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Brodie Retallick, Maro Itoje leading charge to be named world's best lock by fans
Fans worldwide have hit the polls on RugbyPass social media accounts to determine who are the best players on the planet as part of a new campaign called the Straight 8 Fan Vote.
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The campaign is a fan-voted, three-round knockout tournament on RugbyPass‘ Facebook and Instagram accounts to decide who the best players on the globe are per position, which will ultimately culminate in a fan-picked World XV.
The first instalment of the series features eight of the world’s top locks, who already have gone head-to-head in the quarter-final stage of the bracket.
Continue reading below…
Headlining the first match-up was England and British and Irish Lions star Maro Itoje, who dominated proceedings against Springboks second rower RG Snyman.
The new Honda Heat recruit, who moved to Japan’s Top League after playing a key role in South Africa’s World Cup-winning campaign last year, attained just 27 percent of the votes across both Facebook and Instagram.
Itoje’s trophy-laden exploits with Saracens, England and the Lions have pitted him in a semi-final match-up with Irish powerhouse James Ryan, who dispatched New Zealand’s Scott Barrett.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AqvSBA3ZJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The new Crusaders captain looks set to play a key role for the All Blacks once the rugby world is back up and running, but he was ousted by the 23-year-old Leinster man as he was pipped to the post with a vote tally of 44 percent.
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On the other side of the draw, Kiwi star Brodie Retallick romped to a first-up win over South African counterpart Lood de Jager.
Retallick, who is on a two-year sabbatical from All Blacks and Super Rugby duties as he plies his trade for the Kobelco Steelers in Japan, accumulated a whopping 74 percent of the vote to wipe aside one of the Sale Sharks’ newest additions.
A semi-final clash against Eben Etzebeth awaits Retallick after the South African behemoth defeated Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by the slimmest of margins.
The Toulon star, who was part of the Springboks’ successful World Cup campaign, managed to claim 58 percent of the fan vote, leaving the 147-test Jones to succumb to a first round defeat.
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As it stands at the time of writing, Retallick holds a slender lead over Etzebeth by just two percent in the live voting with 16 hours remaining, while Itoje holds a much more comfortable advantage over Ryan.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments