B
Bullitt
Guest
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3...5814168,00.html
Getting your shot at the big time is a large part of the ongoing battle for rugby hopefuls, but in 2009 this group of starlets got their moment and duly pushed themselves into our lives.
Their fine efforts have not gone unnoticed by us here at Planet Rugby and we have consequently cobbled together a XV that although lacks caps, it makes up for in fearless exuberance.
Call them freshmen or what you will, the majority of this group were relative unknowns in the world of 2008 until Tri-Nations, club competitions and the Six Nations made both spectators and coaches sit up and take note.
Names such as Lelia Masaga, Aled de Malmanche and not forgetting James O'Connor are included in what was a much discussed XV while playing shorts were adjudged to fit just a tad too baggy for our 'will grow into it' first years.
One thing's for sure though, this XV was an extremely difficult cut to make and readers should realise that Heinrich Brüssow and a couple of others just missed this 'outstanding young pup' bracket due to their Team of the Year duties. Roll on more of these guys in 2010.
Newbie XV
15 Joe Pietersen (Stormers) - Breaking out from the sizeable shadow that is Percy Montgomery, this young Western Province and Stormers full-back has been outstanding throughout 2009. It was very surprising that Pietersen missed out on the outgoing tour but he is surely closing in on a Springbok jersey.
Will grow into it - Colin Slade (Crusaders)
14 Lelia Masaga (Chiefs) - Anyone watching the Chiefs in Super 14 2009 will surely give an agreeable nod to this selection.
Will grow into it - Gerhard van den Heever (Bulls)
13 Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan) - This bang in-form youngster is nicknamed 'The Little Prince' and is one off the long line of stars coming off the Toulouse midfield conveyor belt. Now having moved to Perpignan, Mermoz has been the best number 12 (excuse his PR number) and formed an excellent partnership with Yann David when Les Bleus overcame South Africa in November.
Will grow into it - Ryan Crotty (Crusaders)
12 James O'Connor (Western Force) - In case you didn't know, Australia's Rookie of the Year was eligible for all three Tri-Nations countries before he became a nineteen-year-old starting Wallaby in 2009. O'Connor has a lot more power than his 79kg frame gives him credit for.. Sergio Parisse can vouch for that.
Will grow into it - Jonathan Davies (Scarlets)
11 Zac Guildford (Hurricanes) - It was a difficult year off the field for this winger from Hawke's Bay. Whilst on U20 duty for New Zealand in June, Guildford's father unfortunately passed away after watching his son from the stands - it was a sad end to the tournament. But the now Crusader showed his strength of character to continue his good form in 2009 and was duly rewarded by Graham Henry.
Will grow into it - Benjamin Fall (Bayonne)
10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys) - The young pivot really has made the Ospreys number ten jersey his own this season in being a great performer for Sean Holley, especially in Europe. It is hard to believe Biggar is still only 20 but there is no doubt Wales have found themselves a long-term successor to Stephen Jones.
Will grow into it - Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)
9 Will Genia (Reds) - Australia meanwhile have finally found a replacement for George Gregan at the base. The 21-year-old from Papua New Guinea is right up there as the strongest Wallaby pound for pound. But it is his game management, decision-making ability and slick service that has seen him oust Luke Burgess.
Will grow into it - Ben Youngs (Leicester)
8 Dewald Potgieter (Bulls) - This number eight role was a tough call between Ashley Johnson and the Blue Bulls youngster. But in the end Potgieter held the game-by-game form in 2009 and been an impressive leader in Pretoria even at the tender age of just 22. Yes he has played most of the year on the flank but has filled in admirably from eight when called upon.
Will grow into it - Ashley Johnson (Cheetahs)
7 David Pocock (Western Force) - The term meteoric rise is sometimes overused but for this 21-year-old that seems the idyllic terminology to sum up his 2009. Pocock captained Australia U20 last year and has since gone on to nudge out Wallaby legend George Smith at number seven. More battles with Brüssow and McCaw please!
