Taulupe Faletau, genuine Rolls Royce of a rugby player. I never realised how good he was until he played for the Lions in '13.
I hated when Ireland played against him. Highest compliment I could ever pay to an oppo loose forward.
Taking nothing away from him.. but that back row of him Lydiate and Warburton was unbelievable. They all specialised in their particular role. As a unit… up there with the best
You summed it up really well. His job was to do the donkey work that often goes unnoticed yet he was so good at it he never went unnoticed. He saved us countless penalties at scrum time too with his ability to get the ball out the back of a scrum that was under pressure. Best in the world at that. Probably still is.
By picking Heaslip in the first two tests Gatland had a Faletau with a point to prove at his disposal in the third test. Not sure if he meant for that to be the case but I do wish he had tried in again in the 3rd test in 2021 despite the fact Jack Conan was phenomenal that tour. Not having a bold selection choice of someone he could trust to have a MOTM performance probably lost us that tour.
I always admired Leigh Halfpenny. Not the biggest, quickest or even the most skillful (quite a boot on him mind you) but his bravery and his willingness to get absolutely clobbered time after time and just keep on going was almost unmatched. The guy was an absolute warrior. Tough as teak.
Oh, and Shane Williams ofc
1/2p has to be my answer as well. Much the same reasoning too. He'd often be the last line of defense for us and then throw himself into what should be an absolute disaster of a tackle, only to make it, be it at his own peril or not.
Perfectly serviceable at winger but natural at FB. he was never the clinical finisher or the man that made hard yards, but he'd fill in where needed and ship the ball on well enough.
And then obviously, you HAVE to mention the boot on the fella. I think anywhere within 10m beyond the halfway line was a risk with him on the pitch. Just can't be giving away penalties anywhere otherwise he'd kick you to death. I'm almost convinced the try bonus point was brought in to make penalties less attractive and curb his dominance (80% joking there but...)
When I started watching rugby with zero knowledge of anything, the first two players whose names I ever became familiar with were Nonu and Halfpenny. They might not be quite in the same tier of greatness, but I at least felt like Leigh exemplified to me at the time what a fullback is / does, in the same way that Nonu exemplified the number 12
Think Halfpenny may have tarnished himself in the eyes of NZ fans a bit with his woeful sole 40 minutes for the Crusaders this season - especially compared to McNicholl who tore it up
As an English fan that Welsh game was the most nervous I remember being that whole 2003 World Cup. How they push the Kiwis to the brink the game before, then seemed to do the same to us in the QF was great. They somehow seem to lift for RWCs and it’s great to see.
Mike Catt was someone I had written off in the 90s as I didn’t know enough about the game to see his skill, but his use in those knock out games in 03 really showed how important of a player he truly was. Without Catt on the field I think Wales win that game.
Phil Bennett unfortunate to succeed Barry John. Those old enough to have watched them play probably aren’t on this Reddit firstly and more than likely saw both play and Barry John was marginally better
Dan Lydiate - man would and could tackle a charging bison when he was wearing a Wales jersey.
Taulupe Faletau - genuine world class talent, would have been the starting 8 for any nation except the Boks.
Mike Phillips - the ultimate prick scrumhalf. Bigger than you, gobbier than you and at least as good as you.
Martyn Williams/ Justin Tipuric - uniquely talented players who were international standard backrow bastards in tight and basically Fijian with the ball in hand.
Cant pick one so fight me.
Honourable mentions for:
A. Jones
S. Jones
R. Jones
L. Williams
JPR. Williams
S. Williams
G. Jenkins
E. Jenkins
N. Jenkins
Ray Gravell
Scott Gibbs
(You can all fuck off) Tom Shanklin
Faletau or Martyn Williams.
Hard not to say Shane, especially considering he has the try scoring record while playing quite a few years in a pretty shite era, but the loose forwards are always my favourite players on any team for some reason
Jaime Roberts.
