Nakarawa tops rugby pass list
With 2017 nearly at its close and 2018 knocking on the door, we decided to take a look back at a memorable year of rugby by compiling our top 10 players of the last 12 months.
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In our assessment there were some big omissions, as well as a few surprise faces, as we did our best to sift through the best that international and domestic rugby had to offer in 2017.
Among the high-profile casualties are the world class are All Blacks trio of Dane Coles, Brodie Retallick and Ben Smith, who all miss out due to injuries, as does Ireland’s Sean O’Brien whilst England’s talented duo of George Ford and Jonathan Joseph couldn’t quite crack the top 10, either.
So, lets the get the ball rolling…
1. LEONE NAKARAWA (Racing 92 and Fiji)
The fact Nakarawa plays for a Tier 2 nation undoubtedly works against him in terms of the World Rugby awards – and quality of opposition is a valid concern in that regard – but as a rugby player, he has no equal. No other player in the world can do what Nakarawa does and that talent is valued incredibly highly by Racing and Fiji.
He lit up countless games in 2017 with his ability to keep phases alive with offloads and allow his teammates to target disjointed defences, not to mention his formidable lineout work, powerful carrying and committed defence.
2. OWEN FARRELL (Saracens, England and British and Irish Lions)
There will be no shortage of people who think Barrett should be above the Englishman but on merit, Farrell has a compelling case. Not only did he lift two trophies to Barrett’s one, he also played a bigger role in “winning” the Lions an unexpected draw in New Zealand, than Barrett did in that same series.
Obviously, they are both worldclass players who excel in different areas, but in terms of looking at 2017 in a bubble, the nod goes, ever so slightly, to Farrell.
3. BEAUDEN BARRETT (Hurricanes and New Zealand)
Undoubtedly a controversial decision to drop 2017s World Rugby Player of the Year to 3rd spot but the margins at the top are ultraslim and there were two players this year that were right there with Barrett. With ball-in-hand, Barrett was a magician this year, carving up defences with his hands and feet, as well as displaying an upand-under kicking game that has no rival in the modern game. Varrett, as an individual, is arguably the most dangerous attacking rugby player on the planet.
4. RIEKO IOANE (Blues and New Zealand)
It should worry the world a little bit just how good Ioane is at 20 years of age. Not only is he a fantastic prospect, he looked to the manor born on the wing for the All Blacks this season. He seems to have the perfect combination of size, speed, skill and intuitive understanding of the game to see him excel in both attack and defence, a balance which can be hard to find in younger wings.
5. MARO ITOJE (Saracens, England and British and Irish Lions)
The 2016 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year backed up his fantastic 2016 with another Champions Cup title with Saracens, a second successive Six Nations triumph with England and an impressive Lions series draw in New Zealand. His value at club and international level has continued to grow as he has matured and become even more savvy in areas such as the lineout and the breakdown.
6. TADHG FURLONG (Leinster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions)
A tighthead prop appearing this high up the rankings should warm the hearts of the front row union and to be completely honest, he’s unlucky not to feature even higher. Unbelievably consistent with his work at the scrum, the lineout and in the loose, not to mention a character off the field, Furlong is a rugby player who is universally appreciated.
If he played in an era when the scrum was a dominant factor in deciding the results of rugby matches, he’d have a legitimate claim on the number one spot in these rankings.
7. CHARLES PIUTAU (Ulster)
The fact is that Piutau is the only player in this top 30 not to be currently playing international rugby tells you a lot about how effective he has been for Ulster over the past year. An incredibly incisive attacking weapon, Piutau has also shone with his game management, defence and reliability under the high ball, arguably making him the most complete fullback in the northern hemisphere.
8. DAMIAN McKENZIE (Chiefs and New Zealand)
Not only did McKenzie carve up Super Rugby – and let’s be clear, that is exactly what he did – he also transferred those skills to the Test arena with the All Blacks, something many people were sceptical about his ability to do. It’ll be a tough ask to keep hold of the jersey when Ben Smith and Israel Dagg return, but McKenzie lit up 2017 at all levels and has certainly given himself a chance to retain his spot in the XV.
9. HUW JONES (Stormers, Western Province, Glasgow Warriors and
There have been times this year when Jones has bordered on being unplayable for teams lined up opposite him. He has added a new dimension to the Scottish back line, shone for the Stormers, helped Western Province lift the Currie Cup and we have seen glimpses this past month of what he’ll bring to Dave Rennie’s Glasgow side.
10. COURTNEY LAWES (Northampton Saints, England and British and Irish Lions)
The year that Lawes has had – both the tail-end of the 2016/17 season and the start to the 2017/18 campaign – has been remarkable. The talented second row has always had the big tackle and lineout athleticism in the locker, but he has added a potent carrying game, an evident leadership and the ability to play on the flank at Test level.