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Dynamic duo: Fans pick Semi Radradra, Cheslin Kolbe as finalists in vote for world's best wing

(Photos / Getty Images)

Fijian flyer Semi Radradra and Springboks sensation Cheslin Kolbe have been left as the last players standing in a worldwide fan vote to determine the planet’s best wing.

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Punters worldwide hit the polls on RugbyPass’ Facebook and Instagram accounts as part of the Straight 8 Fan Vote campaign to decide the best players on the globe in each position, as voted by the fans.

In the first two instalments of the series, England star Mao Itoje defeated South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth to be crowned the world’s best lock, while World Rugby player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit fought off All Blacks powerhouse Ardie Savea to claim the flanker title.

Continue reading below…

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By virtue of qualifying for a top two spot in their respective positions, all four players have qualified for a place in the RugbyPass Straight 8 Fan Vote World XV, where they will be joined by wing finalists Radradra and Kolbe.

After having easily fended off the challenge of Japan hero Kenki Fukuoka in the first round of the knockout bracket, Radradra was pitted against South African try-scoring machine Makazole Mapimpi in a semi-final clash.

The Sharks speedster’s impressive scoring ratio on the international scene – he’s scored 14 tries in as many tests, including one against England in last year’s World Cup final in Japan – wasn’t enough to hold out the rampant Radradra, though.

Instead, the barnstorming Bordeaux rugby league convert ran away with the tie, accumulating an impressive 72 percent of the vote count to land himself a place in the final.

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There he will face 2019 World Rugby player of the year nominee Cheslin Kolbe, who had dominated Welsh wing Josh Adams in the quarter-final stage to reach the second round.

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The 1.70m, 77kg pocket rocket was matched up against England’s Jonny May, who joined Mapimpi in dispatching All Blackspair Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece in the first round of the bracket.

May didn’t have such luck in the next stage of voting, though, as the Leicester Tigers wing was thumped by Toulouse’s Kolbe, who accrued 69 percent of the public’s approval.

It leaves the World Cup winner – who last year added a Top 14 title and Top 14 player of the year accolade to his 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medal and three Currie Cup triumphs with Western Province – up against Radradra in the final round.

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While the new Bristol Bears recruit may not posses the number of winners’ medals that Kolbe can boast, his performances since transferring to rugby union three years ago have been nothing short of phenomenal.

Radradra’s showings at the World Cup, in particular, led to him being named the Flying Fijians player of the year after he terrorised the Australian, Uruguayan, Georgian and Welsh defences with some eye-catching displays of athleticism.

As the time of writing, Kolbe holds a slight lead over Radradra in the live polling, but with 17 hours remaining, there is still plenty of time to cast your vote.

To have your say, click the stories on either the RugbyPass Facebook page (here) or the RugbyPass Instagram page (here).

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f
fl 9 hours ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Smith generally isn't well connected to his forward pods; doesn't do a great job of distributing to those around him; and has inferior positional and contestable kicking games than Ford and Fin.


When England have had success over the past few years, its been either through (i) defensive rugby backed up with smart tactical kicking or (ii) high possession attacking phase play based on quick ruck ball. George Ford was key to the implementation of (i) in the RWC, and in the 6N win over Wales, and to the implementation of (ii) in the 6N games against Ireland and France. Smith did great at (ii) when running at tired defenders at the end of the Ireland match, but has never successfully implemented that gameplan from the start of a test because he doesn't distribute or support his forwards enough to create consistent fast ball and build attacks over multiple phases. Instead, his introduction to the starting side has resulted in much more playmaking responsibilities being forced onto whoever plays 9. Alex Mitchell copes ok with that, but I think he looks better with a more involved playmaking 10 outside him, and it really isn't a gameplan that works for JVP or Spencer. As a result of that the outside backs and centres have barely touched the ball when Smith has been at 10.


This might not have been too much of a disaster, as England have seemed to be moving slightly towards the sort of attacking gameplan that France played under Labit and Quins play (I think this was especially their approach when they won the league a few years ago - but its still a part of their play now), which is based on kicking to create broken field rugby. This is (i) a sharp departure from the gameplans that have worked for England in the past few seasons; (ii) bears very little relation to the tactical approaches of the non-Quins players in the England team; and (iii) is an absolute disaster for the blitz defence, which is weak in transition. Unsurprisingly, it has coincided with a sharp decline in England's results.

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