Former Ireland winger and one-time leading try scorer Denis Hickie believes Ireland's tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong to not only be world class, but he thinks he has a chance to possibly win the World Player of the Year award thanks to his performances in the Irish and Leinster jerseys.
Speaking to Off The Ball's Nathan Murphy the day after Ireland's historic Grand Slam winning Six Nations championship, Hickie lauded Furlong for the work he's put in throughout his career to reach the zenith of world rugby and the work the Irish system has done to bring him to that level, though pointed out the prop's natural ability and physical attributes as a major part of his success.
"I think he is the best of both worlds. He's an innate footballer who's come through a system, and he's a huge man. He's a huge, huge guy".
"I don't think you could create a player just out of the system to play like him. Obviously he's a very skilful player. He's an incredible athlete, he hauls around 20 stone for 60 or 70 minutes".
Hickie noted that while Furlong's impact is huge, it's the fact that he can continue to produce late in games that really makes him stand out, as well as his ability to play with the ball, going on to predict that if his club side can have a long run in Europe he could be in the mix for the biggest individual award in world rugby along with Ireland teammates Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton.
"I was watching him yesterday before they took him off, because I was thinking are they going to bring Andrew Porter on, but the impact at collisions, the impact and clean-outs he was doing up to the minute he was taken off was almost as intense as it was after the first couple of minutes".
"He's a phenomenal athlete, to be able to do that and have that athleticism and engine just to be able to keep going, considering what front-row forwards have to do, pushing, scrummaging, rucking, lifting etc. and then the presence around the field. He's got great hands, he's a good footballer as well, so I don't think any system can just create a player like that".
"Himself, Sexton, and Murray, certainly if Leinster have a strong European Cup he'll be there or there abouts for the World Player of the Year I would say by the end of the season".
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