Interesting to see how poor this list is but more noting is who were the selection panel. Clive Woodwad, John Smit and Richie
Du Pont
Itoje
Kerevi
Hooper
Don't know how on earth two Ausies made it on the list.
By beating the ‘World Champions’ twice?
Hooper should get it….one of the few automatic choices for the world’s best XV.
But 5 matches is enough to get Kerevi nominated and Aus only winning 4 games is good enough
Who in South Africa deserves a nomination? The All Blacks don't really have a lot of standout performers. The best players I have seen this season are Hooper, Kerevi, Kellaway, Kwagga, Wiese, Sanchez, Russell, Itoje, Tupou, Kellaway, Williams, Samu, Blackadder, J Barrett, Mendy, Carreras.
World Rugby Team of the Year is a good starting point for candidates:
Jordie Barrett
Kellaway
Am
Kerevi
Kolbe
Morne Steyn/Barrett/Cooper
Du Pont
Kitshoff
Marx
Tupou
Etzebeth
Mostert
Itoje
Hooper
Savea
What a team….they would rip the heart out of any opponent. I’d probably start Barrett with Morne on the bench. Monster front row, brilliant line-out options, brilliant on the deck, Savea as a hard yards runner, Am outside a centre that create opportunities vs needing to search for scraps.
No useless Wallies.
I stick with my original pick of Hooper
Antoine Dupont and Michael Hooper.
Hooper is the best leader in the game by far. Also the most effective loose forward. Hard to believe that many Aussies wanted him out of the team.
