World Top 10's!

[TheSaffycen]

No Strauss? Or did you forget him?

He's been a passenger recently, normally he would be 2 in the world.

Winger
1.Savea
2.Habana
3.North
4.Bowe
5.Naholo
6.Nadolo
7.Speight
8.Huget
9.Mitchell
10.Zebo

 

[big ginger 8]

He's been a passenger recently, normally he would be 2 in the world.

Winger
1.Savea
2.Habana
3.North
4.Bowe
5.Naholo
6.Nadolo
7.Speight
8.Huget
9.Mitchell
10.Zebo

I think you're overrating Zebo a bit there, all things being equal I'd probably have Trimble, Fitzgerald and Earls all ahead of him.

I find myself being fairly dubious about including the likes of Milner Skudder and Naholo on the list. I perfer for players to have a number of years exemplerary domestic form at least let alone a proven test match record before putting them on a top 10 list with the World Class/International level that implies.

I'll have a go at a loosehead list now, might add others later:

1. Healy
2. Ayerza
3. Woodcock.
4. Marler
5. Jenkins
6. Mtawarira
7. McGrath
8. Slipper
9. Mulipola
10. Vunipola

 

[Peat]

Woodcock's gone. He might be clinging to top ten, but no way is he still the third best loosehead in the world. Not sure Jenkins is top five either. I think tumbleweed might be more appropriate for some slots...

 

[big ginger 8]

Woodcock's gone. He might be clinging to top ten, but no way is he still the third best loosehead in the world. Not sure Jenkins is top five either. I think tumbleweed might be more appropriate for some slots...

Tumbleweed probably would have been a better idea than some alright. 3-10 are quite interchangable for me really and already looking back I can see argument for raising a number of them. It really speaks of the lower playing numbers of rugby in comparison to other sports.

 

[yaboyjj]

I think you're overrating Zebo a bit there, all things being equal I'd probably have Trimble, Fitzgerald and Earls all ahead of him.

I find myself being fairly dubious about including the likes of Milner Skudder and Naholo on the list. I perfer for players to have a number of years exemplerary domestic form at least let alone a proven test match record before putting them on a top 10 list with the World Class/International level that implies.

I'll have a go at a loosehead list now, might add others later:

1. Healy
2. Ayerza
3. Woodcock.
4. Marler
5. Jenkins
6. Mtawarira
7. McGrath
8. Slipper
9. Mulipola
10. Vunipola

I think Vunipola is very underrated, I'd certainly have him ahead of Slipper, Jenkins and McGrath. Mulipola is a great player- shame he doesn't get recognized playing at int level (he's also injured a lot). Seems funny not to see Corbs on the list (not necessarily disagreeing with it) - he would probably have been no.1 just 2 years ago.

- - - Updated - - -

He's been a passenger recently, normally he would be 2 in the world.

Winger
1.Savea
2.Habana
3.North
4.Bowe
5.Naholo
6.Nadolo
7.Speight
8.Huget
9.Mitchell
10.Zebo

If we go by past performances, then surely Jane has to be on there- Smith plays most of his int rugby on the wing too actually- not sure about Huget, Mitchell or Zebo on the list though- Piutau (def), Ranger, Osborne could be in with a shout still, Oh and Imhoff always looks a really classy player,

 

[big ginger 8]

I think Vunipola is very underrated, I'd certainly have him ahead of Slipper, Jenkins and McGrath. Mulipola is a great player- shame he doesn't get recognized playing at int level (he's also injured a lot). Seems funny not to see Corbs on the list (not necessarily disagreeing with it) - he would probably have been no.1 just 2 years ago.

I think Vunipola has some fairly unique skills but I don't think his core skills are quite up there. McGrath is actually one I'd say is quite underrated. He deservedly held down a starting spot for the majority of the 6N and started in wins over SA and Australia. With him having the highest tackle count vs SA. He doesn't have Healy's POWAH but is probably technically better in many aspects.

 

[munstermuffin]

I think you're overrating Zebo a bit there, all things being equal I'd probably have Trimble, Fitzgerald and Earls all ahead of him.

