We run through their team, rating each player out of a possible 10. Singled out as one to watch by Italy great Sergio Parisse, the uncapped Izekor is a colossus of a back row who stands 6’5 tall and weighs well over 17 stones. A force on both sides of the ball, the 23-year-old will be looking to transfer his impressive form for Benetton onto the Test arena. Owen Farrell’s absence presents an important moment to one of the brightest talents in English rugby, who should now be given an extended run at fly-half. Smith shows an instinct for attack and courage to play beyond any of his rivals for the jersey, but he must also prove he can guide England through choppier waters.
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Cam Winnett for Wales, Johnny Matthews for Scotland, Ciaran Frawley or Calvin Nash for Ireland, Nocolas Depootare for France and Feyi-Waboso or Cunningham-South for England. A link player of the highest order, Am’s eye for a gap and top notch skills to either finish or put a teammate away has revolutionized Springboks Rugby from an attacking standpoint. Finally you have lost the respect of a lot of the Irish rugby community.
World champion-slaying Ireland secure unprecedented record
Fijian Rugby’s spiritual leader, Nayacelevu led his team to within an inch of a Rugby World Cup semifinal in 2023. England’s chop-tackling maestro is back to his best and has added another layer to his game as a game-changing carrier. Still just 27 years old, the 2019 Rugby World Cup star brings a nasty edge to an explosive England pack.
France and Ireland dominate
His kicking game, especially his positional kicking, has improved out of sight. His versatility as a playmaker, like his ability to act as a first receiver, second receiver or sweep runner, makes him dangerous anywhere and everywhere. Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes beats James Tedesco to the NRL Dally M Medal by one vote, while Roosters back rower Olivia Kernick is named the NRLW’s best player. Note that the «position» column lists the position at which the player made his Test debut, not necessarily the position for which he is best known. For example, Jonny Wilkinson made his Test debut off the bench as a Wing, but is more famous as a Fly-half.
Spain secure seventh straight Rugby Europe Women’s Championship title
Slotting into a star-studded Toulouse backline, the diminutive dynamo is one of the most exciting attacking talents in the world. England’s lost soldier, and yet another Toulouse player, how Willis remains ineligible due to selection rules is one of the greatest travesties in rugby. While he is no slouch, De Allende is the first player to volunteer himself to run into a brick wall to create space for his flashy teammates. Shining whenever given the opportunity, the little magician will return the All Blacks attack to scarily good levels this season.
Ireland sitting ahead of Springboks shows rugby world rankings are ‘a load of nonsense’
Another pair of players that are unsurprisingly right up near the top of the most valuable list given how significantly they influence the clashes they feature in. A powerful duo assume the responsibility of being the top-ranked players in 2024 with Antoine Dupont unavailable. The 21-year-old arguably is Borthwick’s most viable long-term option, given his ability to combine what the England coach traditionally has favored with a strong running game.
USA climb World Rugby Women’s Rankings after win over Japan
The trio came together in an interview to expose alleged corruption occurring behind closed doors at Fiji Rugby Union (FRU). It was revealed that FRU had been withholding payments to not just those three players but the entire team and their staff. Rounding out the top players are two more outstanding selections and stars that will likely be selected by a lot of fantasy players. Forced to play in a dual playmaker role for an extended period under former coach Eddie Jones, the two players somewhat stifled each other on many occasions. Certainly, there were moments of good, but in reality, Farrell’s presence as both the alpha and leader for England meant Ford was more of a distributor than a decision-maker. Historically, Ireland has steered clear of rushing players onto the international stage, but the 6’4” Prendergast is an exception.
Loose Pass: Springboks try ‘should not have stood’, Christian Wade wizardry and cracking down on ‘in-yer-face culture’
- For some of the boys playing in the national team, playing for the Flying Fijians is how food gets put on the table for their families and they can’t support their families if they don’t get paid.
- One shove in particular on 67 minutes procured a turnover against a possible overlap.
- Scoring eight tries in the 2023 season, this flying Fijian went on to earn his first cap for the All Blacks, as they demolished Los Pumas in Mendoza to kick off their Rugby Championship campaign.
