Hard to disagree with most of that choice. I'd have Fitzy at hooker & Michael Jones at 6
Only other comment is poss. Doug Howlett for Kirwan?
There is an argument for Fox at 10. Carter's 2003/07/11 tournaments don't add a great deal to his RWC legacy (aside from that 2011 great pool game against the French), but jeez his 2015 was good.
If we are picking off one tournament Bachop's 1995 was better than Smith's 2015 IMO.
@mariner4life said in RWC AB XV:
Glen Osbourne was unreal at 15 in 95
I'm leaning Gallagher 87
You're wrong
I'd have
Read over Brooke (unless I needed a droppie) - Read consistently good at 2 RWC Zinny didn't feature at 2/3
Bachop 95 was better than A Smith 15 as was Ossie/B Smith even though career wise I'd have BFA every time
Team based on how they were in their strongest RWC and the tournament they were bestest in:
- Steve McDowell 1987
- Sean Fitzpatrick 1991
- Owen Franks 2015
- Ian Jones 1995 (but Sam Whitelock 2015 was amazing too)
- Brad Thorn 2011
- Jerome Kaino 2011 (second Kaino 2015)
- Michael Jones 1987 (although the GOAT was brilliant in four tournaments)
- Wayne Shelford 1987 (Zinzan Brooke was awesome in 1995 in one game)
- Aaron Smith 2015
- Dan Carter 2015
- Jonah Lomu 1995
- Maa Nonu 2015
- Conrad Smith 2011
- John Kirwan 1987
- Glen Osbourne 1995
Hardest pick here is Jones Vs McCaw. McCaw was the greatest player of all time, but Michael Jones in 1987 is the best performance in a tournament I have seen from a loose forward. He reinvented Rugby.
I'd have
Read over Brooke (unless I needed a droppie) - Read consistently good at 2 RWC Zinny didn't feature at 2/3
Bachop 95 was better than A Smith 15 as was Ossie/B Smith even though career wise I'd have BFA every time
If there was a tournament in 2007 that required a droppie Zinny would have been your man. Fortunately they didn't play the RWC that year.
Kipper in 1987 over Osborne in 1995. Was it too long ago for people to remember just how good the English ginga was in that tournament?
@Victor-Meldrew said in RWC AB XV:
Doug Howlett for Kirwan?
Are you drunk? It's not even a close competition.
@mariner4life said in RWC AB XV:
Glen Osbourne was unreal at 15 in 95
He’s pretty good dancing too....
- Ian Jones 1995 (but Sam Whitelock 2015 was amazing too)
- Brad Thorn 2011
Rettalick 2015 surely, was great all tournament (only took three locks so played a lot) and had a signature game against the French.
Thorn's fist pumps are memorable and he had a talismanic streak but I'm not sure if Rettalick has played a test worse than Thorn's best.
Richie McCaw was unreal in 2 world cup wins. One on a broken leg. Champ. Almost willed us home in 11.
Personally, I think it would be interesting to put up a team from every other WC except 2015, to play the 2015 team.
I can only think of three or four positions where such a team would be clearly better - in the far ont row and the wings.
- Ian Jones 1995 (but Sam Whitelock 2015 was amazing too)
- Brad Thorn 2011
Rettalick 2015 surely, was great all tournament (only took three locks so played a lot) and had a signature game against the French.
Thorn's fist pumps are memorable and he had a talismanic streak but I'm not sure if Rettalick has played a test worse than Thorn's best.
This post reminded me to cast my Player of the match votes in advance.
1 vote for BBBR for every game this year please.
@Magpie_in_aus said in RWC AB XV:
- Ian Jones 1995 (but Sam Whitelock 2015 was amazing too)
- Brad Thorn 2011
Rettalick 2015 surely, was great all tournament (only took three locks so played a lot) and had a signature game against the French.
Thorn's fist pumps are memorable and he had a talismanic streak but I'm not sure if Rettalick has played a test worse than Thorn's best.
This post reminded me to cast my Player of the match votes in advance.
1 vote for BBBR for every game this year please.
Don't be ridiculous. No way he polls one vote every game.
Every second game he'll get 3
I am a massive Brodie Retallick fan. Probably the best NZ lock since Meads. I see the 2013 game against South Africa at Eden Park as the signature Retallick test. He was world player of the year in 2014 and kept going in 2015.
Stats may prove me wrong. But I remember Thorn being very busy in defence in all three of the 2011 knock outs and taking a lot of key carries and line out ball in the final in 2011. He played 80 minutes of all three games. Brad Thorn really did thrive on knock out Rugby and put together three superb performances back-to-back-to-back.
A tough call, but my vote goes to Brad Thorn.
Excellent wine.