Dan Biggar retires

[Cruz_del_Sur]

What.a.player. I know he was probably not the most likeable player, but dear lord he was entertaining. Talent, grit and temper. In spades.

Dan Biggar: Former Wales and Lions fly-half announces retirement

Former British and Irish Lions and Wales fly-half Dan Biggar announces he will retire as a player at the end of the season.

www.bbc.com

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

Great Player !

listening to him on the rugby pod and listening to his book i have grown fond of Bigger.

Proper player with grit and determination.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah he's grown on me massively later in his career. Such a dogged and tough player.

Watching him, Sexton and Farrell duke it out for years will probably always be my favourite period in European rugby. Could be awhile before we see another 10 with attitudes like them nevermind three.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Definitely my favorite player. Way too emotional and it held him back at times. He just gave his all every time and didn't care if he was injured or concussed.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not gonna lie, I thought he'd already retired last year - guessing his uptick in punditry was due to injury?

Really fantastic player, as mentioned above: part of the triumvirate of arsehole 10s in the 6N
Proper competitor and fine macarena dancer, always hated playing against him and not just because he was chippy AF!

He's done well on the mic whenever I've seen him this season so imagine a future in punditry is on the cards?

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Russell, biggar, section, and Farrell always made the six nations fun for a good period. The generic French fly half was usually eccentric as well.

#make10shaveapersonalityagain

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

section

 

[General Melchett]

Yup great player and tough competitor. You'd hate him as an opponent but love him on your team. Nerves of steel in big games.

I guess Toulon will be pleased they won't need to spend money on a business class flight for him to return to the UK as he can just start flapping his arms at Calais and fly himself back across the channel.

 

[MarkyH]

Couldn't stand him. Always wound me up and really epitomised Welsh arrogance .

So basically a great player, loved to hate him. We need more like him in the game

 

[AlRums]

Russell, biggar, section, and Farrell always made the six nations fun for a good period. The generic French fly half was usually eccentric as well.

#make10shaveapersonalityagain

Strange though that 3 put of 4 of those were known to be quite bad tempered on the pitch, Russell being the exception, I've never seen him shouting and screaming at the ref.

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

The order goes;

1 - Farrell
2 - Sexton
3 - Biggar
4 - Russell

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Strange though that 3 put of 4 of those were known to be quite bad tempered on the pitch, Russell being the exception, I've never seen him shouting and screaming at the ref.

put Russell's six nations championships in a box and the other three's in a box

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Strange though that 3 put of 4 of those were known to be quite bad tempered on the pitch, Russell being the exception, I've never seen him shouting and screaming at the ref.

I've got little skin in the game here, in the sense that i support neither their countries nor their clubs. And i enjoy a tantrum from any player (other than the ones from my team) as much as the next guy, but I have to admit that every time i recall of Sexton or Biggar getting upset (at the ref, team mates, opposition, whatever) they were imo right. Maybe not right to voice it the way they did, but they get upset because the care.
And Farrell more often than not. I get how that comes across as a liability, but there's an asset back there, too.

Sure, you could argue you can get upset and manage that feeling differently. There is a great scene about 'that' in Million dollar baby. Swank knows she drops a hand when she hits a particular combination and is working on that. Eastwood is afraid that by working on controlling such a thing mentally (and not intuitively) she might lose part of her instinct which was what made her special.
Impossible to prove one way or another but personally i believe there is at least a bit of truth lying there, somewhere. And that's why i tend to give people who react that way a pass. Not like those three spent their carreers swinging punches at anyone who crossed their paths.

If you asked me, not who was the best player, most talented, best strategist, best leader, but just simply 'who wanted it more?' i'd put Russell at number 4 and then figure out what i'd do with the other 3.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I don't think Russell is in the conversation to be honest, never had a year where he could claim he was Europe's best 10 like the others, even now when they're all gone N'tamack has cone in ahead comfortably, Finn Smith is probably ahead this year.

Sexton as a 10 is a bit ahead of the other two and Farrell catches up somewhat when career as a whole is taken into account.

At a European level they're all very similar although Biggar's club career was mediocre. Sexton has the most wins over NZ, I'd guess the most over SA too but he played them far less than the other two, definitely the best % and a world player of the year award as well as the most success as the Lions 10. I think he was probably even more instrumental to Ireland than the other two were for their countries but it's close. Without a win I don't think the others RWC achievements bridge the gap.

Overall: Sexton, Faz, Biggar
As 10s: Sexton, Biggar, Faz

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

I don't think Russell is in the conversation to be honest, never had a year where he could claim he was Europe's best 10 like the others, even now when they're all gone N'tamack has cone in ahead comfortably, Finn Smith is probably ahead this year.

Sexton as a 10 is a bit ahead of the other two and Farrell catches up somewhat when career as a whole is taken into account.

At a European level they're all very similar although Biggar's club career was mediocre. Sexton has the most wins over NZ, I'd guess the most over SA too but he played them far less than the other two, definitely the best % and a world player of the year award as well as the most success as the Lions 10. I think he was probably even more instrumental to Ireland than the other two were for their countries but it's close. Without a win I don't think the others RWC achievements bridge the gap.

Overall: Sexton, Faz, Biggar
As 10s: Sexton, Biggar, Faz

Honestly ranking those 3 tens (Biggar, Farrell, Sexton) could go either way and anyone with well put together reasoning as to who is 1,2 and 3 could easily change my mind.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Tipuric is the real goated 10.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Felt a bit bad about how that sounds when i re-read my post. Didnt mean to take a jab at Russell. In that aspect (wanting it more) i stand by my words, but he certainly has other things going for him. Hard to put it into words, but if you were to say 'raw talent' or 'stroke-of-genius moments' his name will be top of mind for me (among those 4).

 

[General Melchett]

Felt a bit bad about how that sounds when i re-read my post. Didnt mean to take a jab at Russell. In that aspect (wanting it more) i stand by my words, but he certainly has other things going for him. Hard to put it into words, but if you were to say 'raw talent' or 'stroke-of-genius moments' his name will be top of mind for me (among those 4).

Fair comment IMO and I can understand why people point to a lack of desire and intensity when they look at his on pitch demeanor - especially when compared with the other three who were all excellent in their own right and have the winners' medals to back it up. Of the four mentioned Russell has played in the poorest international team and behind the weakest pack which has meant more risk taking and therefore mistakes. The only armchairing he has done in his career is when he was at Racing 92 and surrounded by quality- a club which both Sexton and Farrell have also played at.

Worth noting that Bath are currently 10 points clear at the top of the English premiership and 28 points clear of Northampton (Fin Smith's club) and so I would argue that he is the form 10 in English club rugby this year although I will acknowledge that he has benefited from playing behind an excellent Bath pack and under a very good head coach in JvG.

Apologies for the deviation as this is a Biggar tribute thread and I look forward to watching more of his content.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Felt a bit bad about how that sounds when i re-read my post. Didnt mean to take a jab at Russell. In that aspect (wanting it more) i stand by my words, but he certainly has other things going for him. Hard to put it into words, but if you were to say 'raw talent' or 'stroke-of-genius moments' his name will be top of mind for me (among those 4).

I don't think it was unfair. Russell is a different personality to the other three. Much more cheerful on the pitch