5 vital players for each country ahead of the world cup?

[Big Ewis]

yep that's the one, you found it, exactly as I remember it. He just makes look so easy

Funny that so many sides can all come up with a list of names, we can't. I'm telling you none of our guys are vital. You could all replace them tomorrow and start all over again.

I agree, it's true, France is immensely deep. The more you watch Top 14, the more you discover players you thought were only average are really good, or flat out discover new names you didn't know. Virgile Bruni is one of them. If he takes up a little bit of muscle in the next couple of years he's a unique 2m tall flanker with back like ability. Discovered him I think this very season out of the blue, one random afternoon watching the RCT play.
Additionally of course with PSA in charge, it's hard to say guys are essential because seeing how he plays them....but I reiterate: we've got a number of great/good centers, but none at 12 like Fofana. And then Parra really does a whole lot for us, commands the tempo of the game, plays scrumhalf off scrums and rucks, kicks penalties and generally plays at a high level. I know he headbutts every once in a while, but...

 

[Thingimubob]

I couldn't disagree more on people picking North. In many ways, I'd rather see us play Eli Walker or Hallam Amos. North has cost us three times the points he's been worth for us since the Lions. Hopefully he can spring back, but I'm near the end of my leash with him and his awful defence.

I'd say-

Sam Warburton
Leigh Halfpenny
Jonathan Davies
Alun Wyn Jones
Toby Faletau

I'll do others when I'm in more of a list-compiling mood. Which could quite easily be five minutes time. So don't mind me if I do a Scotty.

Definitely true, North has escaped quite a lot of flack for some of his poorer performances this season. Also, has been really weak under high ball this year, remember watching him for Northampton at the end of the season and he was dropping the majority of balls sent his way. He was pretty anonymous during the SA tour too, plus his missed tackle on Hendricks got overlooked due to teh following Liam Williams shoulder charge. In his defence though, he had been ill not the long before, so I'm not convinced he even should have been playing.

Anyway, agree with your list, although the likes of Justin Tipuric and Hibbard/Owens could argue for a place.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I couldn't disagree more on people picking North. In many ways, I'd rather see us play Eli Walker or Hallam Amos. North has cost us three times the points he's been worth for us since the Lions. Hopefully he can spring back, but I'm near the end of my leash with him and his awful defence.

Isn't there some Welsh inquisition that will come after you now for saying such blasphemy about North?

 

[FrenchFan]

I agree, it's true, France is immensely deep. The more you watch Top 14, the more you discover players you thought were only average are really good, or flat out discover new names you didn't know. Virgile Bruni is one of them. If he takes up a little bit of muscle in the next couple of years he's a unique 2m tall flanker with back like ability. Discovered him I think this very season out of the blue, one random afternoon watching the RCT play.
Additionally of course with PSA in charge, it's hard to say guys are essential because seeing how he plays them....but I reiterate: we've got a number of great/good centers, but none at 12 like Fofana. And then Parra really does a whole lot for us, commands the tempo of the game, plays scrumhalf off scrums and rucks, kicks penalties and generally plays at a high level. I know he headbutts every once in a while, but...

Haven't even noticed Bruni in Toulon.

PSA doesn't watch the Top 14. Haven't seen him around here on match day. Yet he thinks he can pick up to 7 of our players no less. He will be out of job soon. How does he get a coaching job after that.Rugby Development Coach in Zimbabwe for him.

This is what working with FFR & Camous does to your career. It won't be any different for his successor.

Had he stayed in Toulon he would have scooped 2 HCUp and one Bouclier. Oops.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Isn't there some Welsh inquisition that will come after you now for saying such blasphemy about North?

I have to say three Hail Mervyns at the end of every day, though I've been making extra use of my Shane Williams prayer mat lately, just to be safe.

I would've had either Ken or Hibbs on the list, but as we have both, one or the other loses their significance. Tipuric was also in contention (As were Roberts, Cuthbert and Lydiate), but, again, felt as we have Sam, he loses some of his vitality, to apply a word in the wrong way.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I couldn't disagree more on people picking North. In many ways, I'd rather see us play Eli Walker or Hallam Amos. North has cost us three times the points he's been worth for us since the Lions. Hopefully he can spring back, but I'm near the end of my leash with him and his awful defence.

