The greatest sporting teams
The present somewhat sleepy sports desk of the Rust has been stirred to life by an email Alan Tanner received from a group of Irish and American Fulham supporters with their list of the best sporting sides.
The list reflected their provenance with Gaelic football teams and US College teams in basketball and women’s football.
The Originals (All Blacks 1905/06)
Alan canvassed our support before replying.
The consensus was that The New Zealand All Blacks had to top any list for their dominance of international rugby for over 100 years.
Doug Heath referred to the West Indies side that went 15 years without a Test defeat and the Aussies of 1948 and under Steve Waugh.
His criteria was the quality of cricketers that did not make the side, citing the two Stuarts – Law and McGill.
Guy Danaway contributed the American Dream Team in the Olympics male relay and the SKY cycling team.
Our football writers listed the Milan team of the 80s and 90s, the Barcelona team twenty years on and Real Madrid in the 50s.
Style, achievement, length at the top, quality of opposition were all factors taken into account.
Having got to to know Wayne Smith, I asked for his opinion on the All Black team I chose – Brian Lochore’s 1967 side.
Wayne endorsed this and one reader sent me a clip of them playing England from YouTube – see the link here – YOUTUBE
This was passed onto Chris, the son of Kel Tremain the legendary flanker of that team.
Chris, a retired MP, sent me today an email of gratitude as the family have never seen a full clip of him play.
Even in – one might say because of – these odd times it is still possible to reach out and bring happiness across the globe … and all because Alan received an email of best sporting sides.
