Just following on from the New Zealand thread - who do you reckon is the toughest rugby player ever ?
Some candidates spring to mind ;
Colin "Pintree" Meads (NZ) : never took a step back and took plenty of steps forward.
Hard as nails and never complained.
Gerard Cholley (France) : veritable man mountain of a loose head prop and ex-boxer. With Robert Paparemborde he formed a massive front row for the 1977
Grand Chelem team that literally steamrolled every team in Europe that year.
Dean Richards (England) : another strong silent type. Got involved in a massive boxing match against Wales in the late 1980's and was the Lions enforcer on many tours.
I think he was tougher than Martin Johnson but you can select either one.
Wille John McBride (Ireland) : lead the Lions in SA in 1974 and toured undefeated. used the '99 call to great effect against the burly boers.
Finlay Calder (Scotland) : captain of the 1989 Lions tour to Australia : got really involved in mass brawls during the 2 and 3rd tests.
teak tough.
Graham Price (wales) : cornerstone of the legendary pontypool frontrow.
Never took a step backwards : propped in three consecutive lions tours and
outscrummed everyone he came up against.
Andre Venter : talk blonde afrikaaner was teak tough. Could play secondrow,
flanker, No 8 : Martin johnson said he was the toughest opponent ever.
Very religious - except on the field where he breathed fire and brimstone.
Simon Poidevin : this guy would put his head on the block and ask no questions. One of the hardest hitting flankers on the circuit, Poidevin was part of the 1984 grand Slam Aussie team.