I'd say-

Sam Warburton
Leigh Halfpenny
Jonathan Davies
Alun Wyn Jones
Toby Faletau

I'll do others when I'm in more of a list-compiling mood. Which could quite easily be five minutes time. So don't mind me if I do a Scotty.

Jamie Roberts surely? Warrenball does not work without him and who do Wales have who can replicate what he does at 12?

 

[Big Ewis]

FrenchFan: I disagree, PSA is everything bad you want but he isn't someone who doesn't watch Top 14. The FTD thing has no value here, he might watch MP but still not want to pick FTD because he legitimately (or not, doesn't actually matter) prefers Tales' more English flyhalf style, very sound defensively, a kicking game...
And he did pick Wen Lauret as the AB's came over emphasizing specifically he wanted his fetching in the rucks ability, which is exactly what Lauret did (2013, Paris). What a game he had, and PSA was spot on there, and Lauret is far from being a by-default, classic flanker for les Bleus.
Again, he takes a risk picking 22yo puppy Plisson for nothing less than a crunch to start the 6N off. Gutsy decision. He picks Burban as well, not a popular pick for France at all so far, they noticed he was playing really well again after the injuries. He also noticed Le Bourhis from the UBB, a fairly bottom of the table team (although he absolutely shattered the poor man, granted !.....) and wanted 2nd rower Ledevec from Brive for Australia 2014, an even more obscure club. So the staff do watch and do make spicy decisions in their selection. It's just they're terrible at coaching a team, both in the psychological edge and even more in the actual Rugby.

 

[LittleGuy]

Canada

Cudmore
Pritchard
Hassler
Van De Merwe
Sinclair

Namibia (assuming Bresler and a couple of other eligible guys DO NOT join the side which some of them probably actually will)

Burger
Botha
Kotze
Kitshoff
Dames

Uruguay (if they qualify)

Ortega
Etcheverry
Corral
Ormaechea
Klappenbach

 

[Larksea]

for NZ

A Smith - actually the first player that comes to mind, when he is in form and passing well the AB's attack is almost irresistible. His ball speed and pass is absolutely critical to the AB's attack.
Ben Smith - There can be only one.
Brodie Retalick - he has become the All Blacks standout forward and I think the best lock in the world. His workrate is insane.
Iulian Savea - He's been a try scoring machine.
Coles - no Hore and Mealamu is over the hill.

*Wildcards*
Sonny Bill Williams - why the heck not.
Richard Kahui - because there is talk of him coming back next year and he is just one of those players that thrives in test rugby. he was fantastic last WC.

 

[RoosTah]

For the Wallabies, I've picked the 5 players on the difficulty of replacing them:

- Michael Hooper (if Pocock is fit we are safe, but that's a big "if")
- Steven Moore (little depth at hooker - Moore critical at set-piece and combative around the park)
- Will Skelton (a bench player for the Wallabies and Tahs, but there's no one else like him in Australian rugby and he creates massive problems for defences)
- Israel Folau (no words necessary really)
- Henry Speight (very few genuinely damaging specialist wingers in Aus - Speight is a stand out)

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Jamie Roberts surely? Warrenball does not work without him and who do Wales have who can replicate what he does at 12?

Jamie would've been a certainty a year ago, but Cory Allen looks good enough now to step up, given an injury. He's not quite the size (But still bigger than Roberts was at his age), but is quicker, with a significantly stronger passing and kicking game and is a solid defender too. I'm not saying I'd be starting him over the Doc, but I certainly feel we've got some depth there. Jonathan Davies, on the other hand, is the real key to getting our backline working and we our backs resort to being one-dimensional without him (In that regard, he's a bit like the new Shane). His ability to read a defence and sense of timing is miles above most centres in the world, never mind in Wales.

