Best matchday 17 for nations of the last 30-40 years

[Brian potter]

I’ve been watching RL since around 1986 and these would be my best matchday 17 for each of the top RL playing nations.

England

1. kris radlinski
2. Jason Robinson
3. Gary Connolly
4. Paul newlove
5. Martin offiah
6. Garry schoefield
7. Andy Gregory
8. Adrian morley
9. James roby
10. Jamie peacock
11. Andy Farrell
12. Gareth Ellis
13. ellery Hanley
14. Sean long
15. James Graham
16.Paul Sculthorpe
17. Andy platt

wales

1. Jonathan davies
2. Phil ford
3. Scott gibbs
4. Allan Bateman
5. Anthony Sullivan
6. Iestyn Harris
7. Kevin ellis
8. rowlands Phillips
9. Kieron Cunningham
10. dai young
11. Scott quinnell
12. Paul morriarty
13. Ben flower
14. john deveraux
15. David bishop
16. Gil dudson
17. mark jones

Australia

1. billy slater
2. wendell sailor
3. mal meninga
4. Steve renouf
5. Andrew ettingshausen
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Andrew johns
8. Petero civoniceva
9. Cameron smith
10. Shane webcke
11. Gordon Tallis
12. Paul sironen
13. Brad fittler
14. Greg inglis
15. Jonathan thurston
16. glenn Lazarus
17. Bradley clyde

New Zealand

1. Matthew ridge
2. Sean hoppe
3. Jarrod McCracken
4. Nigel vagana
5. Manu vatuvei
6. benji Marshall
7. Stacey jones
8. Ruben wiki
9. Robbie paul
10. Quentin pongia
11. mark Graham
12. Steven Kearney
13. sonny bill Williams
14. Henry paul
15. joe vagana
16. Hugh McGahan
17. John lomax

whats yours?

*I’ll add PNG, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa at a later date.

 

[Brian potter]

PNG

1. David buko
2. Marcus bai
3. Menzie yere
4. David mead
5. john wilshere
6. Stanley gene
7. Adrian lam
8. Jason chan
9. James segeyaro
10. David westley
11. Neville costigan
12. Bruce mamando
13. Paul aiton
14. Elias paiyo
15. Rod griffin
16.makali aizue
17. Ben biri

 

[Matua]

New Zealand

1. Matthew ridge
2. Sean hoppe
3. Jarrod McCracken
4. Nigel vagana
5. Manu vatuvei
6. benji Marshall
7. Stacey jones
8. Ruben wiki
9. Robbie paul
10. Quentin pongia
11. mark Graham
12. Steven Kearney
13. sonny bill Williams
14. Henry paul
15. joe vagana
16. Hugh McGahan
17. John lomax

This appears to be whatever the opposite of recency bias is, but a good stab at a team. Some of them only played a year or two in the era and if that's the case should JT be in there despite the fact he's a traitorous b'stard and my hex on him worked.

Of the more modern players I'd have Jesse Bromwich in there over one of the props. Isaac Luke over Paul at hooker.

Kevin Iro over McCracken. Dean Bell on the bench to cover everywhere. I don't think SBW ever started at 13, he needs to start in the 2nd row (over Kearney) with McGahan at lock.

Some good backrowers missing out Mannering, Lauititi and weird to see guys like RTS and Manu not feature.

 

[mikail-eagle]

PNG

1. David buko
2. Marcus bai
3. Menzie yere
4. David mead
5. john wilshere
6. Stanley gene
7. Adrian lam
8. Jason chan
9. James segeyaro
10. David westley
11. Neville costigan
12. Bruce mamando
13. Paul aiton
14. Elias paiyo
15. Rod griffin
16.makali aizue
17. Ben biri

Only changes for me would be Dairi Kovae at Fullback over David Buko and Tuiyo Evei over Ben Biri.

Would probably also have Justin Olam in there but would be hard to move both Mead and Yere.
An option would be to put Mead on the wings and move out Wilshere, but he has 16 Kumul Tests to his name should wouldn't also seem right.

 

[Brian potter]

This appears to be whatever the opposite of recency bias is, but a good stab at a team. Some of them only played a year or two in the era and if that's the case should JT be in there despite the fact he's a traitorous b'stard and my hex on him worked.

Of the more modern players I'd have Jesse Bromwich in there over one of the props. Isaac Luke over Paul at hooker.

Kevin Iro over McCracken. Dean Bell on the bench to cover everywhere. I don't think SBW ever started at 13, he needs to start in the 2nd row (over Kearney) with McGahan at lock.

Some good backrowers missing out Mannering, Lauititi and weird to see guys like RTS and Manu not feature.

Who’s JT? Johnathan thurston?

i picked the Paul brothers over Luke because of their versatility and bias.

players like RTS and Manu don’t feature because they are still playing but both would definitely make the starting 13 when they stop.

lots of good players are always going to miss out due to limited places being available and personal choices.

