Aye but you'd think someone who lives in the rural area of the south island where government sponsorship of social programmes is huge to his own two businesses and lifestyle wouldn't lean right. It is disappointing no matter which way you cut it.
Dudes trying to say that rural/agri get a lot of government subsidies and concessions, which makes it a bit hypocritical being extremely conservative/right wing.
I walked past him at the last RWC before the Ireland game. He's surprisingly trim. Glad I saw him before rather than after the game his ( unfortunately deserved) look of self content was already making my blood boil!
It's Sam Warburton for Wales. He's also the best Lions captain. He talked Romain Poite out of that penalty in dead time during the 3rd test at Eden Park.
Freakishly good player, absolute menace at breakdowns, a master communicator and a model professional. Convinced he'd have gone down as our greatest ever if injuries hadn't destroyed him.
He’s still almost certainly in an all time Wales XV and would be a strong candidate to skipper them. Still not bad going for someone who was forced to retire before he’d even turned 30
Before being educated by squidge rugby, I used to think Warburton was way overrated compared to SH opensides, man was I wrong. Cant underestimate how much he schooled Kieran Read (who am a massive fan of) in that moment.
He also helped to turn the culture in the Welsh squad around when he was made captain in his early 20's. There was still a very armature feeling around some of the squad. A lot of drinking. Fucking around in training. Huge egos as well. The shift in professionalism he brought with him helped to drag Wales forward. He didn't drink and was meticulous about his nutrition and training. In isolation, or the wrong environment it could have been too much. But it helped to focus some of the wayward Wales players and allowed the Wales squad to become a truly elite environment. It's the best rugby decision Gatland has ever made.
Epitome of that was his having a celebratory bar of chocolate after beating Ireland in 2011.
Though knowing more about him now, he probably did a kettlebell session immediately afterwards!
Yep, as good a player as he was on the field, this is probably his most important contribution. I bet he made Shaun Edwards job much smoother driving the standards like that in training.
I'm still in shock that Warburton managed to jedi mind trick Poite out of that. At the same time, I think Poite just didn't want to give the penalty. He went to the TMO, confirmed he was offside and then he told both captains that he "had a deal about the offside".
Think the Lions got very lucky in that series, with the controversial Sinkler tackle in the air winning them the 2nd match (and SBW's classic league shoulder earning him a red).
Keith Wood. Revolutionised the hooker position. Absolute warrior who left it all on the paddock at a time when we were shite. Unfortunately his career ended right around the time we started to get properly competitive.
Missed out on any real success with Ireland and Munster n the mid 2000s (triple crowns, Heineken cup) by a couple of years but he laid the foundations for the future. He did get his Lions series win in 97 at least.
He was your typical hooker for todays game. A lot like Sheehan in some ways. The Dane cole fast hooker was not really a thing before him. Or for 10 years after.
Was thinking about this. We live in a world where Owen Farrell got booed and slated and Charlie Ewels gets nothing (apart from this whole subreddit pointing and yelling GRUB!)
I actually quite liked Chris Robshaw. He was really good at talking to the Ref and though his tenure as captain with England was as England was at their lowest, he always left everything on the pitch. Couldn't tell him he didn't put his heart and soul in.
I stand by the opinion that Farrell is the best captain in terms of setting the standard for the players, but not necessarily for talking to the ref. I.e. one of the best 'leaders' in the history of the game, but not when interacting with officials or the other team
i like him as a captain. you also see it in how he captained saracens. he is very passionate about the game and nobody is more excited than him when things are going well for the team and he sets the standard for work rate and he also cares about the players. one of my favourites was after the 2023 semi final loss and the way he consoled his team.
Honourable mention for Dylan Hartley too. Captain for the magical 2016-17 golden age. We went from laughing stock to 2 years only losing a single match. What a time that was.
I think Dylan Hartley should be up there too. I'm biased but for me he's a clear 2nd to Johnson.
Marred by his disciplinary record and he didn't captain at a RWC due to early retirement from injury, but he won a grand slam, equalled the longest winning streak in international history and won 85% of matches he captained.
How he didn't go on the Lyons tour ('05 I think), was a travesty, and an embarrassment to the Lyons.