 

[FrenchFan]

FrenchFan: I disagree, PSA is everything bad you want but he isn't someone who doesn't watch Top 14. The FTD thing has no value here, he might watch MP but still not want to pick FTD because he legitimately (or not, doesn't actually matter) prefers Tales' more English flyhalf style, very sound defensively, a kicking game...
And he did pick Wen Lauret as the AB's came over emphasizing specifically he wanted his fetching in the rucks ability, which is exactly what Lauret did (2013, Paris). What a game he had, and PSA was spot on there, and Lauret is far from being a by-default, classic flanker for les Bleus.
Again, he takes a risk picking 22yo puppy Plisson for nothing less than a crunch to start the 6N off. Gutsy decision. He picks Burban as well, not a popular pick for France at all so far, they noticed he was playing really well again after the injuries. He also noticed Le Bourhis from the UBB, a fairly bottom of the table team (although he absolutely shattered the poor man, granted !.....) and wanted 2nd rower Ledevec from Brive for Australia 2014, an even more obscure club. So the staff do watch and do make spicy decisions in their selection. It's just they're terrible at coaching a team, both in the psychological edge and even more in the actual Rugby.

We haven't seen him here all season. I've asked a couple of my friends who never miss a home game. They have NEVER seen him at games here in Toulouse. There's a VIP area so we know where to look. He must have been hiding.
Yet he picks up to 7 of our players. Maybe he was here. But in disguise. Mind you he has become persona non gratia so it wouldn't suprise me.

Overall his selection, bar from consistently overlooking FTD and picking Fofana on the wing in 2012, have been acceptable. His selectorial skills are actually Ok. This is not the issue with him. It's what he hasn't done with the team and players he picked which is problematic.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Canada

Cudmore
Pritchard
Hassler
Van De Merwe
Sinclair

You'd write it;
Van der Merwe or with the name added DTH van der Merwe.

Namibia (assuming Willem Alberts and a couple of other eligible guys DO NOT join the side which some of them probably actually will)

Burger
Botha
Kotze
Kitshoff
Dames

Is this the same Willem Alberts from Pretoria? That said, Namibia should certainly go after Torsten van Jaarsveld (hooker captaining the Orange Free State in the Currie Cup opening round) and Anton Bresler who is a regular starting lock for the Sharks.

 

[Darwin]

For the Wallabies, I've picked the 5 players on the difficulty of replacing them:

- Michael Hooper (if Pocock is fit we are safe, but that's a big "if")
- Steven Moore (little depth at hooker - Moore critical at set-piece and combative around the park)
- Will Skelton (a bench player for the Wallabies and Tahs, but there's no one else like him in Australian rugby and he creates massive problems for defences)
- Israel Folau (no words necessary really)
- Henry Speight (very few genuinely damaging specialist wingers in Aus - Speight is a stand out)

I was thinking about Australia, and 4/5 I thought of were the same as you (Moore, Hooper, Folau, and Speight). My 5th option was Ashley-Cooper. He always seems to play well against the ABs (indeed all NZ based sides), and I feel his experience is vital in what is a very young Aussie backline...

 

[Big Ewis]

Overall his selection, bar from consistently overlooking FTD and picking Fofana on the wing in 2012, have been acceptable. His selectorial skills are actually Ok. This is not the issue with him. It's what he hasn't done with the team and players he picked which is problematic.

agreed. Lacks in psychological and (more importantly) Rugby support.

It would be funny to make a "Top 5 moribund players" on your squad, the guys you really want out badly. I'd have just the coaching staff obviously. I like our 23's almost all the time.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Speight isn't even eligble for the wallabies yet and he's one of their most vital players?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

I'd say Nick Cummins will be more vital for australia than Speight

 

[big ginger 8]

I'd say Nick Cummins will be more vital for australia than Speight

I'm slightly dubious of that given that Cummins isn't even in their current squad.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm slightly dubious of that given that Cummins isn't even in their current squad.

I'm not 100% sure that Scotty knows what "vital" means.

For Australia it'd definitely be their first choice front row - beyond that I'm not sure. In the past you'd say Genia and Cooper, but there's more than capable backups knocking about at the moment so if one or both was sh*t then there's someone to come in. Probably Folau and he's a step up on anyone else, and, as above, maybe AAC - he's such a classy player and slots in most anywhere in the backs.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

I'm slightly dubious of that given that Cummins isn't even in their current squad.

yeah ik that, but since he's in japan then he cant play for australia