Four Key Players

1 Beauden Barrett [New Zealand]

There is no more influential player in world rugby than Beauden Barrett. These days every team that plays against him knows he’s the man they have to shut down.

Barrett can do just about anything and with his electric pace and incredible skill-set he will cause every side problems and he will have a major influence on every game he plays. There’s no getting away from that simple, unavoidable truth.

2 Israel Folau [Australia]

Israel Folau has been too quiet for too long. He’s one of the best athletes in the competition and such a devastating attacker when he’s used well.

But we haven’t seen the best of Folau since early 2015 and Australia aren’t the same team without him counter-attacking from deep and using his pace and power to hit the line hard.

If the Wallabies can get him firing again maybe they will start firing again.

3 Eben Etzebeth [South Africa]

This guy has started to go down the Bakkies Botha path of being more of a liability than anything else.

He needs to pull back from the edge and remember that he’s no good to his team if he’s on the sidelines for 10 minutes or worse, sent off.

He’s a bruising athlete and potentially a great player who can give the pack a genuine edge in all the areas they need it.

He’s an enforcer and yet so much more and Etzebeth, with just a little mental readjustment, can inspire a young pack to great things this year.

4 Agustin Creevy [Argentina]

Surely everyone in New Zealand has come to love the Pumas captain? He’s a supremely talented player who would easily be the best hooker in the world were it not for the presence of Dane Coles.

Creevy is tough and mobile. He can offload as well as Sonny Bill Williams and he’s superb at getting into the middle of the driving maul and forcing his way over the line.