Rocky Elsom: "the most influential player in the game today."

[nam97]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ May 27 2009, 05:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (candybum @ May 26 2009, 10:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But the thing is.. a lot of southern hemisphere players who go to play up north, suddenly stand out and is the mantis. Even mediocre players we thought.[/b]

Wait....list them?

Luke McAllister never really set my world on fire. He was good but hasn't been anywhere near Rocky Elsom good.
Dougie Howlett has been great for Munster but I don't think anyone's being ******** themselves.
Jerry Collins...eh no.
We had Nick Williams in Munster since Christmas and he was utter cack in my oppinion.
Carlos Spencer please god take the cocky loser back.
Chris Jack has been very good. But no better than he ever seemed in SH rugby.

Brock James (focking awesome) and Paul Warwick are examples of players who's been fantastic in the NH in the last couple of seasons. Though in fairness I get the impression with Paul that's because he was just arseing around in Australia rather than concentrating on rugby. Nick Evans has been excellent too but was he not rated highly in the SH aswell?

CJ van der Linde was good for Leinster but in his absence no huge change was noticed when Cian Healy walked in.

I just want to see a list of your playes that you'd consider mediocre that 'stood out' in Europe.
[/b][/quote]

Lifiemi Mafi
Rua Tipoki
Paul ***o
Filo Tiatia
Xavier Rush
Scott Hamilton
Andrew Blowers
Riki Flutey
Joe Maddock

Thats all I can think of for now.

 

[candybum]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wairarapa_cullen @ May 28 2009, 12:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ May 27 2009, 05:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (candybum @ May 26 2009, 10:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But the thing is.. a lot of southern hemisphere players who go to play up north, suddenly stand out and is the mantis. Even mediocre players we thought.[/b]

Wait....list them?

Luke McAllister never really set my world on fire. He was good but hasn't been anywhere near Rocky Elsom good.
Dougie Howlett has been great for Munster but I don't think anyone's being ******** themselves.
Jerry Collins...eh no.
We had Nick Williams in Munster since Christmas and he was utter cack in my oppinion.
Carlos Spencer please god take the cocky loser back.
Chris Jack has been very good. But no better than he ever seemed in SH rugby.

Brock James (focking awesome) and Paul Warwick are examples of players who's been fantastic in the NH in the last couple of seasons. Though in fairness I get the impression with Paul that's because he was just arseing around in Australia rather than concentrating on rugby. Nick Evans has been excellent too but was he not rated highly in the SH aswell?

CJ van der Linde was good for Leinster but in his absence no huge change was noticed when Cian Healy walked in.

I just want to see a list of your playes that you'd consider mediocre that 'stood out' in Europe.
[/b][/quote]

Lifiemi Mafi
Rua Tipoki
Paul ***o
Filo Tiatia
Xavier Rush
Scott Hamilton
Andrew Blowers
Riki Flutey
Joe Maddock

Thats all I can think of for now.
[/b][/quote]

Thank you

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wairarapa_cullen @ May 27 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ May 27 2009, 05:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (candybum @ May 26 2009, 10:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But the thing is.. a lot of southern hemisphere players who go to play up north, suddenly stand out and is the mantis. Even mediocre players we thought.[/b]

Wait....list them?

Luke McAllister never really set my world on fire. He was good but hasn't been anywhere near Rocky Elsom good.
Dougie Howlett has been great for Munster but I don't think anyone's being ******** themselves.
Jerry Collins...eh no.
We had Nick Williams in Munster since Christmas and he was utter cack in my oppinion.
Carlos Spencer please god take the cocky loser back.
Chris Jack has been very good. But no better than he ever seemed in SH rugby.

Brock James (focking awesome) and Paul Warwick are examples of players who's been fantastic in the NH in the last couple of seasons. Though in fairness I get the impression with Paul that's because he was just arseing around in Australia rather than concentrating on rugby. Nick Evans has been excellent too but was he not rated highly in the SH aswell?

CJ van der Linde was good for Leinster but in his absence no huge change was noticed when Cian Healy walked in.

I just want to see a list of your playes that you'd consider mediocre that 'stood out' in Europe.
[/b][/quote]

Lifiemi Mafi - Yes
Rua Tipoki - Kinda
Paul ***o - Never had anywhere near a Rocky effect
Filo Tiatia - Never had anywhere near a Rocky effect
Xavier Rush - Kinda
Scott Hamilton - Nothing more than solid
Andrew Blowers - Average player and a cack team, of course he looks good.
Riki Flutey - Yes
Joe Maddock - Nothing more than solid

Thats all I can think of for now.
[/b][/quote]

But if you take Mafi and to a degree Flutey they've come to Europe and developed as players here and I have no doubt that if Mafi or Flutey went back to Super 14.5 they'd have more of an influence there than they did before. I think Rush and Tipoki have something along the lines of a stableing influence more than anything else.

Brock James I think is the best example of a player with a Rocky like effect on his team.

