The World Cup of wonders

GorgodzeThat’s it, then.

Only 1420 days before the start of the next Rugby World Cup on September 20, 2019.

The 2015 edition that concluded yesterday was without compare, a blend of outstanding rugby, one sensational upset, a deserving winner and enough drama and vibrancy to sustain the game until the next tournament.

As ever, new stars came to the party, but in the main it was the established players who kicked on and made it most memorable.

Just two South Africans crack my World XV based on performances in the World Cup. Predictably, perhaps, New Zealand top the list with four players, followed by Argentina (three), Australia (two), Japan (two) and one each for Wales and Georgia.

Here they are:

  1. Ben Smith will be the pick of most, but for my money Japan’s Ayumu Goromaru was the most thrilling, creative fullback on show, plus he was the architect of rugby’s most famous win. Israel Folau was meant to light up the World Cup, but it was the Japanese who played his way into the hearts of fans. Honourable mention to Scott Spedding, the St John’s old boy.
  2. Tight one, this. Santiago Cordero and Adam Ashley-Cooper were first class, but Nehe Milner-Skudder was dynamite, all fizz and fancy moves as he showed the art of the sidestep.
  3. This wasn’t a tournament for outside centres. But for dependability and earnest endeavour, Conrad Smith takes the biscuit. Special mention to Fiji’s Vereniki Goneva, Marcelo Bosch of Argentina and Canada’s Ciaran Hearn.
  4. Easy. Ma’a Nonu. He kept Sonny Bill Williams out on merit and was all power and poise throughout the tournament. Damien De Allende had his moments and Matt Giteau wasn’t far off.
  5. Julian Savea was monstrous and marvellous, but the thoroughbred was Juan Imhoff of Argentina. Nemani Nadolo, Drew Mitchell and Kurtley Beale also contended.
  6. Dan Carter did what he always does, producing on the big occasion, but the man who came closest to being a miracle worker was Dan Biggar. The Welshman was consistently good, with a suitably eccentric kicking routine. There were powerful cameos by Bernard Foley and Nicolas Sanchez, the Argentine.
  7. Fourie du Preez had one big game, but in the head-to-head against Aaron Smith, the younger, faster man won out. The All Black never skipped a beat.
  8. This was a fierce battle with Toby Faletau, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Louis Picamoles and David Pocock all in the running. However, they were all second to the rampaging Georgian beast, Mamuka Gorgodze. In a word, brilliant.
  9. It was a good tournament for northern hemisphere sevens, chiefly Sam Warburton and Sean O’Brien, but Australia’s Michael Hooper was non pareil.
  10. Scott Fardy was immense in recent weeks and Burger and Jerome Kaino also showed up well, but Japan’s Michael Leitch was more convincing and made more difference than anyone else. For his performance against the Boks alone, he gets to wear the jersey.
  11. Only one man: Lood de Jager. He may have arrived as a little-known, but the World Cup was his making. With him and Eben Etzebeth in the second row, the Bok pack will be formidable for a few years yet.
  12. Eben Etzebeth is still a youngster at 24, but he plays with the wiles of a grizzled veteran. Kane Douglas and Brodie Retallick were there or thereabouts, keeping him honest.
  13. Not many tightheads stood out. Amazingly, the one who did came from Australia: Sekope Kepu. He offered stability and gave the Wallaby backs an excellent foundation to work off.
  14. Nope, not a single South African in the front row; not even close. Argentina’s Agustin Creevy walks it ahead of Shota Horie and Dane Coles.
  15. Nicolas Ayerza of Argentina was quietly magnificent. But for injury late in the tournament, Scott Sio might have won out.

Coach: No contest. Eddie Jones, by miles. The great coaches aren’t the ones who take top-ranked teams and win. My grandma could do that. The great coaches are the ones who do as Jones has done, by transforming middle-of-the-roaders like Japan who produced the biggest upset in rugby history against the Springboks. – © Sunday Tribune