The Best Of The Rest: A Rugby Championship XV Minus The All Blacks

If these guys were playing the Lions next year we might actually have a close game on our hands, writes Jamie Wall.

New Zealand have been so dominant in the Rugby Championship this year – the 36-17 win over Argentina on the weekend was their closest result so far – that naming an actual tournament team would mean more or less copy-and-pasting the All Blacks starting line up.

So, instead, the Best of the Rest XV recognises the standout players from the three other teams of the 2016 Rugby Championship. In all honesty it would probably still be a stretch to see them challenging the All Blacks this season if they ever took the field.

Speaking of, there is another team made up of different nations coming down next year that won’t stand a chance on their tour of New Zealand either. Maybe the Lions could play these guys on the way so we can see a close game of rugby?

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Props: Tendai Mtawarira (RSA), Ramiro Herrera (ARG)
The Beast has been in career-best form, which is saying a lot considering said career spans 83 tests. Meanwhile Herrera has anchored the dependable Pumas scrum. Plus their names rhyme, which makes it easier for commentators.

Hooker: Agustin Creevy (ARG)
The only number 2 in the world who comes close to being as exciting as Dane Coles right now. Loves an offload or five every game.

Locks: Eben Etzebeth (RSA), Pieter-Steph du Toit (RSA)
The two Springbok big men have rekindled memories of when Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha used to rule both lineouts and breakdowns with an iron fist, Etzebeth sometimes hulking out of his jersey.

Loose Forwards: Warren Whitely (RSA), Michael Hooper (AUS), Facundo Isa (ARG)
Cheating a little bit here by including two Number 8’s, however it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine Whitely or Isa being just as effective at blindside. Meanwhile Hooper has been in typical pesky-good form.

Halves: Will Genia (AUS), Nicolas Sanchez (ARG)
The Queensland halfback turned back the clock in his performance against Los Pumas in Perth, looking like the player that was the cornerstone of the Reds’ Super Rugby triumph in 2011. Sanchez has seemingly shaken off the jitters he gets when playing the All Blacks and has been kicking goals from everywhere.

Midfield: Bernard Foley (AUS), Tevita Kuridrani (AUS)
OK, so Foley is in here more or less by default given that Los Pumas haven’t had the same midfield for two games in a row and the Boks combinations have been about as lethal as a wet sponge. Kuridrani’s good Super Rugby form has carried over to the test arena.

Backline: Santiago Cordero (ARG), Bryan Habana (RSA), Joacquin Tuculet (ARG)
Another Bok veteran showing he’s still got it, the 122-test Habana sliced the All Black defence open just like old times when they met in Christchurch. Cordero and Tuculet showed that last year’s Rugby World Cup form was no fluke as well, looking constantly dangerous from the back.