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Rugby

02nd Jan 2018

Leading rugby writer compares Jordan Larmour to New Zealand legend Christian Cullen

"A genuine throwback"

Patrick McCarry

Paul Williams makes a great point about Jordan Larmour after first comparing him to Christian Cullen comparison.

The thing about Jordan Larmour is he does not seem to be too put out by much.

Leinster debuts, trips to South Africa, first ever inter-pro, Player of the Month, media duties. We’ve yet to see the 20-year-old flustered.

Not a bother to him.

The Dubliner has taken to professional rugby fairly quick and is in line to step up to a senior contract [he is still an academy player] from next summer. He scored tries on his senior debut and in that October inter-pro against Ulster and has not let up since.

There was a further try against Dragons, his first two Champions Cup appearances and a stellar St Stephen’s Day score against Munster that has got everyone talking. 70 metre counter-attacking genius that left some of Munster and Ireland’s best in his dust.

Over in Rugby World, leading writer Paul Williams has been raving about the young Leinster back.

Williams, who has appeared on The Hard Yards several times, has gone so far to liken Larmour to a genuine All Blacks legend. He writes:

‘The try was glorious. A genuine throwback to the 1990s and the age of Christian Cullen.

‘No spreadsheet rugby, no protein shake required and no bench-press record, just a 20-year-old stepping his guts out like he was trying to outrun an overzealous citing officer (see above). Three glorious steps, two off the left foot, one off the right, and six defenders left wondering what was happening.’

In 58 Test appearances, Cullen scored 46 tries for New Zealand. It was a national record until it was eventually surpassed by Doug Howlett, another Kiwi that ended up playing for Munster.

While Munster fans only saw Cullen’s searing, raw talent in glimpses, he will go down as one of the most electrifying talents of his generation.

Williams also makes the valid point that it only seems to be the younger players that score the off-the-cuff tries we love so much. Arguing that it would be rare to see an international try such an audacious break from his own half in northern hemisphere rugby, he continues:

‘Is it over-coaching? A fear of losing the ball having been drilled into them as they move up through the ranks? Either way I want to see more of Jordan Larmour.’

We can all agree with Williams on that one.

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