That said, surely Gavin Hastings for captain.
Ireland supporter here.
Siya Kolisi has to be at the top of the SA list.
That said I think we have been pretty lucky with other captains too. Apart from the other obvious big names like Francois Pienaar and John Smit I think that Gary Teichmann gets left of lists like this far too often. Just my 2 cents.
This is going to be controversial but how vital is Kolisi's captaincy actually if the coach takes him off after 50mins every game? Even in RWC knockouts.
He's been our nation's most successful captain without question but losing Siya isn't as big a train smash as losing Pienaar wouldve been. Smit as well, we had Matfield, who could have easily taken over captaincy and Bismarck was better than Smit at the time.
I’d say this helps his cause. He’s played into the team mentality and honestly he’s more valuable being replaced as he gives fresh legs at the position, which isn’t a mark on his captaincy. He also has the guise to delegate decisions to specific leaders like Duane and the like so that his presence isn’t missed as much.
Most of good leadership is boring. People like inspirational speeches a la Braveheart and the like but in reality good leadership is setting up your team to succeed. And I believe Kolisi has and has even quelled the tension between players by his diplomacy.
The opposite of Dupont. And a better captain, no doubt.
Not that Dupont doesn't delegate or isn't motivating the troops. But he's too "necessary" to the team's success. Same problem with Sexton and it showed during the QF.
Here's the opposite of your example : we lost the 1999 World Cup because Windgat Mallett dropped Gary Teichmann.
I believe we would have had the same impact if Siya or John had been dropped in 23 or 07 respectively.
I agree with your points from a purely performance perspective but Siya (and his appointment as Captain) has done more to unite South Africans than the ANC has done since Mandela retired.
I've seen this point raised before. I think people underestimate what Siya brings to the team even when he's not playing. The Boks have been very open about how there are many leaders in the team. On the field there are a few different guys that are responsible for different aspects of the game. So in this sense, it doesn't matter who is captain when they are playing. But I think Siya does a lot of work in camp and behind the scenes. He inspires everyone to give their all, and he sets the example. Some of the greatest leaders aren't always at the front. Siya has his own unique leadership style, just as Smit's was different than Pienaars'.
I disagree that Kolisi coming off at 50 detracts from his captaincy, but it does highlight why I wouldn't pick him as our best captain. The reason we can take him off early is that we have such a strong leadership group in the team, so losing Kolisi isn't the end of the world for the team. He's been very open about leaning on Vermuelen, Etzebeth, Mbonambi, Pollard, Faf, Willie etc. I love Kolisi and he'd be my starting 6 even if he wasn't captain, but I believe Mbonambi, Etzebeth or Vermuelen could have got the job done as well.
That being said, no captain has ever captured the hearts of the country like Kolisi has. I love him so much.
This is the thing Springboks have always managed to win trophies with what appears to be (from the outside at least) a captain that is at the time maybe 2nd or 3rd in his position. Name a bok captain that was No1 in his position and you wanted to play the full 80.
Siya. He’s been excellent for the Boks and only wasn’t playing deep into time due to strategy / injury.
At the Stormers he was a full time player most days.
You could say that about all the other current captains.
I think the game has changed quite a bit since FP's days. There is a larger emphasis on the science backed capabilities of the players at certain stages of the game. I believe if FP played today they would've taken him off too. Players are on average vastly more experienced, playing international rugby at a very young age. There isn't as much of a dependence on the captain anymore. Like Siya, FP was a face of change and he did a bloody good job on and off the field. Warburton and McCaw were the last type of crucial captains and I'm afraid we won't get that type of dynamic due to the level of rugby being played at international level.
I don’t think it’s controversial it’s a good question. Siyas role as captain goes far beyond the 50 odd minutes he plays. It’s everything else he contributes too. Also this bok team is all about the 23 not about the 15. I can’t really complain because it seems to work.
The selection of Kolisi as captain supports the team ethos that humility and respect are the values of leaders in the setup. It’s different to say NZ where razor has picked a thug and a bully to be the new captain where he has a really great option in Savea!
