Best overall player in world rugby at moment

[Kapa O Pango]

Duane Vermeulen and Julian Savea maybe?

Who do you think is the best forward and back.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

After reading this forum the best player in the world has to be David Seymour!

 

[McTallshort]

Think Sexton would be within a shout

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

This is a good thread but yet a challenging question, If it was past and present I would have went with Jonny Wilkinson as he can tackle, Kick with both feet. Score tries as well as creating them and there is more. But this is present day only so its tricky but I would have went with someone like Richie McCaw. I could even Include Stuart Hogg as he can step, score, tackle and try. But being realistic now probably someone like Jonny Sexton would be best overall player he can do so much.

 

[SelimNiai]

Theres no such thing as a best overall player.

Savea? Great winger but he'd get scrummed off the park
Vermeulen? Super forward but can he nail a pressure kick from 40m? No

 

[TheSaffycen]

In fairnes it does say best forward and back.
Because the 6 nations is in full swing and I havent seen much super rugby (though SBW looks at his best)
Forward- Vermuelen
Back -Sexton

 

[Lomu]

Not many north or south of equator could argue with sexton. Dusautoir and Basteteaux also in contention but Italy's parisse gets a special mention. Israel falau is still improving and will be top try scorer at wc

 

[nightmarehitter]

Sexton ?? - I think some of you northerners need to watch super rugby there may be 16 sides with better number 10's

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Sexton ?? - I think some of you northerners need to watch super rugby there may be 16 sides with better number 10's

Lel, none of those players who you've pulled from your arse have been the key player in the in form international side that's unbeaten in 10 games and are looking good to increase that streak. Sexton has been the best 10 in rugby for 12 months now.

 

[Tony Manx]

Sexton ?? - I think some of you northerners need to watch super rugby there may be 16 sides with better number 10's

You born with a handle up your arse or did you just grow into winding people up?

 

[Jbobo]

Ed Fairhurst

 

[nickdnz]

Lel, none of those players who you've pulled from your arse have been the key player in the in form international side that's unbeaten in 10 games and are looking good to increase that streak. Sexton has been the best 10 in rugby for 12 months now.

Based on never playing the All Blacks, certainly.

I agree Sexton is remarkably overrated (just in IMHO - I know I'll take heat for it). Best 10 in NH maybe, best in the world? I'd take Cruden, Carter, Pollard and maybe Barett and Foley. I think George Ford may well be better - barring the fact Lancaster is a poor coach and England's backline is a revolving door. Schmidt can certainly get a backline moving well - which is why Sexton has always looked good with him. Is he the best performing 10 in the Top 14? No. Just being honest I believe there are 10s that offer a lot more, never mind Sexton being the best player in the world (which is only a view that seems to exist during this month, just as Halfpenny was the best player in the world of Febuary/March 2013 and Mike Brown was close there 2014...).

 

[lucky number 7]

Ed Fairhurst

About time someone mentioned the Messiah
There is nothing the omnipotent Ed cannot do.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Based on never playing the All Blacks, certainly.

I agree Sexton is remarkably overrated (just in IMHO - I know I'll take heat for it). Best 10 in NH maybe, best in the world? I'd take Cruden, Carter, Pollard and maybe Barett and Foley. I think George Ford may well be better - barring the fact Lancaster is a poor coach and England's backline is a revolving door. Schmidt can certainly get a backline moving well - which is why Sexton has always looked good with him. Is he the best performing 10 in the Top 14? No. Just being honest I believe there are 10s that offer a lot more, never mind Sexton being the best player in the world (which is only a view that seems to exist during this month, just as Halfpenny was the best player in the world of Febuary/March 2013 and Mike Brown was close there 2014...).

Is this the same Pollard and Foley who he taught a lesson to a few months ago? The same Ford who looked remarkably better after Sexton left the field of play last weekend? The same Carter who hasn't played for 12 months? The same Barrett who performs better as a winger in international rugby? Cruden has an argument but he did play in an All Blacks side who went unbeaten in a year against an Ireland side who'd beaten one top tier side in 2013 and look no better than Sexton did. He also got a world player of the year nomination in a season which did include said All Blacks game but we can just brush over that...

The best performing 10 in the top 14 would be hard to achieve considering he has played one game since November due to injury but considering he was the best 10 in European club rugby from 2011 to 2013 I think that argument is invalid.

