shane williams southafrica wales 2nd test 2008

[skateyuk]

If he'd been in any NZ or Springbok side he would have scored far more tries, by far! Total class and proof that size cannot out weigh pure skill and talent.

[jonafromwales]

@skateyuk yea and if he played for those sides he would be considered one of the best wingers ever. But because he plays for Wales he's not rated half as much.

[Blitzbok]

@skateyuk Williams would struggle to make any Springbok side of any era. Likewise New Zealand.

[skateyuk]

@Blitzbok you're absolutely right, thats why they named him IRB player of the year in 2008, lmao!

[Blitzbok]

@skateyuk IRB Player of the Year?It means nothing. McCaw won POTY in 2009 despite being outplayed in every game but the Welsh test later that year. You offer little substance to the table. Game, set and match.

[skateyuk]

@Blitzbok Again youre absolutely right, the people voting on the IRB havent a clue what they're doing. You want substance? OK, Habana has played 73 tests for SA, scored 200 points at an average of 2.7 per game, Williams played 87 times for Wales and scored 300 points at an average of 3.3 per game. Also remember that Habana is playing with probably one of the best packs in the World, while Williams no where near as good. That substance enough for you?

[Blitzbok]

So a wing beats a bunch of forwards? I'm not that impressed by this.

[gavthe16]

@Blitzbok the bloke skinned four professional rugby players, forwards or backs, that is impressive, and if you want to see him beat a back, then type in shane williams vs brian habana

[Blitzbok]

@gavthe16 Not impressive at all. Looking at his try ratio against top sides he is rather poor. He beats the odd player when presented with lots of space, offers nothing else. Beating Habana as he was cutting across the width of the field is nothing impressive either. Habana was always at a huge disadvantage given the angle. You want to see a masterclass? Look no further than JP Pietersen's 80 minute annihiliation of Williams on the 2008 EOYT!

[gavthe16]

@Blitzbok the only reason your not impressed by it is because your a saffa, if it had been against new zealand or austrailia you would be thinking differently, to say that this try is not pure class is just blind ignorance. To do that to a side like south africa is pure talent at its best.

[Blitzbok]

@gavthe16 Added to that. He only "skinned" one player. That being John Smit. Once on the outside no other forward had the pace to catch him.

[marchog]

What they should have done, is tackled him.

[grandslam1998]

Shane the wonder winger. 53 tries for Wales. Fantastic.

[BayesBear]

That is one of the best trys ive ever seen!

[Pr1ceisright]

4! 4 guys and not one got to him.

[chambohambo]

that to be fair was piss poor defence, they should have and had the ability to cover the space available to shane, but instead each man took it on themselves to take him on one on one, which against him is stupid, pick a channel and stick to it.

[Blitzbok]

@chambohambo They were all forwards. The first was a hooker. They were ever going to win that one. It's just an average try. Now when he came up against JPP? He got totally bitched up, every time. Nothing of nte here.

[GwinDavies]

@Blitzbok take it you're South African? that is a great try, most of the forwards were back rowers anyway and should be able to tackle Shane however he kept them going the opposite way to him. So yeah, good try

[skateyuk]

@Blitzbok You are joking? Any other player would have pinned his ears back and gone for line and get tackled as he was covered by two forwards who would have easily tackled him. Shane had the skill to realise this and turn them in on themselves, completely baffled them. He'll be a big loss when he retires, hes been great to watch!

[davesh15]

he is a great wing but can someone tell me whats his height?? thanks

[grandslam1998]

@davesh15 5ft 7inch

[grandslam1998]

Shane does it better. Look at his try count .Lomu was a one track player and he was worked out by SA in 1995.Lomu was a great player but Shane is outstanding. Bravo

[hustleboy62]

@grandslam1998 you actually think shane williams is better than lomu? i always knew the welsh loved to hype up their players but this is ridiculous...

[grandslam1998]

@hustleboy62 What is ridiculous about Shane being an all time great player. 53 Tries at international level 3rd top try scorer of all time . Lomu never scored against Wales or SA. sure he is a great player but Shane is has more skills.

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 You have a grossly over-rated opinion of you own players, SW has never made a big enough impact (pun unintended) on a SH team to win a game for Wales, not to my knowledge anyway, and that mainly consists of All Black matches. I may be wrong, but I doubt it.

