Best London Irish team of the professional era

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Hooker: Naka Drotske

Loosehead Prop: Tonga Lea'aetoa

Tighthead Prop: Faan Rautenbach

Locks x2: Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy

Blindside flanker: Matt Garvey

Openside Flanker: Steffon Armitage

Number eight: Chris Sheasby

Scrum-half: Peter Richards

Fly-half: Stephen Bachop

Inside Centre: Mike Catt

Outside Centre: Seilala Mapasua

Wings x2: Sailosi Tagicakibau and Paul Sackey

Full-back: Peter Hewat

Hooker: Danie Coetzee

Loosehead Prop: Neal Hatley

Tighthead Prop: Faan Rautenbach

Locks x2: Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy

Blindside flanker: Declan Danaher

Openside Flanker: Steffon Armitage

Number eight: Phil Murphy

Scrum-half: Paul Hodgson

Fly-half: Mike Catt

Inside Centre: Seilala Mapusua

Outside Centre: Scott Staniforth

Wings x2: Sailosi Tagicakibau and Justin Bishop

Full-back: Peter Hewat

I like Shawshank's team, though I'd have Conor O'Shea at 15 and find space for Kieran Dawson

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Quote:

Shropshire Hugh
I like Shawshank's team, though I'd have Conor O'Shea at 15 and find space for Kieran Dawson

Me too...

Delon was the best full back we have ever had. One of the most naturally talented players to have ever come through our academy. Conor was good, but he was no Delon !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:08:27:08:43:51 by Clannad.

Clannad - I agree - he was pure magic especially with Tagi on the park with him -

MWM

LONDON IRISH - and loving it......

LET'S GO IRISH....LET'S GO IRISH
...........

Mine's similar to Shawshaks's too.

Hooker: Naka Drotske

Loosehead Prop: Tonga Lea'aetoa

Tighthead Prop: Faan Rautenbach

Locks x2: Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy

Blindside flanker: Declan Danaher

Openside Flanker: Steffon Armitage

Number eight: Chris Sheasby

Scrum-half: Paul Hodgson

Fly-half: Rikki Flutey

Inside Centre: Mike Catt

Outside Centre: Seilala Mapasua

Wings x2: Sailosi Tagicakibau and Paul Sackey

Full-back: Delon Armitage

I never saw Bachop play so I can't really know if Flutey was better but he was the best I've watched. The others are just my preferences.

Fairly similar to Shawshank:

Hooker: Drotske

Loosehead Prop: Lea'aetoa

Tighthead Prop: Rautenbach

Locks x2: Casey; O'Kelly

Blindside flanker: Boer

Openside Flanker: Armitage (S)

Number eight: Sheasby

Scrum-half: Putt

Fly-half: Bachop

Inside Centre: Catt

Outside Centre: Mapusua

Wings x2: Tagicakibau; Ojo

Full-back: O'Shea (Capt.)


Replacements: Hatley, Paice, Halpin, Garvey, Dawson, Richards, Venter, Armitage (D).

Should cover all three front row positions, second row / 6 (Garvey), Scrummy / Centre (Richards), Winger / Full Back (Armitage (D)), with Catt covering 10...

Thoughts?

[Edited to include Kevin Putt at 9]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015:08:27:12:17:36 by AlecW.

Lots of great players there but Kevin Putt was definitely the best scrum half I ever saw play for the club, particularly in tandem with Stephen Bachop. Also surprised nobody has mentioned Jarrod Cunningham as full back .... most exciting 15 to play for the club ... with respect to Conor and Delon.

no17 - DAMN - how did I forget Kevin Barry Putt...? You are entirely right about him and about him and Bachop. For some reason, I forgot him and remembered Niall Hogan, who was a great 9, but not quite in Putt's league...

Will edit team. That means (heresy! Burn the witch!) no place for Hodgson, as I want Pete Richards, cos he can cover centre at a pinch...

I thought carefully about Jarrod - very carefully indeed, especially as CO'S rated him so highly. I went for Delon because he could cover wing as well and because my memory (what's left of it!) tells me that he lacked Delon's speed...

Jake Boer, good call. A rampaging 6 and probably stronger than Dec. Boer and Armitage (S) on either flank would have been terrifying!

JC was a legend but I think Conor was better than him and Delon (in my not so very informed opinion!)

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Alex/Hugh - I agree a tough call to leave out both COS and Delon at 15.

PH was probably on a par attacking-wise with COS and Delon, but was not as defensively sound as them.

However, I pick PH because he's also the primary (if sometimes wobbly) goal-kicker - neither Bachop or Catty were really ever that good as kicker.

