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How the RugbyPass Hall of Fame Fan 1st XV looks so far
Throughout this week so far, the first five positions in the RugbyPass Hall of Fame have been revealed with a number of highly decorated players having been inducted.
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Gradually across the week we’ve seen players from both the past and present be included, with fans being able to vote for what might just be the greatest team ever. As voted by you the fans, the Fan 1st XV has seen some major inclusions and exclusions from this legendary line-up.
Starting with the RugbyPass Hall of Fame’s first ever induction announcement, 10 loosehead props were included in the list.
Os du Randt currently has a clear lead over second-placed Tony Woodcock. In fact, out of the five positions that have been revealed so far, the Springbok has the largest lead over the player coming in second (194 votes at the time of writing).
du Randt played his way to legendary status by being part of South Africa’s first two Rugby World Cup winning squads. He started the 1995 Final against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, and do so again against England in 2007.
Today we inducted 10 of the greatest loosehead props of all time into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame, but who is the greatest of all?
Register to vote now: https://t.co/OwER5Yid3s pic.twitter.com/NMUa0fuIMn— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 29, 2021
The now 49-year-old was renowned for his scrumming ability, and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame a couple of years ago.
As previously mentioned, Rugby World Cup winning All Black Tony Woodcock has second-most votes in the loosehead position with 174. Springbok Tendai Mtawarira rounds out the top three with 139 votes.
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Arguably a surprise out of this section though is that Genthin Jenkins is fifth with 33 votes – which is just under 9% of the votes that du Randt has. Jenkins had an incredible Test career where he played 129 internationals for both Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
Then on Tuesday, 13 of rugby’s best hookers were revealed as the first players in their position to be included in this Hall of Fame.
Leading the votes at the moment is the legendary Sean Fitzpatrick, who has 233 votes. Clearly, many would agree that Fitzpatrick is also one of the best All Blacks of all time as well.
The former All Blacks captain had a decorated career in the black jersey, which included a triumph at the first ever Rugby World Cup in 1987. Fitzpatrick started at that Final at Eden Park, which the All Blacks won 29-9.
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In second is South Africa’s Bismarck Du Plessis who played 79 times for his country. Du Plessis was a tough player who rightfully deserves his spot on this list.
But arguably the biggest surprise in the fan voting so far is arguably that Keith Wood is ranked third in his position.
The Irishman won the first ever Men’s 15s Player of the Year award in 2001, captained Ireland, and went on two Tours with the British and Irish Lions. That’s just an opinion but he’s 102 votes behind Fitzpatrick at the moment.
Owen Franks and Tadhg Furlong are dominating the fan voting in the tighthead prop position, but it’s the All Black who currently holds the lead.
We’ve released the 12 tighthead props that have made it into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame! Head over to cast your vote and determine the greatest of them all. Register to vote now: https://t.co/OwER5Yid3s pic.twitter.com/0aK83eoHUo
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 1, 2021
Franks was part of the All Blacks’ back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs, and played over 100 times in the black jersey. Interestingly for Hurricanes fans, Franks is set to return to New Zealand to the nation’s capital for Super Rugby Pacific next year.
But while Franks is first with 198 votes, Furlong isn’t too far behind with 163. The Irishman has continued to prove himself to be arguably the best player in his position over the past few years, and was one of the best players on the planet in 2018.
As well as an impressive club career with Leinster, Furlong has also been part of some famous games for both the green of Ireland and the red of the British and Irish Lions.
Just last month, he started against the All Blacks in Dublin, just as he did in Chicago in 2016. He also played in all three Tests in the 2017 Lions Tour of New Zealand, which included the famous win in Wellington and the draw in Auckland.
Rounding out the top three is former All Black Carl Hayman. Wales’ Adam Jones only has 44 votes but could definitely be higher on this list.
Moving onto the locks, there are number of players in the four jersey who could rightfully take top spot here. But it’s South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth who is first at the moment with 183 votes, but New Zealand’s Brodie Retallick is not too far off.
Etzebeth has a reputation as being a highly physical player, and he was a big part of South Africa’s resurgence ahead of the 2019 World Cup. In that tournament in Japan, he also started in the final against England.
But Brodie Retallick does have a case here as well, having won World Rugby’s Men’s 15s Player of the Year in 2014.
World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson is third with 82 votes – which is 101 votes less than Etzebeth. Bakkies Botha, Maro Itoje and Brad Thorn are currently ranked fourth, fifth and sixth. But any of these players could be higher, and this competitiveness amongst players continues into the number five jumper.
Yesterday afternoon, All Blacks legend Colin Meads was leading, but he’s now in third behind Victor Matfield and John Eales.
Another Rugby World Cup winner, Matfield’s dominance at the set-piece was one of my earliest rugby memories. No opposition throw into a lineout was safe when the former Springboks captain was competing.
11 votes behind him in second is the most successful Wallabies captain of all-time in John Eales. The World Cup winner could just do things that other locks simply couldn’t – who could forget that kick against the All Blacks in Wellington?
While the top three are a very good list of names, the players ranked fourth through to seventh especially are also extremely decorated players who could very well be higher on this list
Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Samuel Whitelock is fourth with 24 votes, while Ireland legend Paul O’Connell is 12 votes behind him.
But one of the bigger omission from the Fan 1st XV is Alun Wyn Jones, who is ranked sixth in his position with only six votes. Former Ireland and British and Irish lock Willie John McBride is seventh with just one vote.
Nothing is set in stone though and you can still register to vote for the RugbyPass Hall of Fame right now. Sign up here so you can have your say on who should be included in the Fan 1st XV.
Current RugbyPass Hall of Fame Fan 1st XV
- Os du Randt (South Africa, 1994-2007)
- Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand, 1986-1997)
- Owen Franks (New Zealand, 2009-2019)
- Eben Etzebeth (South Africa, 2012-presnet)
- Victor Matfield (South Africa, 2001-2015)
- TBC – Induction 06.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 07.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 08.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 09.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 10.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 13.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 14.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 15.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 16.12.2021
- TBC – Induction 17.12.2021
Coach: TBC – Induction 20.12.2021
Referee: TBC – Induction 21.12.2021
Stadium: TBC – Induction 22.12.2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments