The RugbyPass Form XV: 4 Wallabies, 3 All Blacks, 3 English, 2 French, 2 Scots and 1 Irish
All of a sudden, the international rugby calendar has become very congested after a fallow year, giving us a refreshed looking RugbyPass Form XV. With the delayed 2020 Six Nations completed, the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup begins this Friday and will run into December, while the Tri-Nations is already underway in the southern hemisphere without South Africa.
The world champion Springboks are yet to play a game since lifting the Webb Ellis Cup over a year ago in Japan and the rugby landscape has changed a fair bit over the past twelve months.
New names have emerged or developed in that time who could light up the Test scene on either side of the globe. Here is the RugbyPass Form World XV:
15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland): A winner of the European and Premiership double with Exeter, the Scotland captain led his country last Saturday week to a win in Wales for the first time since 2002.
14. Caleb Clarke (New Zealand): Although the 21-year-old has only started two of the four Bledisloe Cup Tests, he warrants a place in this RugbyPass Form XV for the way he terrorised the Wallabies at Eden Park. Jordie Barrett’s performances across the four matches for New Zealand were also noteworthy.
To continue to build depth in his 38-man squad, or to revert back to his strongest possible side for this weekend's clash against Argentina? That's the dilemma currently facing All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. #AllBlacks #TriNations https://t.co/N0PR77ZYB6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
13. Jordan Petaia (Australia): With fast feet and a strong fend, the 20-year-old has come into his own in a Wallabies shirt over the past month.
12. Virimi Vakatawa (France): He is in the form of his life having helped Racing 92 to the Champions Cup final. Although usually an outside centre, the Fijian-born powerhouse scored the decisive try against Ireland on October 31.
11. Marika Koroibete (Australia): Despite a couple of tough Tests against the All Blacks, he deserves to make this list for his man of the match display in Australia’s win last Saturday. He was simply irrepressible, barring the ten minutes spent in the sin bin.
10. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand): He proved over the Bledisloe Cup series that he is the form No10 in New Zealand and world rugby. His complete game was certainly missed in the recent loss to the Wallabies.
9. Antoine Dupont (France): Rightfully named the Guinness Six Nations player of the championship, the scrum-half is at the heart of the French resurgence and seems to have a profound impact in any game he plays.
1. Rory Sutherland (Scotland): Has established himself as the Scots’ starting loosehead in 2020 after a four-year hiatus from Test rugby and there is now plenty of talk of him making the 2021 British and Irish Lions.
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (England): A key member of Exeter’s double-winning team, he was at the centre of a belligerent pack that steamrollered all in front of them. However, he is set to miss this autumn through injury.
3. Taniela Tupou (Australia): A thunderous try-scoring cameo from the bench in the final Bledisloe Cup Test showed to everyone how devastating the Tongan Thor can be with the ball in hand. What an asset he is to the Wallabies.
Will Eddie Jones and @EnglandRugby go with 9 forward against Georgia ?? #EddieJones #AutumnNationsCup #EnglandRugby pic.twitter.com/aSJ5P0QIk5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
4. Maro Itoje (England): Has been one of the leading locks in world rugby for a good few years now. The 26-year-old almost never has a poor game for club or country and has a huge influence in defence and at the breakdown.
5. James Ryan (Ireland): Itoje’s northern hemisphere rival in the second row is just as pivotal in green and could pack down alongside him for the Lions in 2021.
6. Jack Willis (England): Although not even capped by England yet, the Wasps flanker scooped the RPA players’ player of the year and finished the Premiership season with some freakish stats, including the most turnovers in the league – more than second and third place combined.
7. Michael Hooper (Australia): The Wallabies skipper worked tirelessly across the four Tests with New Zealand, although the rugby world has come to expect nothing less be it at the breakdown, defence or with the ball in hand.
8. Ardie Savea (New Zealand): Probably the All Blacks’ best player in defeat at the weekend, he has arguably been their best player over the past year and a half.
This will brighten up your Tuesday ? https://t.co/3O1ZhFXy7n
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
42 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
122 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
122 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
42 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
122 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
42 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments