SHANE WILLIAMS IS 'A RUGBY FREAK'

[peppers07]

We have two wingers in NZ that have 100% try scoring ratios and you Welsh rave on about his what... 35 from 60? Come on now, he's quick and scores some great tries but every decent winger does that.

I do rate him in the top 10 wingers in the world though, if that's any consolation to you.
[/quote]


To be fair you cant hold that against him if he played for New Zealand Australia or South Africa hed have the same ratio.

I think in terms of runing and try scoring ability hes as good the likes of Rokococo but on defensively he seems only average from what ive seen so not the best in the world but up there.

 

[Ho3n3r]

I believe if Wales gave the Boks the same amount of space out wide as we gave them, then Chavanga & Habana would both have scored 3 per game. On defence, Williams is way ahaed of Chavanga though. Same for hands. Habana though -- in a class of his own.

 

[cyRil]

Shane isn't even a blip on Jonah's talent radar screen. If the term freak has only been given out to Lomu, then no way does a player like Williams deserve it too.

We have two wingers in NZ that have 100% try scoring ratios and you Welsh rave on about his what... 35 from 60? Come on now, he's quick and scores some great tries but every decent winger does that.

I do rate him in the top 10 wingers in the world though, if that's any consolation to you.
[/b]

It's 43 from 58 actually, not a bad scoring record, and has scored against every major rugbying nation!
In the recent series he showed his quality and I would say (expecting abuse here) that he was superior to Habana. I'm not saying he is overall, but in this test series he was the better of the two - leaving Habana on his backside in the first test and in the second where Habana was pretty anonymous Shane was magical. Every time he got the ball he beat at least two men and was always making yards.... Oh yeah and he scored a wonder try leaving 1/3 of the SA team bamboozled, tripping over each other and falling on their faces.
He isn't the best player in the world, you can never say that as there are so many specialist positions, but you could say he is for where he plays... Dan Carter is the best fly-half in the world, Richie McCaw is the best openside in the world, Shane Williams is the best winger in the world.
Cue Cat-calls and jeering, predominantly from SH-based fans, methinks. :cheers:

 

[shazbooger]

In the recent series he showed his quality and I would say (expecting abuse here) that he was superior to Habana. I'm not saying he is overall, but in this test series he was the better of the two.
He isn't the best player in the world, you can never say that as there are so many specialist positions, but you could say he is for where he plays... Dan Carter is the best fly-half in the world, Richie McCaw is the best openside in the world, Shane Williams is the best winger in the world.[/b]

Ahhh I dont think any SH fan could argue with what you've said. Makes sense to me. He outshone Habana so the only real competitor would be Sivivatu but you cant deny Williams has had a greater impact on the summer tests.

In the same way I dont think any NH fan could dismiss how the AB's took SW to the cleaners on the last Lions tour. He may have beaten a player or two, but he got isolated and turned over more often then not. However, Williams today is a totally different player to what he was four years ago.

As for Lomu, there can be no comparison. SW has had a good year, Lomu changed the game of rugby and ruined a few careers along the way.

 

[nam97]

<div class='quotemain'>In the recent series he showed his quality and I would say (expecting abuse here) that he was superior to Habana. I'm not saying he is overall, but in this test series he was the better of the two.
He isn't the best player in the world, you can never say that as there are so many specialist positions, but you could say he is for where he plays... Dan Carter is the best fly-half in the world, Richie McCaw is the best openside in the world, Shane Williams is the best winger in the world.[/b]

Ahhh I dont think any SH fan could argue with what you've said. Makes sense to me. He outshone Habana so the only real competitor would be Sivivatu but you cant deny Williams has had a greater impact on the summer tests.

In the same way I dont think any NH fan could dismiss how the AB's took SW to the cleaners on the last Lions tour. He may have beaten a player or two, but he got isolated and turned over more often then not. However, Williams today is a totally different player to what he was four years ago.

As for Lomu, there can be no comparison. SW has had a good year, Lomu changed the game of rugby and ruined a few careers along the way.
[/b][/quote]

Well if Sivivatu is his only competition, Sivivatu has won on every occasion they have met. Recall the 2005 Lions tour and most of the times the AB's play in Cardiff... same old story where Shane consistently gets shown up.

