Why is it so hard for Tindall to compliment Kolisi on how he’s playing? In fact, Kolisi has played the best rugby of his life. It’s like Tinds sucks all the happiness up around him and has to put nice words back down his throat.
6 Nations, Champions Cup, Lions Tour, PWR & Women's Rugby World Cup - huge opportunities for both men & women both on & off that Top 10 list in '25 to really make a name & set themselves apart to the wider public!
Good joke, tell us how he’s done over in Toulon when he didn’t have a good pack, overrated player who thrives on having the best front rows in the world
@antoneverbright You - and everybody else - is so close to the truth when you say something like this. "Kolbe/Carter/Dupont/whoever is only good when they don't have a big pack in front of them..." Yes! Yes! That's exactly right! None of those players would be worth a damn without the grunt in the front row. So what is this truth I speak of? The fact that THE REAL BEST AND GREATEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE FRONT ROW. Forget Kolbe, forget Dupont, forget Daniel Carter. The game is won and lost at the #3 jersey: tighthead prop. If you got a good one, then Kolbe will look like a million bucks, Dupont would do his magic and Carter can ignite his backline. If your tighthead prop is bad, you can have Dupont, Carter, Lomu, Nonu and Kolbe in the same backline and they will be effectively useless. Currently, we have the best tighthead scrummager in Frans Malherbe and maybe #2-5 in Vincent Koch as backup. And that is why the Boks are where they are. So stop with this Kolbe and Dupont nonsense and start focusing on the actual players that make a rugby team win.
@@johnupperton3211 I agree too, SBW, Jonah, DC all well known without all the ego, but you gotta adapt with the times, can't refuse to eat anything but bamboo like the Panda Bear!!
Opening international list is rubbish - it's MAYBE a USA list 2 gymnasts in the top 5 - horse manure No cricketers?? Final list is also a nonsense. DuPont Kolisi Kolbe are levels above everything
I'm probably too old for the demographic this appears to be aimed at... I pay money to watch rugby 15's & 7's, I like the players giving back to the younger generations at the games, in the schools, but I don't give a rats about a social media profile or what they ate for dinner. I don't understand how your biggest "star" is an unproven entity on the rugby pitch? I hope she helps grow the game and has a wonderfully successful marketing company... but for something like this where branding (which social media is a part of) accounts for 50% of your scoring, just seems wrong and silly! Why not have the scoring weighted, something like 20points for rugby performance/ ability and 10points for marketing/ social media.
Because it's the only way of making the women's game 'relevant'. As a pure sporting spectacle no one cares. I wouldn't be surprised if the guys feel embarrassed having to plug this all the time. They probably don't believe it themselve.
@jonbrook4009 Actually, I really like the women's game, I prefer the women's 7's to the mens! The last women's WC between Roses & Ferns was epic. Without decent money, I'm not sure how you grow their game as I would suggest there is statistically far less numbers of women who want to beat the suitcase out of each other, compared to men. But without the spectacle and skill there wouldn't be any money flowing in the gate to justify the decent salary. 🤷🏻♂
It's an interesting balance for players, if they're more interested in doing good than making themself a brand. It's very clear with Maro and Marcus that culture and family have such importance to them; Siya and Ardie as well. Being paid what you're worth but knowing where you belong as part of a team or community. I think Ellie is quite shy or introverted but is aware of inspiring others and hosting a pod of her own. A lot of the women's players talk about accessibility to the game and inspiring young girls more than making themselves stars. To be honest I tend to stop following actors if all they're doing is promoting their own product or sponsorships; show me you're more than a corporate mouthpiece.
No offence but never heard of those girls. Realistically based on performance and marketability in the rugby sphere: 1. DuPont 2. Siya Kolisi 3. Cheslin Kolbe 4. Marcus Smith 5. Ardee Savea
Im just gonna be honest i have never heard that name, ill have to go look up who this Ilona Maher Person even is. So i think she just makes your top 10. But thanks ill have a look who this is
Most Instagram followers of any rugby player (men/women/7s/union/league). Also was just on Dancing with the stars. Doing a lot to raise the profile of rugby in the states. Her move to Bristol bears meant her first scheduled game moved from a 3000 seat stadium to 20000 seat stadium due to overwhelming ticket demand.
