Who are Taranaki’s best players ever?
OPINION: It’s not bad when you have 4.5 million registered rugby players in the world and Taranaki’s Beauden Barrett is the best of them for a second year running.
The high profile selection panel of George Gregan, John Smit, Maggie Alphonsi, Clive Woodward, Brian O’Driscoll, Augustin Pichot, Fabien Galthie’ and Richie McCaw also chose Clifton’s Michaela Blyde as the women’s sevens player of the year.
This is another Taranaki family with little droplets of blood shaped as rugby balls running through the veins. Mum Cherie was a Black Fern and the twin boys Liam and Cole are potential Taranaki representative players.
It would be interesting to imagine how many Taranaki players could have been World Player of the Year if the awards had started in 1952 instead of 2002.
In 1984 Dave Loveridge travelled to London and was presented with the Jack Marshall Award as the best player on the planet, an award selected by rugby writers from all over the globe.
All Blacks captain Graham Mourie is in the IRB Hall of Fame and would have no doubt been in the frame for player of the year on a number of occasions, while there were others who were quality All Blacks including Ross Brown, such a talent that he could play several positions at international level, and Jazz Muller who has an outstanding record at prop.
The big question is who is the best ever rugby player born in Taranaki and playing since the 1950s? Are Barrett, Loveridge, Mourie, Brown and Muller our best five?
There have been a number of talented front rowers. Bull Allen, Gordon Slater, and John Major standout while flanker Alistair Scown had the pace and physique to make a big impression if he was playing in the professional arena of today.
Kieran Crowley was a standout at fullback while the 1960s provided Terry O’Sullivan, Neil Wolfe and Kevin Briscoe as just a few of the exciting players of that era. Who is your choice? While you are thinking about that here is a discussion topic for Christmas functions. Which Taranaki born players, who were not All Blacks, and played from the 1950s onwards, would make up a best XV in amber and black?
This exercise will necessitate a trial to be held at Stratford with Roy Lithgow refereeing.
Amber: Stephen Davidson (Stratford), Kerry Hurley (Okato), Paul Whareoka (Hawera), Kerry Eynon (Clifton),Dwight Murfitt (Tukapa), Bill Cameron (Eltham), Alan Crowley (Coastal), Bevan Grant (Okato), Nig PakiPaki (Stratford), Andrew Slater (NPOB), Lindsay Thomson (Tukapa), Kevin Barrett (Coastal), Ross Elmes (Inglewood), Shane McDonald (Stratford), Ian McDonald (Stratford).
Black: Daryl Lilley (NPOB), Tony Arnold (Eltham), Kevin Jones (Spotswood), Charlie McAlister (Clifton), Dave Vesty (Stratford), Paul Martin (Clifton), Brendan Haami (Stratford), Colin Cooper (Clifton), Neil Crowley (Kaponga), Richie Coles (Stratford), John Thwaites (Waimate), Paul Tito (NPOB), Bryce McEldowney (Okato), Felix O’Carroll (Clifton), Tony Penn (Tukapa).
Reserves: Ralph Carroll (Stratford), Warren Bunn (Inglewood), Lyall Bunn (Inglewood), Scott Lines (NPOB), John Mackie (Inglewood), Ray Wishnowsky (Hawera), Richard Te Ngahue (Hawera), Gavin Wetton (Clifton), Grant Patterson (Tukapa), Brian Quinn (Opunake), Jim Irving (Stratford Old Boys), Dean Magon (NPOB), Lloyd Clarke (Stratford), Mark Urwin (NPOB).
If I’ve missed out your favourite player just bring him to the trial.