World XV Redux

[Langthorne]

Now that the 2010 international season is over, and considering only the players who are still standing. New Zealand are top dogs at the moment, so I still think to get into the World XV you've got to knock one of them off :

1 Tony Woodcock - Gethin Jenkins
2 Keven Mealamu - Stephen Moore
3 Owen Franks - Martin Castrogiovanni
4 Brad Thorn
5 Tom Donnelly - Victor Matfield
6 Jerome Kaino - Rocky Elsom
7 Richie McCaw (c)
8 Kieran Read
9 Jimmy Cowan - Ben Youngs
10 Dan Carter
11 Hosea Gear
12 Ma'a Nonu
13 Conrad Smith - Brian O'Driscoll
14 Cory Jane - Drew Mitchell
15 Mils Muliaina - Kurtley Beale

A bit of controversy there to get the ball rolling. Maybe I'm being a little generous to the Aussies. Although I only named 6 ABs in the starting XV, most of their team would be in the top three for their position.

 

[Set piece magic]

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Stephen Moore - kev's to old and his ball running game hasn't been prominant enough lately.
3. Owen Franks
4. Nathan Sharp - thorn is neh to me now.
5. Victor Matfield
6. Rocky Elsom
7. Richie McCaw - David Pocock (when rich get's too old)
8. Kieran Read
9. Will Genia - Ben Youngs. Don't know where jimmy came from.
10. Dan Carter - Replaced by Quade cooper in the 65th minute to add some spice to things
11. Drew Mitchell - Rico Gear isn't even in the AB's first XV and mitchell is a much better impact player.
12. Ma'a Nonu - Berrick Barnes comes on impact player 60th minute if nonu's defense goes to shit.
13. Brian O'Driscoll - Replaced by conrad smith in the 60th minute if the team is winning
14. James O'Connor - will burn anyone else see shane williams. R. Cory Jane
15. Kurtley beale - Mills is past his prime and too slow for a world XV. Plus kurtley's form atm is insane.

 

[naza]

Elsom at blindside - you are kidding me. It'd be Juan Smith with Kaino nipping at his heels and a hell of a lot of daylight before you get to Elsom. He's picked up some form on the EOYT.

 

[Langthorne]

spikhaza - the guys on the left are the NZ starting XV. The players listed on the right are the ones who I'd prefer over the All Black incumbent.

Naza - I did consider Juan Smith (who is pretty awesome), but Elsom's performances of late (even against England) have been very strong (but I'd never make him captain).

Realistically, I suppose Bismark Du Plessis could take the hooking role too...but the intoxicating sucess in Paris may have been clouding my judgement.

 

[dwats002]

Elsom at blindside - you are kidding me. It'd be Juan Smith with Kaino nipping at his heels and a hell of a lot of daylight before you get to Elsom. He's picked up some form on the EOYT.

absolutely agreed, so is Beale over Mils as well. Plus Jane is way better than the eratic Mitchell. lets have a bit of truth in this thread aye boyz

 

[barbarian]

1. Beast
2. Du Plessis
3. Castrogiovanni
4. Matfield
5. Lawes
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Reid
9. Youngs
10. Carter
11. Gear
12. Nonu
13. O'Driscoll
14. Ashton
15. Beale

16. Mealamu
17. Healy
18. Thorn
19. Pocock
20. Genia
21. Cooper
22. JOC (James O'Connor)

 

[barbarian]

absolutely agreed, so is Beale over Mils as well. Plus Jane is way better than the eratic Mitchell. lets have a bit of truth in this thread aye boyz

Nah I think Beale is better than Mils on recent form. Certainly should make a 2010 World XV IMO. Mils is playing well, but Beale is dominating games.

I don't think Mitchell is erratic, and I think is about equal with Jane based on finishing abilities. But neither make the World XV.

 

[dwats002]

Nah I think Beale is better than Mils on recent form. Certainly should make a 2010 World XV IMO. Mils is playing well, but Beale is dominating games.

I don't think Mitchell is erratic, and I think is about equal with Jane based on finishing abilities. But neither make the World XV.

guess we have to agree to disagree on Mils but i will say this. He doesn't have to dominate each game to have max effect and i think he is achieving that ATM. He has the form winger in world rugby in gear outside of him so all h has to do is distibute but Beale is forced to do a bit more

 

[fatprop]

Mils was near the best player of the tri Nations, that ain't so long ago

 

[Blue]

Youngs - definitely not after this weekend - he was poor. There wasnlt any real standout so I'd go with Cowan. Pretty mistake free al tour.

Juan Smit and Kanoi, neck and neck. I'd pick Smit - simple reason is look at the difference in the Bok pack with him in it vs the 3N when he wasn't.