@@jbmboy And still no one knows who she is within the game. This singing-the-praises of the women's game reminds of a few years ago when after the men's internationals every interview with the male players had to mention the women's game. It's cringeworthy and unnecessary and has become just another virtue-signalling fest so people can feel good about themselves.
Du Pont is seriously limited by being really French AND a rugby player, so he's not a global sporting figure ( Since rugby isnt massively global sport) and English..
This. If Antoine Dupont was from any of the Home Unions (especially England), or a Kiwi (the All Black mystique), he would get 5 times the exposure he currently gets.
I don't buy that Dupont is a bigger brand than Kolisi. More rugby fans around the world (and even non-rugby fans) know who Siya Kolisi is - but not Dupont. And it's only the NH who raves about the latter... but for some reason, whenever he plays agains SH teams, and we go "ok, let's see how good you are", he never justifies the hype...
Kolisi is a non-entity on the field often, doing less flashy hard graft. Dupont is more visually impactful consistantly. French competition is going gangbusters to a broader audience in general. Outside of playing they're branded quite differently.
Kolisi is a fantastic man, a great captain, and a very good rugby player. But outside of South Africa, he'd struggle to make the top 3 list for open side flankers for any neutral observer.
Mate if you don't even know who Maher is, the most famous rugby player in the world, how on earth are you in position to know anything about famous people rugby people in the world. You don't care about rugby because the only thing you watch is your team
Suggesting the All Blacks aren't marketable??! In my opinion - Ego's trip up - but "humble never stumbles". at least not down here on Planet Southern Hemisphere!! th-cam.com/video/n06lTEbVo8Q/w-d-xo.html Merry Christmas GBR 🖤
With all respect of opinions, great curating & questions from host. Love how James gives straight answers, & trend analyst very clear. Mike confuses me in simply articulating his rugby views/opinion, but mostly about why he "is not smellimg the coffee". He might be right, but would love to ask questions to him.
My 1st questions I would ask to Mike, is to ask who are his top 5 rugby players in current rugby internationally, best coaching administration & with a clear explanation why?
Call me old fashioned but if you're a 'star' a lot of people in and out of the 'business' know who you are. No matter how hard you try and ram the women's game down our throats it has limted appeal to an even more limted amount of people. If it's a valid 'product' people will flock to it. If not, they won't - regardless of how much you hype it.
You guys are killing rugby with interviews like this. The more an individual is "marketed" the more the corporate world invades the rugby field - the model is in plain sight in the US. Taken to its logical conclusion, by promoting "self" over "team" you invite more footage of the marketable player from the tv networks being paid by corporations for said player's air-time. Eventually, corporate dye discolours rugby waters and leads to "Time-Outs" which are a ruthless US innovation better known as "Ad-Time". Please concentrate on the Good about rugby not the Bad and the Ugly. I'm happy to elaborate if you need - this is my space in the US.
@jonbrook4009 No little Johnny boy, it's not. 40 thousand spectators watched the women's RWC final at Eden Park. You litte boys really need to grow up. You two were definitely rubbish rugby players. I represented my country in age grade rugby and I love womens rugby. I love women and I love rugby. You two were probably virgins most of your life who couldn't get women 😊
@@randomlyfactual1943 He wouldn't even make the top 100 rugby players list. He isn't that great of a player. "Rarefied Air" you reckon. 😄 Don't even think I've ever seen him score a try.
@JaemanEdwards You are not getting it. How good you think he is has no bearing; this is about the biggest stars and in particular, brand recognition. Right now, Kolisi is the guy that hangs out with Jurgen Klopp and meets his country's president on a monthly basis. Everyone in the sport knows him. Other rugby players are on lists with other rugby players; Siya Kolisi is on lists that feature tech billionaire and world leaders.
