SMH - Team of the Pool Stages

SMH have selected a team of the pool stages. Seems a pretty fair reflection of the tournament based on team performances at least. Five Kiwis, three Irishmen, three South africans, two Welshmen, one Samoan and one English.

What do you think?

15. Israel Dagg (New Zealand): Has barely put a foot wrong, opening up defences with his brilliant running and showing a security under the high ball that will only get more important as the tournament progresses. Next best: Kurtley Beale (Australia).

14. George North (Wales): Massive unit with the balanced running style of somebody 20kg lighter. Epitomises everything good about modern back play - big and strong but has a lovely rugby brain. Next best: Chris Ashton (England)

13. Manu Tuilagi (England): We knew he was a juggernaut with ball in hand, but Scotland game revealed a great appetite - and nous - for the defensive side of things. What a discovery. Next best: Conrad Smith (New Zealand)

12. Frans Steyn (South Africa): The man around whom South Africa had been building so much of their attacking play. Guaranteed to get over the gain line, and can kick penalties from 55-60m. A big loss. Next best: Jamie Roberts (Wales)

11. Richard Kahui (New Zealand): Has excelled on both flanks with his clever running, offloads and nose for the try line. Next best: Adam-Ashley Cooper (Australia)

10. Dan Carter (New Zealand): Of all the positions, this was is the easiest to pick. Head and shoulders above not only his NZ understudies, but the rest of the world. Next best: Morne Steyn (South Africa).

9. Mike Phillips (Wales): Plays like a fourth loose forward when required and has nursed along his young No.10 Rhys Priestland superbly. Next best: Will Genia (Australia)

8. George Stowers (Samoa): Ploughed through the Springboks' defence for a classic No.8 try and ran over defenders all tournament. Next best: Toby Faletau (Wales)

7. Sean O'Brien (Ireland): Probably the best ball-carrying back-rower in the world right now. Creates havoc in attack and destroys on defence. Next best: Sam Warburton (Wales).

6. Jerome Kaino (New Zealand): The hard man of the All Blacks pack is in the form of his life and leaves a huge gap when he is not there. Next best: Stephen Ferris (Ireland).

5. Paul O'Connell (Ireland): A go-to man at lineout time, the engine in the scrum, and with a soft pair of hands to boot. Inspirational. Next best: Patricio Albacete (Argentina)

4. Danie Rossouw (South Africa): Magnificently athletic display against Fiji showed that he is not all about raw aggression in the tight stuff. Next best: Alan Wyn-Jones (Wales)

3. Owen Franks (New Zealand): The rock in an increasingly aggressive All Blacks scrum that has improved with every outing. Next best: Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy).

2. Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa): Limited game time so far, but when he is on it's like watching a force of nature. Tremendous breakdown presence. Next best: Rory Best (Ireland).

1. Cian Healy (Ireland): Took the Wallabies apart and then saw off Martin Castrogiovanni with a wink and a smile. Technique plus power equals problems for tight-heads. Next best: Tony Woodcock (New Zealand).



http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/team-of-the-rugby-world-cup--pool-stages-20111003-1l58r.html#ixzz1Zl5hxq3I

Nice article boomeranga, and I'm surprised at the lack of response so far.

I can't go too much against the choices, other than to say that Beale has me on the edge of my seat when he gets possession in open play, more than anyone in world rugby at the moment.

I also feel that Pisi deserves a mention.

The only one I'd question would be SH. None of the top tier SHs have been that great, I'd probably nod towards someone like Fotuali'i.

I'd probably promote Smith over Tuilagi as well. Best centre around at the moment.

Yeah SH seemed the one that sticks out, but I havent seen all the games to say Phillips hasnt been the best. There hasnt been the usual level of criticism of him at least, which may be a reflection his performances have been good. Fotuali'i played really well I thought, and would have been my choice.

I'd still go with Beale over Dagg, more strings to his bow and positionally it feels like he's everywhere.

Dagg still has some rawness about him but for a young talent sure is consistent.

Oz look like they're back to a strong team other than Palu this week. Whats the feeling on this one Booma?

At this stage I think the Boks will do it, but my fan delusion usually kicks in about Thursday, so after that I will expect us to dominate and be completely shocked when we don't.

There is a lot of intent about the Boks at the moment, where as we seem to be just clinging on. Without celebrating it, the loss of Frans is a help, but I expect their power and accuracy around the breakdown in particular will overwhelm us.

Bigger picture, we need to find a way to develop better forwards. Too late to change anything this time, but if we go down, this World Cup will be a repeat of the last one, and two in a row starts to look like a pattern forming.

Pool stage over. Good time to do a team of the tournament so far.

01. Healy (IRE)
02. Du Plessis (RSA)
03. Castrogiovani (ITA)
04. Rossouw (RSA)
05. O'Connell (IRE)
06. Kaino (NZ)
07. O'Brien (IRE)
08. Stowers (SAM)
09. Genia (AUS)
10. Carter (NZ)
11. Kahui (NZ)
12. Roberts (WAL)
13. Smith (NZ)
14. North (WAL)
15. Beale (AUS)

I would change kaino for ferris but that may be down in no small part to bias. They have been as good as eachother i reckon. The team in the SMH is very good.

9 would be the samoan lad and the NZ centres would come in for me.

Nonu at 12 for me - he's been outstanding and is showing his class now.

