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The Rugby Pod names its best-ever Premiership player import

Schalk Brits on 2009 Barbarians duty (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)

With the curtain having fallen last Saturday on the Gallagher Premiership careers of Bristol duo Charles Piutau and Semi Radradra, The Rugby Pod has given its verdict on which player should be named the all-time best-ever player import in the English top-flight.

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Piutau, the former All Black who now represents Tonga, still hasn’t confirmed his next move but the Fijian Radradra is heading back to the Top 14 to play for Lyon next season.

Both lined out for the Bears last weekend at Ashton Gate versus Gloucester in the find round of the Premiership and their exits prompted a debate between Jim Hamilton and Andy Goode, the respective ex-Scotland and England internationals, as to who their all-time favourite Premiership import was.

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Goode initially ventured down the Australian route, suggesting Pat Howard was top of his list before he agreed with Hamilton that South African Schalk Brits should be top of the pile. However, the debate ended with a curveball, as Irishman Geordan Murphy was tossed in the mix on the back of his incredible honours as a Leicester player.

It was presenter Andy Rowe who sparked the debate, asking who did Hamilton and Goode think over the years had been the best-ever Premiership import. Here is how their conversation unfolded:

Hamilton: When you go through the achieves and producer Rob hit us with some because he loves his ruggers that much from when he was four years old and watching Francois Pienaar turn out for Saracens. You think that Francois Pienaar, the South African World Cup-winning iconic moment, arguably the most iconic moment in rugby, playing in the Premiership back in the day. We have had some great players. We were chatting about Pat Howard as well.

Goode: Pat Howard, 100 per cent would be the biggest impact. We won it five times, once with him as coach, four times as a player. Coming over from Australia, he had a massive impact. What do you judge the best import on? Is it just their individual ability and then you’re talking Charles Piutau or you’re talking Semi Radradra or Nick Evans as well, another one? Or are you talking about someone that has won a lot of Premierships playing at the top week in and week out? It’s a different conversation, isn’t it? Pat Howard, for me, had a massive impact on my career but also a hell of an import. Nick Evans was unbelievable, only won the Prem once. For me, one of the best imports – you played with him, Jim – Schalk Brits.

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Hamilton: For me, I would say Schalk Brits. I’ll tell you why, because of the way he played rugby with a smile on his face and he punched Owen Farrell, I know it wasn’t in the Premiership. But the way that he played rugby, one of the most naturally gifted athletes. I reckon he could have played NFL. As a hooker being able to carry the ball, being able to step. We have had loads. I remember playing with Dan Lyle, for example, from the US Eagles. There have been loads. Martin Castrogiovanni at Leicester, who was a bit of a cult hero. He loved going down and taking a knee so that when he got up everyone cheered. Sebastian Chabal as well at Sale. There are loads if you go through the archives. But for me, because I played with him and the way that he played rugby and because of the general consensus around Schalk Brits, I am going to say him.

Goode: I love the bloke as well, so he wins it.

Rowe: What about your mate Geordie Murphy, played in seven Premiership-winning teams and won two Heineken Cup finals?

Hamilton: I don’t see him as an import.

Goode: He is an import.

Hamilton: Well, I am as well if he is.

Goode: No, Jim, you came from Cov (Coventry). He came over from Ireland when he was about 18 and he lived with Martin Johnson’s parents. One of the most decorated players. Yeah, it’s a shout. Geordan Murphy is a shout.

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2 Comments
i
isaac 542 days ago

Nick Evans

P
Poorfour 543 days ago

I think it depends on your criteria. If you're just looking at impact as a player then Brits or Murphy are good shouts.

If you're looking at the wider impact on a club then Nick Evans has won the Premiership twice - once as a player, once as a coach - but my vote would probably go to Alesana Tuilagi on the basis that when Leicester hired him they also got a significant chunk of his family, most notably Manu.

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AM 44 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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