 

[Bullitt]

Mafi - All talked about on the previous page
Tipoki - Always been a class act. Anyone who says otherwise is a communist
***o - f*** knows, not seen much of him.
Tiatia - ****
Rush - Decent in his prime, long since past it. Done nothing spectacular for Cardiff. Can't even get a start for the past year or so.
Hamilton - Somebody help
Blowers - Criminally, was never given the chance while in the SH, had a point to prove when he moved north. And he did.
Flutey - Seriously, he ain't that good.
Maddock - 27 tries in 30 matches for Canterbury means he must've been doing something right. Or SH defences are so **** that even mediocre players can do it...

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ May 27 2009, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Or SH defences are so **** that even mediocre players can do it...[/b]

Dude, STFU about this "SH defense is ****" stuff. Come on man.

 

[Bullitt]

Well if he's that bad yet still scored 27 tries in 30 matches...

 

[Sir Speedy]

OK, on ***o and Rush:

***o is Cardiff's key man. He dominates the lineouts when he's there and his leadership inspires the team. In my humble opinion-which-will-not-be-accepted-by-anyone, him going off 5 minutes into the semi was the cause of Cardiff losing. Munsterman, if you want to compare Halstead's effect on Munster two years ago to Elsom's on Leinster this year, then ***o would be a fair comparison also. Over the past two years since he's joined Cardiff have made a European quarter and semi. It's only a matter of time as far as I'm concerned... He's a class player, definitely one of the best SH imports into Wales.

On Rush, he hasn't been starting this year due to Powell's 'emergence' and due to the fact he was injured at the start of the season. He's been fricking immense since he's come back there, and he's been one of Cardiff's best players over the past three years; simple as that.

Erm, yeh. Kthxbai.

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ May 27 2009, 02:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well if he's that bad yet still scored 27 tries in 30 matches...[/b]

Were those only Super14 matches?

Anyway, I don't mean to thread jack, but looking at my new avatar of Pierre Spies' try, i can't help think about how hard that Crusaders centre face-plants... It looks bad. Seriously though, a number 8 out-pacing a centre is ridiculous. What a monster.

Also just watched the HC Final highlights again (Dunno why but i can just never EVER get tired of rugby highlights...) and the way Rocky ran over Tuilagi was just insane. Loved it.

 

[munross]

Elsom to become a Brumby flank ?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

The Brumbies look poised to pull off a major signing coup by securing the signature of star flanker Rocky Elsom when he returns to Australia.

The Reds are reported to have offered him $100,000 to join Queensland but it is understood Elsom has agreed to join the Brumbies in the hunt for a Super 14 ***le to add to the Heineken Cup he won with Leinster at the weekend.

The 26-year-old was being chased by the Reds and former province the Waratahs but Daily Telegraph sources say that he got back in touch with ACT officials last week and agreed to terms.

Elsom has already done the same with the ARU, and is expected to finalise his future late this week.

The signing of Elsom will see the Brumbies boast a spectacular stable of talent next season, with Matt Giteau, George Smith and the big blindside breakaway ranked the top three rugby stars in Australia.

Throw in Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock and hooker Stephen Moore - and potentially James O'Connor - and the 2010 Brumbies will have quite a team.

After Elsom left to play in Europe at the end of the Tri Nations campaign last September, the Wallabies No. 6 has become arguably the best player in the world and has won a stunning 11 man-of-the-match awards in 13 games for Leinster.

Brumbies boss Andrew Fagan however is not giving anything away and was non-committal last night on Elsom's recruitment but he confirmed that contact had been renewed by the flanker recently.

"He checked to confirm whether a position was available basically. How our contracting was going. That was it," Fagan said.

"We let him know that we'd have a spot available if he was keen to look at us as an option.

"I wouldn't really know which way he is leaning. Rocky understands he has some choice there."

Fagan says that the Brumbies were "outsiders" to get Elsom's signature on paper and that the deal could be threatened by Phil Waugh.

Waugh has flown to London to link up with Elsom as part of a strong Barbarians side to play England this weekend.

The Waratahs skipper said he would talk with his former Waratahs teammate about returning to the proud sky-blue fold.

"Rocky is a mate of mine, I hope he comes back. He knows our players, he understands our culture and he knows we're keen to have him at NSW," Waugh said.[/b]

http://www.super14.com/news/viewarticle.asp?id=20502

WTF? 11 man-of-the-match awards in 13 games, that is some strike-rate!
Would be a massive boost for the Brumbies if they could sign Elsom, just imagine a back-row of Rocky Elsom, George Smith and Stephen Hoiles, that would be a very formidiable back-row!

Anyhow JDV is the most influential player in rugby and that's the bottom line cause I said so!

 

[Jer1cho]

I think the Aussies are desperate to get a top team back into the Super14 now. But yeah, Elsom is immense. He really has become a fantastic player. By far the best in the NH at the moment and oh, what was that? He is from where? The Southern Hemisphere...?