Will grow into it - Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues)
6 Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster) - Shoe-filling does come much bigger than stepping into the chasm left by Rocky Elsom on the blindside. But this 25-year-old has made the Wallaby star's exit seem almost seamless as his partnership with fellow up-and-comer Sean O'Brien is a welcome boost for Leinster.
Will grow into it - Richie Vernon (Glasgow)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton) - Jumping on bandwagons is not our style but we just could not leave out this rangy forward. Lawes has been immense for Saints and his recent shift to blindside has now demonstrated his ability in the loose. The forward is an uncompromising tackler and lineout option for England in the future.
Will grow into it - Donnacha Ryan (Munster)
4 Tom Donnelly (Highlanders) - Although the Highlander has been around for close to eight years now, he gains Newbie status for his 2009 rise into the All Black engine room. A keen hunter, Donnelly stepped in for Isaac Ross against Australia and has impressed ever since.
Will grow into it - James Gaskell (Sale)
3 Owen Franks (Crusaders) - The Canterbury tighthead was well worth his handful of New Zealand caps this year and one feels there is plenty more to come for the 22-year-old. Younger brother of prop Ben, Owen has great work rate around the park and has more than held his own in the scrummaging stakes throughout the past campaign.
Will grow into it - Werner Kruger (Bulls)
2 Aled de Malmanche (Chiefs) - The Waikato man has been knocking around in New Zealand for about four years but it was 2009 that De Malmanche really caught the eye of the global game. Still only 25, he remains a bit behind Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu but we fancy he will continue to climb in 2010.
Will grow into it - Dane Coles (Hurricanes)
1 Cian Healy (Leinster) - Our final playing member is Ireland's version of 'The Beast'. The Leinsterman is now the perfect front-row fixture as Marcus Horan continues to struggle to shake off his injury problems. Healy possesses real pace and also an eye for the try-line which has made him key for the Dubliners and now Ireland.
Will grow into it - Rhys Gill (Saracens)
Getting your shot at the big time is a large part of the ongoing battle for rugby hopefuls, but in 2009 this group of starlets got their moment and duly pushed themselves into our lives.
Their fine efforts have not gone unnoticed by us here at Planet Rugby and we have consequently cobbled together a XV that although lacks caps, it makes up for in fearless exuberance.
Call them freshmen or what you will, the majority of this group were relative unknowns in the world of 2008 until Tri-Nations, club competitions and the Six Nations made both spectators and coaches sit up and take note.
Names such as Lelia Masaga, Aled de Malmanche and not forgetting James O'Connor are included in what was a much discussed XV while playing shorts were adjudged to fit just a tad too baggy for our 'will grow into it' first years.
One thing's for sure though, this XV was an extremely difficult cut to make and readers should realise that Heinrich Brüssow and a couple of others just missed this 'outstanding young pup' bracket due to their Team of the Year duties. Roll on more of these guys in 2010.
Newbie XV
15 Joe Pietersen (Stormers) - Breaking out from the sizeable shadow that is Percy Montgomery, this young Western Province and Stormers full-back has been outstanding throughout 2009. It was very surprising that Pietersen missed out on the outgoing tour but he is surely closing in on a Springbok jersey.
Will grow into it - Colin Slade (Crusaders)
14 Lelia Masaga (Chiefs) - Anyone watching the Chiefs in Super 14 2009 will surely give an agreeable nod to this selection.
Will grow into it - Gerhard van den Heever (Bulls)
13 Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan) - This bang in-form youngster is nicknamed 'The Little Prince' and is one off the long line of stars coming off the Toulouse midfield conveyor belt. Now having moved to Perpignan, Mermoz has been the best number 12 (excuse his PR number) and formed an excellent partnership with Yann David when Les Bleus overcame South Africa in November.
