Top 15 Must Have Player Faces For Each Country

[HB_Glen]

I have my own ideas for who the big names are in the world of Rugby, but in the Year 2010 who would be the Top 15 Must have players for the Top 10 Nations in World Rugby?

extra Kudos if you want to throw some Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Canada, USA names my way.

Also what makes them your Top 10?

 

[Intercept King JDV]

One question before I start.

Are you guys planning to start from scratch with the player faces, meaning the players that currently have unique faces in Rugby 08 will also have to be on the list?

 

[HB_Glen]

One question before I start.

Are you guys planning to start from scratch with the player faces, meaning the players that currently have unique faces in Rugby 08 will also have to be on the list?

Safe assumption to make Intercept King, assume that we are starting from scratch

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Safe assumption to make Intercept King, assume that we are starting from scratch

Okay thanks, my lists will be up shortly!

 

[The Cam]

Scotland

* Euan Murray
* Alasdair Dickinson
* Ross Ford
* Nathan Hines
* John Barclay
* Johnny Beattie
* Chris Cusiter
* Mike Blair
* Dan Parks
* Phil Godman
* Thom Evans
* Graeme Morrison
* Max Evans
* Sean Lamont
* Chris Paterson

 

[Intercept King JDV]

South Africa
*Tendai Mtawarira
*Bismarck du Plessis
*John Smit
*Bakkies Botha
*Victor Matfield
*Heinrich Brussow
*Schalk Burger
*Pierre Spies
*Fourie du Preez
*Morne Steyn
*Bryan Habana
*Jean de Villiers
*Jaque Fourie
*JP Pietersen
*Francois Steyn

New Zealand
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

Australia
*Benn Robinson
*Stephen Moore
*Al Baxter
*James Horwill
*Nathan Sharpe
*Rocky Elsom
*David Pocock
*Richard Brown
*Will Genia
*Quade Cooper
*Drew Mitchell
*Matt Giteau
*Adam Ashley-Cooper
*Digby Ioane
*James O'Connor

Argentina
*Juan Pablo Orlandi
*Mario Ledesma???(could probably play another RWC) if not, Alberto Vernet Basualdo
*Rodrigo Roncero
*Esteban Lozada
*Patricio Albacete
*Genaro Fessia
*Juan Manuel Leguizamon
*Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
*Alfredo Lalanne
*Juan Martin Hernandez
*Gonzalo Camacho
*Miguel Avramovic/Martin Rodriguez
*Gonzalo Tiesi
*Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino
*Marcelo Bosch

England
*Tim Payne
*Dylan Hartley
*Dan Cole
*Courtney Lawes
*Steve Borthwick
*James Haskell
*Lewis Moody
*Jordan Crane
*Danny Care
*Jonny Wilkinson
*Chris Ashton
*Riki Flutey
*Mathew Tait
*Mark Cueto
*Ben Foden

France
*Thomas Domingo
*Dimitri Szarzewski
*Nicolas Mas
*Sebastien Chabal
*Lionel Nallet
*Thierry Dusautoir
*Fulgence Ouedraogo
*Imanol Harinordoquy
*Morgan Parra
*Francois Trinh-Duc
*Benjamin Fall
*Yannick Jauzion
*Mathieu Bastareaud
*Vincent Clerc
*Maxime Medard

Ireland
*Cian Healy
*Jerry Flannery
*John Hayes
*Donncha O'Callaghan
*Paul O'Connell
*Stephen Ferris
*David Wallace
*Jamie Heaslip
*Tomas O'Leary
*Jonathan Sexton
*Keith Earls
*Gordon D'Arcy
*Brian O'Driscoll
*Tommy Bowe
*Rob Kearney

Italy
*Salvatore Perugini
*Fabio Ongaro
*Martin Castrogiovanni
*Carlo Del Fava
*Quintin Geldenhuys
*Josh Sole
*Mauro Bergamasco
*Alessandro Zanni
*Pablo Canavosio
*Craig Gower
*Alberto Sgarbi
*Mirco Bergamasco
*Gonzalo Garcia
*Kaine Robertson
*Luke McLean

Scotland
*Alasdair Dickinson
*Ross Ford
*Euan Murray
*Nathan Hines
*Alastair Kellock
*Jason White
*John Barclay
*Johnnie Beattie
*Chris Cusiter
*Dan Parks
*Sean Lamont
*Graeme Morrison
*Max Evans
*Thom Evans
*Chris Paterson