[grandslam1998]

@TheMorsey007 His record is outstanding and he has scored against SH sides. We have beat Oz in recent years. I can not understand why some people have a down on Shane. Just take a look at the wonderful tries he has scored. Look at his tries v SA /Fiji. Fantastic!!!

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 i'd love to know how many tries he's let in.

[grandslam1998]

@TheMorsey007 SW is a good tackler. If he was not he would not play for Wales. His all round play superb and that is why he was player of the year in 1998. That is no mean feet. Excuse the pun.

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 C'mon, you know just as well as I do that Shane Williams defence is well below average, watch the replays of the 2005 Lions tours, he was well off the pace in that tour, completely overwhelmed. And he let in atleast two tries to the ABs during the tour, easy tries that good defenders like Sivivatu would have easily made.

[grandslam1998]

@TheMorsey007 You are a lost case! You will be saying next that Neil Jenkins could not kick. JPR could not tackle and Gareth Ewards could not pass. Some people just can not see the good in players from outside their own country. I like many foreign players and yes some of them are from NZ. I was speaking to Shane the other day and he spoke highly of you. This Nov we play OZ SA Fiji and NZ and we will see what Shane can do then! All hail to Shane.

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 Ok then, will do, I hope you enjoy seeing your team getting spanked by another 30 point margin again. Shane Williams was too pussy to even tour to NZ a couple moths back, the things some people say so they don't lose face eh.

[grandslam1998]

@TheMorsey007 If you beleave Shane is a pussy then you know little about Rugby. Wales will do there best v NZ and we may win. The AB are v good team at the moment but come the RWC they will fail as they can not take the pressure and when the going gets tough the tough get going. You import players from the islands to prop up your team and they are playing for the money and not the shirt.

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 You say I know little about rugby, then claim that NZ import players from the islands to play for us? you are truely retarded, if that one of the many excuses you have for not being able to beat us in 58 odd years then you are just as dumb as I thought you were. And then, as the Welsh always do, they turn to the rwc to try and put us down, but ive got a question, wheres your rwc title? exactly, your not even in the same league as us, never have been, your simply not as good as us.

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 but, I do support Wales, don't get excited just yet, out of all the NH teams, they are my favourite, and I love the rivalry between NZ and Wales, but, and this is a big but, I think your media leads you completely astray, they tell you that "things aren't fair, and you should have won" when this is simply not the case, I think the Welsh fans should be better losers than they are, the only reason I give Welsh rugby shit is because you think you are always robbed

[grandslam1998]

@TheMorsey007 The Welsh media are always hard on the Welsh team when they play bad but they do stand up for them when there poor reffing or cheating. We can take losing and we take it on the chin. We know how to party after the game and we always have a fun time when touring. It's a shame that AB supporters are so dour and one eyed. They see only black and fail to see the bigger picture of what Rugby is all about. I have been to NZ and some supporters were hostile and foul mouthed and gloating

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 Trust me, the feeling is mutual, i've been to Wales and your supporters aren't exactly the most sportsmen either, especially when it comes to the English, you too can be one eyed, don't throw stones when you live in glasshouses. poor reffing happens in everygame, and it usually happens both ways, Wales don't capitalise on opportunites when they get the rub of the green, they don't turn it into points, then they complain. Its nobodies fault but your own if you lose.

[grandslam1998]

@TheMorsey007 Lets just front up,play rugby and have fun.

There are no real winners or losers in rugby just drunks.

Enjoy the game in Nov in Cardiff.

[TheMorsey007]

@grandslam1998 You too mate, best of luck.

[TheBradaH]

JONAH LOMU is the super best winger of the whole world, Hbana, shane williams can't do what Lomu used to do....

[grandslam1998]

@TheBradaH And Lomu can not do what Hbana/Williams can do. They are all great players.

[TAFFY185]

shanes the best winger in the world by far!!!!

[rf876]

wheere r u goin wit est winger wat about tommy bowe??

[Marz2605]

@rf876 lol tommy bowe...

[markroberts12]

wonderful welss boyys roberts is my mame# and i am welsh as they come!!" we are from bangor north wales and adorree our country

[MrAlexmclaughlin]

ieuan evans for sure.