- 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.
- His annual salary of $900,000 establishes him as the fourth highest-paid rugby player.
- Being named co-captain signals an end to his stormy relationship with head coach Gregor Townsend and he has been revitalised by his move to Bath, who are flourishing as a result of his arrival.
- When I look at Goosen for example, he was overplayed badly back in his younger days and IMHO never really reached the heights he should have done.
Rassie Erasmus has transformed this Springbok side into one of the greatest teams of all time, and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Add to that the fact that this team has now won nearly everything available to them, and they become even more impressive. Following the conclusion of the 2024 Six Nations, we rated all the players who featured in the Championship, next up, fifth-placed finishers, Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy. A contender for player of the 2023 World Cup by the end of the group stage because of his barnstorming runs, power in the tackle and work over the ball.
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Despite representing England at age group level, Arron Reed will make his debut for Scotland at the upcoming Six Nations. The Sale Sharks winger had reportedly garnered the interest of Steve Borthwick before being snapped up by Gregor Townsend. Emmanuel Meafou will be looking to make a statement at the 2024 Six Nations. Standing at 6 foot 8 and weighing 145 kg, this commanding lock is a firm favourite amongst Toulouse fans. At just 20 years old, Cunningham-South is already forging a fierce reputation.
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While this has, at times, counted against him starting, his world-class ability has made him a British and Irish Lion, as well as a staple in the Irish match day 23. His performance against the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal is up there with the best individual showings of all time. Rugby in countries like the US has a long way to go to catch up in spending. The sport continues to gain popularity and may eventually land players on the list.
My guy this has to be one of the most embarrassing comments threads I have ever seen. Close to the end of this I realised I was wincing while reading your rants. Clearly you don’t have the ability to feel shame, but dude know I feel sad for you. That celebration concludes today with the announcement of world’s top 10 players in test rugby from throughout 2021.
Flanker Tommy Reffell must be a nightmare to play against, such is his disruptive influence at the breakdown. Followers of Reffell since his fledgling days with the U20s and Leicester will say it was ever thus, and won’t be surprised to see him atop the list of turnovers won. Fellow back rower Sam Underhill is making up for lost time in the England jersey and has five turnovers, with Maro Itoje and Gianmarco Lucchesi behind him on four. Most surprising, perhaps, is the presence of Reffell’s former Tigers teammate George Ford among these turnover titans. Bendon recently undertook the daunting task of ranking the top 100 rugby players in the world. His annual salary of $900,000 establishes him as the fourth highest-paid rugby player.
List of England national rugby union players
- At the Six Nations, we will see if he can meet the challenge of blending youth, experience, and managing players he has played alongside for a long time.
- While he is no slouch, De Allende is the first player to volunteer himself to run into a brick wall to create space for his flashy teammates.
- There are quicker wings but few with the try-scoring finesse of the electric 27-year-old.
- However, he could become a familiar face following the 2024 Six Nations.
- Points are doubled during the World Cup Finals to recognise the importance of this event, but all other international matches, friendly or competitive, are treated the same across the world.
- One half of an all-star French halves combination, Romain Ntamack continues to emerge as one of rugby’s most promising young players.
- His performances for Ireland have been marked by «blistering pace, deft handling, and an uncanny ability to find the try line».
- “So what I really wanted to do while I played but I just didn’t, I didn’t have enough time, was I’d love to open up a coffee shop and just get to meet people in the local area.
A superb tactician, George will take the place of Owen Farrell at this year’s Championship. Unless you’re a London Irish or Harlequins fan, then Chandler Cunningham-South is a name you might not know. However, he could become a familiar face following the 2024 Six Nations. Praise is due for Cyril Baille as well, who is the solitary front rower in the top ten.
- A superb tactician, George will take the place of Owen Farrell at this year’s Championship.
- They have also recently authorised an audit of player payments in response to the allegations made by its star players.
- McReight looked very good against the ABs but I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him excel against top opposition.
- There is a lot of opportunity for Emoni to excel in the back three for Waikato in 2024, and he looms as probably the most exciting bolter of the whole competition.
