Top 3 players in the world in every position

A strange sounding thread I accept but I got the idea from the "One player doesn't make a team" thread about Dan Carter and NZ in which someone mentioned that almost everyone in the All Blacks first choice side would probably be in the top 5 in the world in their position, maybe the top 3.

Sounded ridiculous at first reading but when I thought about it they claim probably isn't too far off. Also it gives a healthy opportunity for the usual debates of international bias etc with peoples different choices!

So for what it's worth here's mine:

Loosehead: The beast, Woodcock, Healy

Hooker: Du Plessis, Hore, Best

Tighthead: Adam Jones, Cole, Franks

Second Row: Etzebeth, Sharpe, POC - I've no idea how Matfields playing these days but probably still warrants a place there, same goes for Thorn.

Blindside: Dusautoir, Ferris, Lydiate

Openside: McCaw, Pocock, Warburton - Many will disagree with Warburton at the moment but there you go.

No 8: Read, Harinordoquy, Parisse

Scrum-Half: Genia, Pienaar (sorry Biltong!), Aaron Smith - not many SH's really throw their hands up at the moment

Fly-Half: Carter, Nick Evans, errr Sexton - All northern hemisphere sides other than Ireland struggling at FH, SA are in a transition and Beale is already at FB!

Inside centre: Nonu, Roberts, McCabe - Sonny Bill not considered due to his impending move back to league

Outside centre: Conrad Smith, BOD, Jonathan Davies

Wing: Habana, O'Connor, Bowe - Several others are very close IMO - Jane, Ioane, Drew Mitchell, North etc

Full Back: Dagg, Beale, Kearney (Halfpenny unlucky to just miss out)

Obviously this thread is hugely reliant on personal opinion and will spark many an argument but that's my best shot. Apologies to anyone I've overlooked due to not seeing them play due to the league they play in etc. A harder task than many will think however as differing knowledge of players current form comes into mind and opinions on which position is a players strongest will inevitably be argued (Beale and O'Connor spring to mind from the above).

What doing this has done is open my eyes to the real shortage of truly world class players in many positions!

Would Priestland get into your top 1000 fly halves.

He'd slide in there before Farrell! At least on form Priestland can do more than kick.

Agree with most of that, I think Fofana is currently better than Roberts though.

From an England fan...thats a depressing read...but accurate....only Cole is any good.
Hopefully launchbury can add himself to the list soon.

From a NH fan that list is entirely over optimistic on the how good some of these guys are. BOD? Not any more. Davies? not yet. Harinordoquy? not any more...Lydiate? Ferris? Not compared to there SH counterparts. Wing...Bowe? C'mon, stoppit
In that whole list only Cole and Jenks have merit, (and maybe BOD a few years ago!).....

ultra wrote:From a NH fan that list is entirely over optimistic on the how good some of these guys are. BOD? Not any more. Davies? not yet. Harinordoquy? not any more...Lydiate? Ferris? Not compared to there SH counterparts. Wing...Bowe? C'mon, stoppit
In that whole list only Cole and Jenks have merit, (and maybe BOD a few years ago!).....

Jenks isn't in that list!

king_carlos wrote:A strange sounding thread I accept but I got the idea from the "One player doesn't make a team" thread about Dan Carter and NZ in which someone mentioned that almost everyone in the All Blacks first choice side would probably be in the top 5 in the world in their position, maybe the top 3.

Sounded ridiculous at first reading but when I thought about it they claim probably isn't too far off. Also it gives a healthy opportunity for the usual debates of international bias etc with peoples different choices!

So for what it's worth here's mine:

Loosehead: The beast, Woodcock, Healy

Hooker: Du Plessis, Hore, Best

Tighthead: Adam Jones, Cole, Franks

Second Row: Etzebeth, Sharpe, POC - I've no idea how Matfields playing these days but probably still warrants a place there, same goes for Thorn.

Blindside: Dusautoir, Ferris, Lydiate

Openside: McCaw, Pocock, Warburton - Many will disagree with Warburton at the moment but there you go.

No 8: Read, Harinordoquy, Parisse

Scrum-Half: Genia, Pienaar (sorry Biltong!), Aaron Smith - not many SH's really throw their hands up at the moment

Fly-Half: Carter, Nick Evans, errr Sexton - All northern hemisphere sides other than Ireland struggling at FH, SA are in a transition and Beale is already at FB!