[deian1984]

Shane is 10 times the player of ieuan IMO, both were class but shane won IRB player of the year

[MrAlexmclaughlin]

they didnt have IBR Player of the year when ieuan played. lol

but shane is definitely a badass.

i have more faith in him then any current welsh player.

except for this whole injury thing he is going through

im pissed about that.

[deian1984]

lol shows how old Ieuan is :)

Think wel b back 2 full strength 4 the 6N and hopefully can pull a string of results

as long as we beat the English tho

lol :)

[MrAlexmclaughlin]

yeah seriously.

this years six nations is going to be a tough one.

even italy and scotland are putting up fights.

the english shouldnt pose any problems, unless martin johnson pulls something out of his ass.

[merlin999999]

id say ieuan evans as the best welsh winger ever but shane and gerald are all legends

[Spikeystait]

Shane!!!!!!!!!

[Reuben0508]

Shane and Gerald run pretty damn close in my opinion.

[dylan0572]

I think lady ga ga would outclass you on the wing,without a doubt!

[dylan0572]

As a welshman,i`d say robinson is or was,better than williams.

[maxfm83]

As a welshman... I'd disagree.

Maybe in all the round game Robinson was a better tackler and kicker (Shane will never make a full back!).... but if you want your winger to be a natural predator - it's Williams all the way!

[gazzer994]

Im not 1 these h8ers who will just curse at peeple for d fun of it for sayin sumin like dat.

but how is robinson better than shane williams?

do theyr international try counts not say sumtin 2 u?

[NZfootballfan666]

Robinson has had a better team than the Welsh team playing wioth him though. Robinson is good, quik, strong and consistent but Shane Williams has that spark which only a few players in the game today have. Most of them are northern hemisphere players to. But Williams can outfox and bring down better teams. Robinson required the build up of the rest of his team more often.

[damomurphy]

how many more chances are they goin to give him on the lions...he isnt playing anywhere near his best..pity..

[deian1984]

All i can say 2 u is hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha­hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha­hahahahahahahahahahahaha how much of a numpty do u feel now?!?!?!?!?!?!?! hahahahahahahahahahaha

[damomurphy]

He ran in for two tries in a match that was meaningless. We saw him in the second game being picked up and flung to the ground like a baby....

[deian1984]

MEANINGLESS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

R u serious, try tellin that 2 the lions players, theyd kick ur ass

Like i said look at angles he ran 2 get there, also look at how he pickd the ball up from Fluteys pass

theres no point in even argueing with u

u must know little about rugby with comments like tha

TIT HEAD! ;)

[damomurphy]

what the hell is ur problem? all i said was that it was a pity that williams wasnt playing his best? in terms of winning the series it was meaningless. obviously it meant a lot for pride but do you think the players would have only wanted to play for pride before the trip! u must have alot of time on your hands making stupid remarks like tit head. get a life..

[deian1984]

U didnt say meaningless from a series point tho did u

U said ' He ran in two tries in a match that was meaningless ' And no Lions match is meaningless and when we lost 7 test games in a row its defanatly not meaningless, where the hell u get the balls 2 say tha i dont know

TIT HEAD! ;)

[dylan0572]

You cant deny that is a brilliant try.

[dylan0572]

This was the second game.

[Gibmeister7000]

Unbelievable finish - hope the lad can do that for the lions!

[blakey66]

world class

[blakey66]

but shane is still doing it hy fungus

[blakey66]

u would never see an english winger do that

[fungusamongus666]

even though he has retiered jason robinson would and has

[hamisatypeofcheese]

yer on the 2001 lions tour, Robinson beat a man in like a 3 metre channel

[deian1984]

Robinson was a great winger, but he eint no Shane, hes the best finisher in pro rugby history plain and simple!

[hamisatypeofcheese]

yer not doubt, I'm welsh and an Ospreylian, so I love to see Shane on form, when he turns up he's untouchable

[deian1984]

Ha great 2 find another O's fan on here, great news with JC next year eint it mate, could b a good year, not so good about Adam tho im gutted 4 him

[hamisatypeofcheese]

with JC we are gonna have one the best back rows in europe with tia tia and marty holah as well, can't wait to see them play together. nah i know, he's gonna be missed

[crazymazy321]

shane williams is the world player of the year........end of

[stephen3K]

lol shane williams better than habana? u make this retard argument because of his defense? anyway no-one can take anything a welsh rugby fan has to say sseriously cause like their rugby team, they are shit.