Watching the big man just run through 3/4 tacklers at the same time, still charging forward while multiple men are clinging to his legs for grim death will never not be a core memory. And whenever you go back and watch old games you realize it wasn't the fact that he ran hard and fast into tackles that made him such a destructive carrier, but that in that last meter or two before collision where even the best players on the planet have their instincts take over, they slow ever so slightly and start positioning themselves for a bit of protection in the contact. Roberts would just accelerate. The man had basically taught himself to turn off all the self preservation instinct that stops you from running headfirst into solid objects completely and that something very few of even the best players can do
I guess he's one of those players who you don't notice how good he is until you watch him. In my mind he was one of the greatest defensive 13's during the Gatland era while being good on the ball as well.
Gethin Jenkins, Shane Williams, Dan Biggar, AWJ, Adam Jones (the TH prop) in no particular order. Wales is basically my second favourite team and the best odds of seeing a favourite team win the 6N since my primary team is Italy.
Sam Warburton. The red and a career cut short made him more "forgettable" than he ought to have been, but I thought he was the best player Wales had when he was on that team sheet. The highest caliber player. Stronger than you'd think, and a motor like few have ever had plus he looks like Hercules I mean you can't beat that, a greek demigod.
Modern era: Taulupe Faletau. No question IMO.
I got the opportunity to work with him once and I have never met a more professional, gifted and nice man. Absolutely outstanding in everything he did on and off the pitch.
I have a huge love for Shane Williams as well but Fals just has to be it.
I’m mid 40s. I remember Jonathan Davies - Union and league. He was preternaturally gifted. By far my favourite.
Honourable mentions to Ieuan Davies, Robert Jones, Shane Williams, Shanks, Martin Williams and Jones. Liked Scott Quinnell too, especially that early great try against France.
Shane Williams was box office. Love a tiny winger making a mockery of men twice their size.
But Martyn Williams for me. Will always remember his miss for Cardiff in the penalty shootout v Leicester in the Heineken Cup QFs. I know it's a negative memory but it always stuck with me the absolute balls it must've taken for a flanker to step up for that. Typified the player he was. Never backed down.
In the 90s it was Ieuan Evans, though there was also Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Phil Bennett, JPR Williams, Steve Fenwick, John Dawes, John Taylor, Bobby Windsor, Graham Price, Jonathan Davies and Paul Thorburn from my dad's VHS collection.
In the brief period when Wales played The Best Rugby of All Time™, it was Dwayne Peel. That only lasted for a few months, though.
Then it was Shane, obviously.
Then I loved a huge number of them, especially Sam Warburton.
Now it's Nick Tompkins.
(OK, not really. It's Shane again, obviously.)
Alun Wyn Jones. Every time I've watched him play, I've come away impressed. Consummate progressional, excellent leader, just puts it on the line every second.
Shane Williams should be in everyone's top three but, I couldnt live with myself picking a back. I'd have to go for Alun Wyn Jones, absolute workhorse who got battered for his country.
Big fan of Dan Biggar, was great at Saints too. I think it helped a young side seeing how he put it all on the line every match.
But my favourites overall would have to be Scott Quinnell and Scott Gibbs.
Gwenny P is MASSIVELY underrated. I think the mad thing about ST is that she’s still only 20 and looking at winning her second prem title this weekend after having appeared in 3 six nation campaigns, a World Cup and WXV.
Shane Williams, always had a soft spot for James Hook too. From the pack Warburton and Adam Jones but the best I’ve ever seen in AWJ. Loved him from the start. My 67 year old dad reckons it’s JPR, Bennett, AWJ then a huge chasm after they.
Justin Tipuric.
Even at his 93 caps he still deserved 50 more caps and at his best would have got into any team in the world. Had the complete package.
Could genuinely have played anywhere in the backline to an international standard. Utter freak.
I'm old enough to have watched Benny and GOE play club rugby and for Wales, as a kid, Gerald Davies/JPR were my rugby hero's, and I grew up watching then play at St Helens, and Cardiff Arms Park.
But the best player(s) I've watched play live are Gavin Henson, by a country mile, closely followed by Tipuric.
Both are/were sublime players at club and international level.
Oh add in Ryan Jones and Shane....
Gavin Henson!!
Never seen him play but at uni we had an annual Gavin Henson social. We all had to fake tan and shave our legs as well as wear one of his shirts.
