The challenge: pick a World XV, but only using one player per nation. What do you think of the teams below? Think you can do better? Leave your team in the comments section below.
| Jamie Hosie | Alex Shaw | Ball Handling Hooker | William Kedjanyi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Ben Smith (NZ) | Israel Folau (AUS) | Ben Smith (NZ) | Israel Folau (AUS) |
| 14 | Nemani Nadolo (FIJ) | Alapati Leiua (SAM) | Nemani Nadolo (FIJ) | Asaeli Tikoirotuma (FIJ) |
| 13 | Manu Tuilagi (ENG) | Nemani Nadolo (FIJ) | Tevita Kuridrani (AUS) | Wesley Fofana (FRA) |
| 12 | Wesley Fofana (FRA) | Wesley Fofana (FRA) | Wesley Fofana (FRA) | Jamie Roberts (WAL) |
| 11 | George North (WAL) | George North (WAL) | George North (WAL) | Julian Savea (NZ) |
| 10 | Johnny Sexton (IRE) | Dan Carter (NZ) | Johnny Sexton (IRE) | Johnny Sexton (IRE) |
| 9 | Kahn Fotuali’I (SAM) | Conor Murray (IRE) | Fumiaki Tanaka (JAP) | Kahn Fotuali’I (SAM) |
| 8 | Sergio Parisse (ITA) | Mamuka Gorgodze (GEO) | Sergio Parisse (ITA) | Sergio Parisse (ITA) |
| 7 | Michael Hooper (AUS) | Steffon Armitage (ENG) | Mamuka Gorgodze (GEO) | Oupa Mohoje (SA) |
| 6 | Jacques Burger (NAM) | Jacques Burger (NAM) | Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (ARG) | Mamuka Gorgodze (GEO) |
| 5 | Jonny Gray (SCO) | Jonny Gray (SCO) | Richie Gray (SCO) | Richie Gray (SCO) |
| 4 | Samu Manoa (USA) | Samu Manoa (USA) | Courtney Lawes (ENG) | Courtney Lawes (ENG) |
| 3 | Davit Zirakashvili (GEO) | Martin Castrogiovanni (ITA) | Census Johnstone (SAM) | Kensuke Hatakeyama (JAP) |
| 2 | Bismarck du Plessis (SA) | Bismarck du Plessis (SA) | Bismarck du Plessis (SA) | Agustín Creevy (ARG) |
| 1 | Marcos Ayerza (ARG) | Marcos Ayerza (ARG) | Sona Taumalolo (TON) | Tevita Mailau (TON) |
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
24 replies on “Fantasy Rugby: The World XV with a twist”
I think the tip for this is to look at the weakest countries and their stand-out players. Assuming you can get any 10 from the “top 10”, the 5 I’d add from outside the top 10 would be:
Samu Manoa (USA)
Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia)
Jacques Burger (Nambia)
Kahn Fotuali’i (Samoa)
Nemani Nodolo (Fiji)
Looking then at the weakest of the top 10, Italy and Argentina, the only players I’d consider anywhere near world class are Ayerza (ARG) and Parisse (ITA), so they make the team.
So from the top 8 I need, hooker, tighthead, 1 lock, fly-half, two centres, 1 wing and a fullback.
So I’d go for: Bismarck du Plessis (SA), Dan Cole (ENG), Richie Gray (SCO), Jonny Sexton (IRE), Wesley Fofana (FRA), Conrad Smith (NZ), George North (WAL), Israel Folau (AUS).
So Retallick is the best player in the world but doesn’t make any of the sides. I understand those who’ve got Smith at 15 but as for the other two…
It’s about fitting them all in a team with the strict rule of one per country. If you put Retallick in then you immediately rule out world class players like Savea, SBW, Read, Smith. It’s not as straight forward as saying these are the best 15 players in the world, so just because Retallick isn’t in the side doesn’t mean he’s not the top performing player in world rugby in 2014… give it a go and see if he’s in your side!
Yes it is obviously one player per country as stated in the ronseal description above.
I have not, nor am I saying that Brodie Retallick has to be in the team. Rather I’m a little puzzled as to why he isn’t in any of them.