Fine player was Jake Boer - I didn't see much of him though, and Matt G has always been a fav of mine. He could also slip into the 2nd row if needed during the game.

Garvey is a fine young player who will become an excellent premiership player...but best blindside of the professional era, after a couple of seasons with us?

That would be like picking a player with 19 games of Union in a world cup squad........ oh wait a minute..

Quote:

Jon_r43
That would be like picking a player with 19 games of Union in a world cup squad........ oh wait a minute..

1 Clarke Dermody
2 David Paice
3 Fann Rautenbacch
4 Nick Kennedy
5 George Skivington
6 Declan Danaher
7 Steffon
8 George Stowers
9 Paul Hodgson
10 James O'Connor
11 Topsy Ojo
12 Mike Catt
13 Mapasua
14 Alex Lewington
15 Delon Armitage

Jon_R43 - ditto...!

Quote:

Jon_r43
That would be like picking a player with 19 games of Union in a world cup squad........ oh wait a minute..

And then to rub it in, have that player picked above you in the Bath squad.

Corbs
Naka
Faan
BBC
Nick the ball
Dec
Stef
Stowers
Dodge
JC
Tagi
Maps
Dr V
Anthony Watson (for what he will become)
Delon

I have left some of my absolute heroes on the Bench. Sacky, Conor, Kieron Dawson, Catty, Rob Hardwicke, Paicey Stowers, Trev, Hewatt etc, etc. But that is my team

Crikey. I forgot about Scott Staniforth. In for Watson

Stowers after two seasons? Bold call - can't say I was ever blown away by his performances.

Hooker: Naka Drotske

Loosehead Prop: Clarke Dermody

Tighthead Prop: Faan Rautenbach

Locks x2: Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy

Blindside flanker: Declan Danaher

Openside Flanker: Steffon Armitage

Number eight: Chris Hala'Ufia

Scrum-half: Paul Hodgson

Fly-half: Stephen Bachop

Inside Centre: Mike Catt

Outside Centre: Seilala Mapasua

Wings x2: Sailosi Tagicakibau and Topsy Ojo

Full-back: Peter Hewat

Bench: David Paice, Tonga Lea'toa, Halani Aulika, Ryan Strudwick, Chris Sheasby, Peter Richards, Barry Everritt, Delon Armitage

Quote:

Clannad
1 Clarke Dermody
2 David Paice
3 Fann Rautenbacch
4 Nick Kennedy
5 George Skivington
6 Declan Danaher
7 Steffon
8 George Stowers
9 Paul Hodgson
10 James O'Connor
11 Topsy Ojo
12 Mike Catt
13 Mapasua
14 Alex Lewington
15 Delon Armitage

Good team but all a bit recent!
Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Quote:

hooray Henley
Corbs
Naka
Faan
BBC
Nick the ball
Dec
Stef
Stowers
Dodge
JC
Tagi
Maps
Dr V
Anthony Watson (for what he will become)
Delon

I have left some of my absolute heroes on the Bench. Sacky, Conor, Kieron Dawson, Catty, Rob Hardwicke, Paicey Stowers, Trev, Hewatt etc, etc. But that is my team

JC was good but our best ever 10? Possibly in the back 3.

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

or did you mean O'Connor? I assumed Jarrod!

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Hugh!

The best team we ever had was the one that got to the Heiny semi and then the prem final. You gotta include a lot of those guys.

Although there were some real stand outs before that team, you have o ask if they would have been better than those who actually had some success

Hmm... can't find an email address for the Eggchasers and I don't twitter...

If anyone does can you tweet them a link to this thread? Post on here so people know you've done it.

Thanks folks!

Is it my wistful memory or is Scott Staniforth greatly under represented in these teams? I remember him having a terrific try scoring record and always electric with ball in hand

Done Griff

Reply reads.....

@RugbyPodcast: @JonR43 Outstanding! Thanks for making our research a lot easier this week

This is ridiculously tough to do. Back three I want to go with the unit of Delon, Topsy and Losi, but also want Jarrod Cunningham in. Am tempted to shift Delon to 13 outside of Maps in the 12 jersey.

Also, if it's about what they achieved at London irish, the majority have to come from the 2002 Powergen Cup winning side and the 2005-2009 Brian Smith era.

Here's my stab...

Jarrod Cunningham
Topsy Ojo
Delon Armitage
Seilala Mapusua
Sailosi Tagicakibau
Barry Everitt
Paul Hodgson

Tonga Lea'aetoa
Naka Drotske
Rob Hardwick
Bob Casey
Nick Kennedy
Declan Danaher
Steffon Armitage
Chris Sheasby

Danie Coetzee, Clark Dermody, Faan Rautenbach, Ryan Strudwick, Chris Hala'ufia, Darren Edwards, Mike Catt, Justin Bishop.