Wow. Ilona Maher actually got 7.5 points for her rugby from Tinds….. Will she even make it into the Bears team if talent/form is a pre requisite for selection. Bench maybe. Only there for the marketing opportunity, not the rugby ability. With the PWR salary cap effectively meaning she shouldn’t get paid (assuming Bears are already maxed out) and with selection for the USA in the World Cup by no means a certainty, a media role would have suited better.
@@walterstevens8676 It’s in your answer. Hardly anyone has seen her. No one even sure if she’ll be flanker, centre, wing. Starts training next year. Here for 3 months. Don’t expect anything
@@walterstevens8676She is a sevens player. One of the best in history. Runs all over the Great Britain 7s including Ellie Kildunne. She is a beast who always draws many defenders then off loads. Also has good speed and great defence.
20:26 I think mostly the European nations have a love affair with him, down south we never really get to see this brilliance and when we do match up with him, mostly adequate performance. over hyped
@@neilharvey3099 It's impossible to sum him up in a few sentences. His progression, his talent, his defensive returns, his playmaker dimension, his creativity, the fact that he's capable of launching the game with both feet... There's only one like him in every generation. It's almost unheard of. He's achieved a status comparable to that of Richie McCaw, the legendary New Zealand captain. Rugby needs characters like Antoine to continue to develop.
Disagree with dropping Ellie Kildunne from 3rd, she is the best player in the world by a long way. If she was a man you would have never considered dropping her.
Ellie Kildunne has 60k followers on instagram, Siya has 1.4M. Siya is 100% a bigger star than Ellie Kildunne. Personally I think he is by far the biggest name in rugby. Outside of rugby fans, almost nobody will know who Ellie Kildunne is. Where I’m pretty confident more people will of seen Siya for what he represents to SA.
@@struandickson9082 Absolutely agree. It's becoming a proper cringe-fest all this ramming the women's game down our throats. No one cares. Just look at the viewing figures for GBR Women's episodes...
@@struandickson9082Siya is in the Times 100 list and that should end all discussion right there. He is not just a bigger star than anyone else in rugby, but the gap is measured in lightyears.
Who is your favourite rugby player and why?
Ilona Maher, she makes me laugh and makes Rugby relatatable.
What about Stuart Hogg? He'd make a good role model as to what not to do.
Why is it so hard for Tindall to compliment Kolisi on how he’s playing? In fact, Kolisi has played the best rugby of his life. It’s like Tinds sucks all the happiness up around him and has to put nice words back down his throat.
Racing 92 fans would have a different opinion. Kolisi, as nice as man and good a player he is showed absolutely nothing playing for them.
the opinion of racing does not matter @@johnnyguitar6697
@@johnnyguitar6697 agreed, but has he been good in a Springbok shirt, yes he’s been world class.
6 Nations, Champions Cup, Lions Tour, PWR & Women's Rugby World Cup - huge opportunities for both men & women both on & off that Top 10 list in '25 to really make a name & set themselves apart to the wider public!
Where is Ruby Tui's social media manager....
Cheslin is a 11 in everything.
Except when he's 14
Good joke, tell us how he’s done over in Toulon when he didn’t have a good pack, overrated player who thrives on having the best front rows in the world
@antoneverbright You - and everybody else - is so close to the truth when you say something like this. "Kolbe/Carter/Dupont/whoever is only good when they don't have a big pack in front of them..."
Yes! Yes! That's exactly right! None of those players would be worth a damn without the grunt in the front row. So what is this truth I speak of? The fact that THE REAL BEST AND GREATEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE FRONT ROW. Forget Kolbe, forget Dupont, forget Daniel Carter.
The game is won and lost at the #3 jersey: tighthead prop. If you got a good one, then Kolbe will look like a million bucks, Dupont would do his magic and Carter can ignite his backline. If your tighthead prop is bad, you can have Dupont, Carter, Lomu, Nonu and Kolbe in the same backline and they will be effectively useless.
