Dan Carter, World Rugby Player of the Year 2015
Gregor Paul selects his World XV for 2015 which features 6 All Blacks, 3 Australians and Argentinians, and 1 Fijian, Georgian and Scotsman — and nobody from South Africa, England, Ireland, Wales or France.
15 Ben Smith (New Zealand):
Ben from all accounts had an outrageously good season. He captained the Highlanders to the most unlikely Super Rugby title and then inspired the All Blacks to a World Cup victory. His aerial skills and footwork are unbelievable.
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper(Australia):
Ashley-Cooper is the Wallaby version of Smith. He’s a superb all-round footballer who continually does the right thing. Has pace, footwork, awareness and the ability to covert half-chances. Was deadly at the World Cup.
13 Mark Bennett (Scotland):
A rugged, tough ball runner with innate timing. Picked off the intercept try in the World Cup quarter-final that should have sunk Australia and contributed some big tackling and deft passing.
12 Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand):
Ended his All Black career in the best possible way. Most direct and destructive midfielder world rugby has known. And yet he’s more than bash and dash – throws a cracking long pass, has soft hands and a clever short kicking game.
11 Juan Imhoff (Argentina):
He found his best form at the World Cup and it was impressive. He’s got natural predatory instincts and the pace and power to make good on them. Scored a try against Ireland that was hugely under-appreciated – his timing, decision making and skill were all first class.
10 Dan Carter(New Zealand):
The old class returned once he had the confidence in his body. Vintage Carter. No one else could have snapped those critical goals, or kicked as accurately under pressure as he did. Ten years after he beat the Lions with his running game, he won a World Cup with his kicking game.
9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand):
Was electric for much of Super Rugby and while his passing and running were the headline acts, his kicking game developed into a world-class component of his armoury. Does anyone in the game have a better step?
8 Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia):
This dude played only 45 minutes against the All Blacks at the World Cup and he was the official man of the match. He’s huge, agile, smashes people off the ball and, despite being the size of a house, motors around and keeps up with the ball.
7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand):
The old master played as well as ever and while some of his Aussie backrow mates won rave reviews, neither David Pocock nor Michael Hooper offered the same range of skills and overall influence as McCaw. He cleaned them both up in the World Cup final.
6 David Pocock (Australia):
He was shown up in the World Cup final for having only the one trick, but it is a magnificent skill he has. No one is as effective at the breakdown as Pocock and his ability to win as much ball as he did had a major impact on the World Cup.
5 Leone Nakarawa (Fiji):
The big Fijian showed an incredible ability to offload and yet not shirk his core roles. He won lineout ball, tackled like a loose forward and carried the ball like an outside back. Was named as the Pacific Island Players’ Association Player of the Year.
4 Sam Whitelock(New Zealand):
The more he played, the better he got. Was a towering force at the lineout and took some critical steals in the World Cup semifinal win over South Africa. What impressed most about him, though, was his tackle count. Whitelock racks up the same sort of numbers as the best loose forwards and he’s also become a world-class ball carrier.
3 Ramiro Herrera (Argentina):
Anchored an impressive Pumas scrum and also thumped about. A huge man but he wasn’t in any way lumbering. Gave the Argentines an air of intimidation.
2 Agustin Creevy (Argentina):
The Pumas captain is a late convert to the hooking role and there is still much of the loose forward about him. He gave Argentina much of their go-forward and added a sparkle to their play with his clever offloads. Threw well at the lineout and got his body into great positions over the tackled ball.
1 Scott Sio (Australia):
A strong, agile, mobile prop with the technical ability and skills to hold his own in the set piece and yet play a meaningful role elsewhere. The Wallabies haven’t had a player likes this for decades.
nzherald
178 @ Bullscot:
Chhers bud see you still on line. Catch up later.
Meant: cheers
Huge Congrats Amla, probably your greatest ton ever, considering the pressure you were under. May you go on and score a beeeeg one
Tassies wrote:
Howzit Tassies & Happy New Year to you & everyone else on R-T.
Classic one that was…Deon Kayser (sp?) or Ricardo Loubsher (sp?) but I think it was Kayser
@ Bullscot: Howzit BS. Yes, well, with the benefit of current-site our skipper is doing rather well and batting himself into confidence, like we’d hoped he would. AB stuck with his but never looked as comfortable as Hash. Still, he did well to make 88. Not sure if we’ll be able to save the Test now but for as long as Amla is there, hope remains. Faf has a history of holding up an end. He mustn’t do something stupid now.
Our bowling attack is seriously depleted and I’m clear in my mind that were any other attack in the world to suffer similar, they’d probably have been put to the sword too.
Its our batting that I worry about. Once Hash goes, we’re stuffed.
@ BrumbiesBoy: Howzit boet. All the best to you too. Looking forward to the banter on R-T this year. You mean they copied Flekkie’s act? I seem to recall something like you mention.
