I'm only going back to the late sixties early seventies here as these are the players I saw and remembered. There might be argument for others further back to be added (Nathan/Tremain), if so feel free to comment.
My list stars five AB number 7's that I feel served our country very well. Sorting out who was the best is a difficult task so to make it easier I'm going to do a little summary of those players in order of appearance and then come up with a summary.
That Manawatu dynamo Kevin Everleigh gets the ball rolling. Though he only played 12 tests he still sticks in my mind as one of the potentially lethal number 7's this country produced. Often a bloodied battler Everleigh was often shining in a team that wasn't all that good and it was a shame he didn't play more for the top team. Fast, a scrapper, and a true reflection of a dedicated ball winner.
The Taranaki man that played a lot of winning rugby for the AB's in his reign in the team. Although not possessed with the speed of Everleigh, his ability around rucks and mauls (remember mauls came about at around his time) were sublime and often AB's won games on his brilliance. However I never really rated Mourie THAT highly, he was fortunate to have a great team around him.
The Iceman comes into contention simply because he was one of the all time greats in a 7 jersey, heck even in a 6 jersey. There would be few people writing up a Greatest Ever AB Team that doesn't include Jones. Yes McCaw should be there, but just on sheer skill and dynamism Jones is way up there. But like Mourie, Jones served with a great team and very good coaches. So does that affect his ranking? We shall see.
Unlike the previous three contestants, Kronfeld arrived on the scene with major changes to the way rugby was played. Defensive patterns changed, rucking was on the wane, and there became a new way of winning ball at the breakdown. For all the years Josh played he was THE MOST EFFECTIVE seven in the game internationally. Often not given plaudits due to his ability to do the job without being too fussy, his ability at the breakdown can only be matched by McCaw (playing under similar laws). How high do I rate him, heck he's in my top five.
Captain Courageous. Richie has something all the other four don't have, a very lengthy stay at the top of the game. Does this make him the best ever? McCaw is a freak (as Jones was), super fit, super committed and a super ball winner. Sure he doesn't have the running skills of Everleigh, nor the silky smooth lines of Jones. But he does have Kronfelds tenacity in spades, and Mourie's abilities as captain. That makes McCaw probably the greatest ever All Black right (not for me, Shelford still has that mantle). The greatest of our time?
And there in lies the answer to this poser, who is the best? Well for their time they were the best. They played for the country, they lived and fought on a rugby field, and they endeared themselves to our hearts and minds, so trying to sort out who the best 7 was is a mystery based on those summations. But here I go. from 5th to first.
5th Mourie Simply a very good captain with a very good team, but not that dynamic a 7 player. I don't have any memories of Mourie Magic that turned a game.
4th Kronfeld He arrived in a new era, and he proved himself staunchly. His one failing trait was he went missing in some games and cost us wins. Good, but not the greatest.
3rd Everleigh The Hayburner wasn't named because he burned hay on a farm. His speed around the traps was explosive and his ball winning capabilities second only to the top two here. The pity of it all is we didn't see enough of him.
2nd The Ice Man Once again played in a different era with great players. Basically had an armchair ride compared to the top dog here but made the most of every opportunity he had. fast, dynamic, and potent Michael Jones deservedly fills the 2 spot.
1st Richie McCaw. There's more than enough plaudits in Internetland for this big tickered contributor. He only edges out Michael Jones on one facet, his captaincy. He is a hugely popular leader, a hugely popular player, and off the field he shows us how it is to be just an ordinary bloke doing extraordinary things. His longevity in the game (testament to his fitness and dedication) is a telling factor, as is his AB record. He's had a few coaches over the years but regardless the team continues to perform exceedingly well, a testament to his input into the game and the way the team plays. As a true leader (like Mourie) he leads by example. McCaw has it all and is highly deserving of the number one spot.
Putting all that aside, I still get shivers up my spine watching Everleigh play.
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