Full-back meets prop: Cullen v Du Randt
Judging by the reactions we had, cruelty to animals, global warming and North Korea's nuclear testing all tie in at a distant second to the raging debate caused by the original article.
Even in our offices, people are still scowling at one another across desks - let it be known that the choices were by no means unanimous up here either.
But as this is the age both of democracy and internet miracles, we figured we could settle the debate once and for all by throwing the vote open to the global floor.
Here are the "Greats" you voted for:
Full-back: Christian Cullen
Christian Cullen took an overwhelming 60.68 per cent of the vote for the full-back position, scoring more than three times as many votes as Percy Montgomery in second.
Right Wing: Doug Howlett
It was close, it was really close in fact! But in a two-horse race towards the finish line, Doug Howlett beat off fellow countryman Jeff Wilson by a mere 50 votes.
Left wing: Jonah Lomu
It was not close here, as Lomu scored a staggering 2,269 votes (nobody else cracked four figures) to be the third part of an all-New Zealand back three.
Outside centre: Brian O'Driscoll
No surprises here, a O'Driscoll was a country mile ahead of anyone else, taking a whopping 71 per cent of your votes.
Inside centre: Tim Horan
In what became a tightly contested poll for inside centre, Tim Horan (34 per cent) staved off Tana Umaga (31 per cent) to claim our last remaining three-quarter spot.
Fly-half: Dan Carter
The New Zealand magician broke yet another record in winning this spot, becoming the first person to crack the 2,000-vote barrier.
Scrum-half: Joost van der Westhuizen
As expected, scrum-half had opinions divided more than any other position so far. In the end, the South African claimed the number nine jersey with 29 per cent of your votes.
Number eight: Zinzan Brooke
The New Zealand number eight drop goal specialist nabbed over 56 per cent of the vote - no small achievement when put up against Lawrence Dallaglio.
Openside flanker: Richie McCaw
There were so many top-notch candidates, but when it came to the final breakdown, so to speak, there was only one winner.
Blindside flanker: Richard Hill
One of England's most celebrated players and the only player never to be dropped by Clive Woodward. A one-club man, epitomising the real soul of the game
Number five lock: Victor Matfield
In the closest run contest so far, Victor Matfield was given the nod for your second row, beating John Eales by a little more than 100 votes.
Number four lock: Martin Johnson
In what quickly became a one-horse player poll, England's World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson brushed aside Bakkies Botha to line up at four.
Tighthead prop: Carl Hayman
In a two-horse race, Carl Hayman piped Martin Castrogiovanni by just two per cent of your votes to win the tighthead berth.
Hooker: Keith Wood
Uncle Fester just nicked it from Sean Fitzpatrick by the odd 500 votes out of 8,000
Loosehead prop: Os du Randt
The two-time World Cup-winning prop completes your greatest team of rugby's pro era, with the retired South African claiming a landslide victory after collecting over 3,500 votes.
For the record, here's the Planet Rugby XV that started the debate
Comments
cornerflag says...
Trinats, I would like to commend you on your intense ability to spot minute detail and on your fearless ability to expose yourself in the manner you have. Now please leave your sweaty office chair for moment and take a bow, you deserve it.
Oh, sorry, I forgot...like The Bosston suggested, you probably have your thinking part stuck deep inside your non-thinking part and are therefore engaged in a permamnent bow; the meeting of two minds.
You've got my back up because to suggest that PR knows nothing about rugby is like saying Neslte knows nothing about chocolate. If you prefer Cadbury's, go buy it.
If you know anything about rugby, the name Cullen doesn't inspire thoughts of a nr 13, 1, 7 or 28. It shouts FULL BACK !!!.
Ok? Be more constructive or shut up! We're here for the game, not your frustrations.
Thanx.
Posted 13:42 18th November 2009
TheBosston says...
Trinats ...do us all a favour and pull your head out of your rear end. Just because Cullen played centre a few times (like in the photo) anyone with any knowledge of rugby knows he was a full-back - hence being voted as the greatest in this team.
Posted 13:26 18th November 2009
Trinats says...
This is all a big joke, or the PR staff have not got a clue about rugby, evident by the picture accompainig this article -
"Full-back meets prop: Cullen v Du Randt" (Cullen is a center in the picture, No. 13 on his shorts !!!!)