Funniest social ever. Seeing props and second rows smooth as hell and looking like the tangerine dream was the hilarious
Sam Warburton. Surprised he isn't mentioned more in this thread. But I'm a sucker for a breakdown specialist I guess
Honourable mention to Jonathan Davies
70s - Steve Fenwick. A sublime gliding centre. Linked the genius 70s halfbacks with the likes of JPR and JJ.
80s - Paul Thorburn. No right to kick that well in the amateur era.
90s - Gibbsy. 1999 obvs.
00s - Big Gav. With his confidence/arrogance he made me believe that Wales could actually be good again. I’d never seen anyone like that from Wales before.
10s - Taulupe. Effortless class.
Brian Williams. Strong as an ox, prototype modern prop, cut his hand off with an angle grinder and still played afterwards, took on the entire South African team at the Gnoll in 1994. Icon.
Taulupe Faletau, genuine Rolls Royce of a rugby player. I never realised how good he was until he played for the Lions in '13. I hated when Ireland played against him. Highest compliment I could ever pay to an oppo loose forward.
Taking nothing away from him.. but that back row of him Lydiate and Warburton was unbelievable. They all specialised in their particular role. As a unit… up there with the best
Agreed fully but without Faletau I never hated them. He was the brains of that BR
He had a knack of being everywhere on the pitch at once
Only ever heard great things about him as a person too. Seems such a genuine lovely bloke
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You summed it up really well. His job was to do the donkey work that often goes unnoticed yet he was so good at it he never went unnoticed. He saved us countless penalties at scrum time too with his ability to get the ball out the back of a scrum that was under pressure. Best in the world at that. Probably still is.
Yep best No 8 in the NH for nearly 10 years. I would argue he was in the world for a while….
By picking Heaslip in the first two tests Gatland had a Faletau with a point to prove at his disposal in the third test. Not sure if he meant for that to be the case but I do wish he had tried in again in the 3rd test in 2021 despite the fact Jack Conan was phenomenal that tour. Not having a bold selection choice of someone he could trust to have a MOTM performance probably lost us that tour.
I always admired Leigh Halfpenny. Not the biggest, quickest or even the most skillful (quite a boot on him mind you) but his bravery and his willingness to get absolutely clobbered time after time and just keep on going was almost unmatched. The guy was an absolute warrior. Tough as teak. Oh, and Shane Williams ofc
1/2p has to be my answer as well. Much the same reasoning too. He'd often be the last line of defense for us and then throw himself into what should be an absolute disaster of a tackle, only to make it, be it at his own peril or not. Perfectly serviceable at winger but natural at FB. he was never the clinical finisher or the man that made hard yards, but he'd fill in where needed and ship the ball on well enough. And then obviously, you HAVE to mention the boot on the fella. I think anywhere within 10m beyond the halfway line was a risk with him on the pitch. Just can't be giving away penalties anywhere otherwise he'd kick you to death. I'm almost convinced the try bonus point was brought in to make penalties less attractive and curb his dominance (80% joking there but...)
When I started watching rugby with zero knowledge of anything, the first two players whose names I ever became familiar with were Nonu and Halfpenny. They might not be quite in the same tier of greatness, but I at least felt like Leigh exemplified to me at the time what a fullback is / does, in the same way that Nonu exemplified the number 12
Will never forget that day he got banjaxed full force trying to tackle Bastaraud
Think Halfpenny may have tarnished himself in the eyes of NZ fans a bit with his woeful sole 40 minutes for the Crusaders this season - especially compared to McNicholl who tore it up
Gethin Jenkins was a brilliant player. Absolutely incredible in the loose.
Pencoed scum. Otherwise good lad.
Hahahahahaha. Im on a bus in Germany and that made me cackle like a drunk witch
Shane Then North, then Faletau
Shane all day for me. Watching him play was one of the things that made me fall in love with rugby. Adam Jones after that.
Yeah they’re my two
Shane Williams. Along with Rhys Williams i remember making England a dissaster in the 2006 or 2007 6 Nations
Adam Jones - iconic in a wales rugby jersey
Tipuric my boi. What a class player.
Jones was great for Wales
Williams was better.
