The Greatest: Round 1: Shortlist for the 13 shirt (VOTING ENDS 23/12/12)

The outside centre thread.

Lots of players have played both centre positions so I've tried to list players most commonly associated with the 13 role specifically.

Please post below picking ONE and one only from this list of steppers and distributors:

Philippe Sella (France), Frank Bunce, Joe Stanley, Tana Umaga, Conrad Smith (New Zealand), Jeremy Guscott (England), Brian O'Driscoll, Harry McKibbin (Ireland), Allan Bateman, Bleddyn Williams, Gwynn Nicolls (Wales), Jason Little, Stirling Mortlock (Australia), Alan Tait (Scotland), Danie Gerber, Jacque Fourie, Robbie Fleck (South Africa).

Top three go through to the vote for the teamsheet.

Will update the OP to make up for any glaring omissions.

Players above in no particular order.

Notes:

1. Rules here:
https://www.606v2.com/t38622-the-greatest-introduction-the-rules

2. Previous threads here:
https://www.606v2.com/t38631-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-1-shirt#1745446

https://www.606v2.com/t38632-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-2-shirt#1745455

https://www.606v2.com/t38633-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-3-shirt#1745464

https://www.606v2.com/t38634-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-4-5-shirts

https://www.606v2.com/t38635-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-6-shirt#1745502

https://www.606v2.com/t38636-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-7-shirt#1745507

https://www.606v2.com/t38637-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-8-shirt

https://www.606v2.com/t38647-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-9-shirt

https://www.606v2.com/t38665-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-10-shirt

https://www.606v2.com/t38666-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-12-shirt#1747109

3. Please note that voting for the shortlist will end at midnight on Sunday 23 December.

Sella, though bit that one of the best welsh centres ever (Bateman) didn't appear on either list

Jeremy Guscott - regardless of what people think of his commentary, probabley one of the finest 13's of all time. Gah! Why didn't Quins pick him up back in the day?!

Sella

Difficult not to go with the mighty Sella on this one. Did everything Guscott and O'Driscoll could, with a touch of panache thrown in.

Don't fancy him or nothin'.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Sella, though bit that one of the best welsh centres ever (Bateman) didn't appear on either list

Corrected, Bedford.

Cheers George pity his best years were lost to league but still head and shoulders above any Welsh centre I have seen play live.

re Bateman - was it the Cronulla RL coach who described him as the most talented rugby player he'd ever seen?

Still Sella for me though, every time. It's a joie de vivre thing.

He was with Cronulla for a few season yeah so could of been.

Guscott.

In a more attacking team he would have been unreal. Still scored 30 odd tries behind the England pack mentality side of the late 80s early 90s.
Added the x factor in the 89 tour, scored the winning drop goal in the 97 tour. England and the Lions always had a chance with him playing regardless of who they faced.

Sella played in a very attacking side so he was bound to look more impressive. touch and go though.

Sella

Would have voted for Mannetjies Roux if he had been on the list though.

fa0019 wrote:Would have voted for Mannetjies Roux if he had been on the list though.

He played most of his internationals as a 12, fa0019 so I've put him on that list.

fair dos.

Umaga

Difficult choice. BOD is a legend and Conrad Smith has been an unsung hero at least in NZ. Finally got an award this year. Tana in my mind is better at 12 than 13. Fourie is similar to Smith in that he never got enough credit. I like attacking players so Sella for me.

I'll take Sella too. Although I did like Gerber as a player.

BOD. Offers everything a centre should, and so much more.

OF those I've seen much of, Sella comes out ahead of BOD.

I did though see a little clip of Danie Gerber a few weeks ago - if it was an example of what he was like as a player, he is certainly not out of place in the higher echelons of this list. One of those few players (Cullen and Lomu in a rather different way) who could do something that would just make you go 'wow'.

Sella

The one and only Drico. 46 International tries and over one hundred caps. He is one of if not the best player to line out for Ireland.

Legend!!!

Lots of options here- torn between BOD and Umaga, going to say BOD

Of the players I've seen, hard to choose between Sella and BOD. I flipped a coin and it came out as BOD.

Conrad Smith,But in there day Bruce Robertson and Frank Bunce.

Gethin. Simply for his work around the park.

Philippe Sella

Brian O'Driscoll.

Sella

Sella. Pushed close by BOD & Guscott though.

Was never a fan of Guscott, Sella, BOD and Smith IMHO were far ahead of anyone else, Fourie never got enough plaudits either.

Sella

Sella.

BOD

Sella

Bleddyn Williams by a mile. But most of you arent old enough to have seen or heard of him.

Sella

Really tough one this, Sella or Smith. Paired with Horan I'd probably go Sella.

maestegmafia wrote:Bleddyn Williams by a mile. But most of you arent old enough to have seen or heard of him.

Heard of Maes, what Welshman hasn't but like with Cliff never got to see him play.

BOD

Conrad Smith, just ahead of Sella and BOD for me

Sella

BOD

Sella

Conrad Smith

Sella

Danie Gerber

Mortlock

Getting away from try scoring he was the only player with a spine in a lot of Oz teams, his tackling and leadership were immense and he did score a fair few tries if we're counting that. Kicked (nearly) all his goals as well. Put SBW on his ass a few times too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAMYDNoe0S0

BOD although Sella and Bateman are certainly up there.

BOD

BOD

O'Driscoll by a street