Greatest Hooker of all time?

Another one of the greatest ever series, this time Hookers (my postion). Who was the most technically skilled, mobile round the park or just generally the best. As ever correct me if i miss anyone but I'll do my best. Sorry it is so close to the last one, but I'm going back to boarding school later to day and can't post while im there. Your thoughts on the greatest Hooker ever.

Fitzpatrick had everything. Not only one of the best hookers, he was one of the best players to pull on the All Black shirt, but also one of the best captains. He has set the mould that any good captain still aspires to and that was because the guy was intelligent. Carwyn James would have loved him as he was a thinking man, it's a thinking man's sport.

I agree Glas I thought he may win this poll great player

Mark Regan? Surely it would be Steve Thompson if you're after a recent English hooker.

Anyway, Sean Fitzpatrick for me.

I have honestly never rated thompson as a great hooker at all, always too overweight for my liking.

has to be fitz for me
i mean 90 something caps for the all blacks, you gotta be something special to manage that no matter what number is on your shirt,
wouldn't you agree

going back further id also give bobby windsor a shout

Went with Kieth Wood, for me he was the first "modern" Hooker in that he didn't just throw into the lineout and scrumage but was always everywhere around the field with ball in hand and tackling, almost like another flanker. Today we assume that all the top Hookers do this but Wood was the first (and so far best) in my opinion.

Hard to pick between Fitzy and Wood. Both excellent players. Equally important is both were strong leaders.

So, to break the tie, I choose.........Mark Regan. Not because he was better. He wasn't and really doesn't belong on this list at all. But he was funnier. And we could always rely upon mark to do something amusing during a match.

gone with Fitzy, just shades out Wood for me, brilliant though Keith was...

Woods for me. Brilliant round the park and scored some very memorable tries. His throwing was occasionally a bit off, but for his overall contribution and his leadership were second to none.

Ron Hemi,or Dad Young.BrynMeredith for NH.Andy Dalton and Oliver were useful too .Again all opinion role changedover the years.But again all those I have seen.NZ seldom had a poor Hooker,Fitzy is in there with the best.Only John Major was poor,part of the highly mobile Taranaki Ranfurly shield side.If you wanted a Hooker as another flanker fine but as a Hooker in the primary role of winning the strike for get it.Colthurst,or Creighton should have toured with Dad Young in 1963-4 they were good.

None of the above.

I would pick Bobby Windsor of the infamous Pontypool front row and the invincibles British and Irish Lions fame. The most uncompromising front row let alone hooker to lace up a pair of rugby boots.

From that list, I am torn between Fitzpatrick and Smit.

I just give it to the former All Black as I think he was a technically better player, but Smit has been one fo the best international captains of all time and is a wonderful ambassador for his country and the sport as a whole.

Bryn Meredith

John Pullin was by far the greatest hooker to pull on the England shirt. After Keith Wood, Sean Fitzpatrick, and Bryn Meredith in the world order maybe but a great 'un indeed.

Sean Fitzpatrick

Hands down this guy was a legend. I loved the Fitzpatrick he charged into the back of Johan Le Roux after he bit Fitzpatrick's ear. Nothing illegal in what Fitzpatrick did, in a ruck. but clearly Fitzpatrick was angry but kept it legal despite the extreme provocation. Le roux bend over and was winded by the charge. I looked for a video of it, but cant find one which is a shame.

I agree Alyn, Fitzy was the epitome of the hard player who could give and take in equal measure. And he led one of the best All Black packs of all time in my opinion (sandwiched in between Loe and Brown).

He was an immensely fit hooker and redefined the role at the time with the yards he covered around the field. Align this with his technical accuracy and excellent work both at thescrum and line-out then there truly is only one winner in this debate.

And back in those days, if you lay over the ball you knew what you were going to get...umpteen studs grating you like cheddar!

SB wrote:I agree Alyn, Fitzy was the epitome of the hard player who could give and take in equal measure. And he led one of the best All Black packs of all time in my opinion (sandwiched in between Loe and Brown).