Currently, we have the best tighthead scrummager in Frans Malherbe and maybe #2-5 in Vincent Koch as backup. And that is why the Boks are where they are.
So stop with this Kolbe and Dupont nonsense and start focusing on the actual players that make a rugby team win.
@@antoneverbrightwe're used to dumb comments on social media, but yours makes the other trolls cry.😄
Siya met Klopp at a restaurant in Cape town.....
Would have at least liked some discussion of Maddi Levi as World Rugby 7's player of the year.
She is amazing
No player needs to be a ‘brand’. This world now of folk becoming commodities… nah, keep it real.
Agreed. This whole concept is against the rugby ethos. As a Kiwi, I like the ABs for the team first mentality they demand.
@@johnupperton3211 I agree too, SBW, Jonah, DC all well known without all the ego,
but you gotta adapt with the times, can't refuse to eat anything but bamboo like the Panda Bear!!
No idea who Ilona Maher is...
Opening international list is rubbish - it's MAYBE a USA list
2 gymnasts in the top 5 - horse manure
No cricketers??
Final list is also a nonsense.
DuPont
Kolisi
Kolbe
are levels above everything
Nah after kolbe fake diving against ireland. He’s gone down. And there are players who are on their level
I'm probably too old for the demographic this appears to be aimed at...
I pay money to watch rugby 15's & 7's, I like the players giving back to the younger generations at the games, in the schools, but I don't give a rats about a social media profile or what they ate for dinner.
I don't understand how your biggest "star" is an unproven entity on the rugby pitch? I hope she helps grow the game and has a wonderfully successful marketing company... but for something like this where branding (which social media is a part of) accounts for 50% of your scoring, just seems wrong and silly!
Why not have the scoring weighted, something like 20points for rugby performance/ ability and 10points for marketing/ social media.
Because it's the only way of making the women's game 'relevant'. As a pure sporting spectacle no one cares. I wouldn't be surprised if the guys feel embarrassed having to plug this all the time. They probably don't believe it themselve.
@jonbrook4009 Actually, I really like the women's game, I prefer the women's 7's to the mens! The last women's WC between Roses & Ferns was epic.
Without decent money, I'm not sure how you grow their game as I would suggest there is statistically far less numbers of women who want to beat the suitcase out of each other, compared to men. But without the spectacle and skill there wouldn't be any money flowing in the gate to justify the decent salary. 🤷🏻♂
I think the idea here is to assess impact outside of the pitch. Think Jimi Hendrix to guitar, or Muhammad Ali to boxing.
@@randomlyfactual1943 Connor McGregor, Anna Kournikova, bums on seats like our Sonny Bill Williams its xfactor
It's an interesting balance for players, if they're more interested in doing good than making themself a brand. It's very clear with Maro and Marcus that culture and family have such importance to them; Siya and Ardie as well. Being paid what you're worth but knowing where you belong as part of a team or community. I think Ellie is quite shy or introverted but is aware of inspiring others and hosting a pod of her own. A lot of the women's players talk about accessibility to the game and inspiring young girls more than making themselves stars.
To be honest I tend to stop following actors if all they're doing is promoting their own product or sponsorships; show me you're more than a corporate mouthpiece.
No offence but never heard of those girls. Realistically based on performance and marketability in the rugby sphere:
1. DuPont
2. Siya Kolisi
3. Cheslin Kolbe
4. Marcus Smith
5. Ardee Savea
Im just gonna be honest i have never heard that name, ill have to go look up who this Ilona Maher Person even is. So i think she just makes your top 10. But thanks ill have a look who this is
Most Instagram followers of any rugby player (men/women/7s/union/league). Also was just on Dancing with the stars. Doing a lot to raise the profile of rugby in the states. Her move to Bristol bears meant her first scheduled game moved from a 3000 seat stadium to 20000 seat stadium due to overwhelming ticket demand.
