RugbyRebels

Danno wrote:Shields is literal team glue

He has impressed me time and time again. For all my dissatisfaction of having been gifted England caps I now have nothing but respect for him as a leader and player

p/d wrote:

Danno wrote:Shields is literal team glue

He has impressed me time and time again. For all my dissatisfaction of having been gifted England caps I now have nothing but respect for him as a leader and player

Agreed. It is strange looking back that NZ did not consider him international material. Jones thought differently and was wrong in terms of when he was fast-tracked with no club background preparation. Who knows if his introduction had waited for a year with Wasps, though.

Oakboy wrote:

p/d wrote:

Danno wrote:Shields is literal team glue

He has impressed me time and time again. For all my dissatisfaction of having been gifted England caps I now have nothing but respect for him as a leader and player

Agreed. It is strange looking back that NZ did not consider him international material. Jones thought differently and was wrong in terms of when he was fast-tracked with no club background preparation. Who knows if his introduction had waited for a year with Wasps, though.

..because NZ is stuffed full of smart committed back row players like Shields?

Yeah, I seem to recall that Morepork and others said that if NZ hadn't been so flush with backrowers then Shields would've been an All Black.

He very nearly was, but turned down the call as he knew he was moving to England. I still think he's better than Sam Cane.

Peej wrote:He very nearly was, but turned down the call as he knew he was moving to England. I still think he's better than Sam Cane.

Cane is a very different player, and plays much more like an old skool openside. For all Shields is very good, they just don't do the same things.

Aye that's true, they were never competing for the same shirt in the trio I suppose