And now to your final ignorant statement, what doesn't Sexton offer? He ran the best backline in club rugby for three years, has 8 international tries in 49 tests, is the main cog in the most efficient kicking side in world rugby right now and has missed one place kick, his biggest weakness up to this point in his career, in the 6 nations. Sexton hasn't had a bad game in international rugby, which is the where he should be judged according to countless posts from two to three years ago, in 15 months and is the main reason that Ireland are currently on the biggest winning streak of any international side as we speak, a streak which includes every top tier nation apart from New Zealand and Wales, and Scotland if we're being nice.

 

[lucky number 7]

Is this the same Pollard and Foley who he taught a lesson to a few months ago? The same Ford who looked remarkably better after Sexton left the field of play last weekend? The same Carter who hasn't played for 12 months? The same Barrett who performs better as a winger in international rugby? Cruden has an argument but he did play in an All Blacks side who went unbeaten in a year against an Ireland side who'd beaten one top tier side in 2013 and look no better than Sexton did. He also got a world player of the year nomination in a season which did include said All Blacks game but we can just brush over that...

The best performing 10 in the top 14 would be hard to achieve considering he has played one game since November due to injury but considering he was the best 10 in European club rugby from 2011 to 2013 I think that argument is invalid.

And now to your final ignorant statement, what doesn't Sexton offer? He ran the best backline in club rugby for three years, has 8 international tries in 49 tests, is the main cog in the most efficient kicking side in world rugby right now and has missed one place kick, his biggest weakness up to this point in his career, in the 6 nations. Sexton hasn't had a bad game in international rugby, which is the where he should be judged according to countless posts from two to three years ago, in 15 months and is the main reason that Ireland are currently on the biggest winning streak of any international side as we speak, a streak which includes every top tier nation apart from New Zealand and Wales, and Scotland if we're being nice.

Rekt

 

[Groundhog]

Based on never playing the All Blacks, certainly.

I agree Sexton is remarkably overrated (just in IMHO - I know I'll take heat for it). Best 10 in NH maybe, best in the world? I'd take Cruden, Carter, Pollard and maybe Barett and Foley. I think George Ford may well be better - barring the fact Lancaster is a poor coach and England's backline is a revolving door. Schmidt can certainly get a backline moving well - which is why Sexton has always looked good with him. Is he the best performing 10 in the Top 14? No. Just being honest I believe there are 10s that offer a lot more, never mind Sexton being the best player in the world (which is only a view that seems to exist during this month, just as Halfpenny was the best player in the world of Febuary/March 2013 and Mike Brown was close there 2014...).

Okay, so Sexton is overrated because he plays in a well coached backline, but Cruden, Carter, Pollard and Barret aren't? Despite the fact they all are usually behind dominant packs with class across the backline. Really? Also I won't even give rating Foley above Sexton the time of day. As cmac said. What exactly doesn't he offer? Kicking, defence, game management, vision and dogedness, he has it all. Best in the world? I'm not sure. He's definately the best performing 10 over the past few months, although his form could easily dip.

 

[Lomu]

Sexton ?? - I think some of you northerners need to watch super rugby there may be 16 sides with better number 10's

Good response mate... So apart from destroying the best 10 SA snd AUS has to offer these countries have hidden gems playing at 10 that they'd rather not risk in international matches? Good man ... Back to drawing board for you mate... Or world of Warcraft... Which is more likely, let's be honest

 

[Irishkid]

One word Parisse to do what he is doing in such a poor side is ridiculous.

 

[nickdnz]

Is this the same Pollard and Foley who he taught a lesson to a few months ago? The same Ford who looked remarkably better after Sexton left the field of play last weekend? The same Carter who hasn't played for 12 months? The same Barrett who performs better as a winger in international rugby? Cruden has an argument but he did play in an All Blacks side who went unbeaten in a year against an Ireland side who'd beaten one top tier side in 2013 and look no better than Sexton did. He also got a world player of the year nomination in a season which did include said All Blacks game but we can just brush over that...

The best performing 10 in the top 14 would be hard to achieve considering he has played one game since November due to injury but considering he was the best 10 in European club rugby from 2011 to 2013 I think that argument is invalid.

And now to your final ignorant statement, what doesn't Sexton offer? He ran the best backline in club rugby for three years, has 8 international tries in 49 tests, is the main cog in the most efficient kicking side in world rugby right now and has missed one place kick, his biggest weakness up to this point in his career, in the 6 nations. Sexton hasn't had a bad game in international rugby, which is the where he should be judged according to countless posts from two to three years ago, in 15 months and is the main reason that Ireland are currently on the biggest winning streak of any international side as we speak, a streak which includes every top tier nation apart from New Zealand and Wales, and Scotland if we're being nice.

