New Zealand players dominate – who makes our World Cup team of the tournament?

By Sports Desk October 27, 2023

Reigning champions South Africa take on fellow three-time winners New Zealand in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final.

Here, the PA news agency picks a team from the best performing players in the tournament.

 

 

15. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand): Two-time world player of the year set the standard for a playmaking full-back.

14. Damian Penaud (France): Daredevil wing who topped the try-scoring chart until Will Jordan ran amok against Argentina.

13. Waisea Nayacalevu (Fiji): The Islanders’ skipper stood out in a backline full of lethal runners.

12. Bundee Aki (Ireland): A player of the tournament candidate through his powerful running, clever lines and slick footwork.

11. Will Jordan (New Zealand): Ruthless finisher who is in the company of greats such as Jonah Lomu after amassing eight tries.

10. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand): The game’s most complete fly-half with the creativity to match his game management.

9. Aaron Smith (New Zealand): One of the World Cup’s smallest players is also among its smartest.

1. Ox Nche (South Africa): The Springboks’ strongest scrummager may be on the bench but what an impact he makes.

2. Mike Tadjer (Portugal): A front row all-rounder who was especially influential in the shock victory over Fiji.

3. Ben Tameifuna (Tonga): Monster tighthead prop weighing in at 23st 11lbs yet has the carrying prowess to match his scrummaging.

4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa): A snarling enforcer and still the game’s dominant second row despite an off-night against England.

5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland): Ever-present for Ireland who provided fight whether playing at lock or in the second-row.

6. Courtney Lawes (England): A back-row warrior with a sharp rugby brain excelled in the biggest games.

7. Jac Morgan (Wales): Blockbusting flanker who showed maturity beyond his years to lead Wales into the quarter-finals.

8. Ardie Savea (New Zealand): Pushed very close by England’s Ben Earl but Savea is a class apart.

Related items

  • Sri Lanka make light work of New Zealand to complete series sweep Sri Lanka make light work of New Zealand to complete series sweep

    Sri Lanka won by an innings and 154 runs in the second Test against New Zealand to complete a 2-0 series clean sweep.

    The tourists fought hard on day four in Galle, but despite the efforts of Tom Blundell (60), Glenn Phillips (78) and Mitchell Santner (67), Sri Lanka got the job done in emphatic fashion.

    Having been skittled all out for 88 in their first innings, chasing Sri Lanka's mammoth total of 602-5, New Zealand at least showed more fighting spirit on Sunday.

    Sri Lanka simply had too much, though, with New Zealand bowled out for 360 when Santner's stand came to an end.

    Debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris sent Santner packing, and he took a starring role with 6-170 across the Black Caps' second innings, while he had earlier dismissed Phillips and Blundell.

    Prabath Jayasuriya (3-139) helped round things off, as Sri Lanka claimed their third straight Test victory.

    Elsewhere, there was no play on day three of India's second Test against Bangladesh due to a wet outfield.

    Data Debrief: Back-to-back against the Black Caps

    Sri Lanka have clinched back-to-back Test victories against New Zealand since November 2012.

    They have also now won five of their last six Tests at Galle International Stadium, with their only defeat in that span coming against Pakistan in 2023.

    New Zealand, on the other hand, have now won just one of their last 11 Tests on the road (D3 L6), with that victory coming in Bangladesh last December.

  • Kolisi delighted with Springboks resilience after Rugby Championship triumph Kolisi delighted with Springboks resilience after Rugby Championship triumph

    South Africa captain Siya Kolisi was delighted with the character of his side as they defeated Argentina 48-7 to win the Rugby Championship title on Saturday.

    In a role reversal last week, the Pumas denied Kolisi’s team the chance to win the title with a game to spare, pipping them to the post in a thrilling 29-28 win.

    But the Springboks channelled the frustration from that near miss into a crushing win against the same opponents, and a first title in the competition since 2019.

    Kolisi said: “I am lost for words but it has been a journey and a half, after last week, the way we stood up today says a lot about our team.”

    The Springboks captain was also full of praise for his opponents, stating they will only improve in the coming years and that both sides share similarities.

    He told Sky Sports: “Argentina are a side you cannot look over, how hard they work and what they did to us last week - they are a proud nation, similar to South Africa, the way they use the ball like we do. They will only get better and better."

    Kolisi also reserved special praise for lock and long-time friend Eben Etzebeth, who became the most capped Springbok of all-time.

    "I want to say to my best friend Eben that I am so grateful to be on this journey with you," Kolisi said.

    "We have been together since we were 18 and you've been a true friend and you have led us in so many ways, the way you play the game.

    "I am so proud of you and pleased to be your friend. I can't wait to tell my grandkids I played with Eben Etzebeth. Cheers, my friend, I love you!"

    Having brought up that milestone, Etzebeth stated his desire to continue with the national team for as long as possible.

    He said: “Rugby is like a religion in our country, to play for the Boks is the ultimate. You cannot go any better than that and I don't want to, it's the best team.

    "Hopefully I stay fit and the coaches keep picking me. I will try my best."

    Pumas captain Julian Montoya, meanwhile, was upfront about his side’s poor performance.

    Montoya said: “Credit to South Africa, we were not good enough, they were the better team today.

    “Of course I am pleased with what we have done, but you are only as good as your last game, and we were not good enough today. We have to get better."

  • 'Frustrated' Schmidt eager to improve after disappointing Rugby Championship 'Frustrated' Schmidt eager to improve after disappointing Rugby Championship

    Australia coach Joe Schmidt is determined to build on a disappointing Rugby Championship after being "frustrated" by their 33-13 defeat to New Zealand.

    The Wallabies made a strong start on Saturday but found themselves trailing at the break after a topsy-turvy first half, and failed to get a single point on the board in the second as the All Blacks stretched their lead.

    It was their ninth consecutive loss to New Zealand, who also beat them 31-28 in round five, and they have now won only one of their last six Test matches, losing the other five after making an unbeaten start under Schmidt.

    Australia finished last in the four-nation tournament, with Schmidt rueing some of their missed chances after they slumped in the second half.

    "I thought we created a few things early but what we had a lot of frustration [about] in that first half was slow ball," said Schmidt on Stan Sport.

    "We were digging the ball out from amongst bodies on our side and that was really frustrating because it broke our rhythm.

    "We started really strongly, got that try and then missed a couple of chances. They connect so well back off the sideline a couple of times, running back laterally and then connecting up with square runners.

    "But just talking to Scott Barrett there, we made them work for it, and we're going to keep working for ourselves and make sure opponents do have to work for anything they get, and we try to get a little bit more."

    Australia's tour in November, which includes Tests against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the nations that contribute players to the Lions, is next up, and Schmidt is looking forward to their next challenge.

    "It's a bit like when we come up against the All Blacks, you know it's going to be a really tough tour.

    "But if we can keep building through that tour, then I think we put ourselves in a position of potentially being competitive next July [against the Lions]."

    Meanwhile, New Zealand's victory was their first in Wellington since June 2018, ending a five-game winless run in the capital.

    They made a slow start to the game before rallying to a dominant comeback win, but captain Scott Barrett was just happy to triumph in Wellington. 

    "Really pleased to reverse the curse," All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett said.

    "We didn't start too well, but I'm really pleased with how we finished: some grit in defence, and we held out the Aussies."

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.