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Eleven lesser known tier two players are poised to light up the World Cup
While we will all debate the runners and riders to lift the trophy in Japan over the next two months, the World Cup also provides an unmatched opportunity for players from the tier two nations to grab the headlines and perform on a global stage.
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Whether it was Japan’s heroes from Brighton in 2015 or the plethora of players from the Pacific Islands who have caught the eye in years gone by and won professional contracts in Europe as a result, the tournament, the pinnacle of a career, is also a valuable gateway to other opportunities.
A lot of players will be relatively new names to more casual rugby fans, although there is a good chance they will feel much more acquainted with these players’ talents come the end of October.
We have shortlisted 11 of the tier two players that will be worth setting the alarm for and getting up early to see them in action.
Ataata Moeakiola (Japan)
A former under-20 sensation for Japan, Moeakiola came to the world’s attention back in 2016 when he scored multiple dazzling tries at the age-grade championship. A frustrating period followed at university level where he was utilised in the back row, but the Tongan-born talent has since moved back into his role on the wing with the Chiefs. Still just 23, Moeakiola could catch the eye if given an opportunity later this month.
Kazuki Himeno (Japan)
One of Japan’s most promising players, back row Himeno has become a stalwart contributor in a group that also boasts the likes of Michael Leitch and Amanaki Mafi. Given the money and pending investment in Japanese rugby, the physical flanker won’t be playing for a contract abroad like many of these players, although he could leave the tournament with his profile much boosted on the global stage.
Cliven Loubser (Namibia)
A former Eastern Province and Sharks youth player in South Africa, Loubser has emerged as Namibia’s starting fly-half over the past couple of seasons under the stewardship of Phil Davies. Unfortunately for Loubser, he will find himself on the back foot for much of the World Cup with Namibia in a pool with South Africa and New Zealand. He will need to execute even more precisely than normal if Namibia are to have any chance against Italy and Canada.
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Lucas Rumball (Canada)
Rumball will not be a new name to watchers of Canadian rugby or Major League Rugby in the US where the flanker is an ever-present for the Toronto Arrows. An all-action openside, Rumball is exactly the kind of player that Canada will need to help them remain competitive in Pool B. He could be decisive in the match with Namibia, while he might be a potent thorn in the side of the three tier one sides in the group.
Hanco Germishuys (USA)
Speaking of all-action back rows, Germishuys is a fun ball-carrier to watch and he will be pivotal if the USA want to get on the front foot and break the gain line in Pool C. Born in South Africa, raised in the USA and having spent time playing rugby in England with the Gloucester Under-18 side, as well as the Sharks academy in Durban, Germishuys has a lot of experience for a 23-year-old. The likes of England, France and Argentina will need to be aware of the threat he offers.
Kapeli Pifeleti (USA)
At just 20 years of age, Pifeleti may not make the final cut for the USA, with Gary Gold’s side the last the confirm their 31-man squad for the competition. If he does, the hooker warrants plenty of attention in Japan. A cousin of the Vunipola brothers, Pifeleti was the pick of the Saracens Under-18 side two seasons ago but was denied a professional contract due to visa issues. He has been making his way with San Diego Legion since and has already won three caps for the USA Eagles. Could a return to England be on the cards once he has a few more?
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Tedo Abzhandadze (Georgia)
This promising fly-half was still playing at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship earlier this year, although he has already made strides as Georgia’s starting fly-half at senior level. A nice balance of playmaking and game management, Abzhandadze, who has signed for Brive, can match his skill set to differing game plans, depending on the opponent Georgia are facing. He has joined Vasil Lobzhanidze at Brive, with the scrum-half having already stacked up a remarkable 44 caps at just 22 years of age.
Milton Haig says he believes his young fly half Tedo Abzhandadze "has the ability to be truly world-class". https://t.co/IUgB0szxFf
— Tier 2 Rugby (@T2Rugby) May 29, 2019
Giorgi Kveseladze (Georgia)
One of the few talented young Georgians not to have been snapped up by a French club, Kveseladze brings power and punch to the Georgian midfield, as well as offering some added dynamism on the wing when Milton Haig opts to use him there. Kveseladze was a big part of helping Georgia establish themselves in the Championship, the top tier of under-20 rugby, and his transition to the senior set-up since has been relatively seamless. Although the Lelos may struggle to live with the pace of some of the back lines at the tournament, look for Kveseladze to be a potent weapon of their own.
Eroni Mawi (Fiji)
This loosehead has been an integral part of the Fijian national team, as well as the Fijian Drua in the NRC, for the past couple of seasons, with surprising little interest from abroad for his services. A solid ball-carrier and mobile prop, Mawi should be fielding interest after the tournament, especially if he can help Fiji upset the odds and turn over one of Wales or Australia in Pool D.
Frank Lomani (Fiji)
Another player who has done very well for Fiji and their Drua side, Lomani offers accurate distribution, urgency and a carrying threat from the scrum-half position. Fiji will need to play fast if they are to counter the power and set-piece threat of the Tier 1 nations – and Georgia – at the tournament, and Lomani will be key to delivering that tempo and making the right decisions as he does.
Manuel Ardao (Uruguay)
This 20-year-old hooker/back row is an ace up the sleeve of Uruguay head coach Esteban Meneses. A mobile ball-carrier with a effective step, not to mention good skills at the contact area and as a chop tackler, Ardao’s work rate will shine for Los Teros, particularly in those games when they are under the pump. Given they face Australia, Wales and two of the better tier two teams in Fiji and Georgia, Uruguay will need everything they can get from their squad which could offer several glimpses at what Ardao can offer even at this young age.
WATCH: Part two of Operation Jaypan, the two-part RugbyPass documentary on what the fans can expect to experience in Japan at the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
Had hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
6 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
28 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
28 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
6 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
6 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
6 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
28 Go to comments