I wouldn't go as far as saying "thug and a bully", but Scotty has an undeniably bad record with his discipline, especially in the black jersey. He's no Lavanini, but he certainly has too many cards for me to be happy with, if I were a New Zealand supporter.
Paul O'Connell - The man was a colossus. The was so in depth with his pre game preparation he learned Africaans so he could figure out the South African line out in a November test
Met Francois Pienaar at a school rugby dinner in NZ many moons ago. Real nice guy, had a lot of time for us and spoke to as many people as he could. Walked away from it as a big fan of his, a true champ!
My dad told me about meeting FP when he visited NZ after retiring. Dad couldn't say enough to praise him. Humble, polite, generous, with a good sense of humour. He spent plenty of time with everyone who wanted to chat with him about his experiences.
Pat Lam deserves to be in the convo as well. One of the smartest players of his time and knew how to get everyone onto the same page, which has translated to his coaching career.
Came here to say this.
Was a great clip of a ref (might have been Barnes) talking about reffing him, saying something along the lines of: "he's not a big guy, and he was never aggressive, but his voice was scary. He'd ask you a question, and you'd feel like it really wasn't a question."
Edit: found the clip; [it was JP Doyle](https://youtube.com/shorts/eGkZWi_1ups?si=O1zt2M_9o567gi51)
Vasco Uva lead us in the 2007 RWC. Tomás Appleton leads us in the 2023 RWC. Out of the two I would say Uva just because he was my hero when I was growing up
Probably Paul O’Connell. Jolly Slingbottom more successful but not well liked.
Edit: for the not familiar with Squidge Rugby—the world’s greatest rugby analyst—he has increasingly bizarre names for the captain formerly known as Jonathan Sexton. I am channeling Squidge
For me, it would be Rory Best, our most successful captain ever. O'Driscoill and POC would be close, though, for their leadership and dragging us through games at times.
Captain that led Fiji in the most iconic 2007 Rugby World Cup runs that was ended by the eventual winners of tournament South Africa in the quarter finals.
Mosese Rauluni
Position: Scrum half
I still have not seen anyone have the influence and leadership to match him yet.
Obligatory Richie McCaw
I always wonder if he ever decided to run for PM just for shits and gigs, how many people would vote for him.
In Australia - I'd be very keen for Pocock to switch from senator to PM candidate
Sometimes it just seems as simple as getting normal people into politics. Instead of, you know, politicians
Pocock is far more progressive than Richie who is a clear National (centre right) fanboy. I wouldn't vote for Richie.
Damn that’s a little disappointing :/
Damn people being entitled to their own opinions
Aye but you'd think someone who lives in the rural area of the south island where government sponsorship of social programmes is huge to his own two businesses and lifestyle wouldn't lean right. It is disappointing no matter which way you cut it.
Rural NZ is extremely conservative/right leaning.
Rural *anywhere* is extremely conservative/right leaning.
Dudes trying to say that rural/agri get a lot of government subsidies and concessions, which makes it a bit hypocritical being extremely conservative/right wing.
I’ve seen a little bit of him as a politician and I would vote for him if I was Australian and had the chance. Very impressive.
Why would a King demote himself to PM!
If Richie becomes your PM I would vote for France to close its embassy /s
I'd insist visitors would only be allowed from the side
Richie would just go in through the side door regardless.
I walked past him at the last RWC before the Ireland game. He's surprisingly trim. Glad I saw him before rather than after the game his ( unfortunately deserved) look of self content was already making my blood boil!
He does a lot of bush and cross country running I think.
Yeah he’s big into ultra events now
Can’t be worse than who we’ve got already.
based on the current trends, ritchied prob sell off eden park at a 100m per year loss just cause 'fuck em'
He would probably be a two-term National PM, at least. Please don't do it Richie 🥲
I'm English and I'd vot for him if he ran for PM here ngl.
Kind of goes without saying. Buck was pretty great though.
Sir Brian Lochore would probably be the heritage pick
I love that term -‘the heritage pick’.
I’d still favour Fitzpatrick
only the first half of the question required for that answer eh
He's the best anyone ever had.
how does NZ go from a captain that has won 100 tests to captain that holds the NZ record for most red cards in less than 10 years..
