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    World XV

    Sports Talk
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    • KiwiMurph
      KiwiMurph last edited by KiwiMurph

      That time of year where it's a bit of fun to throw around ideas on the hypothetical World XV.

      Paul Cully of Sydney Morning Herald gives a fairly decent attempt, with some good explanations too. As always there are areas of debate, for example I think Pocock at 7 and Read at 8 are a bit lucky.

      As an aside - most of the players below (and fringe players mentioned in the article) will be involved in the Lions v All Blacks series - exciting times.

      1. Jack McGrath (Ireland)
      2. Dane Coles (New Zealand)
      3. Owen Franks (New Zealand)
      4. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)
      5. Maro Itoje (England)
      6. Chris Robshaw (England)
      7. David Pocock (Australia)
      8. Kieran Read (New Zealand)
      9. Conor Murray (Ireland)
      10. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
      11. Liam Williams (Wales)
      12. Owen Farrell (England)
      13. Jonathan Joseph (England).
      14. Israel Dagg (New Zealand)
      15. Ben Smith (New Zealand)

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/87291032/a-world-xv-the-best-players-of-2016--and-they-arent-all-all-blacks

      antipodean 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Tim
        Tim last edited by

        It'd be pretty bold to put Owen Franks and Kieran Read in a 2016 World XV.

        taniwharugby antipodean 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 8
        • taniwharugby
          taniwharugby @Tim last edited by

          @Tim was another I saw online yesterday, had both Vunipolas in it (over Franks and Read) didn't have BFA at 15, didnt have Pocock but otherwise I think it was the same

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • antipodean
            antipodean @KiwiMurph last edited by

            @KiwiMurph said in World XV:

            1. Jack McGrath (Ireland)
            2. Dane Coles (New Zealand)
            3. Owen Franks (New Zealand)
            4. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)
            5. Maro Itoje (England)
            6. Chris Robshaw (England) Kaino (New Zealand)
            7. David Pocock (Australia) Hahaha fuck no. Hooper (Australia)
            8. Kieran Read (New Zealand)
            9. Conor Murray (Ireland)
            10. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
            11. Liam Williams (Wales)
            12. Owen Farrell (England) Hensjaw (Ireland)
            13. Jonathan Joseph (England).
            14. Israel Dagg (New Zealand)
            15. Ben Smith (New Zealand)

            Unlucky players:

            • TJP - really came into some blinding form when the ABs needed him to. Still doesn't have the all-round game of Murray.
            • CJ Stander. Well impressed with his efforts (actually the entire Irish backrow)
            • Billy Vunipola. Australia must be wondering what could have been if he stayed.
            • WP Nel and Tadhg Furlong who both appear to scrummage well and be involved across the park. I'd also mention Kepu but he gives away more penalties than Moody and Crockett combined.
            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Tim
              Tim last edited by

              It's also tough on Whitelock/Retallick, as one of the two will always be left out of these sorts of lists.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
              • antipodean
                antipodean @Tim last edited by

                @Tim said in World XV:

                It's also tough on Whitelock/Retallick, as one of the two will always be left out of these sorts of lists.

                In my mind, they're without peer as a combination.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                • mariner4life
                  mariner4life last edited by

                  This type of thing is always massively subjective. It's funny we had such a good year, but i am not sure many of our players should be there.

                  From the one posted, I think Farrell, Read, Pocock, Robshaw, and Franks are all mistakes. Did Williams even play left wing?

                  The only AB i think would be unlucky is ALB (surprisingly). I can't think of a midfielder that had the kind if impact he had for us this year.

                  SOB at openside. Maybe one of the French loosies at blind? If not i would be happy with the other Irish flanker. They were pretty impressive. The Irish tighthead for sure. Not sure about the wing though. Vunipola for sure at 8

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                  • Bones
                    Bones last edited by

                    I reckon billy is overrated. Hughes was more impressive in one game than billy has been, it's just he filled a role that noone else usually does for England and is a completely different type of player than anyone's used to.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • Bones
                      Bones last edited by

                      Billy was Australian?