Rekt

First of all fan boy - ignorant and having a different opinion are two separate things.

You use the fact that Ireland won against South Africa and Australia as an example why Sexton is a better player? Okay, then no Irish player has ever been as good as an All Black. You're other retarded points - Carter has played in 12 months, he's played as recently as this month and for the All Blacks on the EOYT. Barrett has never been used on the wing for the Hurricanes or All Blacks. Saying Cruden didn't look better than Sexton did in 2013 really just proves you dither don't watch other 10s or have a blind hard on for Sexton. Again you claim Ireland are the best kicking side in the world? What is this based on? Their current performance in the 6 Nations? Ireland are on their winning streak because they have a well drilled forward pack that have dominated other 6 Nations teams, and their streak is most likely down to not paying the All Blacks in the last 12 months...Throw in Madigan and you still win.

I'm not even saying Sexton is a bad player - there are just plenty of other fly halves I'd prefer over him.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

First of all fan boy - ignorant and having a different opinion are two separate things.

You use the fact that Ireland won against South Africa and Australia as an example why Sexton is a better player? Okay, then no Irish player has ever been as good as an All Black. You're other retarded points - Carter has played in 12 months, he's played as recently as this month and for the All Blacks on the EOYT. Barrett has never been used on the wing for the Hurricanes or All Blacks. Saying Cruden didn't look better than Sexton did in 2013 really just proves you dither don't watch other 10s or have a blind hard on for Sexton. Again you claim Ireland are the best kicking side in the world? What is this based on? Their current performance in the 6 Nations? Ireland are on their winning streak because they have a well drilled forward pack that have dominated other 6 Nations teams, and their streak is most likely down to not paying the All Blacks in the last 12 months...Throw in Madigan and you still win.

I'm not even saying Sexton is a bad player - there are just plenty of other fly halves I'd prefer over him.

Hehe, I'm no fanboy, I was a huge critic of Sexton as recently as last year's 6nations to the point where my criticisms were probably a bit unfair.
Ireland beating SA and Aus =\= Sexton outplaying Pollard and Foley.
Apologies, I forgot Carter's master class vs Scotland... He hasn't played enough rugby to have a claim to be the best 10 in rugby for the last 12 months.
Barrett was the guy who came on wing vs Ireland in 2013 and was shuffled to wing against Wales because he couldn't lead New Zealand to a win against an out of sorts Wales side and scored two tries after that wasn't he?
Over 80 minutes he really didn't, he looked lost in the opening half of that game, the comeback was orchestrated by the NZ back row and midfield in that game when Ireland ran out of steam, Cruden had a good end to the first half and second half and Sexton began to falter towards the end but it definitely wasn't a case of Cruden being the better 10 or vice vearsa.
Ireland's game is built completely around their kicking game, primarily the kick chase, the pack is very good but that wouldn't be enough, you mustn't have watched a single Ireland game in the last 12 months to think otherwise, or you're feigning ignorance to favour your argument...
New Zealand don't ever have to play New Zealand so have they actually never actually achieved anything? That's the equivalent of people saying Dan Carter wasn't as good as x, y or z because playing in such a good team made him look better than he was.
Playing in a well drilled team - are Ireland the only side in the world who have a coach? Would they still win if my little brother was playing 10? Why did Ireland look out of sorts in the last 20 vs England when Madigan came on and couldn't kick as accurately or pick the right passes?

My claim was that Sexton was the best 10 in rugby over the past 12 months, not a bold one a lot of people are claiming it and it's completely accepted that he's the best in the NH. I never claimed he was the undisputed p4p out half champion of the world. On top form Carter is better and himself and Cruden would battle it out for second with Pollard and Barrett gaining quickly, but to name no less than 6 players who are or may well be better is complete nonsense, especially considering he man shamed Ford two weeks ago and Pollard 4 months ago continuing to outplay Foley two weeks after that. If Ireland are to win the grand slam or World Cup, one very realistic and one not too unrealistic goals, this year Sexton will be more influential to Ireland than any of the aforementioned players will be to their sides which speaks volumes about his class.

Fair enough on you having your preferences but the high majority of people would agree that on form Sexton would make any 23 in world rugby right now and a lot would claim any 15, leaving him out would show a level of selection worse than Stuart Lancaster's ability to pick a bench.