I find myself being fairly dubious about including the likes of Milner Skudder and Naholo on the list. I perfer for players to have a number of years exemplerary domestic form at least let alone a proven test match record before putting them on a top 10 list with the World Class/International level that implies.

I'll have a go at a loosehead list now, might add others later:

1. Healy
2. Ayerza
3. Woodcock.
4. Marler
5. Jenkins
6. Mtawarira
7. McGrath
8. Slipper
9. Mulipola
10. Vunipola

On the top bit I'd agree. I think when on form Earls and Fitzgerald are much better 8s.

But on your loosehead list I don't think I'd have McGrath on it. I think the majority of top European scrummagers are in France. But again it depends on how you just your loose head prop.

 

[chippieolamus]

I think Vunipola has some fairly unique skills but I don't think his core skills are quite up there. McGrath is actually one I'd say is quite underrated. He deservedly held down a starting spot for the majority of the 6N and started in wins over SA and Australia. With him having the highest tackle count vs SA. He doesn't have Healy's POWAH but is probably technically better in many aspects.

I have to disagree about Vunipola. Last season perhaps I might have agreed, but this year on his Sarries form Mako has improved his scrummaging tenfold, and is not too far off Marler now. His ball carrying is exceptional for a prop, he's an above average jackaler (for a prop) and he usually has a high tackle count (plus decent hands). Not sure I would say that his core skills are poor.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Not sure I would say that his core skills are poor.

Idk, his kicking's pretty crap
The scrummaging improvement is particularly marked. I used to groan when he was subbed on for England because the scrums would go to shoit.

 

[psychic duck]

I think you're overrating Zebo a bit there, all things being equal I'd probably have Trimble, Fitzgerald and Earls all ahead of him.

I find myself being fairly dubious about including the likes of Milner Skudder and Naholo on the list. I perfer for players to have a number of years exemplerary domestic form at least let alone a proven test match record before putting them on a top 10 list with the World Class/International level that implies.

I'll have a go at a loosehead list now, might add others later:

1. Healy
2. Ayerza
3. Woodcock.
4. Marler
5. Jenkins
6. Mtawarira
7. McGrath
8. Slipper
9. Mulipola
10. Vunipola

You forgot all the props from the continent. Aguero (not to be confused with the **** De Marchi), Ben Arous, Debaty etc.

 

[Kiwi_]

Nothing wrong with him, good player, but is he really better than North, Habana, Bowe, Mitchell etc?

I don't know North or Bowe, but Piutau's a stand out player in the best team in the World, Habanna and Mitchell are past it IMO and Mitchell was never in the frame, ever.

 

[Maverick1987]

I don't know North, Habanna and Mitchell are past it IMO and Mitchell was never in the frame, ever.

If you don't know George North then it fully explains why in your top players there's 3 NZ players at the top I each one . It's because you live in a small box .....

 

[Kiwi_]

If you don't know George North then it fully explains why in your top players there's 3 NZ players at the top I each one . It's because you live in a small box .....

I just don't know much about NH Rugby, it gets no coverage out here, I'm not going to go out of my way to stream it at ridiculous hours either, I watch the highlights of some of the 6N's games and when the SH teams tour and get up for the AB games, but it's a hard ask to care about the club Rugby. I see he's Welsh, even less chance of hearing about any Welsh players out here apart from Halfpenny and the usual names when we have a test match vs them. What's funny was them naming a Welsh player at MotM when we ran away with the game last year. But honestly, Piutau is awesome on the wing and Naholo will prove to be the best.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think the really interesting discussion would be at 9. Or maybe, the differences are so marginal past Murray and A Smith no-one would bat an eye at another's selection. I mean, Genia has been in rather poor form, FdP and le petit general are possibly past it- we just don't know as they havn't played rugby in an age.. I wouldn't actually be very confident in being able of putting forward any sort of list but let me be bold enough to put somethig out there if only to get the discussion going;

1 Murray
2 Smith
Some sort of combination of Machenaud, Kockott, Perenara, FdP, Reinach, Pienaar, Genia or Phipps each with an asterisk to their names. Lets just call that my order then.

