Agreed been watching for 30 years. He really is everywhere but also incredibly explosive. I think Michael Jones is the best comparison

100% agree. Some commentator said BOD is potentially best ever player. I'd take Ardie over BOD any day

@@Nellyspence And on the days when you're not on medication?

@@Nellyspence hard to compare. But if you're starting your team with a player who can give your team front foot ball, jackals and all round support play Ardie is your man. But BOD was more of a distributor and at 13 had less opportunity to influence the game. One of my favorites though

@@ciaranoconnor4027 Savea's workrate is massively higher and he's just as influential (and gets tries right through the centre of the field, where it's much more congested and harder)

Seems like a family thing with them...

Brian O'Driscoll 141 international caps. Top cap holder in Ireland's rugby history, ever. Top try scorer for his country, ever. Most caps as Captain for his country, ever. Grand Slam winner. Heineken cup winner. Made four Lions squads, so performed over a period of sixteen years at the very highest level. Nominated three times for world player of the year, but never won it. Crime? Sure away and take your head for a wobble.

@@ciaranoconnor4027 hang on a sec we can both agree that pete horne not getting it in 2018 was a crime

@@ciaranoconnor4027 I was referring to this year, and my head is just fine thanks petal. Drico has been retired for several years. He should have absolutely won it in 2009 though.

@@petermcauley1012 Horne was a very good player indeed. The point I was making is that there seems to be a sentiment in SA&NZ that the best player in their squad should be automatically given the best player award. In 2022 the panel were John Smit, George Gregan, Melodie Robinson, Maggie Alphonsi, Clive Woodward, Brian O'Driscoll, Sir Richie McCaw, Thierry Dusautoir and Fiona Coghlan. They know a lot more about rugby than I and silly-billy PapiChungus there. I trust that panel to make the correct holistic decision, since they would have known what the popular vote was and also how they see the players true contributions in the light of their experience. Savea may never win the player of the year, doesn't stop him from being and being widely accepted as a truly gifted rugby player.

@@chungushumongous94 How is it you know better than the panel of judges? Both this year and in 2009?

They interviewed him about it, and he mentioned along the lines of if it gives him another second before getting tackled, then it's done its job

“…no-one falls for it….” - Step forward Nicky Smith!!!

It gives him power

Better player but not a better 8 than Aldritt. He doesn't fill the traditional role of taking kicks or being a sweep defender as Alldritt does.

@@mr.e6748 number 1 role of the 8 is to pick and go from the base of the scrum. I'd rather take on Aldritt than Savea's piston pump knees anyday

@@canadiancontent352 Nah man there is so much more to it than just that, look at Duane Vermeulen in his prime. He did so much more than just charge from scrum.

@@mr.e6748 Like I said, he's not a number 8 in the traditional sense. But if the guy you want in your team is the non-number 8 over the traditional number 8, then I guess he's the best number 8 anyway.

@@mr.e6748 I agree but many players fulfill roles differently. Take Dallagio, who was more of a 6. I'd agree though that Aldritt does the overall duties a bit better as he's bigger and can take the kick return hits.

Like Richie, except Richie had a super power of making the entire team play like Ritchie is on the field. Ardie is missing that but slightly better on the ball imo. Ardie has his days though where he carry the whole dam team.

Ardie is the best player in the world right now and will undoubtedly go down as one of the best to ever do it. All he needs is a World Cup and more people will start realising it

It's so ridiculous, and he knows it. Defending players spend 0.5 to 1.0 seconds thinking "what a stupid dummy", but during that 0.5 secs Ardie has spotted a gap and taken it.

@@bwatson001 its just cool to see players develop unique tools for their own game style that actually work at the highest level. signature move 😆

@@Waywind420 So true. I've heard people saying that Ardie doesn't know how to dummy, comments like "it's so obvious, why would they fall for it?" They fall for it because it's totally against what they expect to happen, and opposite to how they've been coached.

100

And watching this, the best 12 and 13 too.

Shook he wasn't even nominated

Better than Read?

@@AndrewDavidForde Without a doubt! Maybe even a better leader. Reido was great but Ardie is on another level, he dominates EVERY game in stats & I've seen directly how he has inspired Kiwi children, including my own. :)

@@AndrewDavidForde different players. Read is a great no8 who played it more traditionally along with some highlight reel offloads and elite support play to score/set up tries in an All Black team that was in sync with eachother and dominated for 8-10 years. Ardie on the otherhand is a superstar no7 who has been thrown into no8 because of politics within the All Blacks to keep Sam Cane as captain and Foster as coach. If you had to choose between the two of them i'd go for Ardie simply because in a team thats not firing.. he always fires and he is the heart and soul of many teams he plays in. The Hurricanes have about 2-3 usual All Blacks in their squad whereas the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues have 10+. Without Ardie that Canes team gets pumped. Without Read that All Blacks and Crusaders team he was in likely still get the job done. Thats not Reads fault of course.. you can only play with the players who around you. But just knowing Ardie has had it tougher in a lot of teams and still rises to the top every game and keeps his team with a chance makes him our best no8 imo. If we take away the position and simply ask the question.. do you choose Kieran Read or Ardie Savea.. most people would say Ardie, and thats with half his highlights and people noticing him coming from playing no8. Ben Smith you could say was more compelete Fullback than Chrisian Cullen.. but Cullen's freakish talent puts him ahead and as the greatest Fullback. Same goes for Ardie.. just imagine if Ardie had the chance to play 7 the past 7 years since McCaw retired.. could've been arguing whether he's better than McCaw such is his talent.

@A J thanks man 🙏🏽 are there like all kinds of different Rugby leagues other than NRL & Union?

He’s already better mate 😂

@@gamewithwayne4831 I agree but Julian was looking like a GOAT for a spell

His career will be better but his peak won’t be as good as Julian’s

@@BigDave7258 His peak is already better, and his career is far better. Julian has been 6/10 or worse for more than half of his career now.

@@filthymutt6029 sorry but Julian has 46 tries in 54 all blacks appearances and was the most dominant winger the world has seen since Jonah Lomu when he was in his prime. Yes ardie will have a better career but Julian in his prime was different gravy

Next year mate.

he went to france and lost fitness and pace, had a decent season with the wellington lions this year

@@kit-kat8310 I see now.

Well like savea he would not able for the big boys🤣🤣🤣❣️