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • antipodean
                        antipodean last edited by

                        Born in Brisbane.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • C
                          cgrant last edited by

                          Is it a World XV based on recent form or on the whole year ? Because if it is the latter, no Australian would be selected. Moreover, Conor Murray and Jack McGrath were far from outstanding in the 6N. My team would be :

                          Vunipola
                          Coles
                          Franks
                          Retallick
                          Itoje
                          Kaino
                          Haskell
                          Vunipola
                          Smith (was himself before entering the ChCh airport)
                          Barrett
                          Williams
                          Fofana
                          ALB
                          Dagg
                          Smith

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • booboo
                            booboo last edited by booboo

                            Reminds me. I had better get onto the ToTY.

                            Will get onto it on the weekend.

                            Apologies for delay and thanks for reminding me.

                            K booboo 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • K
                              Kiwidom @booboo last edited by

                              The Argentinian number 8,Isa has been the best in that position this year in my opinion

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                              • rotated
                                rotated last edited by

                                Pocock being there gives the list no credibility which is a pity because he actually did pretty well in other parts.

                                Smith better than Murray for balance of the year (but if selecting best players in the world now it is defendable - which this list is not).

                                Itoje fantastic but Whitelock better - his lineout work and ball playing ability is being chronically underrated here, perhaps injury for first part of EOYT counts against him.

                                Read would be the weakest selection aside from those.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • MajorRage
                                  MajorRage last edited by

                                  Seems to be a lot of people rating Read on the EOYT version, not the earlier season edition.

                                  Having said that though, I would go Isa at 8.

                                  I don't get Pocock at all. Hooper maybe, even though I don't really like him as a player.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                  • M
                                    mooshld last edited by

                                    Conor Murray on the basis of what? Sorry he has not been the best halfback in the world this year.

                                    Neither his kicking nor his passing have been world class.

                                    rotated 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • rotated
                                      rotated @mooshld last edited by

                                      @mooshld said in World XV:

                                      Conor Murray on the basis of what?

                                      The team needs a halfback. All other options soiled themselves at various points of the season too.

                                      M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • M
                                        mooshld @rotated last edited by

                                        @rotated On the basis of needing a half back you could take Genia. general play has been fine this year and as far as I know has managed to keep it in his pants while at the airport.

                                        Personally I think Smiths good games which were outstanding out weigh his bad this year and he would still be my first pick.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • pukunui
                                          pukunui last edited by

                                          TJP has had a pretty good year. Can't comment on any of the NH players having only seen the against the ABs. No Wallabies or Saffas would be near the team IMO.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • Catogrande
                                            Catogrande last edited by

                                            On scrum halves, Smith has been the benchmark this year (and last) but looks as though his form fell off after the airport khazi incident. The 9s from Aus and SA have not set the world alight. From what I've seen, Genia shows glimpses of the player he was but not enough to warrant selection. Of the NH 9s, I would say the stand outs have been Webb and (latterly) Youngs. Murray has been good but not consistently up to his previous standards. If the French settled on one of their several decent 9s it might be a different story.

                                            If selecting purely on the value they bring to their side I would say it's a toss up between Webb and Smith with Youngs making a late charge. If we're picking on who is the most complete player I'd pick from Smith and Murray and hope they both regain their mojo.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • R
                                              reprobate last edited by

                                              AB forwards: coles good early but faded. franks there or thereabouts without being outstanding. both locks certainties. no loosies.
                                              backs: smith good but then ruined. perenara good but can't really pass: in the running. barrett no question. ALB and probably crotty there or thereabouts. savea no, dagg and ben smith right up there.

                                              you could easily have a world xv with only our locks and barrett making it i reckon.

                                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                              • M
                                                Margin_Walker last edited by Margin_Walker

                                                Personally hampered by not watching as many RC and Super Rugby games as I'd like to, so hard to comment on Smith, TJP , Genia etc throughout the full season.

                                                Murray has been the best NH 9 for me though. Very solid all round game and seems to be the hub of most things that Ireland have done well this year. Youngs has definitely finished the year well though and looks sharper than he has for a long time.

                                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                                • booboo
                                                  booboo @booboo last edited by

                                                  @booboo said in World XV:

                                                  Reminds me. I had better get onto the ToTY.

                                                  Will get onto it on the weekend.

                                                  Apologies for delay and thanks for reminding me.

                                                  As promised. ToTY nominations open in the TSF Competitions forum:

                                                  http://www.thesilverfern.com/category/8/tsf-competitions

                                                  Rules here:
                                                  http://www.thesilverfern.com/topic/1257/2016-tsf-team-of-the-year

                                                  At some stage I may troll this thread and pick up discussion points around the guys talked about herein.

                                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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