Agree - he would walk into any side in SL today (and not just because standards have dropped, to be fair).

Lucas was a very big unit and could have been a world-beater, I just wonder though did he have the streak of nasty agression that a really top prop needs? He seemed almost to be too nice a bloke.

Skerrett would have been my pick, but he did hit the self-destruct button too often (great entertainment value though, the Super Kel incident is one of my favourite moments in RL) and so I'd go for Platt or Smith, with Cowie a close third.

In the Gordon Tallis autobiography there is a funny story about an encounter off the field between Wendel Sailor and Roberts that made Sailor go "white as a sheet with fear", after an ill timed joke about homosexuals within ear shot of Roberts when he did not know he was there.

He also states Roberts was the hardest man he has know to play the game and claims he could have turned his hand to boxing and been a Heavy Weight champ given his boxing ability and toughness.

There is an awesome clip on youtube of him smashing Mick Cassidy, just type in Ian Roberts and it is the first clip to come up. To be fair Mick just gets up and plays the ball like nothing has happened.

Barrie Mac has a similar story in his book. quite a good read that actually.

i tell you what jonh. where have all the hard men gone?. its just not the same anymore

Just added an edit in my last post go to youtube and type in Ian Roberts see him smash Mick Cassidy.

I think the last real hard man we had was Pongia, and in truth they are few and far between these days, which is a real shame sadly. I rate Peacock as a hardman but not many others in SL. Thats why i would like us to sign Mason or Webb, they bring some real reputations with them, that opposition forwards have to respect.

or O'meely. a right tough cookie

He's even beaten up Superman! YouTube search for "Ian Roberts showreal".

I loved watching Mick...Tough little bugger who punched above his weight.

What about Neil Cowie?
And... second rowers but ;
Simon Houghton - absolute barn-stormer in his earlier days. Unstoppable!
Mick Cassidy - Carted it up all day ASWELL as being a tackling machine!

2nd Ashes Test 1994, Karl Harrison takes the ball in for GB up the left side of the field and smashes Ian Roberts into oblivion. Roberts stays on his back, dying pathetically for a few minutes, and Harrison, even as he is lying on the floor with Aussies on top of him, is laughing his head off.

Roberts is in la-la land and has to leave the field - not sure if he returned but don't think he did.

STILL one of my favourite hits ever. If I knew how to get it from video onto my pc I'd download it for all to enjoy.

That said, Roberts certainly was a tough cookie.

Must have had a very strong rod