[wrexhamjack123]

Good argument.

[eltomo13]

Habana is crap, end of story.

[macafricascot]

Jesus u are an idiot

[eltomo13]

He does fuck all.

[gazzer994]

here here

i coodnt agree with you more, habana is shite!!

[NZfootballfan666]

Habana ain't shite. He can tackle, chip, side-step and pass better than most wingers. But take away the quality of the Springbok team and he isn't all that. He'd still be better than any winger from my country atm.

[floppykid]

Neither ase the best winger in world rugby.

End of arguement.

[AlbinoW08]

He had a poor 6 Nations really and against Munster in the H Cup quarters he was non existent...then again who wasnt!?

No doubt Player Of The Year last year but he hasnt come close to it this year.

[wrexhamjack123]

Nail on the head

[robemryspugh]

Shane williams is such a better player than habana just look at the skill he has compared to habana.

[all7days]

one of the best tries i have seen

[flamboyantpace]

habana wouldnt have needed to step. too much pace

[gslwales]

Fuck up

[gslwales]

lick me out

[tommyb1434]

no he wud have got caught if he didnt step easily

[billymorris123]

the only thing that proves is that habana is a failed 100 meter runner mate, and its the step that makes him so much better than habana, thats how he left habana on his ass after stepping him in one of these tests i believe

[ltdantt]

can someone please make a comment on the final score.

[givemethelotion]

they won quite easily in the end. although there was one disputable try. it was 37-21

[Pr1ceisright]

how is it possible to make 4 players miss? absolutely incredible.

[ltdantt]

yes you should have beaten the boks. it was a new coach a lot of new players and we had a lot of injuries. yet you lost. kind of put things in perspective. and that in your back yard. did you know that in a recant poll of the rugby public in south-africa could name more national players of wales than the wales rugby public.

[FlankerDeiniol]

thats because there's barely 3 million people in wales full stop....and only south wales follow rugby religiously.

[JonBassettx]

we should have beaten the Boks in the autumn, missed opportunity!

[ltdantt]

are you actully comparing the world cup with the six nations? in the world cup there was a wing who scored the most tries. it was not Williams. there was a team who won all their games including the cup. it was not wales.

[poetictragedy470]

Though the Boks did win the world cup Wales did win the Six Nations so its quite hard to judge...

Though hane Williams did put 4 players on their ass wondering how the f*** did he do that?

[SLASH57062]

you're comparing the six nations.... to the world cup??

the six nations is the little kids league of international rugby. besides the world cup, the tri nations is the best.

[givemethelotion]

it's purely opinon. europeans say 6 Nations is the best, you southerners say Tri Nations is the best.

[billymorris123]

im welsh and i can admit the six nations is nowhere near the standard of the tri nations dont know what it is about the southern hemisphere nations their just better...even argentina are getting better than us

[givemethelotion]

no, you cant say argentina are.

[billymorris123]

i dno mind after their performance in the world cup id say their better than most six nations teams

[jasoneyre]

What was the end score in that game?

[uthikoloshe]

Big bok fan here, but I have to say, that was no less than a third of the springbok side on manouvers against one of the smallest players, and they never really had a chance.

It's not world class. World class happens all the time.

Shane Williams is a Legend.

[givemethelotion]

haha so many boks and not one of them could catch him....

[billypaul]

who won the world cup..the boks..nuff said

[mrsheentw]

shut up

[Rodw555]

PMSL. The Boks were surrounding him and they were still grabbing at thin air. I love it!

[uthikoloshe]

awesome

[mizofan]

Such an exciting player and what a tremendous 2008 he's had. Probably now Wales' 2nd greatest ever winger and a real treasure among all the big bruisers.

[gazzer994]

whos in yr opinion is wales's greatest winger then?

[mizofan]

Oh Wales' greatest winger undoubtedly is Gerald Davies

[givemethelotion]

i agree

[darraghf]

I wish he was from Ireland