The First XV, and it’s not All Black
OPINION: This has not been an easy year to assess.
As the All Blacks bounced out of big third test win against Wales in June to destroy all-comers in the Rugby Championship, it appeared they were peerless.
The loss to Ireland changed all that, or at least prompted a period of contemplation about just how good the All Blacks were. Northern hemisphere teams enjoyed a fruitful November, perhaps pointing to how poorly some of them performed at the World Cup rather than marking a major revival as such.
Nevertheless, there were some individuals who clearly set some high standards during the year. There were peaks and troughs in their own individual form lines, but over the 12 months they stood out slightly more than their peers. Here is a World XV for 2016: 1. Jack McGrath (Ireland). The Irish loosehead has been building for a few years and enjoyed a breakout November as the Irish scrum took a major step forward under coach Greg Feek, the former All Black.
2. Dane Coles (New Zealand). Coles’ work around the park is a bonus, albeit a sizeable one. His base game, his set-piece work, is outstanding. His lineout throwing in particular puts him ahead of Agustin Creevy.
3. Owen Franks (New Zealand). The most dominant scrummaging tight-head in world rugby, Juan Figallo, didn’t play a test this year because of Argentina’s selection policy and Franks added enough to his allround game to head the rest of the field.
4. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand). He’s not just the world’s best lock but he’s been in the top three players in the world for the past three years. On his way to a special place in All Blacks history.
5. Maro Itoje (England). Attitude, aggression, size, agility and intelligence. He bossed the Wallabies in June and is a certainty to tour with the Lions in 2017.
6. Chris Robshaw (England). Exceptional work rate makes him vital to resurgent England. Lesser players would have disappeared after the World Cup shambles.
7. David Pocock (Australia). There are better all-round No 7s Sam Cane, Sean O’Brien - but I’m not sure they’ve quite put together a sufficient body of work in 2016. Pocock was hindered by being continually picked out of position but he’s still a rock.
8. Kieran Read (New Zealand). It’s true he’s not at his peak, but give me Read over Billy Vunipola over 80 minutes any day. Undeniable, though, that a queue is forming behind Read with Vunipola and Taulupe Faletau at the front.
9. Conor Murray (Ireland). Big, physical, lump of a player in the flesh whose ability to put Ireland in the right part of the paddock is outstanding.
10. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand). Game management has improved out of sight and his ability to manufacture points out of nothing has set the All Blacks apart.
11. Liam Williams (Wales). This year represented a lull in the age of the power winger. Had to find room for this fellow because he has it all.
12. Owen Farrell (England). Mental toughness to rival the best because physically he is unremarkable. He is the world’s best at building scoreboard pressure.
13. Jonathan Joseph (England). Defensive work has gone up a gear or two and he is now a real intercept master in the midfield of the type not seen since South Africa’s Jean de Villiers left the arena.
14. Israel Dagg (New Zealand). Isn’t really a wing but that’s fine because wings aren’t really wings these days anyway. Reads the game instinctively and has somehow found a yard of pace previously thought lost.
15. Ben Smith (New Zealand). Liam Williams could have deposed him here but Smith’s understanding with Beauden Barrett at No 10 was a thing of wonder.