RugbyRebels

Basically, Marshall and Hart never really saw eye-to-eye, and IIRC, he felt that Hart was far too dictatorial and took himself way too seriously. 1998/99 was where their relationship fell apart, with the SAS training that the team had to go through (Marshall was apparently like "yeah, this is great if we need to do orienteering and camping, but shouldn't we be rugbying?") and crossed the point of no return at the 1999 RWC.

The story he then tells is that during 96 or 97, Hart had all the All Blacks together in a fairly flash hotel and was doing a big old speech at his team, waving his arms around and whatnot. Every so often, the little clasp on his wristwatch would come undone, and he'd put it back on. Marshall, watching this, is doing his best not to giggle. While Hart was marching about, he'd sit on a table and Marshall noticed that it was looking a bit dodgy so he's sitting there, watching John Hart rant and march around, occasionally fixing his watch clasp and sit on the desk, wondering when that table was going to give up the ghost. Eventually, that happens, and Hart goes ass-over-tea kettle as the table collapses underneath him. According to Marshall, any other coach he's played for, like Henry, Mitchell, Deans, Hansen, Smith or Mains, there'd be laughter, the coach himself would crack a joke and laugh with them and move on. With Hart, he just hopped back on his feet and carried on while none of the players, especially the Auckland ones like Fitzpatrick or the Brooke brothers who go way back with the guy, made a sound.

Interesting. I thought his whole coaching career was summed up by having Lomu score a try off the back of the scrum against France at the 99 RWC. I mean, how pretentious was that? Any back rower could have scored from that position; there was no need to use Lomu. Reminded me a little of Mike Ditka's controversial decision to give the last touchdown of the 86 Super Bowl to defensive lineman William 'the Fridge' Perry instead of one of his running backs. But the Bears had already won the game. Harty's All Blacks proceeded to crash out in a screaming heap as players out of position were found wanting in the 2nd half.

cashead wrote:Forgot to pull Liz up on this earlier, but Reuben Thorne at 6 in the OP is ridiculous. Thorne is quite possibly the single most underrated and undervalued (by supporters) players out of New Zealand since professionalism.

Bear in mind that the criteria is "in the last 10 years" so we're only considering Thorne's contribution in 2007.

In any event, you can't really criticise without nominating an alternative. Who would you say should be there?

Lizard wrote:

cashead wrote:Forgot to pull Liz up on this earlier, but Reuben Thorne at 6 in the OP is ridiculous. Thorne is quite possibly the single most underrated and undervalued (by supporters) players out of New Zealand since professionalism.

Bear in mind that the criteria is "in the last 10 years" so we're only considering Thorne's contribution in 2007.

In any event, you can't really criticise without nominating an alternative. Who would you say should be there?

I think Thorne was a better player than Adam Thomson. However neither were bad.

Thomson was certainly on my shortlist, but there was no real trash to choose from.

Lizard wrote:Thomson was certainly on my shortlist, but there was no real trash to choose from.

Oh yes.

Well I think the other qualifying players are Kaino, Messam, Thomson, Vito, Collins, Luatua, Squire and Dixon (assuming I'm right about who has started at blindside and isn't normally 7 or 8).