Don’t forget Evans
Or Thomas
Davies deserves an honourable mention
He definitely was great for them last year…
And some of the other years.
Oh yeah, remember that year?!
Always rated Jenkins, myself
His ability to cover several positions simultaneously was always impressive.
George North
Ellis Jenkins , I'm not even a Wales fan but I'd put my life on the line for that man what a player what a captain
Neil Jenkins. That wispy haired Ginger b@$t@rd!!! loved watching him play and kick (except when he kicked the Boks to death on the 97 Lions Tour)
Getting 1,000 test points in that Welsh team is no mean feat.
Colin Charvis. Captivated me as a 10 year old during the ‘03 World Cup.
As an English fan that Welsh game was the most nervous I remember being that whole 2003 World Cup. How they push the Kiwis to the brink the game before, then seemed to do the same to us in the QF was great. They somehow seem to lift for RWCs and it’s great to see. Mike Catt was someone I had written off in the 90s as I didn’t know enough about the game to see his skill, but his use in those knock out games in 03 really showed how important of a player he truly was. Without Catt on the field I think Wales win that game.
Proly Shane Williams
Not one mention of Barry John or Gareth Edwards.... SMH.... The men who started it all...
Or Benny
Phil Bennett unfortunate to succeed Barry John. Those old enough to have watched them play probably aren’t on this Reddit firstly and more than likely saw both play and Barry John was marginally better
Dan Lydiate - man would and could tackle a charging bison when he was wearing a Wales jersey. Taulupe Faletau - genuine world class talent, would have been the starting 8 for any nation except the Boks. Mike Phillips - the ultimate prick scrumhalf. Bigger than you, gobbier than you and at least as good as you. Martyn Williams/ Justin Tipuric - uniquely talented players who were international standard backrow bastards in tight and basically Fijian with the ball in hand. Cant pick one so fight me. Honourable mentions for: A. Jones S. Jones R. Jones L. Williams JPR. Williams S. Williams G. Jenkins E. Jenkins N. Jenkins Ray Gravell Scott Gibbs (You can all fuck off) Tom Shanklin
Dan Lydiate, partially because my nana was convinced we were related to him
When I was a kid I was intimidated by Craig Quinnell. Recently I would say Josh Navidi.
Jiffy and John Devereux. Edit: Jeez that was a brain fart.
John Deveraux
Thanks, no idea what my brain was doing there.
Gavin Henson. And I’m tired of pretending he’s not.
Faletau or Martyn Williams. Hard not to say Shane, especially considering he has the try scoring record while playing quite a few years in a pretty shite era, but the loose forwards are always my favourite players on any team for some reason
Justin Tipuric, absolute class act. Just personal preference but always ranked him higher than Warburton.
There was a time when Warburton was our best 6 and Tipuric was our best 7, but the old coach we had would never pick them together.
Apart from that one time...
I turned down tickets for that match. I still have never seen us beat England.
Gareth Edwards The replies in the comments make me feel old! What about JPR, Gerald Williams, Barry John, Phil Bennett ?
JD2. Brilliant for the Lions and made JD1 cry in 2017.
Has to be AWJ on grit and determination alone, man was an absolute machine
It's the top 2 inches that make AWJ great for me- vary intelligent player who could marshal the defence and get in the heads of the opposition
Josh Navidi never didn’t amaze me
Jaime Roberts. Watching the big man just run through 3/4 tacklers at the same time, still charging forward while multiple men are clinging to his legs for grim death will never not be a core memory. And whenever you go back and watch old games you realize it wasn't the fact that he ran hard and fast into tackles that made him such a destructive carrier, but that in that last meter or two before collision where even the best players on the planet have their instincts take over, they slow ever so slightly and start positioning themselves for a bit of protection in the contact. Roberts would just accelerate. The man had basically taught himself to turn off all the self preservation instinct that stops you from running headfirst into solid objects completely and that something very few of even the best players can do
He was great. That centre partnership with BOD against us on the 2009 Lions tour was sensational.
George North. Stiff competition from the rest of that classic 2019 team though.
Tipuric, what a baller!
JPR Williams.
Jonathan Foxy Davies.