Inside centre: Nonu, Roberts, McCabe - Sonny Bill not considered due to his impending move back to league

Outside centre: Conrad Smith, BOD, Jonathan Davies

Wing: Habana, O'Connor, Bowe - Several others are very close IMO - Jane, Ioane, Drew Mitchell, North etc

Full Back: Dagg, Beale, Kearney (Halfpenny unlucky to just miss out)

Obviously this thread is hugely reliant on personal opinion and will spark many an argument but that's my best shot. Apologies to anyone I've overlooked due to not seeing them play due to the league they play in etc. A harder task than many will think however as differing knowledge of players current form comes into mind and opinions on which position is a players strongest will inevitably be argued (Beale and O'Connor spring to mind from the above).

What doing this has done is open my eyes to the real shortage of truly world class players in many positions!

Team split is
NZ 11
SA 5
Aus 6
Fra 2
Eng 1
Wal 5
Ire 8
Ita 1

I think Fra, Eng, Sco, Arg and PIs can all feel a bit aggrieved :p

I'd take out a huge amount of those NH players and swap them for their SH equivelants. Even some of the AB's second choice players are better then most other's first choice.

Players that shouldn't be there:

Beast, Best, Jones, Sharpe, Ferris, Lydiate, Warburton, Hari, Parisse, Smith, McCabe, Roberts, Davies, O'Connor, Bowe, Kearney.

I'd have SBW straight in there at 12 seeing as you seem to have ignored current form or fitness with most of your other picks.

It's actually really tough as there just aren't three top quality players in every position.

1. Tony Woodcock, Cian Healy, Rodrigo Roncero
2. Bismark Du Plessis, Andrew Hore, Rory Best
3. Nicholas Mas, Owen Franks, Dan Cole

4. Patricio Albacete, Pascal Pape, Eben Etzebeth
5. Nathan Sharpe, Sam Whitelock, Paul O'Connell

6. Thierry Dusatoir, Dan Lydiate, Stephen Ferris
7. Ritchie McCaw, David Pocock, Michael Hooper
8. Keiran Read, Sergio Parisse, Louis Picamoles

9. Will Genia, Aaron Smith, Ruan Pienaar
10. Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Toby Flood

12. Ma' Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Jamie Roberts
13. Conrad Smith, Brian O'Driscoll, Jonathan Davies

11. Digby Ioane, Bryan Habana, George North
14. Cory Jane, Tommy Bowe, J.P Pieterson
15. Israel Dagg, Leigh Halfpenny, Rob Kearney

Although McAlister isn't playing internationally at the moment I think he's the best inside centre around. He's got the physicality of a strong ball carrier with the playmaking of a fly half

The only NH players I'd keep in there are Cole and Dusatoir and possibly Jones, Sexton and Kearney/Halfpenny.

Surely Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe deserves to be in there??

Loosehead: Taumalolo, Woodcock, Ayerza?

Hooker: Du Plessis, Smit, Brits

Tighthead: A Jones, Cole, C Johnstone

Second Row: Etzebeth?, Pape?, Grey? probably the hardest position to shine in

Blindside: Dusautoir, Ferris, O'Brien

Openside: McCaw, Alberts, Pocock

No 8: Lobbe, Picamoles, Parisse

Scrum-Half: Genia, Pienaar, Parra

Fly-Half: Carter, Hernandez, Cooper

Inside centre: Nonu, Mapasua, SB Williams?

Outside centre: Conrad Smith, Fofana, G Pisi?

Wing: Habana, Jane, Savea

Full Back: Dagg, Beale, Kearney

9 NZ, 7 SA, 5 Fra, 4 Aus, 3 Arg, 3 Sam, 3 Ire, 1 Eng, 1 Wal, 1 Sco, 1 Ita, 1 Ton

All my opinion and it's always subject to a little change:

15- Dagg, Kearney, Medard (Beale off form then playing 10)
14- Jane, (O'Connor WHEN AROUND), North, Savea
13- Smith, Ashley-Cooper, JD2
12- SBW, Giteau, Nonu
11- Pietersen, Halfpenny, Nalaga
10- Carter, Cruden=Evans=Michalak (can't separate)
9- Genia, Parra, Pienarr
8- Read, JMF, Picamoles
7- McCaw, O'Brien, Poccock (Juan Smith or Schalk Burger when around)
6- Dusautoir, Alberts, ((probably would be Kaino but he's been gone awhile)), Brown=Ferris
5- Thorn, Botha, POC
4- Whitelock, Gray, Maestri
3- Franks, Cole, Mas
2- Du Plessis, Mealamu, Strauss
1- Healy, Woodcock, Ayerza

