WE HAVE all seen the big hits that make you wince; the thundering shoulder that cuts an attacker in half and has the crowd collectively giving it an “Oooh!” All legal, all-out mayhem. And it’s part of the game we love. But who’s the all-time master? We’ve run through the names from Pieter-Steph du Toit to Chabal and Collins.
Putting these monsters in any sort of order could be folly – so just enjoy the savagery of all, in any order you like!
Sébastien Chabal
France | Bourgoin, Sale, Racing
Back in 2007, Sale Sharks coach Kingsley Jones said of the side’s hirsute French back-row, “He’ll get the ball, run through six people, then walk for two minutes. We know his weaknesses but play to his strengths. When he goes forward or makes a big tackle, he inspires the whole team.”
That was Chabal. Capable of carnage, a big fan: “My game was direct because I didn’t start playing until I was 16. So maybe I didn’t have all the basics, like the pass. My strength was to take the ball and go forward and smash people. That’s why teams wanted me.” Fans too.