 

[cyRil]

<div class='quotemain'>In the recent series he showed his quality and I would say (expecting abuse here) that he was superior to Habana. I'm not saying he is overall, but in this test series he was the better of the two.
He isn't the best player in the world, you can never say that as there are so many specialist positions, but you could say he is for where he plays... Dan Carter is the best fly-half in the world, Richie McCaw is the best openside in the world, Shane Williams is the best winger in the world.[/b]

Ahhh I dont think any SH fan could argue with what you've said. Makes sense to me. He outshone Habana so the only real competitor would be Sivivatu but you cant deny Williams has had a greater impact on the summer tests.

In the same way I dont think any NH fan could dismiss how the AB's took SW to the cleaners on the last Lions tour. He may have beaten a player or two, but he got isolated and turned over more often then not. However, Williams today is a totally different player to what he was four years ago.

As for Lomu, there can be no comparison. SW has had a good year, Lomu changed the game of rugby and ruined a few careers along the way.
[/b][/quote]
Completely agree. Williams got demolished on the Lions tour, but who didn't? Perhaps that was the impetus he needed to push on and he found out what he needed to do to step up to the next level.
You can't compare him with Lomu though...

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>In the recent series he showed his quality and I would say (expecting abuse here) that he was superior to Habana. I'm not saying he is overall, but in this test series he was the better of the two.
He isn't the best player in the world, you can never say that as there are so many specialist positions, but you could say he is for where he plays... Dan Carter is the best fly-half in the world, Richie McCaw is the best openside in the world, Shane Williams is the best winger in the world.[/b]

Ahhh I dont think any SH fan could argue with what you've said. Makes sense to me. He outshone Habana so the only real competitor would be Sivivatu but you cant deny Williams has had a greater impact on the summer tests.

In the same way I dont think any NH fan could dismiss how the AB's took SW to the cleaners on the last Lions tour. He may have beaten a player or two, but he got isolated and turned over more often then not. However, Williams today is a totally different player to what he was four years ago.

As for Lomu, there can be no comparison. SW has had a good year, Lomu changed the game of rugby and ruined a few careers along the way.
[/b][/quote]

Well if Sivivatu is his only competition, Sivivatu has won on every occasion they have met. Recall the 2005 Lions tour and most of the times the AB's play in Cardiff... same old story where Shane consistently gets shown up. [/b][/quote]

Lions Tour is three years ago and the All Blacks played Wales last in 2006! C'mon a bit poor of a comparison, where the Lions were poor all tour and in 2006 Wales were gash!

 

[darwin_23]

The reason he is not rated by many in New Zealand is that he has not performed well against New Zealand - New Zealand's midfield defense has ment that he has not been given space to operate, and hence he has been dominated by New Zealand's bigger wingers (I remember in particular Rico Gear causing him a lot of trouble in one game). Given space there is no player more dangerous, but if he hasn't got any room to operate he can, like most wingers, be shut down and in such cases his lack of size is a distinct disadvantage to him.

Some people here need to realise just because he doesn't play well against New Zealand (not necessarily through any fault of his own) doesn't mean he is not an exceptionally good winger who is if not the best certainly in the top 2-3 wingers in the world...

 

[cyRil]

The reason he is not rated by many in New Zealand is that he has not performed well against New Zealand - New Zealand's midfield defense has ment that he has not been given space to operate, and hence he has been dominated by New Zealand's bigger wingers (I remember in particular Rico Gear causing him a lot of trouble in one game). Given space there is no player more dangerous, but if he hasn't got any room to operate he can, like most wingers, be shut down and in such cases his lack of size is a distinct disadvantage to him.

Some people here need to realise just because he doesn't play well against New Zealand (not necessarily through any fault of his own) doesn't mean he is not an exceptionally good winger who is if not the best certainly in the top 2-3 wingers in the world...
[/b]

The voice of rationality. Well said.

