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Veteran second-rower Nathan Sharpe is more than a lineout jumper
- Bret Harris
- From: The Australian
- September 10, 2010 12:00AM
ALL Blacks lock Brad Thorn claims veteran Wallabies second-rower Nathan Sharpe is unappreciated in his own country.
Thorn said he thought Sharpe was in the best form of his career, but did not always receive the praise he deserved.
"Sharpie is a good man," Thorn said. "Sometimes I don't think he has been appreciated. He is known as a lineout operator and other stuff, but sometimes he doesn't get noted for his ball-running and work-rate.
"Victor (Matfield) gets a lot of love about his lineout work and stuff, but Sharpie's
right up there. There is stuff he doesn't get acknowledged for which I think he does well, which is his ball-running. He is a significant ball carrier for the Wallabies and makes the advantage line more often than not.
"His presence in the team . . . there are a lot of young guys . . . he has had a lot of ups and downs in the Wallabies jersey. He is an important guy for them."
Thorn said he was surprised when his old Crusaders coach Robbie Deans dropped Sharpe from the squad for the tour to South Africa in 2008. Sharpe fought his way back and is now playing outstanding rugby.
"A couple of years ago when he was dropped, Ali (Williams) and I were really surprised because we really rated him," Thorn said.
"I'm sure Robbie had his reasons for that.
"I read somewhere Sharpie said it was good. He came back stronger. But I've always rated Sharpie as a bloke. He's a good guy and a tough competitor.
"He is probably the leader of the pack. He has been around a long time. He looks like he is enjoying his rugby."
Thorn predicted the Test on Saturday night would be a fast and furious affair.
"They (the Wallabies) look like they are playing a brand they are really comfortable with and it's pretty much all-out attack," Thorn said. "I think it is going to be very exciting because we enjoy attacking as well."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225916768117
I appreciate him![]()
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Or on twf. Seeing as we're spearheading calls for him to be made captain
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As far as I can seen the only thing Sharpie gets lampooned with in the media is his scrum work. Everything else is a tick (with momentary lapses) defence, ball carries, LEADERSHIP, lineout, maul and his general work in tight has improved over the last couple of years.
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
(EWF) Captain, (should be) my (Wallabies) Captain!
(waiting for a response from Hertryk ........)
'God invented beer to prevent Props from taking over the world'
sharpie is a legend. definitely doesn't go under appreciated round here...
Be There. Be Heard. Be The Force Behind The Force
He scrums OK at tight-head lock, but when I've seen him at loose-head lock (the first England match) the scrum was in all sorts of trouble. That might have been the dominance of the England pack, but the locks were splitting in a way that I've never seen when Sharpie plays at 5. I wondered if there was an issue of him binding with his right arm. Anyone heard anything?
Sharpie used to play at tighthead lock because he had shoulder problems. I don't know if its still a problem but maybe he isn't able to apply the same pressure on the other shoulder. Pretty hard to base a decision against the England pack because those guys were tearing us a new one.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
From memory it is currently his left shoulder playing up isn't it?
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Those overhead camera shots from South Africa showed it was Dean Mumm going backwards in the scrums and not Sharpie.
really, is leadership and experience any less then what you would naturally expect from a 12yr veteran?
no, not really......we'd also expect the same or more from the Wallaby Captain. The calls for Sharpie to be captain aren't a surprise, it's what you'd expect from a bloke that experienced and still playing at his peak.......Thorn might not realise the insult to Rocky when he says Sharpie leads the pack......when your captain's a forward, you expect that from him.
C'mon the![]()
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