psychic duck
International
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- Mar 7, 2011
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In a review series of the season passed I look at the top most impressive and least impressive players of the season. First up Magners League strugglers Aironi who despite an awful first 4 months, were only losing by small margins at the end of the season and indeed nearly beat Leinster and the Ospreys.
Tops:
Gareth Krause
The former captain of the Griquas side in the Currie Cup, Krause worked hard all season and was heralded by Aironi director of rugby Franco Tonni as "one of the best foreigners to play in Italy in the last 5 years". Has now retired before next season, and has been replaced by Frans Viljoen, who a respected member on this forum has described as "not the flashiest but he certainly adds that grunt every team needs". If Stormer2010 is right then hopefully for Aironi Viljoen will not weaken their side for next season.
Nick Williams
Munster fans could be forgiven for thinking that he was a big fat lumberingnumber 8 and a walking injury. But he played the most minutes of any player for Aironi this season and was the leading try scorer. He's used his hulking presence a lot more effectively at ruck time than he did for Munster as well.
Alberto de Marchi
In competition with Salvatore Perugini and MatÃas Agüero, de Marchi has held his own and contributed well to the Aironi scrum which was probably Aironi's strong point. de Marchi has deservedly received a call up for the Italy World Cup provisional squad.
Flops:
Ludovic Mercier
Was rated highly at Kingsholm a few years back, but at 34 he looked past it with Aironi, as a kicking fly half, when his goal kicking went to shreds he was totally useless, and awful in defense (I remember Jonathan Davies running through him several times in one match). His contract was terminated early in November.
Jaco Erasmus
Not sure what exactly he did, he seemed to have Jonathan Thomas disease, too weak to be a back rower and too small to be a lock, a regular in the side that got thrashed by 40 points every match in the beginning of the season. Has been moved on for next season.
Danwel Demas
To be fair he didn't get many opportunities to do much attacking, and scored a couple of tries late season, but I still have memories of him playing full back against Bath in the HCup and costing two tries through poor defense and some dire kicking. He had his moments, and for a neutral was fun to watch but looked more suited to Sevens in my opinion. He's returned to South Africa (Boland) next season.
Gareth Krause
The former captain of the Griquas side in the Currie Cup, Krause worked hard all season and was heralded by Aironi director of rugby Franco Tonni as "one of the best foreigners to play in Italy in the last 5 years". Has now retired before next season, and has been replaced by Frans Viljoen, who a respected member on this forum has described as "not the flashiest but he certainly adds that grunt every team needs". If Stormer2010 is right then hopefully for Aironi Viljoen will not weaken their side for next season.
Nick Williams
Munster fans could be forgiven for thinking that he was a big fat lumberingnumber 8 and a walking injury. But he played the most minutes of any player for Aironi this season and was the leading try scorer. He's used his hulking presence a lot more effectively at ruck time than he did for Munster as well.
Alberto de Marchi
In competition with Salvatore Perugini and MatÃas Agüero, de Marchi has held his own and contributed well to the Aironi scrum which was probably Aironi's strong point. de Marchi has deservedly received a call up for the Italy World Cup provisional squad.
Was rated highly at Kingsholm a few years back, but at 34 he looked past it with Aironi, as a kicking fly half, when his goal kicking went to shreds he was totally useless, and awful in defense (I remember Jonathan Davies running through him several times in one match). His contract was terminated early in November.
Jaco Erasmus
Not sure what exactly he did, he seemed to have Jonathan Thomas disease, too weak to be a back rower and too small to be a lock, a regular in the side that got thrashed by 40 points every match in the beginning of the season. Has been moved on for next season.
Danwel Demas
To be fair he didn't get many opportunities to do much attacking, and scored a couple of tries late season, but I still have memories of him playing full back against Bath in the HCup and costing two tries through poor defense and some dire kicking. He had his moments, and for a neutral was fun to watch but looked more suited to Sevens in my opinion. He's returned to South Africa (Boland) next season.
