The pool stage of rugby world cup Portugal’s impressive 24-23 victory over Fiji in Toulouse on Monday (NZ time) concludes another four-year run. His first 40 games of this year’s World Cup were filled with many ups and downs and incredible surprises. Throughout these games, there were players who showed outstanding performances.
Here are 23 that have caught our attention in recent weeks.
1. Andrew Porter (Ireland)
Probably the easiest choice for this team. Andrew Porter has been the driving force behind Ireland’s impressive scrums.
2.Pete Mauvaca (France)
Pete Maubaka was a live wire with the ball in his hands and was strong on set pieces.
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3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
A long-time mainstay of the Ireland XV, Tad Furlong continues to rise to the challenge and remains one of Ireland’s standout players.
4. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
The last tad on this list, but by no means the last. Tad Beirne has been a force at the breakdown and has been fantastic for Ireland this campaign.
5. Theo McFarland (Samoa)
The Saracens star is a standout for Samoa. Theo McFarland is strong on the ball and in defence, and is also showing off his impressive play at lineouts.
6. Courtney Rhodes (England)
Courtney Rhodes was terrifying. The match against Argentina may have been his best match. He led by example and inspired George Ford to steal the game with his spikes.
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7. Jack Morgan (Wales)
Our captain, Warren Gatland, is a superstar. He’s a threat on defense, but he’s no slouch on offense either.
8. Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
He is probably the first player other than captain Sam Cane to be named on the All Blacks squad list. Ardi Savea has been relentless in his attacks throughout the tournament and is a handful for defenders.
9. Antoine Dupont (France)
Let’s hope we haven’t seen the last of Antoine Dupont this World Cup. Dupont had a near-perfect performance in the two games before breaking his jaw. A master of manipulating his team around the park, Dupont is also an attacking maestro and a strong defender.
10. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
Johnny Sexton, the ever-impressive Irish manager, is 38 years old and shows no signs of slowing down.
11. Damien Penault (France)
Damien Penault, always a dangerous presence, continued to thrive throughout the pool stages. He leads the tournament with 6 tries and 11 clean breaks.
12. Bundy Aki (Ireland)
Bundy Aki is a steamroller. He scored a tournament-leading 61 runs and covered an impressive 372 meters with the ball, making just two handling errors. He beat 23 defenders and made nine clean breaks.
13. Waisea Nayakalevu (Fiji)
The Fijian captain is one of France’s most inspirational leaders and has enjoyed a long career in club rugby there. He is one of the Flying Fijians’ best players and was a key factor in the team’s progress to the quarter-finals.
14. Will Jordan (New Zealand)
Impossible to leave out of the All Blacks’ starting XI, Will Jordan is a man everywhere. When he has half a chance, Jordan usually does the right thing, and more often than not, it’s finding the try line.
15. Thomas Ramos (France)
Thomas Ramos is a big reason why the France national team is confident heading into the final tournament of the World Cup. He is great under high balls, solid on the counter-attack and his incredible goal-kicking counteracts any indiscipline.
Reserves:
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16. Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
17. Wini Atonio (France)
18. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)
19. Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)
20. Gregory Aldritt (France)
21. Faf de Klerk (South Africa)
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22. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand)
23. Mark Telea (New Zealand)
all blacks v ireland
Sunday, 8am
Follow live updates: nzherald.co.nz
Hear the commentary: Join Elliott Smith on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio
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Watch the full Rugby World Cup.
Luke Kirkness is the NZ Herald’s online sports editor. He previously covered consumer affairs at the Herald and was assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He was awarded Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.