Being selectors of elite teams is no easy task. No, I take that back. Andrew Slack wrote an article for The Courier Mail the other day saying it was piss easy. All he had to do was keep picking blokes like Eales, Horan, Kefu, Gregan and Larkham. It’s nice for some.
But in reality, discounting those freaks of nature, picking a team is hard work. There’s an old saying that a team of champions will never beat a champion team. Except, that is, when it comes to the team of champions that make up Green & Gold Rugby. So highly do we rate ourselves that we’ve taken the chance to pick our Australian Team of the Tournament for this year’s Super 14 series. Note, this is NOT our Wallaby team, purely a team filled with our picks as the best player per position.
How we did it was simple. Everyone picked their own form team and the player with the most votes was named in the Team of the Tournament. It was an interesting process with only four players being selected in everybody’s team. To start with I’ll show everyone’s team and we will finish with the overall selection! Obviously there will be absolutely no state bias in any team!
Noddy: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Stephen Hoiles, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Ben Alexander.
(6 Reds, 3 Tahs, 2 Brumbies, 4 Force)
Lance Free: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Stephen Hoiles, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Ben Daley.
(8 Reds, 3 Tahs, 1 Brumby, 3 Force)
Moses: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 David Pocock, 6 Matt Hodgson, 5 Van Humphries, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
(5 Reds, 7 Tahs, 1 Brumby, 2 Force)
Gagger: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 David Pocock, 6 Matt Hodgson, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
(6 Reds, 6 Tahs, nada Brumbies, 3 Force)
Newb: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Stephen Hoiles, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Ben Alexander.
(6 Reds, 3 Tahs, 3 Brumbies, 2 Force)
Brumby Jack: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Pat McCabe, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Stephen Hoiles, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
(5 Reds, 3 Tahs, 5 Brumbies, 2 Force)
Austin: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
(6 Reds, 3 Tahs, 3 Brumbies, 3 Force)
A quick skim through shows that Mitchell, Cooper, Genia and Anthony Faingaa were the only players to be selected in all teams. Although ‘Ben’ (or versions of it) was a unanimous choice at loose head prop. Putting it all together and in a highly scientific and statistical manner leads us to the Official Green & Gold Rugby Super 14 Australian Team of the Tournament for 2010.
| Player | Team | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Kurtley Beale | Waratahs |
| 14 | Drew Mitchell | Waratahs |
| 13 | Will Chambers | Reds |
| 12 | Anthony Faingaa | Reds |
| 11 | Digby Ioane | Reds |
| 10 | Quade Cooper | Reds |
| 9 | Will Genia | Reds |
| 8 | Stephen Hoiles | Brumbies |
| 7 | David Pocock | Force |
| 6 | Rocky Elsom | Brumbies |
| 5 | Nathan Sharpe | Force |
| 4 | Dean Mumm | Waratahs |
| 3 | Laurie Weeks | Reds |
| 2 | Tatafu Polota-Nau | Waratahs |
| 1 | Ben Alexander | Brumbies |
Which leads to a breakdown of six Reds players (including 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13); Four Waratahs (including two of that fantastic back three); three Brumbies (two of the backrow which was pre-season acclaimed as one of the best in the tournament), and two from the Force (their two leaders).
So how did we do? Do you agree with the overall team? Not enough Tahs perhaps considering that were the only ones to make the finals? Whose personal team do you agree with most? Any glaring omissions?
What? Sorry who? Juan Cote? Oh. Well yes. He did provide a team. But I have a sneaking suspicion he might have taken a different look at the exercise. Decide for yourself.
Juan Cote: 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Brando Va’aulu, 10 Sam Harris, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Sam Wykes, 7 Andrew Shaw, 6 Ezra Taylor, 5 Adam Byrnes, 4 Tom Hockings, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Pek Cowan, 1 Dan Palmer. Coach: Chris Hickey.
