Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Master of none
By The Fezboys
July 30 2012
This is the first in a series - in no particular order of prefernce - of the Top 10 in a long line of non-English players who came, saw and took home a lot of money for not a lot of work. In the professional era thare have been many, including former All Black second row Chris Jack.
Name: Chris Jack
International Caps: 67, New Zealand
Joined from: Canterbury Crusaders
Time at Sarries: 2007 to 2009
Appearances: 35
Points: 15
Famous for: Being NZ player of the season in 2002 and a regular fixture in the All Blacks team, as well as being regarded by many as the best second row in the world.
Hype: Alan Gaffney said on his move to Saracens:"We have signed a world class player in the prime of his career. Chris is one of the best players in his position in the world and is an integral part of the All Blacks side which has led the way in world rugby in recent seasons. He is an outstanding player."
Reality: Played most of his time at Sarries at 6, thanks to Eddie Jones’s fixation with trying everyone in that position. Think Andy Farrell and you get the picture. It didn’t work. Neither did Jack who lolloped around Premiership grounds as if it were a school third team match and, in the long-standing, professional-era Sarries tradition, just took the money.
Most memorable Sarries moment: Er, um, moving on swiftly to….
What happened next: Jack told the world, after leaving the club to go back to NZ, that northern hemisphere rugby is “easy”, much to the annoyance of Telegraph rugby writer Mick Cleary and the rest of us. The Cleary piece can be found via the link here:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mickcleary/9970817/Good_riddance_to_Chris_Jack/
Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: TheSaracens.com (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 14:36
The Fezboys have been busy during the close season!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012:07:31:16:13:24 by TonyTaff.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012:07:31:16:13:24 by TonyTaff.
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: matabass (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 14:42
Well, he may have had a point considering that pretty much all of the best players in the world play in the southern hemisphere.
"One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane." (Nikola Tesla)
"One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane." (Nikola Tesla)
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: TOKS (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 15:10
Chris Jack was just a disastrously unprincipled individual, simple as that. Nothing to do with being a NZer, white, rugby player etc. He was just one of those people who turned up, contributed nothing, took his money and left.
I'm already fairly sure who else this series is going to focus on! And it will be very multi-cultural and not at all stereotypical!
I'm already fairly sure who else this series is going to focus on! And it will be very multi-cultural and not at all stereotypical!
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: Convex Hull (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 16:08
I recall Gaffney (who was a very good manager in other respects) announcing, after a particularly dire performance, that the rest of team just weren't good enough to understand how Jack played.
I also remember an excruciating Sarries TV interview - where he confirmed my worst fears of what a complete c**k he was.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
I also remember an excruciating Sarries TV interview - where he confirmed my worst fears of what a complete c**k he was.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: JO'G (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 17:40
Quote:Convex Hull
I also remember an excruciating Sarries TV interview - where he confirmed my worst fears of what a complete c**k he was.
however in that department -- he is by no means the largest male Rhode Island Red
somehow I think a certain Welshman tops that poll
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: Witham Nobby (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 18:23
Quote:jeremy ogaribaldiQuote:Convex Hull
I also remember an excruciating Sarries TV interview - where he confirmed my worst fears of what a complete c**k he was.
however in that department -- he is by no means the largest male Rhode Island Red
somehow I think a certain Welshman tops that poll
At the risk of pre-empting the authors, Jannie De Beer must figure in this list. A one-trick, three legged pony.
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: Convex Hull (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 19:36
It was something along the lines of 'I am the important person around here.'
Much the same as the Orange One.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
Much the same as the Orange One.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: phil_t (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 20:00
I thought Chris Jack scored a couple of tries in a Heineken Cup match at VR where we mullered Biarritz or some other French club???
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: Innings (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 20:24
I seem to recall some quite stroppy posts when people actually dared to criticise Jack when he was at Sarries. Perhaps time has enabled people to work out just how little he actually did when he was with us.
