Who are the fastest players in NSW rugby?

The weight based handicapping would make for an interesting event.

I wonder if Kurt Mulcahy is still with Manly.

If so, and selected I'd tip him over 100m.

I think there are few faster at Uni than Matt Hume probably Tom English to start with or maybe Willie du Plessis.

I'm excited to know the results of this and who represents each club. I think blindsider is onto something, I can see Dom Bower being a dark horse!

Our nominee is a lower grade winger who at 18 years of age ran a 10 flat for his country in the commonweatlh games.........and it aint Dan Yakopo

bullocks, unless people from carribean countries are suddenly playing rugby union than this is false.lol...anyways no 18 yr old has ever ran 10 seconds flat in the 100m, the world junior record is 10.01 seconds from american jeff demps. The fastest rugby player in australia by a long way is kurt mulcahy(Manly). 10.5sec 100m as a 16 yr old, 45 sec 400m as a 18 yr old and sub 21 in the 200m sprint as a 17 yr old. If he didn't quit athletics he'd probably would have been an olympic finalist in the 400m next yr in london.

Last person to run 10-flat at the Commonwealth games was Obadele Thompson from Barbados, and he's a bit too old to be playing rugby these days.

A slightly tangential question: how well does sheer track speed translate to speed in full rugby kit on a grass field? And further, how much effect does carrying the ball have?


The fastest player I ever saw was Billy Feggans - an Eastwood winger from the seventies. He was a GPS sprint champion IIRC, and he was absolutely lightning fast on the field - but only when chasing in defence. When he was carrying the ball he was relatively slow.


Mind you, he was tiny.


Bob Lay, Michael Cleary, and Alan Cardy were all sprint champions who were quick on the field.

I think ball in hand has a huge bearing. Have a look at this footage from last years shute shield. Peter Betham who is supposed to be very quick is run down by ben batger even with a 10metre start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbtk7tRV7k0

Wish peter could race Hume and we would have a Joeboy showdown, however he is on duty with the rebels

Sounds like it's going to be lower graders and colts rather than "Shute Shield" players

This is why I didn't bother with Mulcahy. He only played lower grades last year.

Whos is this Jack Baxter you are talking of.he a up and comming talent?

Is Dominic Shipperley stiil at Southern Districts ( or wherever he was) ? He can run !!!

Yeh, he is an old-school speedy winger with a style you could only describe as 'unorthodox'.
Hard to beat one-on-one. Just sticks with his man. Decent fella off the paddock too.

Definitely one to watch for the Galloping Greens in 2011.
Will be pushing Wright and Tombleson for a spot in the top grade sooner than you think.

Popular with the ladies too I've heard.

I had my wires crossed. he was timed at 10 flat when 18. However he did not run that time at Comm games. Having wtched the sprint (which was won by the Norths runner) it was interesting that they started it when 3 guys weren't ready, including our bloke

It was an absolute farce. A number of runners broke, then when some of the field were walking back into position with their backs turned, they started the "race". Up to the usual standard of what is supposed to be entertainment at 'Tahs home games. And what about turning the PA system way down or better yet disabling it completely?

Farce is the right word to describe the "Fastest man in club rugby - Skins sprint".

There were obviously some quick blokes out there but the start of the race was an abomination. Matt Armour (UNI), Jason Seage (WH) and Beni Cakau (PAR) were on one side of the starting line which was spread across the field at the Paddington end. Cakau broke and that caused Seage and Armour to also break.

As they stopped and turned around to walk back to the start the officials started the race and the rest of the field were on their way to the Randwick end while the three lost souls were scratching their heads. To their credit they turned around and chased and finished the race taking the last three places.

I haven't seen Cakau play before but he looks a fine athlete while Seage (Oz 7's) and Armour (Uni colts, Scots and GPS) are noted speedsters.

Tahs Marketing please get your act together!

It was pretty clear being at the game that they were told to go on the hooter; some guys broke, the others held their starting stance waiting while the others retreated back to the line. In athletics there is now a one-start rule so those guys would be gone anyway.

And why are we worrying about sound from the PA. it isn't a juniors match at a local ground. This is professional sport. It's all part of going to a game. Sydney Rugby crowds need to start going to the game willing to enjoy the experience rather than sit there with scowls on their faces because the 12-year-old next to them is cheering and waving a flag.