WATCH: Amazing moment that sums up Springboks captain Siya Kolisi’s leadership
Planet Rugby’s Alternative Dream Team Of The Year After World Rugby’s Farce
Planet Rugby’s Alternative Dream Team of the Year after World Rugby’s farce
Jared Wright 30 Oct 2023 12:53 PM
Rugby World Cup stars Ardie Savea and Pieter-Steph du Toit with an image of the World Rugby Dream Team.
Rugby World Cup stars Ardie Savea and Pieter-Steph du Toit with an image of the World Rugby Dream Team.
The 2023 World Rugby Awards evening saw the Dream Team of the Year announced, which has been widely criticised.
Rugby World Cup champions South Africa had just one representative in the side in lock Eben Etzebeth, with fellow finalists New Zealand claiming four spots in the line-up.
It is worth remembering that the Dream Team is based on the entire 2023 and not just the Rugby World Cup. This explains why Six Nations Grand Slam winners Ireland boast five players along with France.
In response to World Rugby’s Dream Team, Planet Rugby writers have selected their own team, making several changes to rugby’s governing body’s selections.
Planet Rugby’s Dream Team
15 Thomas Ramos (France): One we feel the selection panel got spot on. The French full-back was outstanding during the Six Nations and carried that form throughout much of the Rugby World Cup. Hugo Keenan came in a close second.
14 Damian Penaud (France): While Cheslin Kolbe was excellent for the Springboks in the play-off matches of the World Cup, overall, Penaud was better and scored an impressive 14 tries this year.
Some change
13 Jesse Kriel (South Africa): Our first change to World Rugby’s team as we switch Ireland’s Garry Ringrose with South Africa’s Kriel. The Springbok back had an incredible year, particularly after the injury to star centre Lukhanyo Am. His defence was heroic throughout the World Cup and he produced his best outings in the crucial play-off matches, which edges him ahead of the Ireland star.
12 Bundee Aki (Ireland): Three clear standouts for the number 12 jumper, but Aki was the right choice from World Rugby’s panel. Jordie Barrett had an unbelievable year for the All Blacks, as did Damian de Allende for the Springboks, but Aki was one of the best players at the Rugby World Cup despite Ireland’s early exit. He was also stellar throughout the Six Nations.
11 Will Jordan (New Zealand): A word for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Mark Tele’a, who also could have claimed a spot on the wing, but Jordan was again the clear front-runner. He continues to post a ridiculous strike rate in international rugby and equalled the World Cup record of eight tries in a single tournament. World Rugby selected two right wingers in their XV, but one cannot argue with their picks.
stellar season with La Rochelle, he was a standout for his country at the World Cup as they reached the quarter-final of the competition. We also have to mention Uruguay’s outstanding Manuel Ardao.
6 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa): The tireless workhorse produced one of the greatest performances in World Cup history in the final against New Zealand and that weighed heavily in his favour as he edged past France’s star forward Ollivon. The Bok back-rower was superb throughout the Rugby Championship as well as he looked to be back at his best after a torrid run of injuries after 2019. A notable mention for Portugal’s Nicolas Martins, who quite frankly should have been nominated for the Breakthrough Player of the Year.
superb for France, as was Jamie George for England and Dave Porecki in a poor Wallabies side. But Sheehan was consistently one of Ireland’s best and performed to an incredibly high standard throughout the Six Nations and in his World Cup appearances.
1 Ox Nche (South Africa): As alluded to above, World Cup performances should have weighed heavily in the final calls, and for us it did. While Cyril Baille was good for France, Nche was a match-winner in the quarter and semi-finals for South Africa. He was also a standout as South Africa demolished New Zealand at Twickenham, and with Steven Kitshoff not at his dominant best, Nche powered the Boks forward and ultimately to World Cup glory
The Mandela of Rugby.
That's a good thing but also not a good thing.
Kolisi is pure class both on and off the field
Steph was a flub. Kriel was as I expected and predicted. Nothing more. The Boks were not great. Kolisi was an embarrassment. Mandela indeed, a popular vote amongst fakes but when on looks at the facts it looks rather sinister.