Tough calls on a few I've left out, but that's me best stab at it.

There must be a place for CJ Van der Linde in there somewhere....

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

I wondered about Pieter Rossouw ...

... for about a millionth of a nanosecond...!

1 Clarke Dermody
2 David Paice
3 Fann Rautenbacch
4 Nick Kennedy
5 Bob Casey
6 Jake Boer
7 Steffon Armitage
8 Chris Hala'Ufia
9 Paul Hodgson
10 Stephen Bachop
11 Sailosi Tagicakibau
12 Mike Catt
13 Seilala Mapasua
14 Topsy Ojo
15 Delon Armitage

Pretty heavy on the 06-09 vintage, but it's hard not to be. Mal O'Kelly, Zac Feau'nati and O'Shea were pretty tight calls. Dec Danaher is a great club man, but Boer really was immense for us in the good side we had in the late 90s.

It's interesting that only Ozzy has put Barry the boot at 10. He was unarguably the greatest 'club 10' we have ever had and certainly the best place kicker and points accumulator. Really the likes of Bachop (who was immense), Flutey, O'Connor and dare I say it even Catty really only had cameos at our club and played most of their best rugby elsewhere.

To me his position at 10 is irrefutable! (insert 'hiding behind sofa' smiley since none seem to be working!)

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Was Barry the Boot more successful than that ginger chap who pushed off West?

Faugh-a-Ballagh!

"Our prayer is 'God save Ireland' and pour blessings on her name!"

Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum

LI records...

Barry 169 matches, 1762 points, Ave 10.4

Homer 113 matches, 767 points, Ave 6.7

I rest my case...

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Thanks, Hugh. I'm a relative newcomer (started actively supporting in 2000-2002) and had forgotten how prolific Barry was. It was a great pleasure to meet him at the Farewell to Sunbury thing!

Faugh-a-Ballagh!

"Our prayer is 'God save Ireland' and pour blessings on her name!"

Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum

Quote:

Shropshire Hugh
It's interesting that only Ozzy has put Barry the boot at 10. He was unarguably the greatest 'club 10' we have ever had and certainly the best place kicker and points accumulator. Really the likes of Bachop (who was immense), Flutey, O'Connor and dare I say it even Catty really only had cameos at our club and played most of their best rugby elsewhere.
To me his position at 10 is irrefutable! (insert 'hiding behind sofa' smiley since none seem to be working!)

All good debate and just impossible to pick really. Depends if you are picking on sentiment or who really was the best player and should make the team. Barry was a good player who was a great kicker, did he get lots of Irish international caps? I found 10 the hardest choice. JOC was just an amazing talent and was playing in an average team when he was here, had to put him in there. Mike Catt played way more than a cameo role for us mate, he was a brilliant player, the only change I might make is putting him 10 and Dr Brendan Venter at 12. Catt and Venter were two of the most influential players we ever had. I will stick with the selection.

Big Bob like Barry was a good player but not a great one, he got the best out of himself and was a good leader, but would not even be on my bench, Skivs is way better. Strudwick, Mal O'K also ahead. Kendo best second row we have had the pleasure of watching. Give Symons a few years he could pass them all out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:08:30:19:38:39 by Clannad.

Ok

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:08:30:20:20:14 by Shropshire Hugh.

Don't think JOC ever played 10 for us. He turned out exclusively at 15 didn't he?

On reflection I may go with Dermody at loose head rather than Tonga.

Bazza was a wonderful servant and a super kicker from less than 45m out, but in truth he couldn't run or pass for toffees. He has only been chosen by 1 person for a reason...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:08:30:21:26:04 by Shawshank.

JOC played 12 down at Exeter I believe, but primarily was a 15 for us.


I guess selection comessage down to criteria really as if it's best players over their whole career who at some point pulled on the Irish jersey then my team would be different. I went on what they achieved at and gave to the club.

Barry played pretty well in the powergen cup final

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

1 Neale Hatley
2 Naka Drotske
3 Faan Rautenbach
4 Ryan Strudwick
5 Bob Casey
6 Declan Danaher
7 Kieron Dawson
8 Chris Sheasby
9 Kevin Putt
10 Stephen Bachop
11 Niall Woods
12 Brendan Venter
13 Seilala Mapusua
14 Sailosi Tagicakibau
15 Jarrod Cunningham

1. Dermody
2. Drotske
3. Rautenbach
4. and 5. Casey (captain) and Williams
6. Danaher
7. S Armitage
8. Murphy
9. Hodgson
10. Bachop
12. Catt
13. Mapusua
11. and 14. Staniforth and D Armitage
15. O'Connor

They thanked everyone who commented on this thread for helping them come up with their team.