@@jbmboy wow thats a star fair and square
@@jbmboy And still no one knows who she is within the game. This singing-the-praises of the women's game reminds of a few years ago when after the men's internationals every interview with the male players had to mention the women's game. It's cringeworthy and unnecessary and has become just another virtue-signalling fest so people can feel good about themselves.
Du Pont is seriously limited by being really French AND a rugby player, so he's not a global sporting figure (
Since rugby isnt massively global sport) and English..
Especially in the social media field.
This. If Antoine Dupont was from any of the Home Unions (especially England), or a Kiwi (the All Black mystique), he would get 5 times the exposure he currently gets.
Bet you didnt say that about Anna Kournikova!😁
Whos BOD going to drop if Waboso starts for the Lions? Darcy Graham is better so he obviously starts as well right?
I don't buy that Dupont is a bigger brand than Kolisi. More rugby fans around the world (and even non-rugby fans) know who Siya Kolisi is - but not Dupont. And it's only the NH who raves about the latter... but for some reason, whenever he plays agains SH teams, and we go "ok, let's see how good you are", he never justifies the hype...
Kolisi is a non-entity on the field often, doing less flashy hard graft. Dupont is more visually impactful consistantly.
French competition is going gangbusters to a broader audience in general.
Outside of playing they're branded quite differently.
Kolisi is a fantastic man, a great captain, and a very good rugby player. But outside of South Africa, he'd struggle to make the top 3 list for open side flankers for any neutral observer.
Kolisi is in the Time 100 list. Dupont isn't. It's really simple.
watch more rugby @@johnnyguitar6697
Mate if you don't even know who Maher is, the most famous rugby player in the world, how on earth are you in position to know anything about famous people rugby people in the world. You don't care about rugby because the only thing you watch is your team
It’s the ‘Haskell Helmet’!
Suggesting the All Blacks aren't marketable??!
In my opinion - Ego's trip up - but "humble never stumbles".
at least not down here on Planet Southern Hemisphere!!
th-cam.com/video/n06lTEbVo8Q/w-d-xo.html
Merry Christmas GBR 🖤
Doesn't Joe Marler deserve a mention for a 2024 list? At least from an England perspective - all over socials (and in the papers...)
With all respect of opinions, great curating & questions from host. Love how James gives straight answers, & trend analyst very clear. Mike confuses me in simply articulating his rugby views/opinion, but mostly about why he "is not smellimg the coffee". He might be right, but would love to ask questions to him.
My 1st questions I would ask to Mike, is to ask who are his top 5 rugby players in current rugby internationally, best coaching administration & with a clear explanation why?
@@nqabamagwa9591 across both codes Kildunne, Dupont, Etzebeth, Kolbe, and we can argue the fifth but I'd go Maddie Levi
Whys Haskell looking younger? Fair play Hask.
Really interesting pod
Call me old fashioned but if you're a 'star' a lot of people in and out of the 'business' know who you are. No matter how hard you try and ram the women's game down our throats it has limted appeal to an even more limted amount of people. If it's a valid 'product' people will flock to it. If not, they won't - regardless of how much you hype it.
You're a dinosaur in the demographic people don't care about
You guys are killing rugby with interviews like this. The more an individual is "marketed" the more the corporate world invades the rugby field - the model is in plain sight in the US. Taken to its logical conclusion, by promoting "self" over "team" you invite more footage of the marketable player from the tv networks being paid by corporations for said player's air-time. Eventually, corporate dye discolours rugby waters and leads to "Time-Outs" which are a ruthless US innovation better known as "Ad-Time". Please concentrate on the Good about rugby not the Bad and the Ugly. I'm happy to elaborate if you need - this is my space in the US.
Nobody watches womens rugby. Women don't watch womens rugby. An under 16 average schoolboy team could beat the England team. Utterly pointless.
Yep. Totally agree. Unfortunately there is an agenda to push.
Your comment is utterly pointless. Your life probably is too.
@@JaemanEdwards No, his comment is utterly on point, factual and correct.
@@JaemanEdwards Love your irony - however unaware of it you might be...