Wales
*Gethin Jenkins
*Matthew Rees
*Adam Jones
*Bradley Davies
*Alun Wyn Jones
*Andy Powell
*Martyn Williams
*Ryan Jones
*Mike Phillips
*Stephen Jones
*Shane Williams
*Jamie Roberts
*James Hook
*Leigh Halfpenny
*Lee Byrne

USA
*Mike MacDonald
*Joe Welch
*Mate Moeakiola
*John van der Giessen
*Hayden Smith
*Louis Stanfill
*Todd Clever
*Nic Johnson
*Tim Usasz
*Mike Hercus
*Takudzwa Ngwenya
*Paul Emerick
*Roland Suniula
*Kevin Swiryn
*Chris Wyles

Canada
*Kevin Tkachuk
*Pat Riordan
*Andrew Tiedemann
*Mike Burak
*Jamie Cudmore
*Aaron Carpenter
*Nanyak Dala
*Jebb Sinclair
*Ed Fairhurst
*Ander Monro
*Justin Mensah-Coker
*Bryn Keys
*DTH van der Merwe
*Phil MacKenzie
*James Pritchard

More to follow...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

England
*Andrew Sheridan
*Dylan Hartley
*Dan Cole
*Courtney Lawes
*Steve Borthwick
*James Haskell
*Lewis Moody
*Jordan Crane
*Danny Care
*Toby Flood
*Chris Ashton
*Riki Flutey
*Mathew Tait
*Mark Cueto
*Ben Foden

 

[mohamed_ali12]

it's quite tricky with England, but i'm going to guess who will be there come the world cup, and who wasn't in Rugby 08

1. Lee Mears
2. Dan Cole
3. Courtney Lawes
4. Simon Shaw
5. Tom Croft
6. Tom Rees
7. Danny Care
8. Ben Youngs
9. Chris Ashton
10. Ben Foden
11. Dylan Hartley
12. Nick Easter
13. Shane Geraghty
14. Riki Flutey
15. Ugo Monye

would love if you also kept the faces from 08, as a lot of them were really good.

 

[Jockstap]

Ireland
This is who I think will be there for the next WC

Cian Healy
Jerry Flannery
Tony Buckley
Donncha O'Callaghan
Paul O'Connell
Stephen Ferris
David Wallace
Sean O'Brien
Jamie Heaslip
Tomas O'Leary
Jonathan Sexton
Luke Fitzgerald
Gordon D'Arcy
Brian O'Driscoll
Tommy Bowe
Rob Kearney
Keith Earls

 

[V99ish]

I'm pretty sure the 2011 World Cup Squad will look something like this:

New Zealand

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Chris Jack
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Richie McCaw
8. Kieran Read
9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Dan Carter
11. Zac Guiford
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Sitiveni Sivivatu
15. Mils Muliaina

15 must have players are hard to choose! There's plenty other NZ players that would need unique faces.

 

[ranger]

I'm pretty sure the 2011 World Cup Squad will look something like this:

New Zealand

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Chris Jack
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Richie McCaw
8. Kieran Read
9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Dan Carter
11. Zac Guiford
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Sitiveni Sivivatu
15. Mils Muliaina

15 must have players are hard to choose! There's plenty other NZ players that would need unique faces.

Maate, it would be a ballsy call to leave Cory Jane out, Sivivatu doesnt play on the right wing either. .. i would have:

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Ali Williams
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Richie McCaw
8. Kieran Read
9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Dan Carter
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Cory Jane
15. Mils Muliaina

 

[Te Waka]

Tonga

Forwards

1. Soane Tonga'uiha
2. Aleki Lutui
3. Tonga Lea'aetoa
4. Paino Hehea
5. Villiami Vaki
6. Ma'ama Molitika
7. Otenili Latu
8. Josh Afu
9. Villiami Ma'afu

Backs

10. Soane Havea
11. Pierre Hola
12. Sukanaivalu Hufanga
13. Sefa Vaka
14. Vungakoto Lilo
15. Fangatapu 'Apikotoa

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

New Zealand

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Ali Williams
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Richie McCaw
8. Kieran Read
9. Brendon Leonard
10. Dan Carter
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Cory Jane
15. Mils Muliaina

2011, if we're being realistic. Leonard just needs time.