 

[nam97]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>In the recent series he showed his quality and I would say (expecting abuse here) that he was superior to Habana. I'm not saying he is overall, but in this test series he was the better of the two.
He isn't the best player in the world, you can never say that as there are so many specialist positions, but you could say he is for where he plays... Dan Carter is the best fly-half in the world, Richie McCaw is the best openside in the world, Shane Williams is the best winger in the world.[/b]

Ahhh I dont think any SH fan could argue with what you've said. Makes sense to me. He outshone Habana so the only real competitor would be Sivivatu but you cant deny Williams has had a greater impact on the summer tests.

In the same way I dont think any NH fan could dismiss how the AB's took SW to the cleaners on the last Lions tour. He may have beaten a player or two, but he got isolated and turned over more often then not. However, Williams today is a totally different player to what he was four years ago.

As for Lomu, there can be no comparison. SW has had a good year, Lomu changed the game of rugby and ruined a few careers along the way.
[/b][/quote]

Well if Sivivatu is his only competition, Sivivatu has won on every occasion they have met. Recall the 2005 Lions tour and most of the times the AB's play in Cardiff... same old story where Shane consistently gets shown up. [/b][/quote]

Lions Tour is three years ago and the All Blacks played Wales last in 2006! C'mon a bit poor of a comparison, where the Lions were poor all tour and in 2006 Wales were gash!
[/b][/quote]

Hey, the guy said the only winger left to compare him to was Sivivatu, I was just fleshing out the history of when the two have met (obviously quite a while back).

Darwin23 is bang on though. I do rate Williams highly but it makes it hard when the only real times I see him closely is against us where he seldom gets to show his class, for the very reasons Darwin explained.

 

[Gay-Guy]

What happened to Williams also happened to Drew Mitchell. Williams first game against the AB's in 2003 in the quater final he was on fire and everyone was raving on about his amazing runs bamboozling the AB defenders. This is what Mitchell did the first time he played the AB's when he too bamboozled the AB defenders and everyone was going on about how he was the next boy wonder.

From that moment on the AB's never gave Williams or Mitchell an inch.

He is a fantastic winger but there are a few around just like him...we have a guy here named Masaga who has also run around Habana and stepped quite a few people in many of his electrifying runs...however like other small wingers in NZ he is nothing compared to the big Rokocoko, Gear, Howlett and Sivivatu wingers and so has not made it as an AB because when it comes to wingers in NZ size does matter.

 

[jayice2005]

Williams is an extremely good winger. He has vision, speed, quickness and agility.

He is just behind Habana/Sivivatu in the world rankings.

 

[gjohn85]

I can't wait till our 3rd string winger rips him apart again.
[/b]

Well considering how many NZ are heading to Europe, I wouldn't be surprised to see your 3rd choice winger is actually your 1st choice winger.
----------------------------------------
Shane Williams is a freak with his feet. When he not scoring tries, he making breaks & setting up tries. I lost count of how many times Wales or the Ospreys are struggling getting through when they attack & up pops Shane's & create holes in defences.

 

[HarryPeters]

Why not call Masaga a freak?

He plays exactly the same as Williams.

 

[BLR]

Why not call Masaga a freak?

He plays exactly the same as Williams.[/b]

Yeah, but Williams is Welsh.

 

[Sir Speedy]

:lol:

 

[cyRil]

Masaga looks an awesome player, but what has he done on the international stage?

 

[Gavin]

Masaga looks an awesome player, but what has he done on the international stage? [/b]

That is like saying what has Shane Williams done on the international stage before he got his first cap. Masaga has yet to win his first cap for an international team, though he did play in the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Cup and was the tournaments top try scorer with 7.

 

[cyRil]

<div class='quotemain'> Masaga looks an awesome player, but what has he done on the international stage? [/b]

That is like saying what has Shane Williams done on the international stage before he got his first cap. Masaga has yet to win his first cap for an international team, though he did play in the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Cup and was the tournaments top try scorer with 7.
[/b][/quote]
Well yes I know, I'm trying to say you can't say how good a player he is yet on a wider stage because he hasn't been tested there.

 

[BLR]

Well yes I know, I'm trying to say you can't say how good a player he is yet on a wider stage because he hasn't been tested there.[/b]

Look at the quality in front of him however....