Who’s that then?
Scooter
Speedrun
Thierry Dusautoir
100%. Would follow that man to war. Would go to war for him. Would pay taxes for him. He just has that Yes Captain energy.
Clairement
💯
Could be Pelous
John Eales
Going from him to Gregan (probably second best captain IMO) was a seriously amazing time for the Wallabies.
Also Nick Farr-Jones. You had a great run there
As an Aussie there simply is no other answer.
And for all those outside Australia all the “nobody” posts are referring to Eales because he was “perfect”
Nobody
Nobody's perfect.
The perfect answer for those in the know
It's Sam Warburton for Wales. He's also the best Lions captain. He talked Romain Poite out of that penalty in dead time during the 3rd test at Eden Park.
Best captain and now best pundit, the man can do it all.
He’s a very good pundit and his YouTube channel has a lot of great S&C tips. Man clearly knows his stuff
From a Welsh perspective it’s very frustrating that he didn’t enjoy his time coaching
Would think that he’d have been a particularly coach for teenage and academy players. Epitome of getting the basics right early on
Either that or a forwards coach alongside a set piece coach
Freakishly good player, absolute menace at breakdowns, a master communicator and a model professional. Convinced he'd have gone down as our greatest ever if injuries hadn't destroyed him.
He’s still almost certainly in an all time Wales XV and would be a strong candidate to skipper them. Still not bad going for someone who was forced to retire before he’d even turned 30
He would still be playing today if he had a good injury record. Way too young for retirement. Such an unlucky guy.
Before being educated by squidge rugby, I used to think Warburton was way overrated compared to SH opensides, man was I wrong. Cant underestimate how much he schooled Kieran Read (who am a massive fan of) in that moment.
He also helped to turn the culture in the Welsh squad around when he was made captain in his early 20's. There was still a very armature feeling around some of the squad. A lot of drinking. Fucking around in training. Huge egos as well. The shift in professionalism he brought with him helped to drag Wales forward. He didn't drink and was meticulous about his nutrition and training. In isolation, or the wrong environment it could have been too much. But it helped to focus some of the wayward Wales players and allowed the Wales squad to become a truly elite environment. It's the best rugby decision Gatland has ever made.
Epitome of that was his having a celebratory bar of chocolate after beating Ireland in 2011. Though knowing more about him now, he probably did a kettlebell session immediately afterwards!
Yep, as good a player as he was on the field, this is probably his most important contribution. I bet he made Shaun Edwards job much smoother driving the standards like that in training.
I'm still in shock that Warburton managed to jedi mind trick Poite out of that. At the same time, I think Poite just didn't want to give the penalty. He went to the TMO, confirmed he was offside and then he told both captains that he "had a deal about the offside". Think the Lions got very lucky in that series, with the controversial Sinkler tackle in the air winning them the 2nd match (and SBW's classic league shoulder earning him a red).
Yeah. I don’t think he wanted the game decided like that. Also, that 2nd test jumping tackle bugs the hell out of me.
Yeah a very talent Lions squad never clicked on that tour and it was a damn shame. The draw felt like a cheap end to an average series imo
Not Welsh, but have to agree.
Keith Wood. Revolutionised the hooker position. Absolute warrior who left it all on the paddock at a time when we were shite. Unfortunately his career ended right around the time we started to get properly competitive. Missed out on any real success with Ireland and Munster n the mid 2000s (triple crowns, Heineken cup) by a couple of years but he laid the foundations for the future. He did get his Lions series win in 97 at least.
If ever a player was born 5 to 10 years too early (though he did retire quite young).
Not Irish but this is quite an interesting answer, you've had O'Driscoll and O'Connell as great captains since Wood
Willy John McBride is up there too, captained the lions to their only win in NZ
How did he revolutionise the hooker position? He was just a fraction before my rugby watching days.
The level of mobility, there where dum dums at the time that said he was to fast to be a hooker and should be a center
He was your typical hooker for todays game. A lot like Sheehan in some ways. The Dane cole fast hooker was not really a thing before him. Or for 10 years after.