Posted 12:59 18th November 2009
BradMoran says...
1st XV.
1. Os du Randt
2. Sean Fitzpatrick
3. Carl Hayman
4. Martin Johnson
5. John Eales
6. Michael Jones
7. Richie McCaw
8. Zinzan Brooke
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Dan Carter
11. Rupeni Caucaunibuca
12. Tim Horan
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Doug Howlett
15. Christian Cullen
2nd XV.
1. Jason Leonard
2. Keith Wood
3. John Smit
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield
6. Richard Hill
7. Josh Kronfeld
8. George Smith
9. Joost van der Westhuizen
10. Jonny Wilkinson
11. Bryan Habana
12. Tana Umaga
13. Stirling Mortlock
14. Jeff Wilson
15. Matthew Burke
Note: Inclusions such as Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Jones and Zinzan Brooke who were'nt very prominent in the Professional Era are in the side based on the fact that they are perhaps the best players in their positions ever, although Michael Jones is picked out of position to make way for Richie McCaw.
Please tell me what you think of the lineups.
Posted 10:13 16th November 2009
Leek says...
umusi4life
You are obviously an Aussie? AAC and Genia have done nothing to warrant a pick, nor has Robinson, or Andrew HOre, but it was good for a laugh.
Posted 19:12 15th November 2009
umusi4life says...
1.Ben Robinson
2.Andrew Hore
3.Carl Heyman
4.Victor Mattfield
5.John Eals
6.George Smitm
7.Richie Maccaw
8.Toutai Kefu
9.Genia
10.Jonny Wilkinson
11.Brian Habana
12.Tim Horan
13.Brian O'driscol
14.Jona Lomu
15.Adam Ashley Copper
Posted 11:22 14th November 2009
FezJay says...
Any chance we could see the runners up team?
Just so we could compare it to this one.
Cheers
Posted 19:31 12th November 2009
bluelion says...
Bluebach - good point on Gethin Jenkins. Even last week against the AB's he scampered cross field to take down a winger. He is part of the new breed.
tmcadams - how do you figure a 1% difference between Austrlia and rfance meaning Australia should be part of the dominate part of the team and France shouldn't?
cuw31 - You have picked a one dimensional back line. Can only see skip pass from 12 on every play.
ABenzed - obvously works for PR.
Posted 13:28 12th November 2009
nikid40 says...
It's probably just me but i'd love to see a minnow XV. Players like Ohata (top international try scorer), Ngwenya and Al Charron (Canadian captain when they beat Wales in Cardiff).
Only position i have a problem with is Matfield ahead of Eals but i'm willing to be open minded. Pity that Sella and Blanco didnt play in the pro era because they could very well have made the team.
Posted 10:38 12th November 2009
tuco says...
noriega should have been in the poll, really unfair. the johnosn matfield eales subject i think everyone can see planetrugby's intentions very clear... the only one i have a problem with is howlett, he was just good at diving... i reckon he had some great games and ocassional good spells on defense... but the GREATEST OF THE PRO ERA??? very difficult too choose, specially with those positions being switched around very often (11-14-15)... but my vote would have to be for robinson, amazing foot work and power
Posted 20:09 11th November 2009
bluebach says...
While I recognise Os Du's greatness. I was disappointed that Gethin Jenkins was not even an option. In professional terms that man has single handedly re-invented the loose head prop role. The loose head is about more than scrum and carry, he is now, thanks to Gethin, a second 7 who scrums and carries as well! He is now the benchmark, and not many come close in my opinion - only my opinion.
Posted 15:51 11th November 2009
cmonthebay says...
Dukie, why an earth are you saying horan should be excluded, the guy was the best inside centre I have ever seen. He won two world cups and was player of the tournament in 1999 the guy was a legend and if you look at other centers autobiographys he is always there hardest opponent. I am a kiwi and although Umaga was a good player he is nowhere in Horans league.
As for Oliver that guy could never hold his place in the Abs, yes good player but if he were a great he would never have been in and out of the team so often. Michael Jones didnt play one game at 7 in the pro era ?
Posted 11:12 06th November 2009
Dukie says...
