2011 World XV

[Groucho]

They say you need five World XV players in your run on team to win a World Cup. Where do we stand?

Sure things:
Beale
Genia

A chance of selection:
Ioane
JOC (James O'Connor)
Cooper
Pocock
Horwill
Moore

Quietly simmering:
TPN
Mitchell

Well, that's more than five!

 

[light]

I'd argue Horwill for 'sure things'. Take JOC (James O'Connor) and Cooper out and put Mitchell in the second category, maybe also Ashley-Cooper from the bench for versatility

Edit: Yes, that's alot more than 5, the world cup is ours! ... wait NZ probably has just as many.

 

[qwerty51]

Yep NZ has as many if not more:

Sure things:

McCaw, Carter, Thorn, Read, O Franks, Nonu

Potential:

Kaino, Smith, Dagg (despite not playing him in the XV)

 

[ChargerWA]

They say you need five World XV players in your run on team to win a World Cup. Where do we stand?Well, that's more than five!

Sure things:

Genia
Horwill

A chance of selection:
Ioane
Cooper
Pocock
Beale


Quietly simmering:
Sekope Kepu


That would be my list.

 

[Groucho]

I also have quiet hopes for Kepu. I think he'll be a star of the tournament.

 

[da_grubster]

Yep NZ has as many if not more:

Sure things:

McCaw, Carter, Thorn, Read, O Franks, Nonu

Potential:

Kaino, Smith, Dagg (despite not playing him in the XV)

I would put Melamu and and maybe Woodcock as potential and have Kaino as a sure thing now his Juan Smith is out.

 

[Cutter]

All Blacks

Sure things:

Kaino, McCaw, Read, Carter, Smith

Maybe:

O. Franks, Thorn, Nonu, Mealamu

Wallabies:

Sure thing:

Genia

Maybes:

Horwill, Moore, TPN, Beale, Ioane, Mitchell (it follows that if Carter and McCaw are a sure thing for a world XV, Cooper and Pocock can't even be a possible).

 

[qwerty51]

Just curious how O Franks and Nonu aren't sure things? I can't name people even close their positions better than them?

Yet I can name a few contenders for Smith.. Jaque Fourie, BOD

 

[kiap]

Genia for sure, and maybe Horwill; a possible two at the moment.

We're not going into the bout as the champion but as the top-ranked challenger. But it just may be that the Wallabies are timing their run to perfection. Definite chance and if they do win then I'd have no problem finding five in retrospect.

 

[da_grubster]

Just curious how O Franks and Nonu aren't sure things? I can't name people even close their positions better than them?

Yet I can name a few contenders for Smith.. Jaque Fourie, BOD

smith is part of the best combo but, on his own, is a contender amongst 3-4 players including AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). I would have O Franks and Nonu as sure things at the moment. They are probably two of the surer things we have at the moment.

 

[Ruggo]

What are we measuring against? current form or reputation?

 

[GC]

Sure things:
Genia (easily)
Horwill (no one else close for a TH lock)
Beale (Mils has dropped off markedly)
Pocock (has been better than McCaw for at least a year)

In top 3 in position:
Moore
Elsom (storming return to form - almost back to his NH level)
Cooper
JOC (James O'Connor)
Mitchell
Digby

 

[Cutter]

Just curious how O Franks and Nonu aren't sure things? I can't name people even close their positions better than them?

Yet I can name a few contenders for Smith.. Jaque Fourie, BOD

Franks - Castrogiovanni.
Nonu - JdV - under rated in my view. If he was playing outside Carter he'd be a very different proposition.
Smith - you might be right. BOD has seen better days but Fourie is playing good rugby at the moment. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is out of form and wouldn't challenge for a World XV spot at the moment.

 

[Bowside]

From the abs I would have:

Franks, Carter, McCaw, Kaino, Read, Nonu. Maybes would be Thorne, Smith and Mealamu.

From our team:

Genia, Horwil, Beale. Maybes would be Moore, Ioane, Mitchell.

Cooper, pocock, rocky, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and JOC (James O'Connor) as 'bench' options.

Fourie and beast are the only saffers I would pick. Maybe matfield, B.dP and F.du Preez depending on form. Its hard to gauge what level they are at when the team is the way it is at the moment.

 

[wamberal]

How many posters have seen the NH internationals this year? I think it would be prudent to wait until after the RWC before blowing our collective bugle too loudly.


Genia is probably the top 9 in the world ATM. Other than that, we do have some genuine contenders - Moore, TPN, maybe Horwill. Maybe Mitchell. Beale possibly.


Slipper is a dark horse.

