Great watch; Flats is a compelling storyteller! Fascinating about Leon Lloyd

Yes, Flats! Finally, someone picked Brendan Venter in the centres. I'll never forget him nailing Jonah into touch in JHB. He and Jaapie Mulder were a brutal centre pairing as were Frank Bunce and Walter Little. In Bunce's book, he writes "Never trust a jaapie called Jaapie".....

I googled Brendons interview, pure class!
😂

Interesting about Francois Pienaar. Perception is strange sometimes. I had  a great friend who played for SWA ( Namibia) and who was very old school incredibly tough and I was very surprised when Willem who had played against all the reputed hard men said that Francois was the hardest man he ever encountered. Just got down to business with no frills.

This could be the best episode yet! Loved every minute 💯🫶🏽 so interesting

My word what a team ! I think the scariest team selected so far- though it is a close call. Loving these - addicted now so keep em coming :)

So glad you went for JPR!! I used to go to watch London Welsh in the late 60s and early 70s. I'd play for my school in the morning and then go to Old Deer Park, or wherever they were playing away that was practical to get to. They had a fabulous side then. Anyway, a home game against Bristol, I think, in maybe 1970ish (I've got the programme somewhere) and their No8, Dave Roddick, prematurely grey and balding, who'd a number of caps for England, was putting it about on the blind side of the ref and getting away with it. The LW players and the crowd weren't happy. I remember John (Basil Brush) Taylor trying to tackle him as hard as he could to exact some justice, but it didn't work. Roddick's dirty tricks went on for a while until Bristol kicked a penalty from near their posts towards touch on the halfway line. JPR caught it and set off at full speed towards the waiting Bristol pack. He very clearly adjusted his line of running to aim for Dave Roddick and hit him flat out. I reckon JPR's knee must have connected with something important because Roddick was propelled backwards and spreadeagled on the ground, shaking and quivering. The crowd was ecstatic and baying for blood! It was bloody marvellous! We all loved JPR and knew how hard he was and, to us, he exacted justice just about within the laws of the game. Retribution. I've never forgotten it (obviously) and have told the story many times, and it's a pleasure to share it here!! Maybe other readers of these comments were there?

JPR would train at London Welsh, then work the weights, then beat me 3-0 at squash. If I ever got too close to him trying to get to the ball, I would bounce off him. Rock solid he was just like his rugby tackling. And a Dr to boot, stitched up my broken nose when some other squash player  broke it, so we could carry on drinking, but what a rugby player.

So much better than best players ever.  Who doesn’t like hear about the hardest players.
Cool stories about Pienaar!

World record
Os Durant Prop- world cup winner Trifecta in 3 consecutive
Decades - 1995 and 2007
Centuries - 1900 and 2000's
Milleniums - 1000 - 2000's
Next time that Trifecta record could be broken to beaten will be in 3007  - 981 years based on the 2027 Cup

Jonah, Faf, Alesana, Julian White, there's so many to choose from ❤

Amazing choices well done lads ❤

Mike Knill was the best . He sorted Choley and the French pack out when Graham Price went off.

14:29 The dog's like "Come at me bro".

As far as centres concerned - Phillipe Sella was not to be messed with. I remember him knocking out cold some Wallaby forward in a test match. Danie Gerber, brilliant player, but also not afraid to mix it up properly when required.

I remember James Small getting into a well publicized pub brawl, and they were interviewing a Springbok paddle skier or  life saver or something (not a small guy) and he said words to the effect "It all kicked off and I turned around and there was James Small who flattened me".

Great video

9 Joost van Der Westhuizen

Love these descriptions from David, brilliant. I'm so glad to hear  Venter was a unit on the field, I mainly know of him from THAT interview.

interesting to hear that about Francois Pienaar - I think he wrongly gets the reputation for being a bit of a pretty boy.
He was a hard, hard player....captaining very good Transvaal and Springbok teams back in the day