- Leinster and La Rochelle once again met in the Champions Cup final, with the Irish side dominating the first half before La Rochelle staged a big comeback to retain their title once again.
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This will, of course, not be the role he wants to occupy long term, and he likely will push Crowley, if given an opportunity. The following players have received the Gallagher Premiership Player of the Month award during the 2024–25 season, as selected by a panel of media commentators, in addition to monthly public polls. Through sheer dedication, he mastered the fabric of rugby league on a technical level, bending by that iron will into the shape he required for his team to win.
- Despite featuring against Italy and France in the tournament, Williams did not crack the Welsh World Cup squad.
- But now it is Hughes who stands tallest, Hughes who leads the way, Hughes who the Storm turn to the most.
- The Leinster player has also shown his abilities down the wing during the 2024 Six Nations, including with a fast-paced try against Italy in round two – which also displayed his power.
- Nathan Cleary, whose head-to-head battle with Hughes is the best individual showdown the grand final has to offer, thought so.
- But from the 2024 Six Nations crop of players, Gustard highlighted one of his club players, France lock Paul Gabrillagues.
- His performance against the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal is up there with the best individual showings of all time.
- Fans will disagree on who they believe would make the top 10, with all manner of factors to consider – with trophies, scoring ability and leadership skills all involved.
- Australian rugby is clearly feeling the effects of a disruptive tenure under Eddie Jones.Joe Schmidt has a massive job ahead of him.
- Sensational outside back Will Jordan just cracks the top 20, taking the 20th place on the list.
The captain of South Africa’s Rugby team, Siya Kolisi, makes the list at fifth. Kolisi plays for the French club Racing 92 for an estimated $800,000 to $850,000 a year. Ireland head into the World Cup as the number-one ranked side and have six players in the top 20. Defending World Cup champions South Africa have three entries, two of which are front rowers.
It was a shame that Salesi Rayasi endured such mixed form in 2023, being kept out of the Hurricanes’ side due to injury for much of the year. While he hasn’t yet excelled at an international level, with only seven All Black caps, he is one of Super Rugby’s strongest attacking weapons. We continue our countdown of the the 50 best players set to have a significant impact this year, based on previous form, talent and the potential impact they can have on their team’s season.
World Rankings: Why the Boks remained second despite Rugby Championship win
Clermont are the best sports fans in the World in any sport, never mind rugby. French fans generally are amongst the best in the World, so they are right up there. Anyone who has been to Buenos Aires will tell you how great Argentina is, with a real party atmosphere and passion that can’t be beaten. South Africa is always great and the vast majority of their fans are brilliant. I’ve been plucked from the crowd and invited into corporate boxes on several occasions.
His teammate, Ardie Savea, is the only other member of Ian Foster’s squad that makes the list, as he comes in at number three. McReight looked very good against the ABs but I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him excel against top opposition. Ioane also makes disrespectful gestures to the Irish crowd twice, which is a citable offense and misconduct under the same regulation that Sexton was disciplined for abusing Peyper. He was as fast as Christian Cullen, had a pass on him as good as Quade Cooper’s and a Roger Gould boot. His telling off of Sacha was very much the right thing but hopefully not too late.
The towering second rower was at his physically confrontational best as he narrowed in on a century of test matches throughout 2021. Epitomising what it takes to be a hard man at the elite level of the game, no opposition forward was safe from Etzebeth’s wrath as he stamped his authority to remain among game’s the elite locks. One half of an all-star French halves combination, Romain Ntamack continues to emerge as one of rugby’s most promising young players. Still only 22-years-old, Ntamack has acted as a pillar of France’s recent rejuvenation in test rugby, having starred in a variety of matches from the No 10 jersey.
However, if the occasion calls for it, he is a more-than-able option in the centers or on the wing, making him a prized asset to the South Africa setup. Japan’s Rugby League One and France’s Top 14 have two players each among the top five highest-paid rugby players. One tier two player also makes the final cut, with Fiji’s outstanding centre-come-back-rower Levani Botia ranking 15th.