NZ- 14 (+1) (ties = a half)
SA- 6 (+2)
Australia - 4(+1)
France- 6 1/2
Argentina- 2 (probably under-represented)
England- 1
Wales- 3 (maybe over-represented)
Ireland- 4 1/2
Scotland- 1 1/2
Fiji - 1

I haven't differentiated between the two wings

1: The Beast, Healy, Woodcock

2: Du Plessis, Best, Hore

3: Mas, Cole,Franks

4/5: O'Connell, Etzebeth, Whitelock

6: Ferris, Lydiate, Kaino

7: Pocock, Mccaw, Dusatoir

8: Lobbe, Read, Picamoles

9: Genia, Smith, Pienaar

10: Carter, Cruden, Michalak

11: Ioane, Habana, Savea

12: Fofana, SBW, Nonu

13: Smith, Rougerie, BOD

14: Jane, Bowe, Pietersen

15: Dagg, Beale, Kearney

Breakdown: 16 NZ, 7 IRE, 6 SA, 6 FR, 4 AUS, 1 WA, 1 ENG, 1 ARG

I have no idea how BOD, POC and Bowe are making these top 3 in the world sides right now.

Not a pop at Ireland but they are being very over-represented in some of these sides, even taking into account the Kidney factor.

Not that many standout SRs around for me, why POC is in there

Richie Gray was at least as good if not better than his All Black opponents, I think he would get into any global team at present.

MacKnocked-on wrote:Richie Gray was at least as good if not better than his All Black opponents, I think he would get into any global team at present.

+1

Don't expect the muppets to notice tho, he's Scots

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:I have no idea how BOD, POC and Bowe are making these top 3 in the world sides right now.

Not a pop at Ireland but they are being very over-represented in some of these sides, even taking into account the Kidney factor.

When I named them after some thought it looked odd but when I thought about it I couldn't think of too many players who shouted out to replace them! Richie Gray was very close in the second row, Fernandez Lobbe was also extremely close as a blindside - I've always been a huge admirer of him as a player so hurt to leave him out.

In the centre I've left Sonny Bill out as he is now moving back to league as stated - otherwise he'd be straight in there.

Savea also came very close on the wing.

At prop Ayerza only just missed out - personally I'd rather have him in a side than the Beast but it's hard to argue with the SA scrum from recent years.

Louw was also very close to usurping Warburton at open-side but just missed out.

So as said many players very close that would inevitably cause argument, but I stand by my selection!

1 Woodcock Domingo Beast

2 Du Plesis Mealamu Servat

3 A Jones Franks du Plessis

4/5 Whitelock Etzebeth Romano

6 Dausitoir Kiano Messam

7 McCaw Alberts Ouedraogo

8 Read Parisse Lobbe

9 Smith Genia Pienaar

10 Carter Michelak Cruden

11/14 Savea Ioane Jane

12 Nonu Steyn Fofana

13 Smith Davies Fritz

15 Dagg Clerc Mermoz

I would put a case for Adriaan Strauss, he has been very good in the absense of Bismarck du Plessis.

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:I have no idea how BOD, POC and Bowe are making these top 3 in the world sides right now.

Not a pop at Ireland but they are being very over-represented in some of these sides, even taking into account the Kidney factor.

BOD and POC were in great form before their injuries..... POC and should definitley be there, who would you put instead of BOD?

Bowe is still world class and finding it very hard to show it these days with way Kidney has us playing.

I wouldn't say Ireland are very over-represented you cannot argue with Healy, Ferris, Kearney, Best.... BOD POC and Bowe you could argue for or against but all 3 are still world class.

I dont think Gray has helped himself going to Sale....however i still think he should be on most lists...he's an awesome SR. He has the lot pace, athleticism, power, size....

Once he gets away from sale and goes to a good club...he should go on to be one of the premier SR's in the world for years to come.

How long was his contract at Sale Geordie?

Agree about him, he was brilliant in the 6N's and could be doing so much more if he was at a club like Leinster or Quins.

ultra wrote:From a NH fan that list is entirely over optimistic on the how good some of these guys are. BOD? Not any more. Davies? not yet. Harinordoquy? not any more...Lydiate? Ferris? Not compared to there SH counterparts. Wing...Bowe? C'mon, stoppit
In that whole list only Cole and Jenks have merit, (and maybe BOD a few years ago!).....

Sad but true. Very generous on British and Irish players, minus Ferris, who I desperately want to see in the next Lions team fit and on form.