 

[nickdnz]

Umm, it's hard to pick 15 must have NZ players as there are many great players that play in NZ and over seas. It's easier when you go over North Hemisphare teams as they are so stretched for any genuine talent.

If it would be possible, it would be good if you keep many of the player faces that have all ready been made as my NZ team hardly looks like the current one. That being said i realise this would be very difficult and I hardly speak for the whole of the rugby community.

Oh and Leonard is the worst half back out of any of the NZ ruper 14 franchises barring perhaps the Crusaders.

 

[dobduff11]

Australia:
1. Benn Robinson
2. Tatafu Polata-Nau
3. ben Alexander
4. Nathan Sharpe
5. Dean Mumm
6. Rocky Elsom
7. David Pocock
8. Wycliff Palu

9.Will Genia
10.Quade Cooper
11. Digby Ioane
12. Matt Giteau
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Drew Mitchell
15. James O'Connor

England:
1. Tim Payne
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Dan Cole
4. Courtney lawes
4. Steve Borthwick
6. James Haskell
7. Lewis Moody
8. Nick Easter

9.Danny care
10.Toby Flood
11.Chris AShton
12.Riki Flutey
13.Matthew Tait
14.Mark Cueto
15.Ben Foden

France.
1.Fabien Barcella
2.Dmitri Szarsweski
3.Nicola Mas
4.Lionel Nallet
5.Pascal Papé
6.Thierry Dusatoir
7.Julien Bonnaire
8. Imanol Harinodoquy

9. Morgan Parra
10. Francois trinh-duc
11.Marc Andreu
12.yannick Jauzion
13.Mathie Basteraud
14.Vincent Clerc
15.Clement Poitrenaud

 

[Faatau82]

I will add draw up some lists for Samoa and Fiji. And USA, Canada as well if you require.

 

[Ninja]

New Zealand

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Keven Mealamu
3. Owen Franks
4. Brad Thorn
5. Isaac Ross
6. Kieren Read
7. Richie McCaw
8. Thomas Waldrom
9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Dan Carter
11. Hose Gear
12. Isoia Toeava
13. Conrad Smith
14. Sean Maitland
15. Mils Muiliana

 

[V99ish]

Maate, it would be a ballsy call to leave Cory Jane out, Sivivatu doesnt play on the right wing either

Yeah totally agree - that's why I said it's too hard just to pick 15 players for absolutely must have players. There is actually probably about 30-40 decent NZ players that would need faces if not more.

FYI Sivivatu has changed wing a couple of times in the past, I remember in 2008 he moved over to the right wing to accommodate Rudi Wulf.
And there's a good chance Ali Williams might never play Rugby again - an Ruptured Achilles (twice) is a very serious injury, and if he can't get it right. He'll be forced to retire

 

[flat_eric]

Australia
1. Benn Robinson
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
3. Al Baxter
4. Mark Chisholm
5. James Horwill
6. Rocky Elsom
7. David Pocock
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Matt Giteau
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Digby Ioane
15. James O'Connor

This is a youthful but experienced team as they all have a number of Test caps under their belt. These guys are the future of Australian rugby. There are a few other up and comers yet to burst onto the international scene which may be pushing for First XV status come 2011, however it would be risky to include them at this stage.

If you want a realistic current and future group of players go with this lot.

P.S. While I don't necessarily believe Adam Ashley-Cooper is Australia's best option at 13, or that it is his best position, I do think he like everyone else on that list should be included in the top 15 players.

 

[ranger]

Yeah totally agree - that's why I said it's too hard just to pick 15 players for absolutely must have players. There is actually probably about 30-40 decent NZ players that would need faces if not more.

FYI Sivivatu has changed wing a couple of times in the past, I remember in 2008 he moved over to the right wing to accommodate Rudi Wulf.
And there's a good chance Ali Williams might never play Rugby again - an Ruptured Achilles (twice) is a very serious injury, and if he can't get it right. He'll be forced to retire

Just because hes played there 2 or 3 times doesnt make him a right winger.. Richard Kahui has even played more 14 than Sivivatu. I just thought it was odd because Guildford and Sivi have already played together before and Guildford went to the right.