He was an immensely fit hooker and redefined the role at the time with the yards he covered around the field. Align this with his technical accuracy and excellent work both at thescrum and line-out then there truly is only one winner in this debate.

And back in those days, if you lay over the ball you knew what you were going to get...umpteen studs grating you like cheddar!

I also used to love the way he'd sniff around on the touchline looking for a try!
I forget how many times I saw him standing on the line waiting for the scoring pass.

He was quite tall for a hooker, very good at talking to a ref, and just very intelligent. As I said not only the best hooker, the best captain and one of the best All Blacks and best players ever.

I've gone with Woods but thers some brilliant players missng from that list - I liked Colin Deans from Scotland, Ken Kennedy from Ireland and even Peter Wheeler who was an excellent player in his day. Not really sure why Mark Regans in that list at all to be honest or Jeremy Paul if the truth be told.

Glas a du wrote:He was quite tall for a hooker, very good at talking to a ref, and just very intelligent. As I said not only the best hooker, the best captain and one of the best All Blacks and best players ever.

Have to agree Glas, it's almost sad his caps record got broken....

Yeah Fitzpatrick was definitely the best I've seen.

On the welsh front I used to enjoy watching Andrew Lamerton tearing around the park. A career sadly blighted by injury, he was very underrated. My favorite welsh hooker was Garin Jenkins. A fearsome scrummager. I'll always remember that Argentina tour when he was part of the pack that shoved them back. No mean feat!

Totallybiasedscarlet wrote:Yeah Fitzpatrick was definitely the best I've seen.

On the welsh front I used to enjoy watching Andrew Lamerton tearing around the park. A career sadly blighted by injury, he was very underrated. My favorite welsh hooker was Garin Jenkins. A fearsome scrummager. I'll always remember that Argentina tour when he was part of the pack that shoved them back. No mean feat!

I remember Garin Jenkins for different reasons.

1) His try against Spain in 1994, one player hanging off his left arm, one player hanging off his right arm, one player being dragged along the floor hanging onto Garins jersey. It's probably the funniest try i've ever seen!

2) Brian Moore Vs Garin Jenkins fight in the early 90's.
Final score, Brian being escorted off the field with blood all over his nose. Pit bull 1 - Bull Dog 0

3) Garin vs the Scottish pack in 1994.
Scotland come to Cardiff to front up and show they wont be intimidated.
Final score: half the Scottish pack flat on the floor pilled on top of each other with Garin beating the living hell into them!
Thank god Ieuan was good with referees because any other Welsh player as captain and we'd of been down to 14 men.
Final score 29-6 to Wales

Its hard to pick between Woody and Fitz. One played and shone like a beacon in a weaker team, that really needed massive leadership and inspiration, to get anywhere at the time. And he redefined the way a modern hooker played, imo.

But, Id have to go for Fitzpatrick. Albeit, he had some of the best players in the World around him. Like Woody, he had everything that makes up a phenomenal hooker and Captain - in one. And then some.

Aye, but even though there are similarities, Wood was Fire and Brimstone, Blood and Thunder, putting his body on the line to lead by example. On the '97 Lions tour he showed what he could do with better players around him.

Fitzpatrick was altogether more cerebral but those who tried the physical intimidation on him soon found out that they got little change out of him.

Lamerton was unique. It was no coincidence that je was always injured, he played like a man who was half as big as him again.

Garin Jenkins was the last if tge old school hookers, supreme scrummaging, hooking, line out throwing and in the tight. It was no coincidence that Wales' winning streak leading to the 99 World Cup coincided with Henry making Garin his first choice hooker. Barry Williams had a good Lions Tour in 97 himself, but despite being Henry's type if player, Wales were a different team when Jenkins was on the pitch.

I share those memories of Jenkins, also him and Craig Quinell in a touchline brawl out in Argentina but also the poignancy of him jumping into the crowd at the Arms Park, where his father was having a heart attack he would never recover from.

Fitzy by a country mile