/jk

 

[Fushitsusha]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ May 27 2009, 06:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Elsom has also done jack **** for Australia's national team, and it's also not his fault.[/b]

That's rubbish... Elsom was consistently one of the best players for the Wallabies last year... and had been developing into a good international player in the two years before that...

In fact, he was probably Australia's best player during the Tri Nations last year...

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fushitsusha @ May 27 2009, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

In fact, he was probably Australia's best player during the Tri Nations last year...[/b]

Fine Fine. I give up. Elsom is god, and better than everyone. There. <_<

 

[Fushitsusha]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ May 27 2009, 03:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fushitsusha @ May 27 2009, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In fact, he was probably Australia's best player during the Tri Nations last year...[/b]

Fine Fine. I give up. Elsom is god, and better than everyone. There. <_<
[/b][/quote]

Well, no... but it's completely ludicrous to state that he's done 'jack ****' for Australia when in fact he's been one of their best players in recent times...

 

[feicarsinn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ May 27 2009, 03:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I think the Aussies are desperate to get a top team back into the Super14 now. But yeah, Elsom is immense. He really has become a fantastic player. By far the best in the NH at the moment and oh, what was that? He is from where? The Southern Hemisphere...?

/jk[/b]

dunno bout that now theres always brian and sergio, probably the best but not by that far at all

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fushitsusha @ May 27 2009, 04:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well, no... but it's completely ludicrous to state that he's done 'jack ****' for Australia when in fact he's been one of their best players in recent times...[/b]

I just meant he wasn't some sort of revelation.

 

[Maccaweeny]

I just laughed to myself when i remembered how the Arch Twat Eddie Jones himself said that Rocky would not be in great demand in the Northern Hemisphere. The guy has a remarkable capacity to come up with bullshit.

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ May 27 2009, 03:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Fine Fine. I give up. Elsom is god, and better than everyone. There. <_<[/b]

Ahhh it takes you longr than most, but you come around in the end

Good man

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ May 28 2009, 12:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Mafi - All talked about on the previous page
Tipoki - Always been a class act. Anyone who says otherwise is a communist
***o - f*** knows, not seen much of him.
Tiatia - ****
Rush - Decent in his prime, long since past it. Done nothing spectacular for Cardiff. Can't even get a start for the past year or so.
Hamilton - Somebody help
Blowers - Criminally, was never given the chance while in the SH, had a point to prove when he moved north. And he did.
Flutey - Seriously, he ain't that good.
Maddock - 27 tries in 30 matches for Canterbury means he must've been doing something right. Or SH defences are so **** that even mediocre players can do it...

[/b]

Only thing I disagree with is comment on ***o - seriously good player.

 

[munross]

Elsom confirms return to Australia

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Rocky Elsom has confirmed that he will return to Australia in order to resume his career with the Wallabies and to play Super 14 rugby again.

Leinster were desperate to keep the backrower whose bulldozing runs and ferocious tackling proved instrumental in their Heineken Cup success.

But Elsom, who has been in regular contact with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), insists the lure of adding to his 58 Wallaby caps has persuaded him to conclude his one-year stay in Europe.

"I've really enjoyed this season," said Elsom, who starts for the Barbarians in Saturday's clash with England at Twickenham.

"I already liked Dublin before playing for Leinster and obviously enjoyed the rugby.' he told the Irish Times.

"I didn't expect to like it as much as I have done but ultimately I'm Australian and I want to play for Australia."

"You don't always have the opportunity to do that but I do now so I want to take advantage of it.

"My contract with Leinster is over so I'm going to try and head back to Australia.

"I want to play for a Super 14 team because my first priority has always been the Wallabies. That's what I want to do.

"I've spoken at length with the Australian management about moving back, it's not something I've only just decided to do.

"It's just about finalising things now."

Elsom won man of the match ins the Heineken Cup quarter-final and final and received huge praise from captain Brian O'Driscoll who went as far as to state Leinster could not have won the competition without Elsom.

Leinster will sorely miss Elsom's presence and his decision to decline taking a one-year option on his contract is a huge blow to the new European champions.

"The experience of playing European rugby has been great," said Elsom.

"We have two sprints in Australia - the Super 14 is over three months and the Test season is similar in length.

"That's it, whereas here it's a lot longer and there are more chances in multiple competitions.

"We're spoilt a bit in the southern hemisphere in terms of the level of the competition.

"This season has gone a lot better than I expected. I didn't expect it not to be a success, but the way it has turned has been great.

"We had a team that struggled at times but we fought really hard.

"That doesn't always look good in the middle of the season but it's handy when you play the big matches. You need that spirit - it's all we had at times.

"We had the final and won that which was fantastic, but a couple of weeks earlier we had what was almost a bigger game in Munster at Croke Park."[/b]

So thats goodbye to the NH for Rocky, on his way back to Australia.
Question now is for which Australian Super14 will he play?Brumbies or Waratahs...?

 

[candybum]

The force!! lol