I won't post the team they picked on here in case anyone is planning on listening to the podcast, suffice to say their main points of argument were at hooker, outside half and the centres.

This is the squad for me:

1. S. Armitage
2. S. Armitage
3. S. Armitage
4. S. Armitage
5. S. Armitage
6. S. Armitage
7. S. Armitage
8. S. Armitage
9. S. Armitage
10. S. Armitage
11. S. Armitage
12. S. Armitage
13. S. Armitage
14. S. Armitage
15. S. Armitage

*sigh* I miss Stef...

Can someone post a linky to the Podcast when it's up? Would like to have a listen and see if they at least entertained my team selection!

And I'm expecting a mention to the URL of this site whilst there at it! Let's see if we can get the numbers up on the Craic!

If you want a shortened URL to say on air - try this one:

http://goo.gl/M2sE5

We can track usage then through Google Analytics



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2015:09:01:17:00:44 by MickeyMouse.

Can't post link as I'm on phone but the podcast has already aired.

Mentions the London Irish forum but no URL or reference to 'The Craic.'

So..WhAts the team?? Seeing as we all missed it!

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

The cheeky blighters!!

Either itunes and search egg chasers rugby podcast or Acast Here It's towards the end but the show is usually all worth a listen...

Good listen...Disagree with a couple of their selections but fairly close to what I would have chosen!

Quote:

Margin_Walker
1 Clarke Dermody
2 David Paice
3 Fann Rautenbacch
4 Nick Kennedy
5 Bob Casey
6 Jake Boer
7 Steffon Armitage
8 Chris Hala'Ufia
9 Paul Hodgson
10 Stephen Bachop
11 Sailosi Tagicakibau
12 Mike Catt
13 Seilala Mapasua
14 Topsy Ojo
15 Delon Armitage

Pretty heavy on the 06-09 vintage, but it's hard not to be. Mal O'Kelly, Zac Feau'nati and O'Shea were pretty tight calls. Dec Danaher is a great club man, but Boer really was immense for us in the good side we had in the late 90s.

it's slightly worrying. I would go with Riki Flutey at 10, mainly because I didn't catch much of Bachop, but, apart from that, agree. There's no goal kicker, but we'd score so many tries under the posts, Delon could kick them....hell, even Maps could kick them

Their team is:

Faan
Paice
Tonga L

Kennedy
Casey

Dec
Stowers
Steff

Dodge
Catt

Topsy
Dr V
Maps
Tagi

Delon

Never even mentioned Bachop or Conor or Putt or Boer, think they're probably all too young!! Barry got bumped off so Catt moved to 10 in order to get in Dr V.

It all starts at 42 mins btw.

Living in the Scottish Borders, used to support London Irish, now following Kelso (newly promoted to the Scottish Premiership)

Quote:

orsoncart

Quote:

Margin_Walker
1 Clarke Dermody
2 David Paice
3 Fann Rautenbacch
4 Nick Kennedy
5 Bob Casey
6 Jake Boer
7 Steffon Armitage
8 Chris Hala'Ufia
9 Paul Hodgson
10 Stephen Bachop
11 Sailosi Tagicakibau
12 Mike Catt
13 Seilala Mapasua
14 Topsy Ojo
15 Delon Armitage

Pretty heavy on the 06-09 vintage, but it's hard not to be. Mal O'Kelly, Zac Feau'nati and O'Shea were pretty tight calls. Dec Danaher is a great club man, but Boer really was immense for us in the good side we had in the late 90s.

it's slightly worrying. I would go with Riki Flutey at 10, mainly because I didn't catch much of Bachop, but, apart from that, agree. There's no goal kicker, but we'd score so many tries under the posts, Delon could kick them....hell, even Maps could kick them

And you have the second-row, drop goal dynamo in there. Kendo has a 100% success record for that kind of kick

Faugh-a-Ballagh!

"Our prayer is 'God save Ireland' and pour blessings on her name!"

Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum

Quote:

Good listen...Disagree with a couple of their selections but fairly close to what I would have chosen!

Different Winger then Babs?

Jon _r43 quite possibly! But keep that to yourself otherwise the next family meal could be slightly awkward!

Finally got round to listening on the way to work this morning. Quite happy with it, we got a fair bit of coverage (some of them have been quite muted, probably because there was better news to cover those weeks). Nice to see that our boys caused some difficult selections, not worried at all by the lack of a proper plug for our site (type "London Irish Fans Forum" into google and see where you end up ;-) )

Thanks for the suggestions folks, nice to talk a bit of rugby for a change eh?