Savea is a nonsense pick IMHO. If it was wold’s best XV he’d be in because he’s the best 11 in the world as of now. But you have to ask if Savea would be anywhere near the player he is if it wasn’t for the players around him. He wouldn’t. The likes of Nadolo and North fit the bill very well and would arguably be better players and hold a similar stature to Savea if they were playing for NZ. This allows the use of the NZ pick to go on the players in positions of exceptional value to the collective effort.
As good as the New Zealand backrowers are, it is the most competitive selection area in world rugby. So while Sir Richie should make a world XV, you’d be mental to shove him in here wasting the chance to have messrs B.Smith, A.Smith et al…
Lock stocks globally are very good at the moment so not including Retallick isn’t the worst thing as he can be replaced by many high class options but your selection should have an all round balance that this exercise uniquely demands.
The last area of consideration is the countries that only have one player that could be considered as options e.g Namibia – Burger. These men should win 50/50 selection battles, exceptional circumstances excluded, which will allow your pick of players from the top nations to ad more value to your overall XV.
Here’s my effort:
15. Stuart Hogg – (SCO)
14. Nemani Nadolo – (FIJ)
13. Tevita Kuridrani – (AUS)
12. Wesley Fofana – (FRA)
11. George North – (WAL)
10. Johnny Sexton – (IRE)
9. Aaron Smith – (NZ)
1. Sona Taumalolo – (TON)
2. Agustín Creevy – (ARG)
3. Kensuke Hatakeyama – (JAP)
4. Courtney Lawes – (ENG)
5. Victor Matfield – (SA)
6. Samu Manoa (US)
7. Mamuka Gorgodze (GEO)
8. Sergio Parisse (ITA)
*Front row, 15 and 9 were the problem areas but that could be down to the order in which I selected the team.
Davit Zirakashvili (GEO)
15. Rob Kearney – Ireland
14. Nemani Nadolo – Fiji
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper – Australia
12. Alapati Leiua – Samoa
11. Leonardo Sarto – Italy
10. Beudan Barrett – New Zealand
9. Rhys Webb – Wales
8. Ben Morgan – England
7. Jacques Burger – Namibia
6. Schalk Burger – south Africa
5.jonny Gray – Scotland
4. Samu Manoa – USA
3.Davit Zirikashvili – Georgia
2.Dimitri Szarseski ( i cant spell that) – France
1.marcus Ayreza – Argentina
15)C?t?lin Fercu(romania)
14)Timoci Nagusa(fiji)
13)Tevita Kuridrani(australia)
12)Wesley Fofana(france)
11)Julian Savea(new zealand)
10)Johnny Sexton(ireland)
9)Danny Care(england)
8)Amanaki Mafi(japan)
7)Mamuka Gorgodze(georgia)
6)Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe(argentina)
5)Richie Gray(scotland)
4)Samu Manoa(usa)
3)Adam Jones(wales)
2)Aleki Lutui(tonga)
1)Tendai Mtawarira(south africa)
A bit sad that my England player isn’t even in our squad! Also worried that Figallo might have retired. Pretty difficult to only select one from NZ
1 Tevita Mailau Tonga
2 Bismarck du Plessis SA
3 Juan Figallo Argentina
4 Samu Manoa USA
5 Richie Gray Scotland
6 Jacques Burger Namibya
7 Steffon Armitage England
8 Sergio Parisse Italy
9 Kahn Fotuali’I Samoa
10 Johnny Sexton Ireland
11 Julian Savea NZ
12 Wesley Fofana France
13 Jamie Roberts Wales
14 Nemani Nadolo Fiji
15 Israel Folau Australia
Things will get tricky if you have to name an eight man bench.
that sounds like a challenge!
davit Zirakashvili
Here’s my stab at a XV:
Israel Folau (AUS)
Nemani Nadolo (FIJ)
Manu Tuilagi (ENG)
Wesley Fofana (FRA)
George North (WAL)
Jonny Sexton (IRE)
Kahn Fotuali’i (SAM)
Mamuka Gorgodze (GEO)
Richie McCaw (NZ)
Jacques Burger (NAM)
Eben Etzebeth (SA)
Samu Manoa (USA)
Martin Castrogiovanni (ITA)
Agustin Creevy (ARG)
Soane Tonga’uiha (TON)
Naturally, I think it’s the best one.
