Most of the minnows and half of the six nations’ teams have now been relieved of their World Cup duties. As the pool stages of this world cup are over it’s time to take a look across the tournament and give credit where it’s due.I’ve selected a team not based on past form or reputation but solely on the contributions in the pool stages of this world cup. In some cases these selections have been based upon a single brilliant performance or one breath-taking move. Overwhelmingly the best efforts of the pool stages have come from players who’ve had to struggle hard. For this
reason there are but a few players from the tournament’s favourites and more than a handful from the minnows.
Fullback – Chris Latham (Australia). Rugby remains a running game and in this area Latham is head and shoulders above the rest. If it were a kicking game then Latham would probably also feature in this team given his ability to kick the ball 60 – 70m with amazing accuracy and regularity. South Africa’s Percy Montgomery has been a wonderfully solid player who gives the Springbok’s a similar sense of security. Montgomery lack’s Latham’s potency in attack but his understudy, Francois Steyne does not.
Wingers – Shane Williams (Wales) and Vilimoni Delasau (Fiji). If wingers are there to score tries then these two blokes are doing their jobs. Other wings may pride themselves on stats like ‘metres gained’, ‘hit-ups’ and so on but the fact is there are other players in the team, usually forwards, who are better placed to do that sort of work. Drew Mitchell has been so superb at being in the right place at the right time that it is beginning to look less and less like a coincidence that he is scoring the tries and Tuqiri is not. Doug Howlett, like Mitchell, is a beneficiary of a better backline than either of the two selected, yet deserves credit for his outstanding form.
Centre – Stirling Mortlock (Australia). With only half of a game, against Wales in Cardiff, Mortlock has set the benchmark for centre play in this tournament. Dominating in attack and defence he has clearly overtaken Brian O’Driscoll as the world’s best in this position.
Inside Centre – Olly Barkley (England). Even in a team bereft of even the most basic understanding of what constitutes a backline move, Barkley has stood out. Worse than this he has had to receive shoddy service from Jonny Wilkinson who has seemingly mimicked George Gregan’s side-shuffle and added a time-wasting jink upon receiving the ball. One can only imagine what Barkley could do in a backline coached by Scott Johnson.
Fly Half – Juan Martin-Hernandez (Argentina). Southern hemisphere audiences haven’t seen enough of him to appreciate him fully yet. He can run with the fluidity of the great New Zealand and Australian halves and has the deft hands of a classic Frenchman. His kicking game, although strong, is sometimes overshadowed by that of compatriot, Felipe Contepomi. Argentina have long waited for a fly half who could deliver them a backline to match their scrum. Hernandez is that man.
Scrum Half – Moses Rauluni (Fiji). Against Wales, Raulini drove and directed his forward pack to greatness. He challenges the opposition and looks as if some great urgency is constantly unsettling him – as though there is no place on a football field where he can allow himself to pass a passive moment. Agustin Pichot has again excelled at this stage and deserves a mention. Fourie Du Preez remains the world’s best in this position however he has a far more established pack to work behind than Rauluni and has yet been called upon to deliver his best.
Number 8 – Henry Tuilagi (Samoa). The Samoan forward broke himself against the stone wall of South African defence in the first round of the competition. That he fell short in his attempt to overcome the Springbok’s line and spirit is nothing to be ashamed of and the attempt leaves him in pretty good company as few have ever beaten Jake White’s men at their own game. Gonzalo Longo’s (Argentina) performance against Ireland almost earns him a call up and his battle with the ‘Boks in the semi final will be worth watching.
Blindside Flanker – Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina). Lobbe was responsible for so many of the great Argentine turnovers of the second half of the game against Ireland. Brutishly strong and determined in his chase for the ball at the breakdown he will prove a worthy opponent for the Springboks’ backrow should they meet in the semi finals.
Openside Flanker – Nili Latu (Tonga). Simply put he is a hard running and hard tackling Tongan of the highest order. Perhaps move importantly than this, Latu is a great captain whose most remarkable victory has been tempering a Tongan side long known for letting their frustrations out when things get tough. Latu played above himself in every game and was never bettered by his opposite on the field.
Lock (Lineout Jumper) – Victor Matfield (South Africa). Matfield’s domain is the lineout and he dominates it. No other current player imposes themselves on the opposition like the giant Springbok. Think how hard it is to steal possession in the tackle area and then think how easily Matfield pilfers possession from opposition lineouts. He is worth an extra player in general play.
Lock – Ben Kay (England). England have had to struggle in the pool matches and none more so than the forwards who have had to make up for their backs’ ineptitude. Ben Kay has done more than his fair share of the dirty work to ensure that England’s traditional strength will at least hold up its end of the bargain.
Tight-Head Prop – Carl Hayman (New Zealand). That New Zealand trumped Italy in general play was to be expected. That the Azzurri forward pack wouldn’t even land a blow on Hayman was not. Is it possible to accept that a prop could be the best player in the world?
Hooker – Mario Ledesma (Argentina). Ledesma would almost get this spot just for being Argentinean, so well has their pack played. For a man who doesn’t look as athletic as Jeremy Paul or Keith Wood, he gets around the field very well. Keven Mealamu probably has the better all round game and hopefully will get a chance to show it during the knock-out stages.
Loose-Head Prop – Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina). Continuing the line of great Argentina props like Patricio Noriega, Topo Rodriguez and Federico Mendez, Roncero is as good as they come. Against France and Ireland the Argentine anchor set the platform for the upfront dominance that the Pumas rely on.
As we enter the knock-out stages I would expect this team to change dramatically and not just because of the loss of players from Tonga and Samoa. As New Zealand now face three hard games, starting with France in the quarter finals, I expect several of the All Blacks best to start really firing. Richie McCaw, the world’s best flanker, will find a few big challenges in the French backrow and will no doubt step up accordingly. Likewise Dan Carter and his backs will find themselves under a bit more pressure than the pool stages offered and only then will we see what they capable of.
Rocky Elsom has already had an impressive tournament and will need to continue his form against England if Australia are to match the soon-to-be former world champion’s forward pack. George Smith will need to reproduce the sort of brilliance he did against Japan and quite frankly I’d be surprised if he doesn’t. In the backs Matt Giteau should have a field day running through the likes of Andy Farrell and Matthew Tait.
South Africa’s backrow will need to really bring out their best performances to out-hustle Fiji’s Akapusi Qera at the breakdown. Fourie du Preez will no doubt continue the form that so devastated the English and Brian Habana remains the most dangerous weapon in the Springbok armoury.
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