The only spots i have concern over would be Horan at 12, Bunce shouldnt have been in that poll which probably would have given Tana enough to get in.
I also have a problem with Hill at 7. Michael Jones clearly could have gone in at 7 considering Bunce, Horan, Brooke, and Fitzpatrick all were in these polls.
Also a lil laughable putting Eales and Matfield in the same poll GIFTING Johnson his spot basically.
I'll list some picks who should have been in the poll's.
Anton Oliver, Hooker far more "pro era" than Fitzpatrick
Rodney Soalio hes played a TONNE of games for nz at Flanker and 8
Muliania ummmm the guys played 90+ games for nz as a Centre/Fullback.
Horan, Bunce, Zinzan, Fitzpatrick, all probably should have been excluded maybe Horan the exception, because all youve done now is open up the debate why arent all other players in that generation available, like Michael Jones, Ian Jones etc
Posted 13:49 05th November 2009
ABenzed says...
Congratulations Planet Rugby on this World XV poll.... it is great that each and everyone has an opinion on who should be in team, there will always be parochial choices depending on where people live. And this poll is no different.
Well done !!
Posted 18:53 02nd November 2009
BradS says...
It depends what kind of team you're looking for. If you purely want entertainment you may opt for players like Larkham and Michalak over Wilkinson, but if you're only concerned with winning anyway possible, then Wilkinson is probably the best choice.
Posted 13:22 02nd November 2009
slick says...
Dear PR - Any chance of a "the most ineffective rugby administrator of the professional era" poll? - I would like to nominate Rob Andrew who leads like he used to tackle on the pitch, i.e. he doesn't.........
Posted 12:13 29th October 2009
tmcadams says...
Why do so many of you vote and then whinge because you the player you wanted is not selected? If you don't like the rules then don't play. I am half Irish / half English and I except that only two players should be in the XV so far: O'Driscoll and Johnson.
As far as there being too many AB's, because clearly that hugely populated country of New Zealand (4 million) are voting more than the SA, Aussies, English, think about one statistic.
Since the professional era the winning percentage against all other nations to 2 sig figs is:
New Zealand 81%
South Africa 66%
Australia 65%
France 64%
England 63%
Ireland 56%
When you consider that the tri-nation teams have the highest winning percentages and they play each other far more than the weaker teams (For example: Italy and Scotland) then clearly the world XV should be dominated by New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.
Posted 11:54 29th October 2009
Dukie says...
Why couldn't Somerville have gone up for Loosehead, he played both.
Now I got to pick Hayman over Somerville, and no Somerville at loosehead.
Also I'm glad we got Johnson in, we got a 4 page write up to go along with his inclusion and about half that for ALL other players so far.
Posted 20:26 28th October 2009
Neef says...
I read all the different opinions here and I must admit, for the most part everybody's got a point.
I wonder how many NZ fans would have liked Sean "Cheater/Moaner" Fitzpatrick if he had played for another team?
Just take a look at youtube video of the panel of ex-players discussing great world cup captains. Look at the others' reaction (extremely diplomatic in my book) when Zinzan nominated Moaner.
I'd have a little respect for Cheater if he could have taken what he dished out but he couldn't.
All he did was bring soccer's theatrics into rugby.
Posted 19:54 27th October 2009
CODEHEAD says...
1.Os du Randt (SA) 2.Sean Fitzpatrick (NZ) (Captain) 3.Carl Hayman (NZ) 4.Martin Johnson (ENG) 5.John Eales (AUS) 6.Richard Hill (ENG) 7.Richie McCaw (NZ) 8.Zinzan Brooke (NZ) 9.George Gregan (AUS) 10.Dan Carter (NZ) 11.Bryan Habana (SA) 12.Tim Horan (AUS) 13.Tana Umaga (NZ) 14.Jeff Wilson (NZ) 15.Christian Cullen (NZ) 16.Keith Wood (IRE) 17.Jason Leonard (ENG) 18.Victor Matfeild (SA) 19.George Smith (AUS) 20.Joost vav der Whesthuizen (SA) 21.Stephen Larkham (AUS) 22.Chris Latham (AUS). Now this side would be near on unbeatable oozing with world class!!!
Posted 05:20 27th October 2009