As the dust begins to settle on what was a sensational Rugby World Cup, the reaction and debate has only just begun. New Zealand were worthy winners and played some sublime rugby on the way to an historic retention of the Webb Ellis trophy – but there were plenty of others that stood out also.
Here are our attempts at an XV of the tournament – feel free to let us know why we are wrong below!
| Hutch | Hosie | |
|---|---|---|
| Loosehead | Marcos Ayerza | Scott Sio |
| Hooker | Agustin Creevy | Agustin Creevy |
| Tighthead | Sekope Kepu | Ramiro Herrera |
| Lock | Lood de Jager | Lood de Jager |
| Lock | Leone Nakarawa | Brodie Retallick |
| Flanker | Mamuka Gorgodze | Michael Leitch |
| Flanker | Richie McCaw | Schalk Burger |
| Number 8 | David Pocock | David Pocock |
| Scrum-half | Fourie du Preez | Greig Laidlaw |
| Fly-half | Dan Carter | Dan Carter |
| Winger | Julian Savea | Nehe Milner-Skudder |
| Inside centre | Ma’a Nonu | Matt Giteau |
| Outside centre | Conrad Smith | Ma’a Nonu |
| Winger | Santiago Cordero | Adam Ashley-Cooper |
| Fullback | Ayuma Goromaru | Ben Smith |
Hutch’s analysis
You could arguably pick anyone from Australia and New Zealand in a team of the tournament, since they have been comfortably the best sides, but there were some very notable performances during the earlier rounds that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Mamuka Gorgodze and Leone Nakarawa became crowd favourites whenever Georgia and Fiji took to the field, whilst Ayuma Goromaru was a sensation for Japan.
Players like Gareth Davies, DTH van de Merwe, WP Nel, Ben Smith, Brodie Retallick, Matt Giteau, Nehe Milner-Skudder and Scott Fardy were unlucky to miss out, but it’s been a high-quality World Cup so what can you do?
Hosie’s analysis
The Kiwis in my team pick themselves; moving Nonu to 13 is the only slight controversy, but to accommodate Matt Giteau – whose influence on Bernard Foley cannot be overestimated – at 12, it is worth it. Scott Sio made so much difference to the Wallaby scrum, while Creevy & Herrera were instrumental in a powerful Argentinian effort.
The leadership of Creevy, Leitch & Laidlaw in inspiring their teams to better performances than expected cannot be ignored – all were excellent anyway and are deserving of their places. Adam Ashley-Cooper’s prolificness sees him get the nod with Nehe Milner-Skudder – comfortably the most dangerous broken-field runner in the world – on the other flank.
There were many players that came close – far too many to list here – and suffice to say that I chopped and changed my team a lot before deciding on a final XV.
What would your team of the tournament look like? Feel free to share it in the comments section below.
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
1. Ayerza
2. Coles
3. Her rear
4. De Jager
5. Retallick
6. S.Burger
7. Lobbe
8. Pocock
9. Smith
10. Sanchez
11. Cordero
12. SB Williams
13. Khurendani
14. Milner-Skudder
15. Tucelet
Ayerza, Creevy, Herrera, Retallick, Nakarawa, Fardy, McCaw, Pocock, Du Preez, Carter, Savea, Giteau, Nonu, Milner-Skudder, Tucelet
ayreza, mealamu, kepu, retallick, matfield, McCaw, Gorgodze, Pocock, Du Preez, Carter,Milner-Skudder, Nonu, C.smith, Savea, Goromaru
1. Ayerza
2. Creevy
3. Nel
4. Nakarawa
5. Retallick
6. Leitch
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Laidlaw
10. Carter
11. DTH van Der Merwe
12. Nonu
13. Bennett
14. Savea
15. Goromaru
No Brad Barritt? Surely some mistake?
He excels in so many positions that it would be unfair on the other players
True. Plus its unfair on the opposition as his “D” is so amazing, no one can ever score against him.
1. Ayerza, 2. Coles, 3. Sio, 4. De Jager, 5. Retallick, 6. Gorgodze, 7. Hooper, 8. Pocock, 9. Laidlaw, 10. Carter, 11. DTH Van Der Merwe, 12. De Allande, 13. Kuridrani, 14. Milner-Skudder.
16. Kepu, 17. Moore, 18. Macovei, 19. Leitch, 20. Lobanidze, 21. Sanchez, 22, Nonu, 23. Ashley-Cooper.
What about a rubbish team of the tournament.
I’ll start it off with a back line
9. Wigglesworth
10. Volavola
11. Nakaitaci
12. Barritt
13. Barritt
14. Cuthbert
15. Spedding
I’ve chosen Barritt twice as he appeared in each position.
Can’t see what’s up with that back line son, it looks defensively sound and will bust some holes in the opposition D.
Just needs a bit creativity and agression. My boy will provide that at 10 or 12.
Yeah sure why not I don’t have any better ideas
Sorry Faz. But my boy should get the nod at 10. Your boy can get the tea. And I’ve got another lad at Sharks who we can prepare for 2019. Plus I’m bringing on this great new prospect for 6. Chap called Burgess. May have heard of him?
Hold your horses Mike I’m not going to walk away from this job I will need a behind closed door settlement before I go because no one in their right mind is going to hire me again after this debacle
To step in here if I may.
I have absolutely no idea what has gone on, what is going on, or what will be going on in the future. But rest assured I’m determined to stick around and make sure I play my part in any settlements.
What ever else is happening in English rugby, I am confident we have a secure room with a closed door to operate behind.
One has just come free after the salary cap meeting finished.
I’d go with Hutch on the front row, half backs and back three and with Hosie on the second row, back row and centres.
my only objection is that de jaer did not had that big of a tournament. i think he runs to stand up and looses to many balls, like against the all blacks and wales. definitely great player, with great future, but needs to learn a lot. i prefer anyday his partner etzebeth.
Here we go again. Fantasy footie.
It doesn’t bother me personally (winners being grinners & all that), but the above teams here surely reps NH perception over SH reality. Too much emphasis on the individual as opposed to how the team is composed which affects it’s ability to play effective rugby.
To have a ‘WC Team of the Tournament’ with nxt to NO AB fwds in it makes no rational sense.
If Oz had had such an effective breakdown they ought to have won the thing. So where are the AB flankers?
How could a team win the thing without a dom pack (and I’m not thinking of just the traditional roles here)? There has to be an AB lock (or 2?) & 1 or 2 loosies @ least.
And how many times did Ben Smith e.g., (or any of the other Smiths 4 that matter) put a foot wrong?
Also the concept of individual players being included over combos is also flawed thinking.
No? It’s not possible I know, but if you put out a WC team to play the ABs, who would yr money be on?