The Post-World Cup Retirement List

[RWC2011Fan]

So Bleacher Report put up a list of10 Big Name Players Who Could Retire from International Rugby in 2015 and it got me thinking about who else we'll be seeing depart the global stage following the World Cup and before 2019. Can we see anyone making a Matfield-type comeback in the next few years? Who will have to do the most rebuilding? I do wonder about a lot of those players hovering around the early 30's mark; Bismarck du Plessis, Jamie Heaslip, etc. Curious about how much longer Parisse will be around for. Currently 31 years old with 108 caps...does he have a chance of becoming the most capped player of all time? More importantly will Donncha O'Callaghan ever earn his 100th cap before his time rounds out.

Anyone wanna help construct a list?

Here's the link to the original article for anyone interested: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...could-retire-from-international-rugby-in-2015

 

[munstermuffin]

So Bleacher Report put up a list of10 Big Name Players Who Could Retire from International Rugby in 2015 and it got me thinking about who else we'll be seeing depart the global stage following the World Cup and before 2019. Can we see anyone making a Matfield-type comeback in the next few years? Who will have to do the most rebuilding? I do wonder about a lot of those players hovering around the early 30's mark; Bismarck du Plessis, Jamie Heaslip, etc. Curious about how much longer Parisse will be around for. Currently 31 years old with 108 caps...does he have a chance of becoming the most capped player of all time? More importantly will Donncha O'Callaghan ever earn his 100th cap before his time rounds out.

Anyone wanna help construct a list?

Here's the link to the original article for anyone interested: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...could-retire-from-international-rugby-in-2015

Paul O'Connell is the big omission there. Mike Ross and Reddan too off top of head.
Heaslip will probably make next RWC as he's 1 guy looks after himself extremely well but it a question of will he be around. And Donnacha won't play any more for Ireland.

 

[nickdnz]

Brad Thorn to make a comeback in 2019.

From New Zealand (age by the time of the next RWC in brackets):

Keven Mealamu (40)
Richie McCaw (38)
Conrad Smith (37)
Ma'a Nonu (37)
Daniel Carter (37)
Cory Jane (36)

Would all be a bit of a stretch to play rugby. I doubt other guys like Kaino will still be playing international rugby, but could well keep playing for a few more years in the Top 14.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I always find it a bit odd that Cory Jane is that old, in my mind he's permanently around 28.

As mentioned by MM, our retirement list probably looks something like:

Paul O'Connell
Mike Ross
Eoin Reddan
Gordon D'arcy
Isaac Boss

Not too bad really. O'Connell is the big loss and will be tough to replace, but we're okay in all of the other roles. If they can stay fit Moore and Furlong will be a nice TH duo for both Leinster and Ireland going forward, Murray is undisputably the best 9 in the country and Marmion would be an adequate deputy and there are lots of lads floating around who could do as good a job as current Darce (Olding, Luke Fitz, Ferg, etc.)

Essentially we need Iain Henderson to come on leaps and bounds internationally and we'll be fine. He's still very young.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

For SA both Bakkies Botha and Jaque Fourie have already called it quits unless they pull a Matfield on us but I'd be surprised if they came back in.

Certainties for retirement I'd imagine (at least from test rugby):
Victor Matfield (37)
Fourie du Preez (32)
Schalk Burger (31)
Jean de Villiers (33)(might bow out not on his own terms if he isn't part of our RWC squad which is a pity)
Jannie du Plessis (32)
Morne Steyn (30)
Bryan Habana (31)
JP Pietersen (28)

Will probably play on in Europe for another year or 3 and might make the Boks still but we should really be looking at our options:
Tendai Mtawarira (29)
Bismarck du Plessis (30)
Willem Alberts (30)

Two years still post 2015 but not another RWC?
Duane Vermeulen (28)
Francois Louw (29)
Adriaan Strauss (29)


I expect our Bok team to look quite different post RWC 2015. This is crystal ball gazing but that is what this thread is for, right;

1 T du Toit 23 T Nyakane / S van der Merwe - upgrades, all three of them
2 A Strauss 16 S Ntubeni - will miss Du Plessis
3 F Malherbe 17 M van der Merwe / J Redelinghuys - upgrades, all three of them, should be starting regularly already but for injury
4 E Etzebeth 18 L de Jager / F van der Merwe - Etzebeth already our encumbant and very young still; hope he gets back to his best
5 PS du Toit / J du Plessis - should bring better mobility and workrate, so upgrade IMO
6 M Coetzee / J Kriel - Coetzee already pushing Louw.. Kriel in super super form
7 A Botha / O Mohoje - Botha should have been playing for the last 1 and a 1/2 years now but for injury
8 N Carr 19 W Whiteley - Vermeulen isn't easily replaced in the form he is in but these two add a ton in the loose
Overall the loose trio is going to be smaller but waayyyyy more dynamic with skillsets too match
9 C Reinach 20 F Hougaard - same, we need Reinach to step it up ITO consistency
10 H Pollard 21 P Lambie - can only improve with experience? Upgrade IMO
11 S Senatla - reminding me of a young Habana but needs to prove himself at higher levels still
12 F Steyn / D de Allende - upgrade on JdV IMO ITO pure playing
13 J Serfontein - same, hope he gets more and more used to the position
14 C Hendricks / L Mvovo - same. I like the look of Kobus van Wyk as well but a white wing for SA?
15 W Le Roux 22 C Kolbe - same but if Willie can't get his error count down then boot him IMO

Overall good continuity.

