Farewell to Tom Croft

[Tigersman]

Tom croft retires .........


MOC saying we are going to start talks with Steve Mafi in a couple weeks so guessing he might be viewed as a replacement.

[Mikey Brown]

Ah. Gutted. As someone said the other day he actually achieved a shitload in his career but he was robbed of a good few years more at the top. Best of luck to him.

[Mellsblue]

Had a career most dream of but you still feel he could’ve achieved a hell of a lot more of it weren’t for injury. Anyone know what his plans are for the future? I’d love to see him roaming around Woburn Safari Park with the other luxury giraffes. On the plus side, it’ll save Banquo having to ask whether he’s injured every three weeks.

[Puja]

Puja

[Tigersman]

[fivepointer]

Pity but not unexpected. Unique talent.

There was a try he scored against France in Paris that was a bit special.

[Digby]

Tom Croft has announced his retirement on medical grounds, he was a hell of a talent and in the main had a hell of a career

[Banquo]

Tom Croft has announced his retirement on medical grounds, he was a hell of a talent and in the main had a hell of a career

agreed, he fought his way back from loads of injuries, but only so much you can take. On his day, a great player.

[Digby]

I still have flashbacks to that pass against France mind.

[Puja]

Pity but not unexpected. Unique talent.

There was a try he scored against France in Paris that was a bit special.

1 minute in for that one.

Puja

[Banquo]

Had a career most dream of but you still feel he could’ve achieved a hell of a lot more of it weren’t for injury. Anyone know what his plans are for the future? I’d love to see him roaming around Woburn Safari Park with the other luxury giraffes. On the plus side, it’ll save Banquo having to ask whether he’s injured every three weeks.

true. Mind that was only this season, when he wasn't at all visible.

[Banquo]

Puja

lol, funny watching them show him the outside. Nice pass from Olly Barkley as well.

[Puja]

[Mod] Moved the Croft-talk cross-talk from the Transfers thread to the Croft thread [/Mod]

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Had a career most dream of but you still feel he could’ve achieved a hell of a lot more of it weren’t for injury. Anyone know what his plans are for the future? I’d love to see him roaming around Woburn Safari Park with the other luxury giraffes. On the plus side, it’ll save Banquo having to ask whether he’s injured every three weeks.

when he wasn't at all visible.

Blimey. Who or what was he hiding behind.

[Banquo]

so...Barnes calls him a winger. That certainly stuck!

[Banquo]

Had a career most dream of but you still feel he could’ve achieved a hell of a lot more of it weren’t for injury. Anyone know what his plans are for the future? I’d love to see him roaming around Woburn Safari Park with the other luxury giraffes. On the plus side, it’ll save Banquo having to ask whether he’s injured every three weeks.

when he wasn't at all visible.

Blimey. Who or what was he hiding behind.

a giraffe, of course

[Oakboy]

My favourite Croft moment was a defensive one. He gave a winger a 5 yard start and caught him with a try-saving tackle. Against Wales, I think?

[jngf]

Croft was probably the fastest forward to play for England to date and if balanced with a complementary flanker e.g. Robshaw or Lipman, worked well. His style jarred a bit with the plodding England ‘pod’ style of the Martin Johnson/Jon Wells era and I think it suited a left and right system (such as France’s) much better than the openside - blindside style favoured by England but that’s more a reflection on the post RWC 2003 ‘hangover’ state of rugby prevailing at the time than anything else.

[Digby]

I think Croft's problem, and England's, was with his pace he was sent wide to support plays as they went wide. Which was weird as he wasn't often going to make a linebreak anyway, and meant we lacked support through the middle and saw moves break down before we event got a chance to go wide. The one consistently good use of him being out side though did come under Johnson who used him as a front jumper and had him stay wide and had the team quickly play back to where Croft was.

It's maybe that with his slim physique Croft wasn't trusted int he tight exchanges, but other than his body breaking a few times his form in the tight was always rather impressive imo.

[Banquo]

I think Croft's problem, and England's, was with his pace he was sent wide to support plays as they went wide. Which was weird as he wasn't often going to make a linebreak anyway, and meant we lacked support through the middle and saw moves break down before we event got a chance to go wide. The one consistently good use of him being out side though did come under Johnson who used him as a front jumper and had him stay wide and had the team quickly play back to where Croft was.

It's maybe that with his slim physique Croft wasn't trusted int he tight exchanges, but other than his body breaking a few times his form in the tight was always rather impressive imo.

agreed. When he played as a conventional flanker, he was a far more useful player. His lineout play was as good as it gets for a back-row as a sidenote.

[JellyHead]

His lineout play was as good as it gets for a back-row as a sidenote.

Image the lineout with him and Itoje. It'd solve the picking a hooker who can through problem.