NZ rugby Website Stuff.co.nz top ten players in the world game

The kiwi perspective on the top players

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/118322244/more-springboks-than-all-blacks-the-worlds-10-best-rugby-players

1. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa): A 2-metre tackling machine who can stop a Vunipola brother in his tracks but can also produce a chip kick to set up a try, as he did against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship. At 27, du Toit is well on his way to becoming a Springboks legend and he'll be at his prime when he takes on the British and Irish Lions in 2021.  

2. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa): Almost single-handedly won the Top 14 for Toulouse in France last season with his ability to make tries out of nothing and proceeded to do exactly the same at the Rugby World Cup. Flies the flag for smaller wings everywhere and is virtually unplayable when he gets a bit of space.

3. Ardie Savea (New Zealand): Consistency in 2019 almost defied belief. From the opening round of Super Rugby he was the best-performing player in New Zealand for almost every weekend of the year. Injury-enforced break at start of 2020 not necessarily a bad thing to recharge the batteries.    

4. Duane Vermeulen (South Africa): Came back from France to be part of Rassie Erasmus' plans and at the age off 33 was the best player in the Rugby World Cup final. His experience and presence over the ball were key reasons behind the Springboks' success.

5. Owen Farrell (England): Very few. if any, can switch seamlessly between No 10 and No 12 in the way Farrell can, giving England two tactical templates to play with. Brilliant goalkicker with a 'whatever it takes' attitude to winning that provides some objectionable moments but was clearly critical to England's progress towards the Rugby World Cup final.

6. Maro Itoje (England): It all fell apart in the Rugby World Cup final but there is little doubt the 25-year-old Londoner is a rare talent who is still improving. His lineout display against the All Blacks in the semifinal was superb and his work over the ball is as good as any lock in the world.

7. Semi Radradra (Fiji): Balance, speed, strength and skill: the former NRL player showed at the Rugby World Cup that he truly belongs at the highest level. Pat Lam has signed him for Bristol, where he will line up beside lost All Black Charles Piutau. Bistol fans must asking, 'Who says money can't buy you happiness?'

8. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales): Talismanic lock and captain is one of the toughest men in the game, with 134 Welsh caps and three British and Irish Lions tours under his belt. Still remains fiercely driven though and hasn't ruled out a shot at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, when he will be 38.    

9. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand): Produced some extraordinary plays for the All Blacks after being handed the difficult task of learning a new role before the Rugby World Cup. All Blacks' selectors Ian Foster, John Plumtree and Grant Fox have a big decision to make on where his future lies, at No 10 or No 15.

10. Gareth Davies (Wales): Supremely fit Wales halfback lifted the whole side with his strong all-round game. His best asset point, however, is his running game and his performance against the Wallabies in the crucial group stage game was outstanding.

maestegmafia wrote:
10. Gareth Davies (Wales): Supremely fit Wales halfback lifted the whole side with his strong all-round game. His best asset point, however, is his running game and his performance against the Wallabies in the crucial group stage game was outstanding.

Interesting, as a number of Welsh Pundits (and posters on here) were demanding Tomos Williams start by the semi. I am a huge fan of Davies but do feel his performances worsened as 2019 progressed.

LondonTiger wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
10. Gareth Davies (Wales): Supremely fit Wales halfback lifted the whole side with his strong all-round game. His best asset point, however, is his running game and his performance against the Wallabies in the crucial group stage game was outstanding.

Interesting, as a number of Welsh Pundits (and posters on here) were demanding Tomos Williams start by the semi. I am a huge fan of Davies but do feel his performances worsened as 2019 progressed.

I think all welsh fans would agree TW is the way forward. He’s a more skilled player, but Gareth Davies is incredibly effective, high try count, keeps opposition backrow honest and insanely athletic probably the reason he’s our first choice SH at the moment

On current form though you TW looks superb

The general rugby knowledge on this site is very poor though LT. Gareth Davies isn't one of the best 10 players in the world but he's an electric scrum half who deserves the praise he gets. Tomos Williams is still a few years away from reaching his potential. Gareth Davies is peaking and we didn't miss Rhys Webb. TJ Perenara is a better player though. Also Aaron Smith. But I think Gareth Davies is as good as Will Genia is now, probably better, and he's better than any other 9 in the six nations. Conor Murry has been overrated for years.

On the list I feel they've picked some gems. Du Toit, Radraja, Savea, Itoje, Kolbe and to an extent AWJ all stood out in 2020 as very special players. For me Davies, Barrett, Farrell, Vermeulen are 'special mentions' - all very good players but all who have had stronger years.

guestalt_physicality wrote:The general rugby knowledge on this site is very poor though LT. Gareth Davies isn't one of the best 10 players in the world but he's an electric scrum half who deserves the praise he gets. Tomos Williams is still a few years away from reaching his potential. Gareth Davies is peaking and we didn't miss Rhys Webb. TJ Perenara is a better player though. Also Aaron Smith. But I think Gareth Davies is as good as Will Genia is now, probably better, and he's better than any other 9 in the six nations. Conor Murry has been overrated for years.

Ignoring the I know more than kiwis about rugby epic fail, I did try to say Murrays passing was slow, or had slowed and this year it was awful, and a large part of why Ireland failed to develop any semblance of world class backplay.

guestalt_physicality wrote:The general rugby knowledge on this site is very poor though LT.

Hope the mods don't think you deserve nine lives

If anything this should be the top 10 players of the past World Cup.
Comments like Kolbe winning the top14 almost on his own makes me think this is at best lazy journalism to remain polite. Interesting to see that being super fit and getting a few intercepts right is enough to be the best SH in the world ...

I think Kiwis have lost it.  Don't even know how many players are on a team now.  Try putting those 10 gobshites out on their own against 15 substandard gobshites..... they'd be eaten alive!  Hype is curse....

Dunno, think they’d probably take them, and give the ten man game a new meaning (God knows it needs it)

Just how bad must the rest of the Ospreys be?

whocares wrote:If anything this should be the top 10 players of the past World Cup.
Comments like Kolbe winning the top14 almost on his own makes me think this is at best lazy journalism to remain polite. Interesting to see that being super fit and getting a few intercepts right is enough to be the best SH in the world ...

If anything this should be the top 10 players of the past World Cup... from the teams that made the semi-finals (Radradra is the exception to prove the rule).