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The RugbyPass Form XV: 4 Wallabies, 3 All Blacks, 3 English, 2 French, 2 Scots and 1 Irish
By Josh Raisey
All of a sudden, the international rugby calendar has become very congested after a fallow year, giving us a refreshed looking RugbyPass Form XV. With the delayed 2020 Six Nations completed, the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup begins this Friday and will run into December, while the Tri-Nations is already underway in the southern hemisphere without South Africa.
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The world champion Springboks are yet to play a game since lifting the Webb Ellis Cup over a year ago in Japan and the rugby landscape has changed a fair bit over the past twelve months.
New names have emerged or developed in that time who could light up the Test scene on either side of the globe. Here is the RugbyPass Form World XV:
15. Stuart Hogg (Scotland): A winner of the European and Premiership double with Exeter, the Scotland captain led his country last Saturday week to a win in Wales for the first time since 2002.
14. Caleb Clarke (New Zealand): Although the 21-year-old has only started two of the four Bledisloe Cup Tests, he warrants a place in this RugbyPass Form XV for the way he terrorised the Wallabies at Eden Park. Jordie Barrett’s performances across the four matches for New Zealand were also noteworthy.
To continue to build depth in his 38-man squad, or to revert back to his strongest possible side for this weekend's clash against Argentina? That's the dilemma currently facing All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. #AllBlacks #TriNations https://t.co/N0PR77ZYB6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
13. Jordan Petaia (Australia): With fast feet and a strong fend, the 20-year-old has come into his own in a Wallabies shirt over the past month.
12. Virimi Vakatawa (France): He is in the form of his life having helped Racing 92 to the Champions Cup final. Although usually an outside centre, the Fijian-born powerhouse scored the decisive try against Ireland on October 31.
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11. Marika Koroibete (Australia): Despite a couple of tough Tests against the All Blacks, he deserves to make this list for his man of the match display in Australia’s win last Saturday. He was simply irrepressible, barring the ten minutes spent in the sin bin.
10. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand): He proved over the Bledisloe Cup series that he is the form No10 in New Zealand and world rugby. His complete game was certainly missed in the recent loss to the Wallabies.
9. Antoine Dupont (France): Rightfully named the Guinness Six Nations player of the championship, the scrum-half is at the heart of the French resurgence and seems to have a profound impact in any game he plays.
1. Rory Sutherland (Scotland): Has established himself as the Scots’ starting loosehead in 2020 after a four-year hiatus from Test rugby and there is now plenty of talk of him making the 2021 British and Irish Lions.
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2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (England): A key member of Exeter’s double-winning team, he was at the centre of a belligerent pack that steamrollered all in front of them. However, he is set to miss this autumn through injury.
3. Taniela Tupou (Australia): A thunderous try-scoring cameo from the bench in the final Bledisloe Cup Test showed to everyone how devastating the Tongan Thor can be with the ball in hand. What an asset he is to the Wallabies.
Will Eddie Jones and @EnglandRugby go with 9 forward against Georgia ?? #EddieJones #AutumnNationsCup #EnglandRugby pic.twitter.com/aSJ5P0QIk5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
4. Maro Itoje (England): Has been one of the leading locks in world rugby for a good few years now. The 26-year-old almost never has a poor game for club or country and has a huge influence in defence and at the breakdown.
5. James Ryan (Ireland): Itoje’s northern hemisphere rival in the second row is just as pivotal in green and could pack down alongside him for the Lions in 2021.
6. Jack Willis (England): Although not even capped by England yet, the Wasps flanker scooped the RPA players’ player of the year and finished the Premiership season with some freakish stats, including the most turnovers in the league – more than second and third place combined.
7. Michael Hooper (Australia): The Wallabies skipper worked tirelessly across the four Tests with New Zealand, although the rugby world has come to expect nothing less be it at the breakdown, defence or with the ball in hand.
8. Ardie Savea (New Zealand): Probably the All Blacks’ best player in defeat at the weekend, he has arguably been their best player over the past year and a half.
This will brighten up your Tuesday ? https://t.co/3O1ZhFXy7n
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2020
