Wingers, such great wingers and so many to consider. Obviously I consider myself in the category great and would include Mssrs Pete Dev and Fat Mike. Chris Parry would obviously include himself but if we follow that rational we could also include Rick Waller and Sir Stephen Hawking.
(above - Chris Parry and a friend collect their runners up medals in last years Bath Spa 7's)
As I have already stated I have decided not to go too far back as, although I have seen film of Gerald Davies and Dai Duckham – that would just get boring.
I will start off with Welsh wingers. I wanted to put Gareth Thomas in, he is a great player and very versatile. He makes me very secure that he is in the Welsh side but what is he, Full back, winger or centre – I don’t think he is amazing in any of those positions but bizarrely he is an amazing player – don’t understand? Don’t ask? I don’t either.
Another person like this is Dafydd James. A centre through and through but competed for Wales on the wing and was such a great player at the end of the nineties and beginning of the noughties that he was not only picked to go on the Lions 2001 but played, and well, in all three tests.
For me the two wingers that I would put in my team would be Shane Williams and Ieuan Evans. I know that Shane Williams is a bit of a surprise but I remember the first time I saw him live, it was against Italy and every time he touched the ball the whole stadium were enthralled, a general gasp went around wanting to know what the diminutive wizard would do next . He may be small but his running angles and ability to beat the man can change games, people want to see him and he is hard as well. The way he played against the All Blacks in 2003 and Argentina in 2005 was awe inspiring. His defence isn’t as dodgy as what ‘the man in the pub’ always points to and who would worry about that when you have Howarth at his back.
No doubts about defence or anything else to be honest with regards to Ieuan the Lion, the Carmarthen cowboy. 72 caps for Wales, 6 for the Lions over 3 tours, 33 tries for Wales and countless others, among them the try that beat the Aussies in 1989 and the English in 1993, a European cup medal winner and the bloke who finished the try that Bill Maclaren (priase his name above all even Mr T and Brian Blessed) commented so:
“Inside Duncan, inside Gavin Hastings, inside everybody, Jink Jink Jink and that was out of top drawer, Merlin the magician couldn’t have done better himself”.
Well, I could have. Ieuan had it all except dress sense, Jeans and daps…tut.
Internationally
Many people would think me foolish to discard John Kirwan but I didn’t see too much of him and I think he was injured before the 1989 All Blacks tour (one of the best teams in history). I considered Josh Lewsey as well, a cracking all rounder but I put him in the same category as Gareth Thomas (see above). Doug Howlett, Rico Gear and Joe Rocococo, great players but for the best of the best I want something more which brings me to my final three. The person who I left out, just, was a player who I loved to watch but I wouldn’t expect many people to remember him never mind rate him and that was Patrice Lagisquet, the Bayonne express. The player seemed lightning back in the early 90’s, I thought of him because I wanted Blanco as full back and they complemented each other. However I plumbed for the following duo Jonah Lomu and David Campese. I really don’t feel like I should have to justify my selections because they speak for themselves. However try I must, David Campese, even though he was knob that could give away a try in a pass, could in the next move start and finish a move that won the match. His side step and general awareness was mercurial and his confidence bordered on arrogant which I loved.
When thinking about Lomu you always think about the 1995 World Cup in South Africa and especially when he destroyed England. He was extraordinary but he wasn’t just a crash bang wallop merchant, sure he could make Big Will look like Clysts but he had a great rugby brain and a huge side-step. His guts to come back from a debilitating illness was phenomenal and even though he took it a step to far coming back a second time (waddling around like Ski) he still had the rugby brain. A nice guy who would have to organise the taxis and the kitty cos he can’t drink as much anymore, he definitely would be wanted around if Taz got punchy.
so there is mine but I doubt you will have much of a different international pairing.
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