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Kieran Read has delivered exceptional performance after exceptional performance in 2013 to all but cement his IRB Player of the Year crown.
Read has grown year after year and when he retires, will be compared favourably to other No. 8s when people talk about the best ever.
It’s not just Read of the current players that will be compared favourably to other players in their positions from different eras.
Dan Carter, Will Genia and Richie McCaw will forever be remembered as some of the best players to have played.
The same can not be said of the current outside centres of the world.
Brian O’Driscoll will be remembered as one of the best 13s, but it will be the Brian O’Driscoll from 2001 to 2010 that will be remembered, not the O’Driscoll of 2013.
He is not the player he was, but the fact he is still one of the best in the world is more a reflection on the reduced standards of 13s available.
At his best, O’Driscoll displayed everything expected of an outside centre. The attacking lines, good passing skills and handling, pace and acceleration from the mark, spatial awareness – both in attack and defence – ferocious tackling and defensive organisation.
O’Driscoll had no fear, and often led from the front doing the dirty work, as well as being able to produce the X-factor in attack. He was also fantastic at the breakdown to boot.
Conrad Smith is the current best in the world. His defensive reading and support lines are what you’d expect from the best in the world, but he isn’t what he was in terms of pace and attacking threat.
No other current outside centre comes close. Jonathan Davies can’t pass or defend to a high enough standard. Manu Tuilagi is close, but gets caught out too much in defence to be considered.
Tevita Kuridrani and JJ Engelbrecht could be close in years to come but have a lot to learn.
Kuridrani’s power and tackling is frightening, but I suspect his pace might not be enough. His inability to go all the way from intercepting against New Zealand was evidence of this.
New Zealand have tended to try to convert wingers into the 13 channel, with Tim Nanai Williams and Rene Ranger having moved in there in last year’s Super Rugby, and Ben Smith moving in for the November internationals.
Nanai Williams and Ranger looked extremely dangerous in that channel, and while they surprised me defensively, they still got caught out more than you’d allow for a top class 13.
Smith is doing well defensively so far, but his attacking influence has been significantly reduced, and his best position is definitely at fullback.
So how will Christian Lealiifano stack up there against Scotland? This will be the second positional change Lealiifano has had to make in the last two years, after impressing in both the outhalf, and second five eighth positions.
In attack, his passing is excellent but his running lines have largely been crash balls up the centre which, for a man his size, isn’t the smartest.
At 10, his defence was good, but that’s when compared to some dreadful tacklers.
At 12, it still wasn’t bad, but his cut-short debut for Australia shows it’s not great. He could be caught out if he’s kept there for longer than the Scotland game.
McKenzie should have put in Chris Feauai Sautia, or at the very least Israel Folau or Bernard Foley.
Feauai Sautia’s played there in underage, so he understands the defensive requirements of the position, and will probably end up there. He’s a built guy and is capable of making tackles, and has the X-factor in attack.
It would have been the long term solution, and potentially a glimpse of the next great outside centre.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.