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The IRB Junior World Championships is over, with many outstanding players having emerged from the tournament.
Who have been the best? Here is a form XV to debate.
Fullback and wingers
Cian Kelleher from Ireland had an outstanding tournament at fullback. Secure under the high ball and strong on defence, the most impressive feature of Kelleher’s game is his ability to counter attack. He has great vision, speed and footwork and has caused all teams serious hassle.
Damien McKenzie from New Zealand is another player who shined at fullback. Only slight, McKenzie’s purist of involvement, pace and footwork have made him a real livewire. McKenzie has the chance to return to the tournament next year.
Wingers Nathan Earle (England) and Tevita Li (New Zealand) have both been nominated for the IRB Junior player of the year award. Though both play on the left wing, both are so dynamic and talented it doesn’t matter what side they play on.
Earle and Li look odds-on to be internationals in the future; there is an element of Julian Savea about them both.
Andrew Kellaway from Australia has been very good as well. He is a smaller and faster winger.
Midfield
Irish centre Garry Ringrose has been nominated for the IRB Junior Player of the Year Award. He is a skillful footballer who has modeled his game on Brian O’Driscoll. An incisive runner with fine distribution skills, Ringrose has been very consistent performer not just at the World Cup but in the Six Nations too.
However this is a World Cup team, and Ringrose is not the form centre at this tourney. Nicky Tomkins from England has been better and is a similar player to Ringrose.
The standout though has been Nathanael Apa from Samoa. Samoa is not in the class of Ireland and England but in Apa they have a player as good as any 13 in the tournament.
A punishing defender, Apa runs strongly, passes well and looks like a really good prospect.
South African second-five Andre Esterhuizen has been a beast for South Africa. A huge man, he is a wall in defence and a real crash merchant with the ball in hand. Esterhuizen’s try in the semi-final against New Zealand, where he bowled through two defenders, turned the game in his side’s favour.
Halves
Handre Pollard from South Africa is contesting his third and last IRB Junior World Championship. He is a class above any other 10 at the tourney. He has a prodigious boot, regularly kicking 50-metre penalties, and the size, intelligence, maturity and skill to became a dominant pivot in world rugby.
At halfback, Henry Taylor from England has a great pass, the vision, speed and size to attack around the fringes and the ability to clear under pressure with his boot when required.
Loose forwards
As a loose forward trio, the English treble of Ross Moriarty, James Chisholm and Gus Jones have been outstanding. Their link-play with the backs, offloading ability and breakdown dominance has been peerless in this tournament.
However no tournament team would be complete without Australia’s captain Sean McMahon. The Melbourne Rebels blindside has been very powerful with ball in hand and his work rate on defence is exceptional.
Australia’s loose forward trio has actually been very good. Ross Haylett-Petty (8) and Rowan Perry (7) look like good prospects as well.
Locks
England’s captain Maro Itoje is a powerhouse in a similar vain to Courtney Lawes. Not the tallest lock around, Itoje still has secure hands and a huge vertical leap. A bustling runner, Itoje has the pace and power of a loose forward and might switch their later in his career.
Tom Staniforth from Australia and James Tucker from New Zealand have been real workhorses, the South African pair of JD Schickerling and Nico Janse van Rensburg are a formidable tandem, but Jean Baptiste Singer from France is a real warrior. Great in the lineouts, brutal at the breakdown, he plays much like his coach – the great lock Fabien Pelous.
Front row
England and South Africa have had the best front rows by a mile at the JWC, so it’s only fair that they dominate the front row places.
Corniel Els is an abrasive hooker who throws well and scrimmages strongly. Dayan Van Der Westhuizen (South Africa) and Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (England) are solid anchors for their countries.
Form XV
15. Cian Kelleher (Ireland)
14. Nathan Earle (England)
13. Nathaniel Apa (Samoa)
12. Andre Esterhuizen (South Africa)
11. Tevita Li (New Zealand)
10. Handre Pollard (South Africa)
9. Henry Taylor (England)
8. James Chisholm (England)
7. Gus Jones (England)
6. Sean McMahon (Australia)
5. Jean Baptiste Singer (France)
4. Maro Itoje (England)
3. Dayan Van Der Westhuizen (South Africa)
2. Corniel Els (South Africa)
1. Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (England)
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