The Greatest: Round 1: Shortlist for the 11 & 14 shirts (VOTING ENDS 23/12/12)

The winger thread.

I realise that some players only ever played left wing and some only ever played on the right but as with the locks, for the purposes of this exercise, I don't care.

As with the locks whom we are choosing together, please post below picking TWO and two only from this list of blasters:

Jonah Lomu, John Kirwan, Joe Rokocoko, Doug Howlett, Jeff Wilson (NZ), Ken Jones, Dewi Bebb, Gerald Davies, JJ Williams, Ieuan Evans, Shane Williams (Wales), Jason Robinson, John Bentley, Peter Jackson, David Duckham, Rory Underwood (England), Rupeni CauCau, William Ryder (Fiji), James Small, Bryan Habana, Carel Du Plessis (South Africa), Arthur Smith (Scotland), Takudzwa Ngwenya (USA), Daisuke Ohata (Japan), David Campese, Joe Roff, Lote Tuqiri (Australia), Christophe Dominici, Philippe Bernat-Salles, Émile Ntamack, Patrice Lagisquet, Thomas Castagneide (France), Tony O'Reilly, Simon Geoghegan (Ireland).


Top six go through to the vote for the teamsheet for both the 11 and 14 shirts.

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

https://www.606v2.com/t38667-the-greatest-round-1-shortlist-for-the-13-shirt

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

Jason Robinson

Shane Williams

Easy one for me Gerald and Kirwan

Gerald & Shane

From an Irish point of view.

Loved seeing Geoghegan play.

Also Lomu & Caucau.

Lomu Campese

Caucau and Bentley in the same team would have been fun.

Lomu and Robinson

Both were equally devestating... one with power the other with grace.

What a combination that would have been.

Goldie was the perfectly rounded winger but Lomu had the greatest tag simply by what he was able to do on the field and create something from nothing. He beats out the other wizards like Campese and Williams even though he had flaws like those players. I don't know much about the golden oldies era but I'd rather have Joe Roff in for Lote Tuquiri.

Difficult to say the right wing spot. I grew up with that JK try against Italy and that leaves a mark on you. But I'll go with Jason Robinson. Always admired the way he played even though he played 15 and 11. But who cares if Jonah's on the other wing!

So difficult picking from that list, so going with contrasting styles and plumping for

11. Lomu
14. Robinson

Lomu & Habana

Lomu and Campo for me.

The first 2 'rugby celebrities'. Although Jason Robinson would be close behind.

Lomu & Jason Robinson

But Caucau runs them close

Hmmm, I see 4 categories here;

1. The Freaks = Lomu, CauCau
2. The magicians = Shane, Campese, Robinson
3. The 'if only they played on a good team' = Ohata, Geoghegan
4. The 'didn't see them play' = I never saw Tony O'Reilly play but some of his stats are amazing

Simon Geoghegan. What a player. the guy was like a demented ferret. He was lightning fast, bags of energy, always busy, really really hard hitter for his size and really brave. Really loved watching him play. He was a shining light in some of the darkest days in Irish rugby and instrumental in nicking a couple of very unlikely wins against a superb English team. Ironic that poor old twinkle toes had to retire because if his worn out toes.

My votes Geoghegan & Lomu the great.

I would vote for the likes of Lomu here, but I never saw him near his peak so by my self-imposed rules:

Robinson, CauCau

Less than Lomu, but both could be utterly unplayable

What a selection! I just can't choose between that lot.

I'm surprised to see Thomas Castaignede as a candidate here rather than as a candidate at outside half or centre. But I'm even more surprised that Christophe Dominici isn't among the French candidates.

But anyway, I'm going to vote for Campo. Brilliant to watch and he didn't give a flying fox what you thought of him.

On the right wing, I'll go for David Duckham. I've still never seen another player throw a dummy that fools the cameraman as well as the defence.

