Top 100 Men's Rugby Players

https://www.rugbypass.com/top-100-mens-rugby-players/

Sacha already at 47 and I completely agree with Victor on Eben Etzebeth: ‘one of the very best Boks ever, if not the best.’

List makes sense for the most but can’t say I agree with the order - for instance Matera being so low down

Powder puff never made the list shock shock but hey ho shit players like PSDT, de Allende, Malherbe and Kolisi did

Stick with Dave

Well they apparently didn’t know Mostert made 16 tackles in 52 minutes missing none, while also doing lock duties…..while Dud Toit made 28 in 80 minutes, missing 3….doing nothing else. And this factoid justified his selection, suggests that in Mostert’s case they are clueless.

Sticky with Dave.

Well they are not stupid enough to define a lock by the number of process tackles they make

They know a lock should be able to add value physically first and foremost

Making process tackles is a secondary bonus if they are able to execute their primary functions well - ie dominant carries and tackles and of course providing some grunt in the engine room

It’s why real locks make that list like Eben, RG, Joe McCarthy, Scott Barrett, Skelton etc

And a flank should be able to break tackles, create turnovers, offload in traffic….not just make process tackles.

"De Allende bulldozed his way through Ben Earl and Henry Slade - two of England's best defenders

Slade tackle success 58% in 6N 2024 and 63% in 6N 2025. The hype machine rolls on. It was a fine break that doesn't need embellishment, but these journos just can't help themselves.

Manie made it ....87

Perspective, 87th position's like being selected for the world's best 4th team.

Bravo Libbok.

PSDT breaks as many tackles as any other player his side

A fucking 2m tall player does not effect turnovers - helloooooo

PSDT is quite capable of offloading and has done but it’s not his role - his is to carry it up and set up the next phase. - he is excellent at that, which is why he is so high up the list

Libbok is a class act as he once again showed this past weekend

Libbok is a loser and the Duds are blunt instruments. Sure it’s harder for 6’7” bloke to break tackles and fetch. Which is why he should be contributing as a lock….leaving the blindside slot for a strong ball carrier and offloader . No need for a lock who doesn’t perform any of those duties and can only perform one of the duties of a flank….tackle.

If you disagree give me examples of great contributions Dud has made, other than tackle. In 86 tests I can think of nothing beyond the ordinary.

Franco Mostert made 49 tackles in WC 23,s three knockout games, and he didn’t miss a single one ….

He also made the most tackles of any player on the pitch during the match against France, with 14 tackles in 17 minutes of ball in play.

How is it possible that he did not make this list??

Mpuff wake the fuck up - a fucking test lock is not measured by the number of process tackles he makes - and its process tackles, not dominant ones as he is physically incapable of making dominant tackles - he packs no punch

Moz with all due respect - what part of this don’t you comprehend. I know you are not stupid but this very fact does not seem to sink in with you so I’ll try one more time

PSDT is by some distance the best blindside in the game - 99% of rugby followers will agree to this very fact

The fact that he is the size of a lock is testament to how damn good he is in that he has had to adapt to play blindside

Now here is that lesson for you for the 100th time - PSDT primarily carries the ball in traffic - a player carrying in traffic very seldom breaks tackles - this is a fact. Not even massive guys like Eben or RG break tackles operating in traffic. Given this fact why are you expecting PSDT to achieve the impossible - is it because he has a 7 on his back? Well he might have a 7 on his back but his role is to play like a lock - probably to counter the inability of Mostert being able to impose himself physically.

PSDT is a great operator in traffic, it’s part of his appeal and something he does in every test he plays, along with his tackling which are often dominant, his bulk and strength contribute positively to scrums, mauls, clean outs, maul defences etc, he is up there with the best in the line outs

Of late under Brown’s influence we have seen more of him operating out wide very successfully

The man does this all in every test he plays, the guy is relentless

Your take on him is rugby ignorance of the highest order and serves to embarrass you

Here is Dave's problem.

He has this idea that listing endless player names give him some kind of credit.

I mean, there are over 56ish players invited to the alignment camp, but Dave rates we should add another 32 more....making 88.

And now that Dave has written their names down, no matter how shit they start playing, he thinks he'll somehow be less of a man to admit that players he once rated(often without even seeing them play) are not actually test material.

