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

Nicolas Sanchez

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

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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.

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The Incredible Etzebeth (Photo Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Incredible Hulkzebeth (Photo Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
All Black star Richie Mo'unga stuck in stalemate in Japan

Richie is a great passer too, don't get me wrong. But if I'm picking Mo'unga's direct attack were he threatened the desences in 23' by having the ball in both hands, or Dmac's 24' backline where theyre super deep and he has to run sideways doing skip passes, I choose the 23 backline.


As a first five, Dmac has no threat on the carry, he's too small to bust through, that's why you don't see him try it like Mo'unga does. Dmac can still try to carry (when he should just give it to someone else) as his bailout option when under pressure, but thankfully with the forward dominance it's not so much an occurrence/issue.


Somehow Spew, but we haven't seen that because of the Dmac issue I outlined. It's generally the 10 that doubles around. I don't trust Jordies instincts at doing it either, even in his role of laying it back I don't think he's the one. So while I agree it's a powerful attacking play I don't think it's an option for the All Blacks either. Rieko just hasn't been able to catch the ball, it's pretty much his only problem. You can't see that changing though. I'd imagine they just can that play as something theyre not capable of too rather than change people in and out.


I perhaps go for something more simple, like runners from deep coming into the line at different angles. No so much about width like they were last year, just simple inside or out passes to Clarke/Jordan/Telea straitening the line. We want to see something different happen this year because if its the same I think we'll all be calling for heads again.

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