 

[munstermuffin]

I always find it a bit odd that Cory Jane is that old, in my mind he's permanently around 28.

As mentioned by MM, our retirement list probably looks something like:

Paul O'Connell
Mike Ross
Eoin Reddan
Gordon D'arcy
Isaac Boss

Not too bad really. O'Connell is the big loss and will be tough to replace, but we're okay in all of the other roles. If they can stay fit Moore and Furlong will be a nice TH duo for both Leinster and Ireland going forward, Murray is undisputably the best 9 in the country and Marmion would be an adequate deputy and there are lots of lads floating around who could do as good a job as current Darce (Olding, Luke Fitz, Ferg, etc.)

Essentially we need Iain Henderson to come on leaps and bounds internationally and we'll be fine. He's still very young.

Agreed with this.
Out of that list - Yes Paulie will be huge loss BUT
- Foley, Ryan, Toner, Henderson and Tuohy will all be good competition for eachother and are up to international level. Yes POC is a step above for leadership etc but it's hard to replace guys like him, BOD and others who have been stars of world rugby for a long time.
Regards Ross - Moore and Furlong are more than capable.
Reddan - Marmion is a fine player to step in and add in McGrath may make the grade. Boss is gone already I think in that he's not at the level anymore.
D'Arcy is already battling for his spot with Payne, Henshaw, Olding, Fitzgearld and few others.

All in all I can't see Ireland being to much weakened by retirements.

 

[TheSaffycen]

England- 2019
Wilson will be 33 (Prop so probably won't matter)
Haskell will be 33
Waldrom will be 35
Wigglesworth will be 35
Myler will be 34
Brown will be 33
Apart from Brown we don't have any first team regulars over 28, with our squad 2019 could be a good year for us. The list of guys that will be 32,
Hartley, hooker so again will probably be okay. George, Cowan-Dickie and Tom Youngs are all good enough to take over.
Robshaw, a big loss for us but Armitage, Kvesic and Fraser could all step up. Leadership wise I don't know who will step up, maybe young Itoje of Saracens.
Wood, if he was in his 2012 form than he would be a big loss but shouldn't be in the squad now at the moment. Ewers, Fearns and Kvesic are all more than good enough.
Care, again young guys could step up but no one ever keeps form at 9 for us. Spencer and Robson both contenders.
Barritt, this would be his last year anyway. Good player but centre we have many choices.

 

[TRF_heineken]

For SA both Bakkies Botha and Jaque Fourie have already called it quits unless they pull a Matfield on us but I'd be surprised if they came back in.

Certainties for retirement I'd imagine (at least from test rugby):
Victor Matfield (37)
Fourie du Preez (32)
Schalk Burger (31)
Jean de Villiers (33)(might bow out not on his own terms if he isn't part of our RWC squad which is a pity)
Jannie du Plessis (32)
Morne Steyn (30)
Bryan Habana (31)
JP Pietersen (28)

Will probably play on in Europe for another year or 3 and might make the Boks still but we should really be looking at our options:
Tendai Mtawarira (29)
Bismarck du Plessis (30)
Willem Alberts (30)

Two years still post 2015 but not another RWC?
Duane Vermeulen (28)
Francois Louw (29)
Adriaan Strauss (29)


I expect our Bok team to look quite different post RWC 2015. This is crystal ball gazing but that is what this thread is for, right;

1 T du Toit 23 T Nyakane / S van der Merwe - upgrades, all three of them
2 A Strauss 16 S Ntubeni - will miss Du Plessis
3 F Malherbe 17 M van der Merwe / J Redelinghuys - upgrades, all three of them, should be starting regularly already but for injury
4 E Etzebeth 18 L de Jager / F van der Merwe - Etzebeth already our encumbant and very young still; hope he gets back to his best
5 PS du Toit / J du Plessis - should bring better mobility and workrate, so upgrade IMO
6 M Coetzee / J Kriel - Coetzee already pushing Louw.. Kriel in super super form
7 A Botha / O Mohoje - Botha should have been playing for the last 1 and a 1/2 years now but for injury
8 N Carr 19 W Whiteley - Vermeulen isn't easily replaced in the form he is in but these two add a ton in the loose
Overall the loose trio is going to be smaller but waayyyyy more dynamic with skillsets too match
9 C Reinach 20 F Hougaard - same, we need Reinach to step it up ITO consistency
10 H Pollard 21 P Lambie - can only improve with experience? Upgrade IMO
11 S Senatla - reminding me of a young Habana but needs to prove himself at higher levels still
12 F Steyn / D de Allende - upgrade on JdV IMO ITO pure playing
13 J Serfontein - same, hope he gets more and more used to the position
14 C Hendricks / L Mvovo - same. I like the look of Kobus van Wyk as well but a white wing for SA?
15 W Le Roux 22 C Kolbe - same but if Willie can't get his error count down then boot him IMO

Overall good continuity.

I think the bolded guys are the only ones who would retire.

All the other guys still have a lot of rugby in them, and maybe even another World Cup after 2015. For me the question is going to be if we're going to get new players of the same calibre to fill their place to get them out of the mix for the Springbok spots.

 

[Goodey]

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Kevan Mealamu
3. Martin Castrogiovanni
4. Victor Matfield
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Theirry Dusatoir
7. Ritchie McCaw
8. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe


9. Fourie Du Preez
10. Dan Carter
11. Bryan Habana
12. Gordon D'Arcy
13. Jean De Villiers
14. Corey Jane
15. Juan Martin Hernandez