Top 20 rugby hard cases countdown: 10-6
In our new Top 20 feature, Brendan Gallagher continues to rank the players who would battle on while battered and bruised in the fight to win.
Here, our countdown continues towards No.1
10 Jean Francois Imbernon – France
Played for Perpignan whose biggest rivals were Beziers just down the road and one of the highlights of the French domestic season was twice a year when these two went head to head for their clubs. All powerful Bezier invariably won the match but honours were usually even between these two protagonists. In retirement ran a popular bar in Perpignan where punters tended to leave pdq when the proprietor announced it was ‘time gentlemen, please’.
9 Willie John McBride – Ireland
You have to meet fire with fire if you are going survive five Lions tours, three to South Africa and two to New Zealand. It was a wild west saloon back in those days so the Ulsterman quickly learned to look after himself against the likes of the Meads brothers Colin and Stan, Frik du Preez, Johan Classens et al. If you really want to see how scary he could be look out for some amazing footage of the Lions tour to South Africa in 1968 when John O’Shea got sent off against Eastern Transvaal. As he leaves the field O’Shea is attacked by a big South African spectator but before the police can react and accost the interloper McBride – resplendent in his tour jacket and tie – has climbed out of the stands and, er, saves them the bother!
8 David Leslie – Scotland
I refer you to Jim Telfer, a noted hardcase himself, for an appreciation of the former Scotland captain. “All really good sides need a nutter in their pack and when your nutter is also a Scottish public schoolboy you really are quids in because let me tell you they are the maddest of the mad, the bravest of the brave. David was posthumous VC material if ever I saw one. Pound for pound he was possibly the best Scotland player. He could be too brave for his own good sometimes, it could be frightening to watch him put his body on the line. The battering he took but what a man to have in your team. He was as hard as nails but the thing about David is that he also had this Kamikaze thing going on. He was ferocious.”
7 Patricio Albacete – Argentina
Hugely underrated enforcer and hardman who was the rallying point for the Toulouse pack during three successful T14 campaigns as well as a European Cup triumph in 2010. Much feared in France which is saying something. Was also a stand out for Argentina in three World Cups, not least their startling 2007 campaign. A talented all-round forward with good hands and skills, he nonetheless knew when it was time to get physical and put some stick about. Bowed out with Racing two years ago.
6 Colin Meads – New Zealand
Was the roughest toughest All Black of his era and possibly all-time. He was, of course, also a magnificent rugby player, incredibly fit after years of clearing the 100 acre family plot of scrub and working on the farm, hard tackling and a natural ball handler who unquestionably would have played back row these days, but it was his brutal ferocity in contact the distinguished his play. Inflicted injuries, played with injuries, took his medicine if he was sent off, never backed down. A hard nut of the premier order.