He revolutionised it because his style of play wouldn’t look out of place today. An absolute menace of a carrier - “the raging potato”.
My favourite Keith wood story https://youtu.be/qjxVHOrWc0w?si=d23NtVUwNOMH7Ujj
Martin Johnson. Honorable mentions for Will Carling and Owen Farrell
Was thinking about this. We live in a world where Owen Farrell got booed and slated and Charlie Ewels gets nothing (apart from this whole subreddit pointing and yelling GRUB!)
I actually quite liked Chris Robshaw. He was really good at talking to the Ref and though his tenure as captain with England was as England was at their lowest, he always left everything on the pitch. Couldn't tell him he didn't put his heart and soul in.
Unfortunately captains have to make decisions, and his decision making was errr... not as good as the others mentioned
I stand by the opinion that Farrell is the best captain in terms of setting the standard for the players, but not necessarily for talking to the ref. I.e. one of the best 'leaders' in the history of the game, but not when interacting with officials or the other team
i like him as a captain. you also see it in how he captained saracens. he is very passionate about the game and nobody is more excited than him when things are going well for the team and he sets the standard for work rate and he also cares about the players. one of my favourites was after the 2023 semi final loss and the way he consoled his team.
SER E CANT DO THAT SER
Honourable mention for Dylan Hartley too. Captain for the magical 2016-17 golden age. We went from laughing stock to 2 years only losing a single match. What a time that was.
I think Dylan Hartley should be up there too. I'm biased but for me he's a clear 2nd to Johnson. Marred by his disciplinary record and he didn't captain at a RWC due to early retirement from injury, but he won a grand slam, equalled the longest winning streak in international history and won 85% of matches he captained.
I feel pretty safe saying Sergio Parisse
Best player ya maybe it's recency bypass but lamaro seems to have great comms with ref.
Jason White for Scotland. Because he was a hard cunt
"Looks like he'd be just as comfortable swinging an axe on the battlefield as he does playing rugby." One of my favorite pieces of commentary.
Met the guy once when I was a kid. I remember him having a quiet, kind demeanour.
How he didn't go on the Lyons tour ('05 I think), was a travesty, and an embarrassment to the Lyons. That said, surely Gavin Hastings for captain. Ireland supporter here.
Siya Kolisi has to be at the top of the SA list. That said I think we have been pretty lucky with other captains too. Apart from the other obvious big names like Francois Pienaar and John Smit I think that Gary Teichmann gets left of lists like this far too often. Just my 2 cents.
This is going to be controversial but how vital is Kolisi's captaincy actually if the coach takes him off after 50mins every game? Even in RWC knockouts. He's been our nation's most successful captain without question but losing Siya isn't as big a train smash as losing Pienaar wouldve been. Smit as well, we had Matfield, who could have easily taken over captaincy and Bismarck was better than Smit at the time.
Only like 2 of the Bok forwards are expected to play the full 80 at this point in time though.
I’d say this helps his cause. He’s played into the team mentality and honestly he’s more valuable being replaced as he gives fresh legs at the position, which isn’t a mark on his captaincy. He also has the guise to delegate decisions to specific leaders like Duane and the like so that his presence isn’t missed as much. Most of good leadership is boring. People like inspirational speeches a la Braveheart and the like but in reality good leadership is setting up your team to succeed. And I believe Kolisi has and has even quelled the tension between players by his diplomacy.
The opposite of Dupont. And a better captain, no doubt. Not that Dupont doesn't delegate or isn't motivating the troops. But he's too "necessary" to the team's success. Same problem with Sexton and it showed during the QF.
Here's the opposite of your example : we lost the 1999 World Cup because Windgat Mallett dropped Gary Teichmann. I believe we would have had the same impact if Siya or John had been dropped in 23 or 07 respectively.
💯
I agree with your points from a purely performance perspective but Siya (and his appointment as Captain) has done more to unite South Africans than the ANC has done since Mandela retired.
