Fastest man in superrugby?

[sonnench]

chavanga would have smoked anyone anytime and i dont care what anyone says. in the last part of that video during the intercept from the stormers #8 chavanga ran so fast that he blurred!!!

today i wouldn't pick one of those in the poll - i think gio aplon will leave them all thinking WTF!

Yeah i agree with this. He may of not been the best player, but no doubt he was the fastest rugby player in the world. That intercept try is just freaking crazy,

I voted Mvovo, but you are right in saying Aplon may not be getting the credit he deserves. Even Habana was quoted saying ''he leaves me behind in training'' or something along those lines.

 

[nickdnz]

rokocoko is extremely slow now for a winger. same for sivivatu.
by the way lwazi mvovo ran a 10.56 when he was younger, that is very fast so does anyone have proof of anyone being faster.

Don't believe it to be honest. You always see these kinds of figures quoted for players, but I never see the sources. Only one player I have actually seen the original sourse for 10.5 kind of time and that is Takudzwa Ngwenya.

Watching Rokocoko in Bayonne, I don't think he's slow at all. He just hasn't got in the ball in clear space (not helped by them moving him to centre). Last year when he was on defense he looked lightening quick. Just a quick example I remember:



Look from 1:20-1:32. He just absolutely cut down Cruden at full pace and almost got to his feet to chase Gear, and if he got his balance I think he could have caught him.

 

[sonnench]

Don't believe it to be honest. You always see these kinds of figures quoted for players, but I never see the sources. Only one player I have actually seen the original sourse for 10.5 kind of time and that is Takudzwa Ngwenya.

Quote from an article leading up to Mvovo's Bok debut. ''Mvovo, a former striker for the Maria Louw school in Queenstown, only started playing the game at 17 after the rugby coach convinced him that he would make a great winger.At the time Mvovo was the school's champion sprinter, with a time of 10.6sec for the 100m. The move was so successful he soon played for the Border under-19 side before moving to the Sharks Academy.''

 

[admartian]

I think out of the 3 major contact sports, speed in terms of top-gear (as in maximum speed) isn't as important in Union as it is in Rugby league or giridiron.

Just think about it, how often are wingers/speed men in space (apart from 1. chasing a ball back, 2. returning a kick, or 3. chasing down a runaway)?

Usually when they are, that they would 1. kick it away or into touch 8 times out of 10; or when they decided 2. to run it back; they'd run into a wall 9 out of 10 times. And it's only really when it comes to 3. that this is a deciding factor.

In union, acceleration and agility/elusiveness in conjunction with 'vision' (anticipation and recognising good running lanes) are exponentially more important.

Look at someone like Genia or Sivivatu in his prime; for acceleration; Quade Cooper or Beale for agility and eluding defenses. And guys like Dan Carter or Conrad Smith; are prime examples for people who may not be the fastest or be the guys with the best stepping abilty; but can make a lot of line breaks (I truly think Carter is the master of this; often picking a gap and opening a hole for his team mates - usually the commentators in NZ call this 'ghosting').

 

[Shosoloza]

Who was that guy from USA that run around Habana in the 2007 RWC and left him for dead. Habana wasn't the same after that.

 

[sonnench]

Who was that guy from USA that run around Habana in the 2007 RWC and left him for dead. Habana wasn't the same after that.

It was Takudzwa Ngwenya, and hardly. At that time, Habana was still the fastest rugby player on the planet, right up until end of 2009.

 

[farmboy83]

When was the last time a white or non black person won a 100m race, black people are naturally quicker so has to be mvovo

 

[Mablung]

When was the last time a white or non black person won a 100m race, black people are naturally quicker so has to be mvovo

So anytime a black and a white race eachother you say the black would always win since they are naturally quicker? It certainly seems that elite levels of speed are more commonly found amongst people of west-african descent but that certainlly does not mean that a black is always faster than a non-black.

Ever heard of Christophe Lemaitre? He is the fastest white man in history and the current fastest man in Europe. Personal best at 100m is 9.92 and 200m 19.80. At 21 years old he's faster than Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell were at that same age.

 

[admartian]

It was Takudzwa Ngwenya, and hardly. At that time, Habana was still the fastest rugby player on the planet, right up until end of 2009.

Bro, he got schooled on that play.

I don't care who runs a quicker track time; that is what you look for in a player during a game.

 

[Feicarsinn]

When was the last time a white or non black person won a 100m race, black people are naturally quicker so has to be mvovo

We did 100m sprints in training the other week if that answers your question.

 

[LittleGuy]

This is the try of RWC 2007

 

[sonnench]

Bro, he got schooled on that play.

I don't care who runs a quicker track time; that is what you look for in a player during a game.

All I see is one player being stepped. I still think Habana is quicker

 

[farmboy83]

No in terms of being a top athlete/sportsman. There have Been 71 men that have run under 10 seconds, only one of those being white, which is more than enough reason to back a black athlete over a white one.

 

[big ginger 8]

All I see is one player being stepped. I still think Habana is quicker

This may do something to change you mind watch from 23 seconds.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OVKN2Kw5-rk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Aedaphon]

Ngwenya has been consistently one of the fastest wingers in the world. Unfortunately not Super XV though :lol:

I do think people are doing a disservice to plenty of players though. The wingers on the poll are all from top-flight teams who are more likely to take part in a walkover (ie more time with ball in hand in space)

I have no doubt that there are plenty of Super Rugby wingers that are as fast as everyone on that list, hell there are probably some forwards that could match their times over 100m

 

[gingergenius]

No in terms of being a top athlete/sportsman. There have Been 71 men that have run under 10 seconds, only one of those being white, which is more than enough reason to back a black athlete over a white one.

If you're doing it in terms of 100m runners, then yes black guys are the fastest. But the worst 100m runner (at the top level) is faster than the fastest rugby player. So white sprinters are quicker than black rugby players.

Leading on from this logic, former sprinter and Coca Cola West Red Sparks winger Scott Stapleton, a white Australian, is likely the fastest because (I don't have a source btw) he ran a 10.27 PB.

 

[Tadginator]

A lOt also depends on acceleration to see whether you look fast. I mean ive seen an untrained White guy (prince Harry) beat the fastest man on the earth (usain bolt) in a race. It was all down to the start.
If you have poor acceleration then you won't get away into space so it will be difficult to see your top speed. Somebody like Julian savea is an example of this. He is lightning if he gets away but doesn't have the acceleration to just run around peopl. He's improed a lot this season though

 

[nickdnz]

If you're doing it in terms of 100m runners, then yes black guys are the fastest. But the worst 100m runner (at the top level) is faster than the fastest rugby player. So white sprinters are quicker than black rugby players.

Leading on from this logic, former sprinter and Coca Cola West Red Sparks winger Scott Stapleton, a white Australian, is likely the fastest because (I don't have a source btw) he ran a 10.27 PB.

I present you with American Samoa's sprinter in the World Athletics in 2011.

Although in fairness, he was a shotputter.

 

[sonnench]

This may do something to change you mind watch from 23 seconds.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OVKN2Kw5-rk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

No doubt he's one of the fastest, but when Habana was in his prime no one was faster (or better)....how times have changed .

 

[Aedaphon]

He's not the best all round winger but as a finsher...