BEST IN 2016: RUGBY’S TOP 10 PLAYERS

1

BEAUDEN BARRETT (New Zealand) His brilliance for the Hurricanes and All Blacks makes him the top player on the planet for 2016

2

MARO ITOJE (England) Missed the Nov internationals with a broken hand, but has laid his credentials as the most exciting

3

DANE COLES (New Zealand) All Blacks player is not a traditional hooker but has gone to some pretty special places in 2016

4

JAMIE HEASLIP (Ireland) Personifies so much about Irish rugby at the moment and doesn’t take a backward step

5

ISRAEL FOLAU (Australia) Is by no stretch an ordinary player and he has real class and rare athletic ability a has a great future ahead

6

BEN SMITH (New Zealand) Is the man who never has a bad game, and almost always an unerringly good one, is among the best

7

OWEN FARRELL (England) A key member of Eddie Jones’ England and a cool customer who is becoming more and more influential

8

CONOR MURRAY (Ireland) I tactically sound, a big boot, great eye for a gap and proving a key player in a formidable Irish side

9

BRODIE RETALLICK (New Zealand) Is big, strong and in the air and at scrum time, has also developed an outstanding ballhandling game

10

BILLY VUNIPOLA (England) Has become an influential figure under Jones who seems to be bringing the best out in the 24-year-old