Will grow into it - Ryan Crotty (Crusaders)
12 James O'Connor (Western Force) - In case you didn't know, Australia's Rookie of the Year was eligible for all three Tri-Nations countries before he became a nineteen-year-old starting Wallaby in 2009. O'Connor has a lot more power than his 79kg frame gives him credit for.. Sergio Parisse can vouch for that.
Will grow into it - Jonathan Davies (Scarlets)
11 Zac Guildford (Hurricanes) - It was a difficult year off the field for this winger from Hawke's Bay. Whilst on U20 duty for New Zealand in June, Guildford's father unfortunately passed away after watching his son from the stands - it was a sad end to the tournament. But the now Crusader showed his strength of character to continue his good form in 2009 and was duly rewarded by Graham Henry.
Will grow into it - Benjamin Fall (Bayonne)
10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys) - The young pivot really has made the Ospreys number ten jersey his own this season in being a great performer for Sean Holley, especially in Europe. It is hard to believe Biggar is still only 20 but there is no doubt Wales have found themselves a long-term successor to Stephen Jones.
Will grow into it - Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)
9 Will Genia (Reds) - Australia meanwhile have finally found a replacement for George Gregan at the base. The 21-year-old from Papua New Guinea is right up there as the strongest Wallaby pound for pound. But it is his game management, decision-making ability and slick service that has seen him oust Luke Burgess.
Will grow into it - Ben Youngs (Leicester)
8 Dewald Potgieter (Bulls) - This number eight role was a tough call between Ashley Johnson and the Blue Bulls youngster. But in the end Potgieter held the game-by-game form in 2009 and been an impressive leader in Pretoria even at the tender age of just 22. Yes he has played most of the year on the flank but has filled in admirably from eight when called upon.
Will grow into it - Ashley Johnson (Cheetahs)
7 David Pocock (Western Force) - The term meteoric rise is sometimes overused but for this 21-year-old that seems the idyllic terminology to sum up his 2009. Pocock captained Australia U20 last year and has since gone on to nudge out Wallaby legend George Smith at number seven. More battles with Brüssow and McCaw please!
Will grow into it - Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues)
6 Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster) - Shoe-filling does come much bigger than stepping into the chasm left by Rocky Elsom on the blindside. But this 25-year-old has made the Wallaby star's exit seem almost seamless as his partnership with fellow up-and-comer Sean O'Brien is a welcome boost for Leinster.
Will grow into it - Richie Vernon (Glasgow)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton) - Jumping on bandwagons is not our style but we just could not leave out this rangy forward. Lawes has been immense for Saints and his recent shift to blindside has now demonstrated his ability in the loose. The forward is an uncompromising tackler and lineout option for England in the future.
Will grow into it - Donnacha Ryan (Munster)
4 Tom Donnelly (Highlanders) - Although the Highlander has been around for close to eight years now, he gains Newbie status for his 2009 rise into the All Black engine room. A keen hunter, Donnelly stepped in for Isaac Ross against Australia and has impressed ever since.
Will grow into it - James Gaskell (Sale)
3 Owen Franks (Crusaders) - The Canterbury tighthead was well worth his handful of New Zealand caps this year and one feels there is plenty more to come for the 22-year-old. Younger brother of prop Ben, Owen has great work rate around the park and has more than held his own in the scrummaging stakes throughout the past campaign.
Will grow into it - Werner Kruger (Bulls)
2 Aled de Malmanche (Chiefs) - The Waikato man has been knocking around in New Zealand for about four years but it was 2009 that De Malmanche really caught the eye of the global game. Still only 25, he remains a bit behind Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu but we fancy he will continue to climb in 2010.
Will grow into it - Dane Coles (Hurricanes)
1 Cian Healy (Leinster) - Our final playing member is Ireland's version of 'The Beast'. The Leinsterman is now the perfect front-row fixture as Marcus Horan continues to struggle to shake off his injury problems. Healy possesses real pace and also an eye for the try-line which has made him key for the Dubliners and now Ireland.
Will grow into it - Rhys Gill (Saracens)