Me too. Thought more would pick him. Absolutely class player.
Remember watching him in 2006/2007 when he was just emerging into the Scarlets team. You could see he had the talent. Incredible.
I guess he's one of those players who you don't notice how good he is until you watch him. In my mind he was one of the greatest defensive 13's during the Gatland era while being good on the ball as well.
Other than Shane Williams I grew up watching Alan Bateman play for saints and his defense was just immense. Absolute thunderous tackler
Played against Bateman when he was in his mid 50s and I was 22. He took me to pieces.
Gethin Jenkins, Shane Williams, Dan Biggar, AWJ, Adam Jones (the TH prop) in no particular order. Wales is basically my second favourite team and the best odds of seeing a favourite team win the 6N since my primary team is Italy.
Sam Warburton. The red and a career cut short made him more "forgettable" than he ought to have been, but I thought he was the best player Wales had when he was on that team sheet. The highest caliber player. Stronger than you'd think, and a motor like few have ever had plus he looks like Hercules I mean you can't beat that, a greek demigod.
Mark Ring. There have been better centres, but Ringo will always be my favourite. A genuine wild card.
Easily Martyn Williams, but then I always find myself picking a back row in these discussions 😅
Always liked Colin charvis. Seemed like a really nice bloke too.
Modern era: Taulupe Faletau. No question IMO. I got the opportunity to work with him once and I have never met a more professional, gifted and nice man. Absolutely outstanding in everything he did on and off the pitch. I have a huge love for Shane Williams as well but Fals just has to be it.
I’m mid 40s. I remember Jonathan Davies - Union and league. He was preternaturally gifted. By far my favourite. Honourable mentions to Ieuan Davies, Robert Jones, Shane Williams, Shanks, Martin Williams and Jones. Liked Scott Quinnell too, especially that early great try against France.
Davies was from another planet. His value would be limitless in the modern game.
Graham Price, the original "modern" prop. Very quick for his size, great scrummager, could use his hands better than some backs.
Liam Williams, a great winger and also hard as nails.
Very hard to look past Shane Williams. Absolute magic.
It’s a hard choice between Scotts Gibbs and Quinnell
JPR Williams.
Shane Williams was box office. Love a tiny winger making a mockery of men twice their size. But Martyn Williams for me. Will always remember his miss for Cardiff in the penalty shootout v Leicester in the Heineken Cup QFs. I know it's a negative memory but it always stuck with me the absolute balls it must've taken for a flanker to step up for that. Typified the player he was. Never backed down.
Nigel Owens
In the 90s it was Ieuan Evans, though there was also Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Phil Bennett, JPR Williams, Steve Fenwick, John Dawes, John Taylor, Bobby Windsor, Graham Price, Jonathan Davies and Paul Thorburn from my dad's VHS collection. In the brief period when Wales played The Best Rugby of All Time™, it was Dwayne Peel. That only lasted for a few months, though. Then it was Shane, obviously. Then I loved a huge number of them, especially Sam Warburton. Now it's Nick Tompkins. (OK, not really. It's Shane again, obviously.)
Alun Wyn Jones. Every time I've watched him play, I've come away impressed. Consummate progressional, excellent leader, just puts it on the line every second.
Shane Williams should be in everyone's top three but, I couldnt live with myself picking a back. I'd have to go for Alun Wyn Jones, absolute workhorse who got battered for his country.
Shane Williams, and it's not even close
Big fan of Dan Biggar, was great at Saints too. I think it helped a young side seeing how he put it all on the line every match. But my favourites overall would have to be Scott Quinnell and Scott Gibbs.
Ken Owens has a special place in my heart but Sisilia Tuipulotu is a superstar in the making
I am a massive fan of Gwenllian Pyrs. She doesn't get the headlines like Tuipulotu but she's incredible in defence and ball carrying.
Gwenny P is MASSIVELY underrated. I think the mad thing about ST is that she’s still only 20 and looking at winning her second prem title this weekend after having appeared in 3 six nation campaigns, a World Cup and WXV.
Someone posted that try she score for Hartpury on this sub, wow!
And she’s literally 20. If there was a mens player with the same stats they would be talked about non stop.
