The XV that could miss the Rugby World Cup through injury
It is 74 days before the Rugby World Cup starts in Japan, and head coaches will be becoming increasingly nervous as to when their injured players will return.
There is a spate of injured players across the world, primarily from the southern hemisphere after a tough Super Rugby season, and time is running out.
While there are some players that have been completely ruled out of the World Cup, here is a XV of those fighting to be fit for when the competition starts on September 20th.
15 Jack Nowell
England’s Nowell sustained a nasty ankle injury for Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership final against Saracens, which he has had surgery on. Exeter coach Steve Baxter has said that he should be fit for the World Cup, but faces a race to be match fit come the first game in Japan.
14 Jordan Petaia
The 19-year-old Reds three quarter has not represented the Wallabies yet, but looked to be Australia’s next sensation at the beginning of the Super Rugby season. He was ruled out for the season in March with a foot injury, but has made his comeback. A question mark remains as to whether he will be ready in time for the World Cup.
13 Jan Serfontein
The Montpellier centre was a surprise omission from Rassie Erasmus’ recent Springboks squad, but it was later revealed that he has had surgery on his ankle. He is clearly on the radar of the South African coaching team, but faces a fight to recover.
12 Sonny Bill Williams
The double World Cup winner has had a season dogged by injury, only managing three Super Rugby starts for the Blues. Nonetheless, he was named in Steve Hansen’s All Blacks squad for the start of the Rugby Championship, but a tight hamstring has put him on the sidelines again as he persistently struggles to remain fit.
11 Bautista Delguy
Argentina’s Delguy was a member of the rampant Jaguares team before an ankle injury ended his season in March. He made his debut for the Pumas last year, but now faces an uphill battle to make it back in time for the World Cup.
10 Damian Willemse
At 21 years of age, Willemse is one of South Africa’s emerging stars. Unfortunately, his season was cut short in June after having knee surgery. He is still expected to make the World Cup, but Erasmus will be acutely aware that recovery times may take longer than expected.
9 Gonzalo Bertranou
Bertranou ended his 2018 very well, starting in Argentina’s final test match of the year against Scotland, as well as becoming a regular in Mario Ledesma’s squad. But a traumatic shoulder dislocation in the Jaguares opening game of the season has thrown the scrum-half’s World Cup hopes in doubt.
8 David Pocock
Pocock has perhaps had the most publicised injury leading up to the World Cup. He has a ‘rare’ calf problem, which first ruled him out of the rest of the Super Rugby season after only playing a handful of games. He has now been ruled out of the beginning of the Rugby Championship, and as the World Cup grows closer, it is still no clearer whether the Australian talisman will be there.
It's not too late for David Pocock to make an impact for the @qantaswallabies in the Rugby Championship – even though he's not been named in the initial squad. https://t.co/dFA2ymHvsY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 4, 2019
7 Siya Kolisi
The Springboks skipper was having a wonderful season for the Stormers when a knee injury ended it in May. While the flanker has not had surgery, his return date is not known yet. While he will still have some role to play at the World Cup, everyone involved with the Springboks will want him to be 100% fit.
6 Ellis Jenkins
Jenkins has long been regarded as a future star for Wales, but a devastating ACL injury against the Springboks in November ruined his season. He has subsequently had two surgeries on his knee, and the Wales camp have remained coy as to whether he will make the World Cup.
5 Ruan Botha
The Springboks have had some injury scares in recent weeks, with Eben Etzebeth sustaining a hand injury. But the uncapped Botha may be the biggest concern after having surgery on his foot. He is an outside bet to make the World Cup, but an injury would foil his chances of impressing at the Rugby Championship.
4 George Kruis
Kruis finished the season for Saracens with no apparent injury, but is one of three England players in camp for rehabilitation after ankle surgery. Eddie Jones remains confident he will be ready for the World Cup, but he may not play any of the warm-up games.
3 Tim Perry
Although a loosehead prop, Perry is on this list due to the lack of injuries to tightheads. The Crusaders front-row was omitted from the All Blacks squad recently due to injury alongside Ryan Crotty and Scott Barrett, and a return date is unknown.
2 Dylan Hartley
England’s second-most capped player Hartley has not played a game of rugby in 2019 due to a knee injury. While many thought his World Cup chances were all but over, Jones has refused to rule out his go-to captain, although some will understandably have their doubts.
1 Mako Vunipola
Alongside Nowell and Kruis, Vunipola is one of the three players in the England camp for rehabilitation after sustaining a torn hamstring in the Champions Cup final, which required surgery. While he may still make the World Cup warm-up games, but hamstring injuries take a while to return to full fitness.
Comments on RugbyPass
The current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
1 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
2 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
2 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to commentsThe All Blacks will select 5 locks this season. Scott Robertson will most likely want to select 2 veteran locks who can start right away in 2024 and 3 young promising locks who he would like to be pushing hard for selection in the starting XV in two years time- 2026. Scott Barrett is a world class lock. Who would you rather start beside him this season against England, South Africa, Ireland, and France- Sam Whitelock or Patrick Tuipulotu? I would choose Whitelock over Tuipulotu all day, every day.
10 Go to commentsThose ears must give him great field awareness
1 Go to commentsFrench international centre Maelle Fillopon is death, too.
1 Go to comments