So that's two Samoans and no Englanders you mean, no?

Very hard to choose between Beale and Dagg.

I was really hoping to see Damien Traille show what he can do at 15 but he's conjured bugger all so far.

I agree with this team, although I wouldn't take Philips over Genia (although he has been playing well).
A bit like comparing a BMW to a Ferrari.

I wouldn't go for Phillips!

Nonu is a good shout actually. Forgot about him.

Alridge at ten has had a good tournement for Japan. I would have him at as a close second for Morne Steyn. I think Carter has just been picked in there because he is Dan Carter. Has Dan Carter even played every game in the pool stages ?

Surprised Nonu didn't get a mention. He's been superb.

Ferris and Kaino is a tight call and we've been blessed with some phenomenal backrowers this tournament. O'Brien and Warburton have been outstanding and normally Warburton would be a shoe in but O'Brien has been the player of the tournament so far for me.

It's great to see so many Irishmen, and to a lesser extent () Welshmen, get a mention.

So that's, North, Roberts, Phillips, Toby, Warburton and Wyn-Jones all getting recognition with Gethin, Adam and Lydiate to start firing alongside Shane. Seems these people are perceptive when it comes to rugby nous

roddersm wrote:Surprised Nonu didn't get a mention. He's been superb.

Ferris and Kaino is a tight call and we've been blessed with some phenomenal backrowers this tournament. O'Brien and Warburton have been outstanding and normally Warburton would be a shoe in but O'Brien has been the player of the tournament so far for me.

It's great to see so many Irishmen, and to a lesser extent () Welshmen, get a mention.

I make it 6 welshmen and 5 Irishmen getting a mention to a larger extent

RubyGuby wrote:
I make it 6 welshmen and 5 Irishmen getting a mention to a larger extent

I think they must have got Conor Murray and Mike Phillips mixed up though.....

Got nothing wrong with F Steyn and Roberts as mentions for 12. But I´d have Nonu in there any day. The boy is on fire. Along with Kaino they are the standout performers for the ABs.

Parra was probably a good shout for SH until Lievremont got involved with his diabolical dealings.

boomeranga wrote:
15. Israel Dagg (New Zealand) Kurtley Beale (Australia)

14. George North (Wales) Chris Ashton (England)

13. Manu Tuilagi (England) Conrad Smith (New Zealand)

12. Frans Steyn (South Africa) Jamie Roberts (Wales)

11. Richard Kahui (New Zealand) Adam-Ashley Cooper (Australia)

10. Dan Carter (New Zealand) Morne Steyn (South Africa)

9. Mike Phillips (Wales) Will Genia (Australia)

8. George Stowers (Samoa) Toby Faletau (Wales)

7. Sean O'Brien (Ireland) Sam Warburton (Wales)

6. Jerome Kaino (New Zealand) Stephen Ferris (Ireland)

5. Paul O'Connell (Ireland) Patricio Albacete (Argentina)

4. Danie Rossouw (South Africa) Alan Wyn-Jones (Wales)

3. Owen Franks (New Zealand) Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy)

2. Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa) Rory Best (Ireland)

1. Cian Healy (Ireland) Tony Woodcock (New Zealand)



http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/team-of-the-rugby-world-cup--pool-stages-20111003-1l58r.html#ixzz1Zl5hxq3I

An impressive amount of Welsh players in that list of first and notable second choice mentions. Not bad for a team that is 6th in the IRB rankings and was fourth in the Six Nations

1st and 2nd choice totals

NZ - 7
Wales - 6
Ireland - 4
SA - 4
Australia - 3
England - 2
Samoa - 2
Argentina - 1
Italy - 1

1st Choice totals

NZ - 5
SA - 3
Ireland - 2
Wales - 2
England - 1
Samoa - 1

2nd Choice totals

Wales - 4
Australia - 3
NZ - 2
Ireland - 2
Argentina - 1
England - 1
Italy - 1
SA - 1

Glas a du wrote:So that's two Samoans and no Englanders you mean, no?

What do you mean no Englanders? North and Ashton are there.

EnglishReign wrote:

Glas a du wrote:So that's two Samoans and no Englanders you mean, no?

What do you mean no Englanders? North and Ashton are there.

North is Welsh. He plays for Wales.

I think it´s a fair game. Ireland and Wales deserve their places as they have raised their performances.

But let´s see how the RWC team stands at the end of the tournament before we get carried away. Whoever wins will have the majority of players no doubt and whoever makes the final a fair few too. That´s only fair too.

maestegmafia wrote:

EnglishReign wrote:

Glas a du wrote:So that's two Samoans and no Englanders you mean, no?

What do you mean no Englanders? North and Ashton are there.

North is Welsh. He plays for Wales.

Was just responding to the original post with the same logic.

North qualifies for Wales because both his parents are Welsh. If the above reference was of Manu Tuilagi because he is Samoan then your argument falls a bit short.

Tuilagi qualifies on residency, though he learnt his rugby playing in England, the same way that North learnt his in Wales, not England where he was born and lived for little over two months immediately after his birth. He spent more time in Hong Kong than England as a child.

The entire French team?

Dave Gorge's Father is from Yorkshire Jan his mother is Anglesey born and bred. George was born in Norfolk due to his father being based at RAF Marham.
The family moved back to Anglesey when George was two years old.

George is also a welsh speaker, but without a gog accent.