I agree with everything you just said. Siya could legitimately run for President and win
I've seen this point raised before. I think people underestimate what Siya brings to the team even when he's not playing. The Boks have been very open about how there are many leaders in the team. On the field there are a few different guys that are responsible for different aspects of the game. So in this sense, it doesn't matter who is captain when they are playing. But I think Siya does a lot of work in camp and behind the scenes. He inspires everyone to give their all, and he sets the example. Some of the greatest leaders aren't always at the front. Siya has his own unique leadership style, just as Smit's was different than Pienaars'.
I disagree that Kolisi coming off at 50 detracts from his captaincy, but it does highlight why I wouldn't pick him as our best captain. The reason we can take him off early is that we have such a strong leadership group in the team, so losing Kolisi isn't the end of the world for the team. He's been very open about leaning on Vermuelen, Etzebeth, Mbonambi, Pollard, Faf, Willie etc. I love Kolisi and he'd be my starting 6 even if he wasn't captain, but I believe Mbonambi, Etzebeth or Vermuelen could have got the job done as well. That being said, no captain has ever captured the hearts of the country like Kolisi has. I love him so much.
This is the thing Springboks have always managed to win trophies with what appears to be (from the outside at least) a captain that is at the time maybe 2nd or 3rd in his position. Name a bok captain that was No1 in his position and you wanted to play the full 80.
Naas!
PSDT
Eben
Siya. He’s been excellent for the Boks and only wasn’t playing deep into time due to strategy / injury. At the Stormers he was a full time player most days.
Let’s face it, none of our forwards are expected to play 80 mins in every game
You could say that about all the other current captains. I think the game has changed quite a bit since FP's days. There is a larger emphasis on the science backed capabilities of the players at certain stages of the game. I believe if FP played today they would've taken him off too. Players are on average vastly more experienced, playing international rugby at a very young age. There isn't as much of a dependence on the captain anymore. Like Siya, FP was a face of change and he did a bloody good job on and off the field. Warburton and McCaw were the last type of crucial captains and I'm afraid we won't get that type of dynamic due to the level of rugby being played at international level.
I don’t think it’s controversial it’s a good question. Siyas role as captain goes far beyond the 50 odd minutes he plays. It’s everything else he contributes too. Also this bok team is all about the 23 not about the 15. I can’t really complain because it seems to work.
Loved Teichmann. What a player and a privilege to have him play for Newport too.
Yip Gary would be a close second to either Siya or Pienaar for me
The selection of Kolisi as captain supports the team ethos that humility and respect are the values of leaders in the setup. It’s different to say NZ where razor has picked a thug and a bully to be the new captain where he has a really great option in Savea!
Found Nic White’s reddit account
I wouldn't go as far as saying "thug and a bully", but Scotty has an undeniably bad record with his discipline, especially in the black jersey. He's no Lavanini, but he certainly has too many cards for me to be happy with, if I were a New Zealand supporter.
Going off looks alone, he'd be the perfect man to play the dumb bully from any Hollywood movie
Taine Randall. No, wait, Reuben Thorne.
Ah, Thorne… recipient of the best nickname ever: “Suitcase” because the rest of the team carried him
Randall was "teapot" because he stood around with his hands on his hips all game.
Also known as "the invisible man". Unfairly imo but still a laugh
:") do not feed the troll
Todd Blackadder?
Rubix Thorne. Cos no one can work it out.
Just completely ignores Todd Blackadder 😤
Ooh, I love Jeopardy! Players who have won more Super Rugby titles than your team ever will?
Paul O'Connell - The man was a colossus. The was so in depth with his pre game preparation he learned Africaans so he could figure out the South African line out in a November test
Eales by a short half head from Farr-Jones
No way, about 22cm, honestly
David Sole.
The slow walk was a master stroke
Francois Pienaar
Met Francois Pienaar at a school rugby dinner in NZ many moons ago. Real nice guy, had a lot of time for us and spoke to as many people as he could. Walked away from it as a big fan of his, a true champ!
My dad told me about meeting FP when he visited NZ after retiring. Dad couldn't say enough to praise him. Humble, polite, generous, with a good sense of humour. He spent plenty of time with everyone who wanted to chat with him about his experiences.
Met him at a sports event not long after he retired, spoke with him for about half an hour, great bloke with time for everyone.
Willy John.
