Rugby HQ in Australia have put together their Top 5 list of the best ever magicians on the rugby field. While it’s obviously subjective, it’s a solid list and it would be tough to disagree with their top three selections, and number one in particular.
Starting at number five, Joe Rokocoko was a lethal finisher for the Blues and All Blacks. His dazzling feet and ability to beat defenders when in space made him a top try scorer. He could create tries out of half chances, as can be seen here. Sorry, Brent Russell.
Welsh legend Gareth Edwards is probably best known these days for that try he scored for the Barbarians against the All Blacks in 1973, but for years he terrorised defences and to many up north in particular, is the best scrumhalf to ever play the game.
Having met the great David Campese recently, it’s great to see him at three on this list. Campo could pull off the impossible, and is of course the man that made the goose-step so famous. His jinking runs and ball skills were unmatched in his generation.
“I always wanted to do something different. I could have stood on the wing and did nothing, or go out there and try and express yourself, and that’s what I decided to do,” he once said.
The only guy on the list still playing Test rugby, Quade Cooper is a natural fit when it comes to thinking of players that can do the seemingly impossible on the rugby field. Some of his best bits aren’t shown in this clip, but you can see a few in the Related Posts below this article.
In the end, there can be only one and that man is without a doubt King Carlos Spencer. The only player who has come close since is Cooper, but for those of us who watched Spencer in his heyday, he will always be remembered as the most audacious, enthralling entertainer.
As with Cooper, have a browse of our Related Posts to see some of Spencer’s best moments, which obviously weren’t able to be featured in this compilation but are posted in our archive.
Other notable mentions, and players who could have squeezed into the top five somewhere, would be Brian O’Driscoll, Shane Williams, Christian Cullen and Waisale Serevi. O’Driscoll has already been featured in his own Top 5 video though, and Serevi was a Sevens star.
How different would your ‘Top 5 Magicians’ be, or are you happy with the choices?
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