Doos what the fuck are you still doing on here?
Are you too fucking stupid to feel embarrassed?
Shock shock dumbfuck
Well Saddex, lets reference these great contributions by Steph, Kolisi, Damian, Libbok et al. Anything at all. If anything you should be embarrassed. Where were the two most dominant scrummagers of all time? Where was Damian? Where was Libbok? Where was Kolisi? Where was anything you claimed to be in evidence? Nowhere.
Doos which side has just won the WC?
Who coached that side to victory?
Which player was named man of the match in that final?
Take your time embarrassment
Kolisi seems like a nice bloke and he has the requisite nice story and he fits the script. Kwagga is 10 times the player.
Disagree Kwagga is rubbish as a starter as we have seen on numerous occasions. He gets tossed around like a rag doll.
Kolisi is a far better link player and better with ball in hand, he is also far more physical
Kwagga to his credit punches way above his lack of size which works as an impact player when the opposition are tired and 50 min into the game
Kolisi is by far our best 6 and Kwagga is a great impact player thanks to his 7’s skills
Kwagga, Wiese, Etzebeth, Esterhuizen, Snyman, Mostert are the only world class performing Boks. Kwagga has never been thrown around like a rag doll. That would be your little pets like Steph, Damian, Kolisi, and Lood. I've shown this numerous times. I've also debunked your dribble about Kwagga each and every time you've barked it out. The funniest was when we found that Kwagga was the most dominant against New Zealand, and Marx and Thor were totally dominated. Marx being cleaned off the ruck most of the time immediately! Saddex, you aren't one for rugby. I suggest you stick to something more familiar to you. Maybe pie eating contests, or picking fluff from the festering chasm of your entombed belly button.
Fucking fly is in this room as well
Etzebeth got knocked back a couple times in the final….no player is immune to the law of physics. At about minute 65 Kwagga made two vital turnovers. One by getting over the ball and wrestling it free, it wasn’t just a technical turnover. Dud Toit would have been blown away and Kolisi would have bottled out of the contest.
Moments later he ripped the ball out of Jordan’s hands.
Arguably those two turnovers saved the game for the struggling Boks.
Way, way better than Kolisi….who by your own admission could have lost the game by dying with the ball on the AB goal line…not just if he received the same penalty as Cane.
A player’s credentials are not defined by one game
Kolisi was good in the final especially physically
Yes he fucked up not passing but that’s one negative
There is a big difference between Eben being gang tackled and Kwagga being thrown around like a rag doll at times
He is not physical enough to start, it’s been tried and tested and failed. The same conclusion should have been made about the weak Mostert and would have had Lood been fit and should have given RG was ready
Ah the Mostert card.
Disagree Kwagga is rubbish as a starter as we have seen on numerous occasions. He gets tossed around like a rag doll.
Fuck me Dave, you do talk the purist of shit sometimes.
Fuck me Dave, you do talk the purist of shit sometimes.
As the evening progresses it gets worse .................. imo. ouDawie has a drinking problem
Seek help boet
Agree Dave Kwagga is probably best off the bench. His skills are best used when fatigue sets in.
That said I am haply for him to start as all these things need to be thoroughly investigated.
As for Doos he is so bitter I am worried what it will do to his health!!
We won that's great? But boring WC rugby...spouts of spirit and RWC does not inspire any more. The sides that impressed were Portugal, because accolades were impossible but playing beyond espectation of minnows yes...I think of 1995 SA against Austr in Old Newlands opening game, that's WC spirit.
France imho is the best team in the world. 1 point wins tell you very little. Loyalty does not blind me.
Good article about the Bokke RWC
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Did not know that Jason Mamoa was a Rugby supporter? It seems that there is quite a number of people that are sour towards the Boks and SA….what’s that all about?
Sour grapes...
23,038 posts
Social media stats from the Rugby World Cup reveal the most popular player and it’s not even close
Lekke lekke!!!LEKKERRR!!!