Once he gets back on the park, expect him to make an impression quickly. Their most impressive performance was their win in New Zealand, closely followed by their dominant victory over Australia. Winning away from home against a team that hadn’t lost up to that point was mighty impressive from Felipe Contepomi’s side.
Making his senior debut for Leinster last season in the URC, he has begun to get more first-team opportunities this season. Quite possibly, the most talented 20-year-old in professional rugby, Sam Prendergast dominated the U20 circuit for the past few seasons. Like Crowley, Cian Frawley is a versatile operator who can play fly-half, center and fullback to a high standard. However, he has looked best when wearing the No. 10 shirt and has been in Andy Farrell’s thinking regarding the fly-half berth.
The battle to sign former England captain Courtney Lawes appeared to be a straight shoot-out between Pro D2 promotion hopefuls Provence and Brive, but there is a potential spanner in the works. 5 – Adam Beard – 5A hefty presence at set piece, he couldn’t replicate that anywhere else on the park. Wales had the upper hand on a few metrics, but their engine doesn’t have the requisite torque to boss around the fringe.
In response to these allegations, he FRU has disputed claims the bonuses weren’t paid or that players were left without their paychecks for long periods of time. They have also recently authorised an audit of player payments in response to the allegations made by its star players. List of England national rugby union players is a list of people who have played for the England national rugby union team.
That’s neither here nor there because NZ rugby and their fans (if this site is a reflection) don’t value our respect. This is the standard that World Rugby expects all rugby nations including New Zealand to adhere to. Respect for team-mates, opponents, match officials and those involved in the game is paramount. A surprising amount of people were happy when the Irish team beat the All Blacks as it was good for the game.
- Dyer has a chance to make the position his own and show Wales fans that the loss of LRZ has given them a chance to see Dyer shine.
- Most noteworthy is loosehead prop Alec Hepburn, who earned six caps for England in 2018.
- England’s chop-tackling maestro is back to his best and has added another layer to his game as a game-changing carrier.
- Samoan rugby is in shock after head coach and former Scarlets hooker Mahonri Schwalger was, according to local reports, charged with “multiple serious offences”, including “sexual conduct with a person under 16“.
- Here the PA news agency looks at five stars expected to grab the headlines.
- As well as regularly appearing for Harlequins in 2023, he crossed the line during England’s win against Scotland at the U20 Six Nations.
With Manly bowing out of the premiership race, Woods enjoyed his last ‘Mad Monday’ as a professional rugby league player recently. It was “pretty tame” compared to when he first entered the NRL world. With game time now under the belt, ALB will be perfectly primed for a strong year as Waikato look to go one better, and https://just-bet.org/ will plenty on the line to play for with positions in the All Blacks starting XV open. Sharing the record with Telea with 12 tries last season, Codie Taylor is a formidable veteran at the head of a dangerous Crusaders pack. With 2024 NFL training camps on the horizon, the league’s true insiders made their voices heard.
Fresh from his mid-season break, Alldritt is expected to lead from the front for France, his power and commanding presence in the pack giving his side confidence. Head coach Warren Gatland believes he can grow into an Alun Wyn Jones-style of leader- the highest of compliments for the young man. Potentially the best scrum-half in England at the moment after an incredible season with Northampton, Alex Mitchell could really come into his own at this tournament. In addition to Ringrose, Irish supporters will be excited to watch new captain, Peter O’Mahony. Farrell will be hoping that O’Mahony can fill the void left by behemoth Johnny Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. All eyes will also be on hooker and new England captain, Jamie George.
As for Easter, he looked a bit further back and selected one of his former teammates, Lawrence Dallaglio. Men’s and Women’s World Rugby Rankings are calculated using a ‘Points Exchange’ system, where sides gain or lose points based on the match result. Other criteria include the relative strength of each team, the margin of victory, and an allowance for home advantage.
As well as regularly appearing for Harlequins in 2023, he crossed the line during England’s win against Scotland at the U20 Six Nations. He followed this by scoring a try during England’s semi-final against France at the World Rugby U20 Championship. Singled out as one to watch by Italy great Sergio Parisse, the uncapped Izekor is a colossus of a back row who stands 6’5” tall and weighs well over 17 stones.