 

[Groucho]

All Blacks

Sure things:

Kaino, McCaw, Read, Carter, Smith

Maybe:

O. Franks, Thorn, Nonu, Mealamu

Wallabies:

Sure thing:

Genia

Maybes:

Horwill, Moore, TPN, Beale, Ioane, Mitchell (it follows that if Carter and McCaw are a sure thing for a world XV, Cooper and Pocock can't even be a possible).

By the same argument, it's hard to see how McCaw is a sure thing, given the existence of Pocock. Ditto Carter and Cooper.

What makes a player a sure thing? Surely it can only be the lack of a direct competitor for the place.

 

[Braveheart81]

The only sure thing is that Ma'afu will take on all comers at the buffet table and leave triumphant.

 

[tigerland12]

I'm just going to throw out my personal World 15 at the moment. I'm not sure how people believe Kaino, Smith and Nonu would be there.

1- Benn Robinson (if he was fit, I'm suprised people have forgotten him). Woodcock used to be, but injuries ruined that. Roncero is getting a bit old.
2- Moore/Bismark du Plessis (this one could go either way)
3- Castrogiovanni (Owen Franks is on the rise though)
4- Brad Thorn (this could go to a few players, especially the likes of Richie Gray, Lawes, Albacete).
5- James Horwill
6- R.McCaw ( you could easily play Richie and BamBam in tandem)
7- D. Pocock
8- Read/Heaslip/Ferndandez Lobbe/Parisse/Harinordoquy (depending on what type of 8 you wanted/if you only wanted one openside playing, one of these 8's could shift to 6)
9- Genia (undisputed)
10-Carter (undisputed)
11- Ioane (Has been destructive all year), A.Tuilagi a darkhorse
12-de Villiers
13- Fourie ( I think if these two centers were outside Carter they would destroy their opposition)
14- Chris Ashton/Shane Williams/Mitchell
15- Beale

Just my guess of it currently, of course I haven't seen much NH stuff latley so might be a bit SH bias, WC will tell.

 

[Dan54]

I cannot see Moore being ahead of Mealamu, and certainly not on a par with Bismark. I a fan of Horwills, but to be honest need to see more NH locks. Ok I a kiwi, so may influence me , but Richie would have to be 7. And Brussow has to be mentioned too.

 

[light]

How many posters have seen the NH internationals this year? I think it would be prudent to wait until after the RWC before blowing our collective bugle too loudly.

Very true, we are forgetting the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Toby Flood, Shane Williams, Andrew Sheridan, James Haskell, Manu Tuilagi.

I doubt many could argue with a centre pairing of O'Driscoll and Ma'a Nonu right now, safe to assume Dan Carter is still the best 10 in the world.

My Team and their closest contenders.
1. Tendai Mtawarira (SAF)/ Andrew Sheridan (ENG)
2. Stephen Moore (AUS)/ Bismark du Plessis (SAF)/ Kevin Mealamu (NZL)
3. Owen Franks (NZL)/ Martin Castrogiovanni (ARG)
4. James Horwill (AUS)/ Victor Matfield (SAF)/ Tom Croft (ENG)
5. Bakkies Botha (SAF)/ Brad Thorn (NZL)
6.
7. Richie McCaw (NZL)/ David Pocock (AUS)/ Dannie Brussow (SAF), James Haskell (ENG)
8. Jerome Kaino (NZL)/ Pierre Spies (SAF)
9. Will Genia (AUS)/ Fourie Du Preez (SAF)
10. Dan Carter (NZL)/ Butch James (SAF)/ Quade Cooper (AUS)/ Toby Flood (ENG)
11. Digby Ioane (AUS)/ Shane Williams (WAL)
12. Ma'a Nonu (NZL) / Jaque Fourie (SAF)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (IRE)/ Conrad Smith (NZL)
14. Manu Tuilagi (ENG)/ Drew Mitchell (AUS)
15. Kurtley Beale (AUS)/ Mils Muliaina (NZL)

Genia is a given, I wouldn't have Beale in my XV just yet as he hasn't been the shinning light of previous seasons. Certainly is still the front runner but will need to stand-up during the world cup. Manu Tuilagi has been the revelation of the English campaign, he moves players and makes barnstorming runs, showing ominous form but would make a wing spot in my XV, other wing spot would have to be between Ioane, Williams and a fit Mitchell. Argentina seem to have alot of strength in the outside backs so I'm expecting that spot to change abit come post world cup.

I'd say the toughest choices are in the forwards, can't pick a blindside and there would have to be another 3 or 4 contenders in the locks