However, playing him out of position was about the most stupid, arrogant piece of mismanagement that we saw during that dire period in the club's history.
However, playing him out of position was about the most stupid, arrogant piece of mismanagement that we saw during that dire period in the club's history.
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: tpr's headmistress (IP Logged)
Date: 30/07/2012 21:07
Scott Murray was another one - only seemed to play well for Scotland. He always reminded me of an out of control giraffe.
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: To Mega Therion (IP Logged)
Date: 31/07/2012 09:27
Yes. Chris Jack did score two tries v Biarritz in the Heineken Cup. Perhaps that was his one memorable moment. Not that I can remember it, nor the collective that pulled this series together.
The stats were for league appearances only. I'll update the details if I get the time.
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
The stats were for league appearances only. I'll update the details if I get the time.
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: TonyTaff (IP Logged)
Date: 31/07/2012 09:36
I seem to recall that, when the 'Top 10' were being composed, there were rather more than 10 contenders!
I know that it's difficult to be patient during the close season, or indeed ever! Let's try to confine our posts to the bloke in each 'announcement' and then debate others when the 10 have been published. Pretty Please!
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
I know that it's difficult to be patient during the close season, or indeed ever! Let's try to confine our posts to the bloke in each 'announcement' and then debate others when the 10 have been published. Pretty Please!
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: Convex Hull (IP Logged)
Date: 31/07/2012 10:37
Quote:Innings
I seem to recall some quite stroppy posts when people actually dared to criticise Jack when he was at Sarries. Perhaps time has enabled people to work out just how little he actually did when he was with us.
However, playing him out of position was about the most stupid, arrogant piece of mismanagement that we saw during that dire period in the club's history.
To be fair, Gaffney was quite an accomplished coach that got a lot from the team. It was only the more astute that realised that he was having a 'senior moment' when he waxed lyrical about Jack.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: JO'G (IP Logged)
Date: 31/07/2012 17:55
I was impressed with Gaffney the first time I saw him when he was introduced to the crowd at VR. We were still in the east stand then - happy days
Before the game he went on to the pitch and started pacing out the distance between 10 yard line & 22, the width and the size of the in-goal area - jotting them down in a little book
Before the game he went on to the pitch and started pacing out the distance between 10 yard line & 22, the width and the size of the in-goal area - jotting them down in a little book
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: AlanE (IP Logged)
Date: 31/07/2012 22:17
Never really understood what happened with Jack. He came as a hero from RWC2007 to do 2 years with us and then go back to reclaim his place in the All Blacks side.
He never came close to performing for us or reclaiming his place at Crusaders - still less the ABs.
Was he a busted flush? Why did the experts not see that?
He never came close to performing for us or reclaiming his place at Crusaders - still less the ABs.
Was he a busted flush? Why did the experts not see that?
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: TonyTaff (IP Logged)
Date: 01/08/2012 08:04
Perhaps it was the mixture of French & Welsh cuisine - Humble Pie & Sour Grapes following the Qtr final in Kairdiff?
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: To Mega Therion (IP Logged)
Date: 01/08/2012 11:24
Jack was rested for an Anglo-Welsh match against the Scarlets and joined me in the commentary box. Spend the entire 80 minutes laughing at the ineptitude of the referee. And then laughed all the way to the bank, presumably.
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
Who removed my H.R. Giger picture?
Re: Saracens Top 10 Busts - Chris Jack
Posted by: TonyTaff (IP Logged)
Date: 26/08/2012 12:36
As his début approached, this board mused as to what song we might have for him.
I suggested that we modified the lyrics of AC/DC's 'The Jack' to sing "We've got the Jack"; Another user, more au fait with Australian slang than I, pointed out the allegorical subject of the song; Given his poxy contribution tot he club, I rest my case
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
I suggested that we modified the lyrics of AC/DC's 'The Jack' to sing "We've got the Jack"; Another user, more au fait with Australian slang than I, pointed out the allegorical subject of the song; Given his poxy contribution tot he club, I rest my case
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
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