@jonbrook4009 No little Johnny boy, it's not. 40 thousand spectators watched the women's RWC final at Eden Park. You litte boys really need to grow up. You two were definitely rubbish rugby players. I represented my country in age grade rugby and I love womens rugby. I love women and I love rugby.
You two were probably virgins most of your life who couldn't get women 😊
...do you guys know what the Times 100 list is? Siya is in the rarified air of people like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Sir Alex Ferguson.
You’re an idiot 😂😂
He's the token black guy
@JaemanEdwards Doesn't matter. He is still in the Times 100 list.
@@randomlyfactual1943 He wouldn't even make the top 100 rugby players list. He isn't that great of a player. "Rarefied Air" you reckon. 😄 Don't even think I've ever seen him score a try.
@JaemanEdwards You are not getting it. How good you think he is has no bearing; this is about the biggest stars and in particular, brand recognition. Right now, Kolisi is the guy that hangs out with Jurgen Klopp and meets his country's president on a monthly basis. Everyone in the sport knows him.
Other rugby players are on lists with other rugby players; Siya Kolisi is on lists that feature tech billionaire and world leaders.
Wow. Ilona Maher actually got 7.5 points for her rugby from Tinds…..
Will she even make it into the Bears team if talent/form is a pre requisite for selection. Bench maybe.
Only there for the marketing opportunity, not the rugby ability.
With the PWR salary cap effectively meaning she shouldn’t get paid (assuming Bears are already maxed out) and with selection for the USA in the World Cup by no means a certainty, a media role would have suited better.
Isnt she that great a player? I have only see her as a personality, never seen her play.
@@walterstevens8676
It’s in your answer. Hardly anyone has seen her. No one even sure if she’ll be flanker, centre, wing.
Starts training next year. Here for 3 months. Don’t expect anything
@@walterstevens8676start watching 7s. That is where a lot of top mens players get blooded.
@@walterstevens8676She is a sevens player. One of the best in history. Runs all over the Great Britain 7s including Ellie Kildunne. She is a beast who always draws many defenders then off loads. Also has good speed and great defence.
20:26 I think mostly the European nations have a love affair with him, down south we never really get to see this brilliance and when we do match up with him, mostly adequate performance. over hyped
Why are South Africans always parading their ignorance as a form of pride? He's one of the best players in the world hands down
You should really not talk about 'ignorance', or 'arrogance' for that matter.
@@neilharvey3099 It's impossible to sum him up in a few sentences. His progression, his talent, his defensive returns, his playmaker dimension, his creativity, the fact that he's capable of launching the game with both feet... There's only one like him in every generation. It's almost unheard of. He's achieved a status comparable to that of Richie McCaw, the legendary New Zealand captain. Rugby needs characters like Antoine to continue to develop.
So ignorant
@@sirfrancis6058 he is a mid player and will continue to be all the while yall hype him up to the disbelief when facing proper talent
Lol😂
Prendergast overhyped , talk about sour grapes. Martin has overhyped many players in his day.
Disagree with dropping Ellie Kildunne from 3rd, she is the best player in the world by a long way. If she was a man you would have never considered dropping her.
Ellie Kildunne has 60k followers on instagram, Siya has 1.4M. Siya is 100% a bigger star than Ellie Kildunne. Personally I think he is by far the biggest name in rugby. Outside of rugby fans, almost nobody will know who Ellie Kildunne is. Where I’m pretty confident more people will of seen Siya for what he represents to SA.
@@struandickson9082 Absolutely agree. It's becoming a proper cringe-fest all this ramming the women's game down our throats. No one cares. Just look at the viewing figures for GBR Women's episodes...
Dude she won't hang with an under 16 from our local club. Please, for the love of God, stop doing this.
@@struandickson9082Siya is in the Times 100 list and that should end all discussion right there. He is not just a bigger star than anyone else in rugby, but the gap is measured in lightyears.
@@randomlyfactual1943Siya isn't that good of a player and unknown outside of South Africa