World XV 2009

[stormer2010]

Hi, guys. Nominate who you consider to be the best in their position (Rugby Union) in 2009. Will later add these names to a poll. My picks for a best in the world XV;

15: Juan Martin Hernandez (ARG)
Honorable mention: Lee Byrne (WAL), Mills Muliaina (NZL)

14: Tommy Bowe (IRE)
Honorable mention: Cedric Heymans (FRA)
Shane Williams and Joe Rokocoko have not impressed me this year.

13: Brian O'Driscoll (IRE)
Honorable mention: Stirling Mortlock (AUS)
Both getting on in years but still the best. Kahui and Fourie are my picks for the future.

12: Matt Giteau (AUS) Brilliant player and although playing at pivot, I reckon he is the best 12 in the world even if upstaged at 10 by Daniel Carter.
Honorable mention: Berrick Barnes (AUS), Ma'a Nonu (NZL), Jean de Villiers (RSA), Jamie Roberts (WAL)

11: Bryan Habana (RSA) Getting back to his best one brilliant game at a time.
Honorable mention: Sitiveni Sivivatu (NZL)

10: Daniel Carter (NZL) The scary thing is that he hit the ground running after coming back from injury and one can only see him getting better.
Honorable mention: Matt Giteau (AUS), Stephen Jones (WAL)

9: Fourie du Preez (RSA) Simply peerless with the likes of Gregan having moved on.
Honorable mention: Mike Philips (WAL)

8: Sergio Parisse (ITL) The Italian captain is a one man team and it is a pity he does not have the base to work from on the international stage that he does at club level.
Honorable mention: Pierre Spies (RSA)

7: Richhi McCaw (NZL)
Honorble mention: George Smith (AUS), Thierry Dusautoir (FRA), Juan Smith (RSA) possibly the most underrated player in international rugby

6: Rocky Elsom (AUS)
Honorable mention: Schalk Burger (RSA), Yannick Nyanga (FRA)

5: Victor Matfield (RSA) Sheer class.
Honorable mention: Ali Williams (NZL), Alun Wyn Jones (WAL)

4: Bakkies Botha (RSA) I don't think many non-South African realise the impact the donkey work he goes through has on a game.
Honorable mention: Paul O'Connell (IRE)

3: Carl Hayman (NZL) In a class of his very own.
Honorable mention: Adam Jones (WAL)

2: Bismarck du Plessis (RSA) To displace hooker and captain John Smit to prop speaks for itself.
Honorable mention: John Smit (RSA), Kevan Mealamu (NZL)

1: Tony Woodcock (NZL)
Honorable mention: Martin Castrogiovani (ITL), Tendai Mtawarira (RSA)

There you have it. I have to concede that my picks, as objective as I try to be, will almost certainly be biased in favour of RSA and SH teams as this is what I know best.

 

[ThemApples]

How can you possibly ignore the HUGE impact Heinrich Brussouw has made this year?.......Why even mention Schalk Burger?

 

[Bullitt]

Hernandez?
Bowe?
Barnes?
Carter?
G Smith?
McCaw?
J Smith?
Burger?
Hayman?
Wyn Jones?

This looks more like a who's who of famous names rather then a rundown of who's been good this year.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Will yizzers stop complianing and make your own nominations then.

I think it's quite a good list and nobody can be expected to remember everyone when they're doing this. And besides Burger and Carter and one or two others the list isn't too bad when you take into account club performances.

 

[Thingimubob]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Sep 8 2009, 03:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hernandez?
Bowe?
Barnes?
Carter?
G Smith?
McCaw?
J Smith?
Burger?
Hayman?
Wyn Jones?

This looks more like a who's who of famous names rather then a rundown of who's been good this year.[/b]

Are you trying to say Bowe DIDN'T have good year? :huh:
Disagree with a few here, like McCaw, considering that Heinrich Brussow has been brilliant, nd has actually outplayed McCaw. Why has Hernandez got the 15 spot, it should easily between Byrne and Kearney. And Burger? Hell no.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Mine:

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. BOD
12. Roberts
11. Eh... ... ... Banana?
10. Carter
9. Du Preez

8. Parisse
7. Brussow
6. Smith or Elsom.
5. Matfield
4. Botha
3. A Jones
2. Du Plessis - despite the fact he's a thug.
1. Woodcock

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Sep 8 2009, 04:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Mine:

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. BOD
12. Roberts
11. Eh... ... ... Banana?
10. Carter
9. Du Preez

8. Parisse
7. Brussow
6. Smith or Elsom.
5. Matfield
4. Botha
3. A Jones
2. Du Plessis - despite the fact he's a thug.
1. Woodcock[/b]

I like the way Speedy remembered to switch the 6 & 7 for ths saffer flankers....and I like the way I pointed out you're right before someone corrected you wrongly.

And get this, Welsh guy has JesusKearney at 15 and I think that Byrne had a better year uptill now. I think Byrnes 6Ns performances outweigh Kearney's Lions performances. We should really be waiting till December to do this.

I still can't get over Bowe suddenly becoming a qualityquality player.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Yeh, I also like the way I do stuff. It happies me.

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Sep 8 2009, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Yeh, I also like the way I do stuff. It happies me.[/b]

Shame you're gonna end up being a coal-miner. And Ugly.

 

[Sir Speedy]

I have time before that happens.

At least I'm not Irish!

Also, I included Kearney because he surprised me. Byrne will most likely continue being better in the Autumn, but Kearney was damn impressive.
And for the record, apart from a try against France and a very good five minutes against Ireland, Byrne was not that good this year. Good, but not that good.