In an alignment camp that is seeking to narrow down the field of players that will play in the games...Dave thinks it's a good idea to add another 30+ names. Most of whom don't have a hope of ever representing the Boks.

FYI Dave's alignment camp' is comprised of just about 4x 23 match day squads.

I told you before, Dave...it's called the top 3%, not the top 76%.

Renzo du Plessis (Lions), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (both Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (all Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (all Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe (both Lions), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).

Augustus (Northampton Saints), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets).

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Dynaboars), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier).

Frans Malherbe, Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Deon Fourie and Trevor Nyakane.

And then Dave rates these guys should be at the alignment camp too...

Ruan Venter

Ludwig

Theunissen

Manu Tsituka

Dan du Preez

Buthelezi

Horn

Ruben v Heerden

Ruan Vermaak

JF v Heerden

Jenkins

JD Schickerling

Andre Smith

Dweba

Grobelaar

AH Venter

Sadie

Hanro Jacobs

Frans Klopper

Nohamba

Papier

Jantjies

de Wet

Nico Steyn

Masuku

David Kriel

Jurenzo Julius

Henco v Wyk

Sebastian de Klerk

Zas

Tyrone Green

Hartzenberg

Gelant

Listen here chump first get your fucking facts straight - I never said add those players to the list already invited to the alignment camp. There are a good number invited to the alignment camp that should not be there

Stop fucking lying. So which player have I listed that I have never seen playing you pathetic lying twat

If you want to fucking debate on here then keep it fucking real otherwise there is no bloody point

You are just a pathetic liar

Dave, if it'll help you calm down, add another 30 players to the list.

You pathetic lying twat

If you disagree give me examples of great contributions Dud has made, other than tackle. In 86 tests I can think of nothing beyond the ordinary.

His contributions are in every test he plays - he is a blindside flanker not a centre

He is there to put his body on the line - his contribution in the regard is second to Etzebeth who is the best we have ever had.

Just like I can’t point out a particular passage of play where Eben has made a contribution I can’t PSDT or any forward for that matter

With backs it’s slightly different - like Kolbe’s awesome WC try etc

PSDT is a Bok great

Balls….just general statements with no facts.

Dud Toit vs Scotland….7 runs / zero defenders beaten

Dud Toit vs Ireland…..6 runs/ zero defenders beaten

Dud Toit vs France ….7 runs/ 1 defender beaten

Dud Toit vs England ….8 runs/ 2 defenders beaten

Dud Toit vs NZ ………..5 runs/ zero defenders beaten.

In total this most ineffective of designated ball carriers beat 3 defenders in 33 runs.

Snyman a taller bloke beat 4 defenders in 10 runs in the same games. More than 3 times more likely to beat the tackle than the tall blond bloke who gets knocked over by the first tackler 9 out of 10 times.

So his running is just falling down and not losing the ball. What else does he do apart from tackling.

Say no more - case closed - find another Bok forward with a better highlights real other than possibly Eben

And yes when you operate in traffic you go down - only in some imaginary world do rugby players run through or over people all the time

Such a stupid thread.

how do you gauge the best 100 rugby players?

we have 15 different positions.

how do we determine who is the best when each position is very different?

Christ I hate these stupid comparison lists.

David must be skommeling over his phone as I type this!!

In 87 tests that’s it? A few moments against top opposition and some runs against the mushroom sides? Your ball carrier needs to be able to draw the defense and breach it ….otherwise you are just recycling the ball allowing the defense to reset.

The most toothless designated ball carrier in the top sides.

Your ball carrier needs to be able to draw the defence and breach it - lol

Drawing the defence happens in open play not traffic - fuck me

Toothless ball carrier? Well if that is the case then so are Eben and RG

Imagine how insignificant powder puffs highlights real is compared to the brilliant PSDT

Here is a challenge for you - find a better highlights real of a Bok tightforward or blindside than PSDT’s

Good luck

Draw the defense in the sense of committing tacklers….you do that because you are threatening to break the defensive line….not when you are knocked over 9 times out of 10. by the first tackler.

RG was 3 times as effective in the WC in terms of defenders beaten. But you are comparing Dud to locks. Here’s the big reveal, he has been playing flank. In fact in 3 of our 4 most challenging WC games he was the loose forward who carried the ball most.

Can’t commit the defense, can’t break the line, can’t fetch, average in the lineouts….what can he do, tackle I guess. Although open field tackling is a rarity.

