Wasted talent

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Simple really. You can just vote, or ask me (with justification) to add names.

Certainly the most exciting player. Real shame.

Caucau could have ruled the game for years but like great talents in all sports (Ronaldo de Lima being a great example) but the mentality just wasn't there.

If Cacau realised his potential, then surley he would have ended up an All Black instead of a Fijian In all seriousness though I always thought that Dai Bishops problem was the old farts at the WRU and the biggest waste of tallent would have to go to Mark Ring as he played in the WORST Welsh side ever and was head and shoulders above anyone at his time, he just did not have the players of his caliber around him to shine. Also all the Welsh players that went to league, what a waste of tallent that was.

p.s I voted for Cacau.

Well done My Lord, would My Lord consider that Jonathan Davies fell into both groups?

Caucau way out in front imo.
As said Cipriani has time to put things right and as for Taylor he has been voted best forward for Bath this season so maybe he's turned the corner and now on the way back.

Glas, Jiffy always entertained me, he was a wasted tallent to rugby union, but a massive gain to rugby league. His turn of pace from the off has only been matched in recent times by Shane Williams, but as I have said, all the union players that went north to league were a waste of union tallent as Wales union almost went extinct and the Wales league did nothing as a result either. The only good thing that came from them going north was the GB League side had better players, but aside from the odd victory at Wembly over Australia, Jiffy's dummy and run in from his own twenty two aside, those players never realy achieved anything on the world stage. So as a result in my eye's they were wasted.

Other names that i could think of

Jonah Lomu - Whilst he is a legend of the game, he lost out on a huge chink of his career due to serious illness. Can you imagine how many people would have been trampled by him if he was not so unfortunate with his health?

Chris Wyatt & Ieuan Evans - Both IMO the best in their positions in the UK if not the world at one point in their career however their love of their social lives stopped them from being as successful as they could/should have been and in a professional set up both may have been real world XV (possibly all time XV).

Chris Wyatt in a world or all time XV?? We must be thinking of a different player!! Not even on steroids with the top coaching set-up in the world was Wyatt going to be the best lock in the world.

Talking of players having had their career cut short by injury, Trevor Woodman deserves a mention. WC winning loosehead with a great all round game. Real unsung hero (unlike Richard Hill - the most sung unsung hero of all time) of that side.

More recently Thom Evans at Scotland. The fastest player we've had in a decade - nasty neck injury in his mid twenties.

FES

I'll be filing that comment about Richard Hill (absolutely on the money by the way).

Anyone else thing at this stage its just hilarious to say he is an unsung hero. He seems widely regarded by every rugby fan I've ever spoken to as one of Englands best flankers.

FES that was his point. One man riot could have been so much more of a player.

Barry John should not be in a list of wasted talent. Yes, he retired aged 27 but his Wales career began in 1966 - so 6 years as an international fly-half which included a victorious Lions tour to New Zealand, a Five Nations Grand Slam and a Five Nations Championship. Had he played on for another 3 or 4 years he'd probably have added to his honours in the game - but a waste of talent in the same sense as others on the list? Never.

Simon Geogoehan, ran as fast as a pacific islander, sidestepped like a Welshman and unfortunate enough to play in an Irish team that could of achieved more with 14 granny's around him.

Simon Taylor has been incredibly unlucky with injuries, but when fit he is a great player, not his fault at all but just very unfortunate with injury. He still has over 50 caps though, so he is arguably not as wasted as some players on this list, whichis why I voted for Cacau.

"I'm not sure how much talent Danny Cipriani had, apart from shagging kelly brooks he hasnt done anything yet."

Apart from having one Heineken Cup winners medal more than any Welshman bar Gareth Thomas. And he had to go to Toulouse to win his. Admittedly, I'm peed off that Cipriani hasn't copped on that he needs to knuckle down, but to say he has done nothing is daft.

The_Hound_of_Harrow wrote:"I'm not sure how much talent Danny Cipriani had, apart from shagging kelly brooks he hasnt done anything yet."

Apart from having one Heineken Cup winners medal more than any Welshman bar Gareth Thomas. And he had to go to Toulouse to win his. Admittedly, I'm peed off that Cipriani hasn't copped on that he needs to knuckle down, but to say he has done nothing is daft.

And he didn't do anything that day either! King had a blinder, and Cipriani was playing because Van Gisbergen was still not 100% fit! And I think two Grand Slams comfortably trumps a heineken cup winner's medal.

LOL

David Bishop???
Which one?

The one who picked up a knee injury or the one who played for Pooler?
If it's the latter, take him off. He never got the caps for wales that he should have because one of the big 5 had a son-in-law who played in his position.

No. He was a sublime talent but was a little too handy if you know what I mean and could have pushed Jones harder if he carried a little less weight and got fitter.

In my opinion wasted talent is any undiscovered player or a player who has not had the full backing of their respective Union in my case it would be the WRU.
At last the WRU are starting to realise that we needd to search for talent all over Wales.

I agree with Glas about Bish, both points.

What about Chris (The Riot) Wyatt, he had it all; a real athlete, handle like a back, great in the line out, but gave it all up for lager and fags!

I suppose you would have to include Jonah Lomu too,by your criteria.Great Player,but without his disability just imagine what he could have achieved.

Yes, but don't you think the two things may have been linked? I mean the guy was apparently superhuman, there had to be some imbalance somewhere. It was a pity that NZ failed to adapt their plan for the Saffers cancelling him out in the 95 final because if anybody deserved a winners medal in that tournamentbugst didn't get it, it was Lomu.

Didn't see caucau.instinctively voted for henson. def rupeni though

Bastereaux looks to be heading down a similar path to Caucau. Jeez - the lad is a Pro Rugby player and his belly is nearly as big as mine!

On that basis it must be me. I have a big belly and have achieved very little on the rugby pitch, despite undoubted talent.

Jonah Lomu? I know he achieved a lot but he was robbed off much of his prime due to his kidney problems.

Stephen Ferris unfortunately may end up on this list if he can't overcome his knee problems.