Think this is my favourite – but what I thought was interesting is that the majority of the key back selections (10, 11, 12 and 13) are where you have put the home-nation NH players. Not bad considering we always wax lyrical about how we would want a team of the skilful SH backs compared to our boring NH forward-dominant teams…
15 – Folau – AUS
14 – Goneva – FIJ
13 – Tuilgai – ENG
12 – Hernzandez – ARG
11 – North – WAL
10 – Cruden – NZ
9 – Fotuali’i – SAM
8 – Parisse – ITA
7 – Burger – NAM
6 – Gorgodze – GEO
5 – J Gray – SCO
4 – Manoa – USA
3 – Du Plessis – RSA
2 – Szarzewski – FRA
1 – Healy – IRE
15. Folau (AUS)
14. Scully (USA)
13. Tuilagi (ENG)
12. Fofana (FRA)
11. North (WAL)
10. Cruden (NZ)
9. Pienaar (RSA)
8. Parisse (ITA)
7. Burger (NAM)
6. Fernández Lobbe (ARG)
5. O’Connell (IRE)
4. Gray (SCO)
3. Zirakashvili (GEO)
2. Horie (JAP)
1. Taumalolo (TON)
15 Le Roux
14 North
13 Kuridrani
12 Fofana
11 Nadolo
10 Sexton
9 Fotuali’i
8 Read
7 Burger
6 Gorgodze
5 Gray
4 Manoa
3 Castrogiovanni
2 Creevy
1 Corbisiero
1. Sona Taumalolo (TONGA)
2. Bismark Du Plessis (SA)
3. Kensuke Hatakeyama (JAPAN)
4. Samu Manoa (USA)
5. Courtney Lawes (Eng)
6. Facundo Isa (ARG)
7. Michael Hooper (AUS)
8. Sergio Parisse (ItA)
9. Kahn Fotuali’I (SAM)
10. Johnny Sexton (IRE)
11.Julian Savea (NZ)
12. Wesley Fofana (FRA)
13. Nemani Nadolo (FIJI)
14. George North (WAL)
15. Stuart Hogg (SCO)
I can only hope that Don doesn’t see this thread and jump all over it accusing people of not understanding rugby because they haven’t just chosen All Blacks
Pablito
You could read my reply regds the other ‘fantasy team’ (which is the point!) ‘who-were-the-best-players-of-2014’ Pab & of course this ‘fantasy’ team should have 15 ABs in it.
Both are spec & too subjective for me. That’s all.
Ah where’s my team gone. That took ages
same here :/ annoying!
15. Hogg (SCO)
14. Savea (NZL)
13. Tuilagi (ENG)
12. Leuia (SAM)
11. North (WAL)
10. Sexton (IRL)
9. Kockott (FRA)
8. Parisse (ITA)
7. Hooper (AUS)
6. Burger (NAM)
5. Cudmore (CAN)
4. Manoa (USA)
3. Kubriashvili (GEO)
2. Du Plessis (RSA)
1. Ayerza (ARG)
Added in a bench too…
Had to start with placing some of the countries with not too many big names, and then filling in the gaps! But as far as I’m aware, all are currently still playing and have played in top level club competitions.
1 Vadim Cobîla? – Moldova
2 Bismarck du Plessis – South Africa
3 Davit Kubriashvili – Georgia
4 Rodrigo Capo Ortega – Uruguay
5 Erik Lund – Norway
6 Todd Clever – USA
7 Jacques Burger – Namibia
8 Sergio Parisse – Italy
9 Niko Matawalu – Fiji
10 Jonny Sexton – Ireland
11 Vasily Artemyev – Russia
12 Male Sa’u – Japan
13 Wesley Fofana – France
14 Julian Savea – New Zealand
15 Israel Folau – Australia
16 Richard Hibbard – Wales
17 Alex Corbisero – England
18 Marcos Ayerza – Argentina
19 Robins Tchale-Watchou – Cameroon
20 Viliami Ma’afu – Tonga
21 Kahn Fotuali’i – Samoa
22 Finn Russell – Scotland
23 DTH van de Merwe – Canada
Love how justlim and Ian have gone for a nonspecific gray brother