 

[fatprop]

Dry Track

1 Tony Woodcock
2 Keven Mealamu
3 Owen Franks
4 Brad Thorn
5 Victor Matfield
6 Juan Smith
7 Richie McCaw (c)
8 Kieran Read
9 Ben Youngs
10 Dan Carter
11 Drew Mitchell
12 Ma'a Nonu
13 Conrad Smith
14 Cory Jane
15 Mils Muliaina

Fast, mobile

Wet Track

1. Beast
2. Du Plessis
3. Castrogiovanni
4 Bakies Botha
5 Victor Matfield
6 Kaino
7 Richie McCaw (c)
8 Sergio Parisse
9 Ben Youngs
10 Dan Carter
11 Israel Dagg
12 DeVilliers
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Cory Jane
15 Beale

Big pack, big defensive centres, back three that can all kick and run

 

[S120]

1. Andy Sheridan
2. Stephen Moore
3. Owen Franks
4. Brad Thorn
5. Victor Matfield (Paul O'Connell is the best lock in the IMO but is injured)
6. Juan Smith
7. Richie McCaw (Pocock is closing but not there yet despite his awesome play)
8. Kieren Read
9. Ben Youngs (I'd pick Genia if he were fit but Youngs has been very good while Genia has been struggling a bit with his injured)
10. Dan Carter
11. Hosea Gear (best winger in the world right now IMO and deserves his AB's spot after a long time earning it)
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. James O'Connor
15. Mils Muliaina

16. Keven Mealamu
17. Gethin Jenkins
18. Nathan Sharpe
19. David Pocock
20. Will Genia
21. Quade Cooper
22. Kurtley Beale

 

[qwerty51]

Are people seriously selecting Woodcock as the best LH? I'd say he's one of the worst in world rugby.

 

[Tordah]

1. Beast
2. Du Plessis
3. Castrogiovanni
4. Matfield - Thorn
5. Lawes - Sharpe
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Reid
9. Youngs
10. Carter
11. Gear
12. Nonu
13. O'Driscoll (Conrad Smith oh so close!)
14. Ashton
15. Beale

16. Mealamu
17. Healy - O. Franks
18. Thorn
19. Pocock
20. Genia
21. Cooper
22. JOC (James O'Connor) - Muliaina

Pretty close to my squad, I bolded where I differed in selection. Biased as anyone, of course, but tried to be fair.

 

[sudrugby]

1- Tony Woodcock
2- William Servat
3- Nicolas Mas
4- Victor Matfield
5- Nathan Sharpe
6- Rocky Elsom
7- Richie McCaw
8- Jamie Heaslip
9- Will Genia
10 - Dan Carter
11 - Drew Mitchell
12 - Ma'a Nonu
13 - Conrad Smith
14 - James O'Connor
15 - Kurtley Beale

16 - Keven Mealamu
17 - Thomas Domingo
18 - Brad Thorn
19 - David Pocock
20 - Ben Youngs
21 - Adam Ashley Cooper
22 - Mils Muliaina

 

[Joe Mac]

1. Gethin Jenkins (WAL)
2. Bismarck Du Plessis (SA)
3. Dan Cole (ENG)
4. Victor Matfield (SA)
5. Nathan Sharpe (AUS)
6. David Pocock (AUS)
7. Richie Mccaw (NZ)
8. Pierre Spies (SA)
9. Will Genia (AUS)
10. Dan Carter (NZ)
11. Hosea Gear (NZ)
12. Ma'a Nonu (NZ)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (IRE)
14. Chris Ashton (ENG)
15. Kurtley Beale (AUS)

16. Owen Franks (NZ)
17. Kevn Mealamu (NZ)
18. Courtney Lawes (ENG)
19. Keiran Reid (NZ)
20. Ben Youngs (ENG)
21. Adam Ashley Cooper (AUS)
22. Cory Jane (NZ)

I know it is controversial but Pocock has been the best lose forward in world rugby this year. Obviously, you cant get rid of Mccaw so I think Pocock playing 6 is the best option. With such an emormous pack you would not miss a specialised 6.

My World Ranking + Squad Division
1 NZ- 8/22
2 Aus- 5/22
3 Eng- 4/22
4 SA- 3/22
(5 - France)
6 Ire- 1/22
7 Wal- 1/22

 

[Bullrush]

People must be picking Genia on last year's form surely. He has hardly set the world on fire this year at all IMO.

 

[Scotty]

McCaw would likely transition better to 6 than Pocock would.

 

[dobduff11]

1. Tendai Mtawaria (SA)
2. Bismarck Du Plessis (SA)
3. Owen Franks (NZ)
4. Victor Matfield (SA)
5. Nathan Sharpe (AUS)
6. Jerome Kaino (NZ)
7. David Pocock (AUS)
8. Kieran Read (NZ)
9. Piri Weepu (NZ)
10. Dan Carter (NZ)
11. Hosea Gear (NZ)
12. Ma'a Nonu (NZ)
13. Jaque Fourie (SA)
14. Cory Jane (NZ)
15. Kurtley Beale (AUS)

That would be my form team of the year including domestic comps and then the tests.

NZ dominate but then again they have lost 1? test this year.

 

[Lindommer]

People must be picking Genia on last year's form surely. He has hardly set the world on fire this year at all IMO.

He's carrying some sort of injury which hasn't healed. Let's hope for all our sakes it gets sorted out over summer.