develop instead of sitting on the sidelines.

He certainly would have set an unreachable points total.

Hey Edin mate,

I missed the prop diving and cant find it on youtube....seriously though his membership to the Front Row Union is forever revoked! Jeez!

He certainly would have set an unreachable points total.
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No such thing .....