Best (and worst) Marquee Players

[will311293]

Didn't he have a fight with someone?

Surely JP Pietersen has to be u there too...

World Cup winning winger played at Centre/Wing and looked a mile off his best.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Barrow under Borthwick I reckon would've been really something.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Surely JP Pietersen has to be u there too...

World Cup winning winger played at Centre/Wing and looked a mile off his best.

Eh I always thought JPP did alright at Tigers TBH.
Tigers wasn't exactly Mr Amazing rugby

He wasn't amazing but let's be real wing wasn't Tigers problems then

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Think we're mixing up Worst Marquee Players with guys who just didn't play that well

I mean Dom Barrow...?

 

[will311293]

Think we're mixing up Worst Marquee Players with guys who just didn't play that well

I mean Dom Barrow...?

Yes slightly off topic..

 

[duncanb]

Victor Matfield for me at Saints.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

So next summer sees the reduction in marquee players from 2 down to 1; (presumably with a grandfather clause for those with longer contracts).
With Faletau leaving Bath, we've already seen the first casualty - albeit one who's never lived up to the promise for a marquee (through no fault of his own).

Plenty of Bath fans, in a fit of melodrama, are calling Faletau "the worst marquee ever" as if they're already forgotten Stephen Donald and [Redacted}, let alone players for other clubs.

So who have been the best Marquee Players in the premiership? Who have been the worst?
This wouldn't have to be a club's actual Marquee Player (because we never actually know that) but the best (and worst) big-name signing, brought in from elsewhere to light up a club.

For me, it's hard to look past Nick Evans here; especially with his longevity, and as he's stuck with Quins into his coaching career, and seems to be making a success of that.
Honourable mentions would go to the likes of Bruce Reihana, Matthew Burke, Charles Piautau.

As for the worst, this would surely be the "Chris Jack" award; though [Redacted] would push him close, if only for the mess he left in his wake. Franks boys are probably my "dishonourable mentions" here.

Who else gets a mention? Even as an "honourable" or a "my club"

Nick Evans was a big loss to NZ rugby, if someone had sat him down and convinced him to focus on 15 rather than 10 and try and take DC's jersey we could have won 2007

What was the deal with Chris Jack? he was a pretty good all black but dont remember what went on in the NH

 

[BPM]

Surely Picamoles deserves a mention as one of the best. He was immense for Saints in that short spell.

 

[duncanb]

Surely Picamoles deserves a mention as one of the best. He was immense for Saints in that short spell.

100% agree defo our best however always looked a 1 Yr deal as club wouldn't allow a move to a French club, Victor was our worst due to lack of game time however nice a guy he was , just no value for money.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well if Sean O'Brien is on 450k then i assume that Naholo would be on 300k plu

Has SOB been injured a lot or has he just not played well? Was a mix of the two before he left Ster, was a massive risk on those wages.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Has SOB been injured a lot or has he just not played well? Was a mix of the two before he left Ster, was a massive risk on those wages.

He's definitely not worth the wages he's on based on how little he's played but he's played very well when he has played

I wouldn't put him in the worst marquee player category - Irish took a risk/knew what they were getting into

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Did Jean de Villiers ever actually get a game at Tigers?

 

[will311293]

Did Jean de Villiers ever actually get a game at Tigers?

2 games, 1 try according to the gospel of wiki.

 

[MikeTheNative]

That seems a decent try to game ration to me........

 

[Crash Hamster]

Worcester have form for spending money on wingers, from Rico Gear to Chris Ashton.

Not sure what's going on with van der McMerwe, who seems to have had a good game the other day.

 

[Scotty]

Not maquee player i dont think but a bad signing, Niko Matawalu. Never played a game for us then got released.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Victor Matfield and Owe: Ben Franks for me. All well past their best when they arrived.

Matfield didn't even play much but the Franks brothers just got bummed in the scrums every time and looked pathetic in the loose.

 

[EdBirch]

Worcester have form for spending money on wingers, from Rico Gear to Chris Ashton.

Not sure what's going on with van der McMerwe, who seems to have had a good game the other day.

In the worst Marquee category, don't forget Ben Te'o. Barely ever played for us through injury or International Duty.
Best I would say Hougaard

 

[will311293]

In the worst Marquee category, don't forget Ben Te'o. Barely ever played for us through injury or International Duty.
Best I would say Hougaard

He has looked half the player with us. Really not hit the heights so far that we were expecting.

 

[Crash Hamster]

He has looked half the player with us. Really not hit the heights so far that we were expecting.

I did wonder if he wasn't quite playing to his usual standard at Warriors. Maybe, at 33, he's just gone slightly yet permanently off the boil; maybe it's just a (slightly protracted) loss of form. I guess time will tell.