Cau Cau could have been but for his theartics.,Lomu as the man they could`nt
stop.{Gang Tackling means holes in defence}
Ron Jarden scored a try a game in 156 first class games in the days wings threw
the ball into lineouts and froze while the forwards played among themselves incredible.
BUT the other wing Peter Jackson "Nikolai" the Clown Prince,not the fastest but certainly the cleverest.

Lomu and Campese.

Lomu and Gerald Davies

Thebandwagonsociety

I have to agree with you totally, I can't pick from Lomu/Caucau over Shane/Robinson as they were all great in hugely different ways!!!

If I had to select though I would go with the players who made a crowd gasp everytime they touched the ball, and I cannot pick between Lomu, Shane or Robinson!!

Lomu and Robinson.

Habana just missing out. Sorry, Bryan.

Lomu & Robinson again.

Shane Williams on both wings.

I think Robinson was a great player and excellent at certain things. However, he wasnt really an all rounder. His kicking wasnt great for example so I wouldnt put him up there.

Very exciting with ball in hand and blistering acceleration.

...mind you Lomu probably wasnt an all rounder either.

Having just reminisced on the number 12 selection about the glorious back line of the Lions on their 1971 NZ tour, I think I'll stick with it and say:

11 - David Duckham and 14 Gerald Davies.

GunsGerms wrote:...mind you Lomu probably wasnt an all rounder either.

Heh, I was just thinking that!

I know we're talking about 'the best of the best' here but I think we sometimes get bogged down with a player's perceived weaknesses rather than their strengths. Players can be the best even if they're not quite awesome in all areas.

Robinson played quite a few games at full back for someone who didn't have a 'great' boot.

Yeah he really was a great player and awesome to watch. Its just tough trying to whittle down to the best of the best.

I'd say Robinson was one of those people that could grow muscle in their sleep.

Wingers don't have to be all rounders. Don't need my winger to kick if he can run through/around the other team instead and JR's defence was just fine so whilst I can understand someone not picking him, I think he certainly deserves to be on the list. Wingers need to provide a threat ball in hand and Robinson certainly did that

Robinson was always fantastic to watch and seemed able to jump/scuttle sideways faster than any other player ever.

Lack of sheer straight line pace maybe counts against him as an 'all time great' winger? Hmm? (re: the Elton Flatley chase). But as good at 15 as he was on the wing - an undeniably prodigious talent.

Like Shane, only probably better.

Gerald Davies and David Duckham

There's some very good boks that aren't on there. Carel Du Plessis is the most obvious.

Campese and Gerald Davies

Really tough. Maybe Campese & Kirwan. Honourable mentions to Robinson who always thrilled me as an Englishman, and Howlett who although maybe not as eye-catching as others was ruthlessly efficient with the best strike rate of any top tier wing and a player who if he hadn't left NZ and his international career at only 28 could well have gone on to be the all time top try scorer.

Lomu and Robinson

Lomu and Robinson

Lomu and Robinson too

Wilson and Campese

For me one is definitely Lomu, head and shoulders above anyone else, literally and figuratively...

Kirwan and Campese stood out for me as proven long term, exciting wingers who both brought their best out on the biggest of stages, regularly so I cant split them.

Robinson & Duckham

Hard this. Lomu for sure......and Habana.

Gerald Davies & David Duckham

I'm a bit surprised there haven't been more votes for Kirwan.

Kirwan & Campese

Bryan Habana
Rupeni CauCau

Rupeni Caucau, absolutely amazing player, looked like Andy Goode but just the best winger i've ever seen play and that's probably ever played the game. And it's ALL natural talent.

William Ryder, mainly a 7's hero but the man is a try scoring machine. Makes scoring tries look easy.

Special mention to Habana and Jason Robinson, Habana is an amazing winger but has had some seriously poor seasons too. Robinson I know is classed as a 15 but to me is really a wing and probably Englands best that i've seen (alongside Lewsey).

Lomu

Robinson

Campese
Howlett (the complete wing)