 

[Brian potter]

Only changes for me would be Dairi Kovae at Fullback over David Buko and Tuiyo Evei over Ben Biri.

Would probably also have Justin Olam in there but would be hard to move both Mead and Yere.
An option would be to put Mead on the wings and move out Wilshere, but he has 16 Kumul Tests to his name should wouldn't also seem right.

Only reason olam doesn’t make the team is because he’s still playing but otherwise he would definitely be starting in the centre.

Also ME can you clarify for me please the correct spelling of Ben biri or is it bire as I’ve seen both versions and if it’s bire is he any relation to jokadi bire?

 

[Matua]

Who’s JT? Johnathan thurston?

i picked the Paul brothers over Luke because of their versatility and bias.

players like RTS and Manu don’t feature because they are still playing but both would definitely make the starting 13 when they stop.

lots of good players are always going to miss out due to limited places being available and personal choices.

Traitor Taumalolo, despite being eligible Thurston never played for us.

I'd rather have the best hooker than the versatility of the Pauls. I suspect they'll always rate lower to many NZers because they chose to play up north.

I didn't say RTS and Manu should feature, just it's weird they don't. I wasn't having a go at you, just musing on the team.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Also ME can you clarify for me please the correct spelling of Ben biri or is it bire as I’ve seen both versions and if it’s bire is he any relation to jokadi bire?

His name is Ben Bire. His nickname was Bigfoot. Unfortunately he passed away in 2017.
Jokadi is his nephew.

 

[Brian potter]

His name is Ben Bire. His nickname was Bigfoot. Unfortunately he passed away in 2017.
Jokadi is his nephew.

Thanks mate.

that’s sad to hear about Ben passing away.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Thanks mate.

that’s sad to hear about Ben passing away.

All good.
By the way, below is a clip of a try scored by Dairi Kovea against GB Lions in 1988.

 

[Brian potter]

Traitor Taumalolo, despite being eligible Thurston never played for us.

I'd rather have the best hooker than the versatility of the Pauls. I suspect they'll always rate lower to many NZers because they chose to play up north.

I didn't say RTS and Manu should feature, just it's weird they don't. I wasn't having a go at you, just musing on the team.

Haha!!! I genuinely forgot about taumalolo but he doesn’t get anywhere near my team anyway and would probably make the Tongan team instead

as for the Paul brothers I must admit to having a bias there as they were simply awesome players in super league and always seemed to turn it on against Aussie when picked for the kiwis.

 

[Brian potter]

All good.
By the way, below is a clip of a try scored by Dairi Kovea against GB Lions in 1988.

Who did kovea play for mate?

 

[mikail-eagle]

Who did kovea play for mate?

He mainly played in Port Moresby for the DCA Club.
But he spent a season with North Sydney Bears in 1988. Only played 2 or 3 games in first grade that year and then in1989 moved to the Newcastle Knights where he played about 8 games in first grade.

In 1988 he also played for Rest of the World vs Australia.

 

[Coastbloke]

Anyone wanna take a go with France..

 

[Brian potter]

Anyone wanna take a go with France..

Pass

 

[Brian potter]

He mainly played in Port Moresby for the DCA Club.
But he spent a season with North Sydney Bears in 1988. Only played 2 or 3 games in first grade that year and then in1989 moved to the Newcastle Knights where he played about 8 games in first grade.

In 1988 he also played for Rest of the World vs Australia.

Cool. Didn’t realize that.

He’s better than buko in your opinion ?

 

[Brian potter]

France

1. gilles Dumas
2. claude sirvent
3. frederic banquet
4. Vincent duport
5. Jean Marc Garcia
6. thomas bosc
7. patrick entat
8. Jamal fakir
9. Eloi pelissier
10. Remi casty
11. Jerome guisset
12. Gael tallec
13. Gregory mounis
14. Fabien devecchi
15. David ferriol
16. Daniel divet
17. Pascal jampy

 

[mikail-eagle]

Cool. Didn’t realize that.

He’s better than buko in your opinion ?

In my opinion he was better. But others might think otherwise.
Below are line ups for the Rest of the World match in 1988.
Both Teams were pretty decent.

 

[Brian potter]

In my opinion he was better. But others might think otherwise.
Below are line ups for the Rest of the World match in 1988.
Both Teams were pretty decent.

A bit off topic but how awesome was this.



I wish the kiwis would do another mini tour of PNG again and play the hunters and a digicel cup select 13 before a 2 or preferably 3 test match series against the kumuls.

games could be played in Port Moresby, Lae and mount Hagen.

 

[mikail-eagle]

I wish the kiwis would do another mini tour of PNG again and play the hunters and a digicel cup select 13 before a 2 or preferably 3 test match series against the kumuls.

games could be played in Port Moresby, Lae and mount Hagen.

Yeah it would be great. The Kiwis haven't been up here in a long time.
I was a student in Lae that year in 1994 when the Kiwis stopped over to play against the Northern Zone Select side.
Getting in was a nightmare as the oval was so full.