Dud’s main contribution is being a big bloke. I doubt that adds much in actual force applied, but it’s part of our intimidation factor. The most hyped player ever

Bullshit was RG more effective in terms of carrying and of course the ball carrier is going to go down if he is running in traffic - that applies to Eben, Lood, RG and PSDT - but they are physical enough to make a metre or two in contact - it’s about gaining small margins with forward momentum - our big guys are the best at this discipline it’s our default - it’s why I have such an issue with Mostert - he can’t make that metre or two - there is no forward momentum

Helloooo yes PSDT has a 7 on his back but much of his role is to play it like a lock - his carries, his bulk in the scrums, mauls etc are the same as a locks

The only difference with him, is his freedom to make those tackles off first phase play

You are speaking shit - he does not breach defences just like Eben, Lood and RG don’t, of course he does not fetch it’s not the role of a blindside - my mother knows that. Average in the line outs - bullshit his line out work is as good as all our locks

The fact that you rate useless Mostert over PSDT kind of says it all - rugby is not a strength of yours

"Just like I can’t point out a particular passage of play where Eben has made a contribution I can’t PSDT or any forward for that matter

With backs it’s slightly different - like Kolbe’s awesome WC try etc"

You don't remember the Eben try against France in the WC?

One of the most memorable by a Bok forward in a WC knockout game ever.

PSDT is a tackler, Dawie. He's not a ball carrier.

Oh fuck off he spends all game carrying no better or worse than the likes of Eben, Lood and RG - what rugby are you watching

Yes I remember the Eben try against France as I do RG’s against England

One memorable try by Eben in 100 tests - wow

WC stats

Dominant tackles…Etzebeth 15% , Dud Toit 9%

Tackle success ratio….Etzebeth 86.7% , Dud Toit 84.6%

Gainline success.. Etzebeth 58.3%, Dud Toit 54.5%

‘Committing 2 tacklers….Etzebeth 75%, Dud Toit 42.4%

….

Look, ponder and learn Dave. Your eyes are simply not very reliable

Um those stats prove my point there is virtually nothing between Eben and PSDT

Eben is the better and stronger player so his slight edge makes perfect sense

I’m not big on stats but those back my point

There is very little to choose from all the tall bulky timber we have in our squad - Eben, Lood, RG and PSDT - their contributions carrying in traffic, adding grunt to the scrums, mauls, clean outs, maul defences and dominant tackles are going to be pretty similar - the naked eye will tell you that

Etzebeth twice the percentage of dominant tackles and almost twice the percentage of runs that commit two tacklers…..and you see a ‘slight edge’?

Dave doesn't rate stats. He only rates opinions, when they align with his.

15%vs 9% is nothing

Gainline success is the stat that counts and there is nothing between them

Committing two tacklers is neither here nor there - that is circumstantial and not defining at all

If we are talking ball carrying then gainline success is the only noteworthy measure and that stat proves my original assertion that PSDT is as good a ball carrier in traffic as Eben is

The glaring difference here, old Dawie, is that aside from chasing high balls, Eben sticks with the pack and only carries in tight situations.

PSDT is often found out wide where there is more space and only backline players defending.

Would you like screenshots?

Well Plumetjie that tactic is very new introduced by Brown I suspect so try get with the program

90% of PSDT’s carries are in traffic - we see him employed out wide on occasions and only in the last season

You are so easily schooled

" 15%vs 9% is nothing"

Well that is interesting you say that, you always hammering on about how small the margins is in Rugby….and how important they are??

But now to suit your agenda, 9% to 15% is nothing ?? That 6% is huge and can mean the difference between success and failure…

Actually you should know this, percentages are very important to a solicitor, especially in the context of legal fees, probability of success in litigation, and understanding client expectations.

Hou op Kak praat Dawie :)

A combination of many years of grooming by Moffie coupled with the submissive and grovelling tendencies of some of our less-intelligent and easily-manipulated posters means that we have the only rugby message board in the world where Pieter-Steph du Toit is not regarded as a great Springbok.

Thankfully a few of us can see that the Emperor has no clothes . . . even if his Servile Gimps have their dirty little snouts so far up the Imperial tailpipe that they wouldn't even know that he's standing red-faced in front of everyone with his pants down.