Wales’s players evidently not very influential
WALES may have won the Six Nations title, but the success doesn’t seem to have overly impressed everyone, if a new list of the 50 most influential rugby players in the world is anything to go by.
Just two Wales players, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, feature in the chart put together by the prominent New Zealand Stuff website.
Nine panellists, who included former New Zealand coach Wayne Smith and ex-all Black Aaron Mauger, each submitted a personal top 50. The results were then tallied up.
The group adjudged Jones to be the 33rd most influential player in world rugby, with Tipuric placed at 42.
Taulupe Faletau and Ken Owens fail to get a look-in despite standing out in the recent Six Nations.
And Jones’s relatively modest placing is a surprise, given that the world’s most capped player has just led Wales to their second Six Nations title in three campaigns and is widely seen as a huge influence on the team.
He is also odds-on favourite to lead the Lions on their tour of South Africa this summer.
Stuff write: “Supporters of the towering second-rower will argue he deserves a higher ranking. They may well be right. Because Jones, the world’s most capped Test player, has not only been a magnificent servant for Wales, he also toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2009, 2013 and 2017. And Jones is poised to be picked for the upcoming series against South Africa. It has been a remarkable career. And it’s not over yet.”
Of his fellow Wales and Ospreys teammate, the website says: “Tipuric never lacks courage when operating in the back row for Wales. His uncompromising attitude has resulted in him suffering his share of injuries, including concussions.
“When Tipuric, who is of Croatian descent, is listed in the back row for country or club, his opponents know he will fight like a leopard in the tackle or for ruck ball.”
The panel opted for Maro Itoje as the most influential player on the planet right now, the lock one of six England male players on the list, with Mako Vunipola (36), Tom Curry (26), Manu Tuilagi (22), Billy Vunipola (20) and Owen Farrell (15) also figuring.
Four French men’s players, led by Antoine Dupont (6), are chosen, while Tadhg Furlong (38), Jonathan Sexton (32) and James Ryan (31) fly the flag for Andy Farrell’s Ireland. Like Wales, Scotland have two representatives, with Finn Russell (43) and Stuart Hogg (39) picked by the panel.
New Zealand have 10 male players on the list, led by Aaron Smith (2), while world champions South Africa have nine in the mix and Australia just two.
Of Itoje, the website says: “He has played 51 Tests since his England debut in 2016 and could become a legend of the game.”
Ten women players are named, including seven from New Zealand, led by wing Portia Woodman (13).
Stuff website’s top 10 most influential players in world rugby: 1. Maro Itoje (England), 2. Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 3. Pieter-steph du Toit (South Africa), 4. Semi Radradra (Fiji), 5. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand), 6. Antoine Dupont (France), 7. Sam Cane (New Zealand), 8. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 9. Pablo Matera (Argentina), 10. Siya Kolisi (South Africa).