 

[sebastian_tate]

15: Rob Kearney

14: Tommy Bowe

13: Brian O'Driscoll

12: Jamie Roberts

11: Bryan Habana

10: Matt Giteau

9: Fourie du Preez

8: Pierre Spies

7: Heinrich Brussouw

6: Rocky Elsom

5: Victor Matfield

4: Bakkies Botha

3: Adam Jones

2: Bismarck du Plessis

1: Tony Woodcock

 

[shazbooger]

I'd include Jamie Roberts for Giteau. Heinrich Brussouw for McCaw. They are the two I would definately put in.

Not sure about the front row and the two wing positions though thinking of the wings I cant really come up with any alternatives.

Oh and obviously Kearney, Muliaina and Byrne are miles ahead of Hernandez this year.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Sep 8 2009, 04:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Mine:
6. Smith or Elsom.[/b]

Ya big eeeejit!

 

[monkeypigeon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Sep 8 2009, 04:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I have time before that happens.

At least I'm not Irish![/b]

Yeah, I wish you were Irish. You'd scare all the women right into my arms, instead of scaring all those beastly Welsh things across things across the sea to our fair land.

 

[stormer2010]

Hmmm

Fair comments. It took so long to type up while considering players that I did somewhat sidetrack myself.. LOL

Now considering whether to rename topic to 'last couple of years' as it would take sooo long to have a rethink about my picks. I wanted to argue that Brussouw has only had 1 season playing at international level (and what it season it has been for the boy so far) but then caught myself. Apologies for the inconsistencies.

Well, here goes (this will have to be based on Lions tour and Tri Nations):

15 ?
14 ?
13 Jacques Fourie (RSA)
12 Jamie Roberts (WAL)
11 Bryan Habana (RSA)
10 Matt Giteau (AUS)
9 Fourie du Preez (RSA)
8 ?
7 ?
6 Heinrich Brussouw (RSA)
5 Victor Matfield (RSA)
4 Bakkies Botha (RSA)
3 Adam Jones (WAL)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (RSA)
1 Benn Robinson (AUS)

But could I ask you for your nominations?

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ Sep 8 2009, 04:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Sep 8 2009, 04:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have time before that happens.

At least I'm not Irish![/b]

Yeah, I wish you were Irish. You'd scare all the women right into my arms, instead of scaring all those beastly Welsh things across things across the sea to our fair land.
[/b][/quote]
Hur.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Sep 8 2009, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Ya big eeeejit![/b]

Really, you know I am correct.

 

[gingergenius]

15. Byrne
14. Pietersen
13. O'Driscoll
12. Giteau
11. Habana
10. Carter
9. du Preez
8. Parisse
7. Brussow
6. Elsom (pre-injury) Juan Smith after.
5. Matfield
4. Botha
3. Hayman
2. du Plessis
1. Jenkins

 

[Sir Speedy]

WAT THE FEK. I forgot all about Jenkins.

 

[gingergenius]

15. Byrne
Not Kearney because he was crap this year until Byrne got injured on the Lions tour. Not Muliaina because he (through no fault of his own) hasn't had the chance to shine in the NZ team.
14. Pietersen
Defensively excellent, pacy... what more can you want. Rokocoko is out of form, and Bowe's had a great year but... it's Tommy Bowe.
13. O'Driscoll
Fourie & Conrad Smith in competition, both of those two I was more impressed by last year. O'Driscoll I'm not sure I've ever been more impressed by.
12. Giteau
Because he's RU's most talented footballer. de Villiers was a better player last year, so was Nonu. Roberts had a good Lions tour but no more.
11. Habana
Struggling for options here - Sivivatu is being too Fijian and not enoguh All Black at the moment; Williams is out of sorts and Nalaga still not a full international. Habana's picked his form up however.
10. Carter
No real argument.
9. du Preez
Peel and Blair are the only potentially world class 9s to compete, but neither has been good for at least a year.
8. Parisse
Could have had Spies, but let's see him behind a bullied front 5 first. So'oialo has drifted off this year. Parisse is a class act.
7. Brussow
Wins the 7 shirt by defeating McCaw and George Smith, the 2 best 7s in the world, hands down. Burger was never as good as those 2 anyway.
6. Elsom (pre-injury) Juan Smith after.
Elsom was awesome for Leinster this season and the best loose forward in Europe. Then he got injured and step up Juan Smith, always overshadowed in the Springbok back row but always superb. Kaino deserves a mention too.
5. Matfield
Has been the best 5 in the world for absolutely ever.
4. Botha
A better 4 than Chris Jack, the only competition.
3. Hayman
Smit is a hooker; Murray is always injured. No one else gets close.
2. du Plessis
World class hooker. Could pick Smit here too.
1. Jenkins
Mtawarira I see as no more than solid. The All Black tight 5 is poor at the moment. No one else sticks their hand up.

 

[MunsterMan]

I forgot about your passionate dislike for Tommy Bowe GG, where were you during the Lions tour?

15. Kearney
14. Pietersen
13. O'Driscoll (Player of the year)
12. Roberts
11. Habana
10. M.Steyn
9. Du Preez
8. ??
7. Brussouw
6. Elsom
5. Matfield
4. Botha
3. ??
2. Du Plessis
1. Jenkins

I think Murray and Flannery could well have have been in there if not for injuries, real lack of a standout 3 or 8.

 

[ThemApples]

My World XV:

15) Rob Kearny
14) Tommy Bowe
13) B. O'Driscoll
12) Jean De Villiers
11) Bryan Habana
10) Matt Giteau
9) Fourie Du Preez
8) Parisse
7) Juan Smith
6) Heinrich Brussouw
5) Victor Matfield
4) Bakkies Botha
3) Carl Hayman
2) Bismark Du Plesis
1) Ben Robinson