@ Just For Kicks: have to agree JFK. What pressure was that man under????? That’s not really a question. Massive achievement and he’s not done yet. Who knows? He might do another tripple. Test Cricket is indeed a strange game but we love it.
Hash goes to 150. Another milestone achieved. Pom heads dropping just a bit. Lady Luck has been on our side today – just what we needed. Well done Amla, another 150 please
Still 308 behind… it is hard work for Amla & Faf!
187 @ Tassies:it is a strange game, and certainly brings out the debate, it’s never the same, and just when you think you have it wrapped up, it throws you a curve ball. It makes us laugh, cry, cheer, cringe and throw our toys, and when the fokken ANC don’t spoil it, is the best game in the world (for me). Yes, just why we love it.
Jeeez, the runs are hard to come by now!
Im as happy as everyone that Amla is getting runs…but i laugh at the commentary tea. Saying he has had a patient innings, if england havent been dropping catches we would be in trouble by now.
191 @ grootblousmile:
Nope just good concentration. None want to lose their wicket before close.
Need both Amla and Faf to be there at start of play in the morning. We lose one of them niw we will lose a few. They biding their time until close. They HAVE to be there in the morning. Only a few overs left now.
50 Now up for Faf too!
Someone help me out here. I don’t watch too much domestic cricket but I know there is a player playing for England from Durban who left just a few years back I think. Maybe another saffa in that England team . Stokes is a kiwiip born there but went to live in England at 12. So probably growing up there he is British now. Who are the saffas in that team?
193 @ Puma:
Yip, good concentration…
… and I hope the Blomme still bat for a long time…
If the Blomme do bat for a long time, the Test will undoubtedly head for a draw.
Tomorrow is Day 4 already.
So, the Blomme have a lot to lose, and not much to gain, apart from aiming for the draw.
Still some distance away from avoiding the follow-on.
194 @ grootblousmile:
Great now need him to stay in for start of play in the morning must not lose his wicket. Need both Amla and Faf in the morning.
196 @ grootblousmile:
Acdraw is good enough.nwill really dent Englands confinece. This is how Kallis played in the last hour just concentration to keep his wicket so he would still be there to start the next day. Runs mean nothing now but having these 2 still there at start in the morning. Kallis was the absolute best at just standing there and not getting runs at thiscstage justvtonknoe he had tonkerp his wicket.
Both Amla and Faf doing a similar here.
Anyhow back to tv.
Go Proteas.
Meant: A draw
This test seems like a draw. Id say send in qdk next to see if he can tonk them for a few… If that fails just play it aafe all day tomorrow and even say 5, england may have to fly in one or two replacement bowlers.
212 Runs and only 1 wicket in the whole day…
Stumps Day 3
Day 3 South Africa. Well done lads, great day. A draw will be a massive boost to the team, as well as a mini internal victory.
@ Just For Kicks:
Today was always going to be a huge day for the guys. Seeing that runs had dried up for a lot of our top batsmen. Very happy for Hash. Pity for AB – a ton was there for the taking. Faf mentioned in an interview after close of play that he would to get a lot more runs tomorrow.
Still have that issue of a follow-on to avoid.
Puma wrote:
Nic Compton was born and grew up in Durban. I won’t call him a saffa though as he has an English dad and Zimbabwean mother and most likely always held a british passport.
He is the grandson of the legendary Dennis Compton who was not only one of the greatest cricketers to ever play the game but also won an English league and FA cup final in football while playing for Arsenal.
This featherbed of a pitch is nearly as bad for cricket as the dusty pitches that the Indians prepared last year.
Even Trevor Bavuma might score a few runs on it tomorrow should he get the chance to bat 🙂
@ Just For Kicks: I’d have to say; the long traditional form of the game, played against our greatest rivals, offers the most pleasure out of any sport I know. I seriously look forward to a Test against the AB’s but its over in a flash. In fact I never sit through those Tests. I stand. Put it down to nerves. However, a five day arm-wrestle like the one we’re witnessing has me glued to electronic media like no other. I’d go down to Newlands for a few hours but then heat is unbearable and so are probably the Poms, who’d outnumber us. I also detest drinking warm beer. My best mate toiled in the sun yesterday and his legs rival a lobsters he tells me. And we are not pink-skinned northeners. I like nothing better than to catch my own kreef.
@ robzim: Hey Mnr Encyclopedia how are you going? I note you’re still unstumpable in the sports trivia game. Haven’t lost the touch.
@ robzim: I doubt it. We’ll find out tomorrow I’m sure. This is a five day game. Not designed to be over in 3.
@ robzim: just to add some spice to the argument, Bumble (Lloyd) rates it as one of the finest pitches he’s seen in recent times. If catches had been held…………
Eng hold all the aces.
They are 1 up in the series, so a draw won’t matter to them. SA are the ones who need a win, Eng already made the game safe for themselves. They batted at an rate that showed they were going for a win, we are batting at a rate that shows we are content not to lose.
Wandered will be conducive to fast bowlers, but do we currently have an attack that can take the 20 wickets necessary to win a test match?
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