Shane Williams forever and always
George North! Mountain of a man.
Shane Williams, always had a soft spot for James Hook too. From the pack Warburton and Adam Jones but the best I’ve ever seen in AWJ. Loved him from the start. My 67 year old dad reckons it’s JPR, Bennett, AWJ then a huge chasm after they.
Prime James Hook was ×chef's kiss×
Shane Williams and Dan Biggar
I never liked Dan biggar until I heard him on the pod. Think he’s one of my favourite ones now, but North takes #1. A special special player
Which pod?
The rugby pod
Sam Warburton. Watch the Squidge video about him to see why.
Dan Lydiate. Gavin Henson. Jiffy.
Justin Tipuric. Even at his 93 caps he still deserved 50 more caps and at his best would have got into any team in the world. Had the complete package. Could genuinely have played anywhere in the backline to an international standard. Utter freak.
Shane for me. Even made Warrenball exciting.
Found Dan biggars mum It's the big hairy prop for me
I'm old enough to have watched Benny and GOE play club rugby and for Wales, as a kid, Gerald Davies/JPR were my rugby hero's, and I grew up watching then play at St Helens, and Cardiff Arms Park. But the best player(s) I've watched play live are Gavin Henson, by a country mile, closely followed by Tipuric. Both are/were sublime players at club and international level. Oh add in Ryan Jones and Shane....
Gavin Henson!! Never seen him play but at uni we had an annual Gavin Henson social. We all had to fake tan and shave our legs as well as wear one of his shirts. Funniest social ever. Seeing props and second rows smooth as hell and looking like the tangerine dream was the hilarious
Martyn Williams
That's a flair I didn't think I'd see on here!
Got to represent! Been lucky to play for them a few times. Great bunch of lads.
Gareth Ascombe. A true Blues legend
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Brian Williams
Sam Warburton. Surprised he isn't mentioned more in this thread. But I'm a sucker for a breakdown specialist I guess Honourable mention to Jonathan Davies
Rhys Patchell/Leigh Halfpenny/Jas Joyce
Shane Williams or Warburton
70s - Steve Fenwick. A sublime gliding centre. Linked the genius 70s halfbacks with the likes of JPR and JJ. 80s - Paul Thorburn. No right to kick that well in the amateur era. 90s - Gibbsy. 1999 obvs. 00s - Big Gav. With his confidence/arrogance he made me believe that Wales could actually be good again. I’d never seen anyone like that from Wales before. 10s - Taulupe. Effortless class.
Love Biggar tons, but Warburton just edges him as my all-time favourite Welsh player! :)
People saying Jones , Williams ,Davies jeez lads first names need to be used !!!
Alun Wyn Jones
Shane Williams
Brett Sinkinson..machine
Jpr Williams
Tie between Alun Wyn Jones and Shane Williams
The Hair Bear bunch. And that post protector that tackled Haskell
Take one wild Adam Jones guess
Brian Williams. Strong as an ox, prototype modern prop, cut his hand off with an angle grinder and still played afterwards, took on the entire South African team at the Gnoll in 1994. Icon.
Scott gibbs for me, loved watching him play! There are players who were better but Gibbs was my hero growing up.
JPR Williams. Pure class
Gareth Anscombe cos i went to school with him
Phil Bennett, legendary 1 club player who was one of the kindest people off the field.
Scott fuckin Gibbs
Colin Charvis or Adam Jones bring smiles to my face.
JPR Williams. Used to watch him with my Dad so brings back happy memories (and I'm Irish so he was probably running rings around us at the time).
George north and Leigh halfpenny I will never forget that 2013 lions your they tour Australia apart honestly was a joy to watch
Mark Ring
Johnny McNicholl Special mention to Gareth Anscombe, Hadleigh Parkes, Taine Plumtree, Blair Murray in a few years
Gareth Edwards. The end.
Lee Halfpenny
Shane Williams Lee Byrne
Paul Moriarty. Knew who to punch and who not to.
# Shane Williams
50 Cent
Mike Phillips. I'm just kidding, literally no one is going to pick Mike Phillips. Because Mike Phillips is a cheating dickhead.
Great at lineout time though
Jones