 

[chippieolamus]

I think the really interesting discussion would be at 9. Or maybe, the differences are so marginal past Murray and A Smith no-one would bat an eye at another's selection. I mean, Genia has been in rather poor form, FdP and le petit general are possibly past it- we just don't know as they havn't played rugby in an age.. I wouldn't actually be very confident in being able of putting forward any sort of list but let me be bold enough to put somethig out there if only to get the discussion going;

1 Murray
2 Smith
Some sort of combination of Machenaud, Kockott, Perenara, FdP, Reinach, Pienaar, Genia or Phipps each with an asterisk to their names. Lets just call that my order then.

Smith > Murray. Youngs (on current form), Fotuali'i, Webb and perhaps Laidlaw also deserve to be in or around the top 10.

 

[TobesHodges]

Top 10 coaches? surely the lions, highlanders and bath coaches at the top!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Smith > Murray. Youngs (on current form), Fotuali'i, Webb and perhaps Laidlaw also deserve to be in or around the top 10.

This shows the truth in Stormer's post! Give me Murray for Ireland, Wales, England, Argentina or SA any day over Smith. Australia and New Zealand would be far better off with Smith.

 

[Peat]

I just don't know much about NH Rugby, it gets no coverage out here, I'm not going to go out of my way to stream it at ridiculous hours either, I watch the highlights of some of the 6N's games and when the SH teams tour and get up for the AB games, but it's a hard ask to care about the club Rugby. I see he's Welsh, even less chance of hearing about any Welsh players out here apart from Halfpenny and the usual names when we have a test match vs them. What's funny was them naming a Welsh player at MotM when we ran away with the game last year. But honestly, Piutau is awesome on the wing and Naholo will prove to be the best.

I can sincerely appreciate the difficulty in following rugby in a different hemisphere, but if you've failed to hear North's name you haven't been listening hard enough. You'd be stunned if I didn't name Savea because I'd never heard of him; this is comparable.

Not trying to be a jerk about this - just trying to put things into context for you.

This shows the truth in Stormer's post! Give me Murray for Ireland, Wales, England, Argentina or SA any day over Smith. Australia and New Zealand would be far better off with Smith.

Smith would be fantastic for England - a sniping scrum-half that can actually distribute is what we've been crying out for since, well, forever. I wouldn't say no to Murray but I'd take Smith first. Think Webb shows that Smith would do very well for Wales too.

 

[big ginger 8]

I have to disagree about Vunipola. Last season perhaps I might have agreed, but this year on his Sarries form Mako has improved his scrummaging tenfold, and is not too far off Marler now. His ball carrying is exceptional for a prop, he's an above average jackaler (for a prop) and he usually has a high tackle count (plus decent hands). Not sure I would say that his core skills are poor.

Thankfully I didn't say his core skills were poor then.

You forgot all the props from the continent. Aguero (not to be confused with the **** De Marchi), Ben Arous, Debaty etc.

Knew I was forgetting a French prop, Ben Arous goes straight on to the list, Aguero is a maybe and I had thought of Debaty but just don't rate him as much.

I don't know North or Bowe, but Piutau's a stand out player in the best team in the World, Habanna and Mitchell are past it IMO and Mitchell was never in the frame, ever.

There's not being able to keep up with NH rugby and then there's only paying any attention to domestic rugby. Both Bowe and North are world rugby stars. They have 118 combined caps. 8 of them for the Lions. I don't know how you couldn't know who North is even if you only paid a cursory glance to the last Lions tour. They've also both played against NZ a number of times of course.

Mitchell was most definitely in the frame for best winger at one stage around 2010. I remember in the Super Rugby before he suffered his horrible leg injury, that despite only playing about a third of the year he was still leading the tackle break count going into the final week or so and still finished 2nd overall.

 

[chippieolamus]

Thankfully I didn't say his core skills were poor then.

I don't think his core skills are quite up there.

Close enough... No need for pedantry.