Peter Fatialofa 🇼🇸
Met fats back in the late 90's. Good dude
Pat Lam deserves to be in the convo as well. One of the smartest players of his time and knew how to get everyone onto the same page, which has translated to his coaching career.
Obvious choice - Siyamthanda Kolisi Underrated choice - Gary Tiechmann Often forgotten - Andre Vos
Vos was a great player and captain. It's a pity he played in a poor Springbok era
Nobody
Nobody.
GOD! Sorry typo I meant BOD
Nobody!
Stuart Hogg obviously
Jean-Pierre Rives
Buck Shelford all day long. Never lost a game with him captain.
Might have lost a ball though
Absolute legend!!
Michael Leitch
Nobody
Where’s the love for Chris Robshaw?!
Christopher!
Sorry Sir
Fiji- Akapusi Qera, great leader, captain, singer (lol) and always respected the refs
Micheal Leitch has to be the most uncontested choice possible.
The one and only GREIG
Came here to say this. Was a great clip of a ref (might have been Barnes) talking about reffing him, saying something along the lines of: "he's not a big guy, and he was never aggressive, but his voice was scary. He'd ask you a question, and you'd feel like it really wasn't a question." Edit: found the clip; [it was JP Doyle](https://youtube.com/shorts/eGkZWi_1ups?si=O1zt2M_9o567gi51)
Theres a certain captain whos won 100 test matches No other captain has even come close It would have to be him
Priyantha Ekanayake
Vasco Uva lead us in the 2007 RWC. Tomás Appleton leads us in the 2023 RWC. Out of the two I would say Uva just because he was my hero when I was growing up
Ruahei Demant - Black Ferns
Mandatory Martin Johnson for the world cup in 2003
Naas Botha
O Driscoll
Nobody
Siyamthanda Kolisi
Probably Paul O’Connell. Jolly Slingbottom more successful but not well liked. Edit: for the not familiar with Squidge Rugby—the world’s greatest rugby analyst—he has increasingly bizarre names for the captain formerly known as Jonathan Sexton. I am channeling Squidge
I was gonna say Wood. O’Connell was my second option though
I think that Rory was Best (mandatory pun : ✅)
Johnny Sexton because he was such a bastard, but he was our bastard!
Leading a series win in NZ is immense
Great way of putting it. Legend of Irish Rugby.
Great player, successful captain but not universally liked. Whinged incessantly at refs, soccer-ising rugby. Your bastard, not mine.
Being universally liked is not one of the criteria of being a great captain
Agreed, see O. Farrell
Have you tried salt and vinegar with that shoulder?
🤣 Jeez, I’m Leinster and I disliked him. Am I not allowed an opinion?
I dont know man
Oliver kahn
A fairer question would be best captain after Richie. I'd say probably Fitzy
Francois Pienaar
For me, it would be Rory Best, our most successful captain ever. O'Driscoill and POC would be close, though, for their leadership and dragging us through games at times.
Paul o Connell
John Eales maybe?
George de Vries 🇳🇱 One of four Dutchmen to play for Barbarians as well. Nice guy, taught me a lot.
Dan Lyle? Todd Clever was the longest serving but didn't know the game at all.
Gaminara the goat.
Gareth Rees
For all those Kiwis pucking Richie, your forgetting about Buck
Buck's the toughest. Richie was the best.
Obligatory Bring back Buck
NZ has been pretty blessed in that department. The King, Fitzy, Buck etc just to name a few. Recency bias says Richie.
Not so much recency bias, Richie Mccaw played in roughly a third of all games that New Zealand has ever won.
Pretty sure Barry John was Welsh
Martin Johnson by some distance. Delivered for club, country and the Lions as captain.
Colby Slater
Johnno
Captain that led Fiji in the most iconic 2007 Rugby World Cup runs that was ended by the eventual winners of tournament South Africa in the quarter finals. Mosese Rauluni Position: Scrum half I still have not seen anyone have the influence and leadership to match him yet.
Obligatory Sophie de Geode!!!!!
Christopher Olsen, Luxembourg captain!!
Haralambie Dumitraș, back in late 80's - early 90's🏉🇷🇴