Rugby legends combine Six Nations stars to pick Perfect Player for 2024 : Planet Rugby

And being named co-captain with Rory Darge signals an end to his previously stormy relationship with head coach Gregor Townsend. Following his recent move to Lyon, Monty Ioane is also one of this year’s Six Nations players to watch. The same goes for Lorenzo Cannone, another up-and-coming player whose powerful tackles have cemented his place in the Italian squad.

The Flying Fijians are going to need more firepower to match it with the All Blacks

The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. In 2022 Ireland beat England, Wales and Scotland but didn’t win the Six Nations tournament overall. Ireland were crowned Six Nations Grand Slam champions in 2023 thanks to a bonus point win against England in Dublin. One of the most important rules of the sport is that the ball can only be passed backwards. Finally, a player is allowed to attempt a drop-goal in play for three points.

• England who got to the semi-finals – the furthest of any of the Six Nations sides – at last autumn’s World Cup, are without several key players for this year’s championship.
• Ireland head into the World Cup as the number-one ranked side and have six players in the top 20.
• “I’ve played footy for 15 years since I finished high school, now I’ve got to go out and get a proper job.
• We run through their team, rating each player out of a possible 10.
• A kicker without a game is like going to a great restaurant and having nothing but a slice of white bread.
• The 21-year-old earned his first cap in 2022, when he came off the bench against Georgia.

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From there, the cumulative lists were averaged out to create the RugbyPass Top 100, an overall list of the 100 best players on the planet based primarily on test rugby performances in 2021. In doing so, five members from our editorial team – split between the northern and southern hemispheres – compiled their own lists of the top 100 players on the planet. With the eyes of the sport turning from the recently ended United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and Super Rugby seasons, it’s time to look at who the best players in the world are in 2024.

Jack Willis – England – Backrow

The wing is truly prolific personified and a dangerous threat whether he crosses for a try or sets one up. Les Bleus are likely to win most of their games and Penaud is a shoo-in for top try scorer making him a very strong pick. Physically, the 26-year-old is a powerful defender and strong ball carrier, who, at the time of writing, looks to be the ultimate bench option given his versatility.

• He is the only Fiji star to make the list and one of three tier two players to make the top 50.
• Given the hoopla in NZ over O’Mahony sledging Cane, if Ireland had simlarly abused NZ players and supporters after one of the matches in the test series we can assume the uproar would have been heard from space.
• Unfortunately for him, he sustained an injury during Toulouse’s victory over Bath in the Champions Cup.
• His teammate, Ardie Savea, is the only other member of Ian Foster’s squad that makes the list, as he comes in at number three.
• Flanker Tommy Reffell must be a nightmare to play against, such is his disruptive influence at the breakdown.
• A versatile and powerful forward who is comfortable in the second row, at blindside flanker or number eight, Cunningham-South will make his debut at the upcoming tournament.

George Martin – England – Utility Forward

While this has, at times, counted against him starting, his world-class ability has made him a British and Irish Lion, as well as a staple in the Irish match day 23. His performance against the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal is up there with the best individual showings of all time. Rugby in countries like the US has a long way to go to catch up in spending. The sport continues to gain popularity and may eventually land players on the list.

• He does not crave the spotlight and he has never chafed at not receiving the same headlines, but the glory is upon him now because he has earned it many times over.
• Scotland’s last championship title was the 1999 Five Nations and their last two World Cup campaigns have ended at the pool stage.
• As captain of La Rochelle, Gregory Alldritt is no stranger to being the leader of his side.
• McReight looked very good against the ABs but I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him excel against top opposition.
• It was “pretty tame” compared to when he first entered the NRL world.
• Was too easily brushed off by Earl and perhaps needed a bit more grunt at times.
• The unrelenting loose forward’s powerful ball-carrying, committed defence and immense work ethic have made him an integral player for the Kiwis, as reflected by his captaincy appointment for the Rugby Championship.
• “We’ve always been that rugby league player where people have done our health insurance and our pay and all that sort of stuff.
• Les Bleus are likely to win most of their games and Penaud is a shoo-in for top try scorer making him a very strong pick.

Rugby World Cup 2025

His wonderful performance against Argentina at the World Cup will go down in English Rugby history as one of the best individual performances in a white shirt. This is not meant to disparage Farrell’s contribution to English rugby, but his presence no doubt has hampered Ford. A master tactician with a sublime passing and kicking game, Ford is an old-school game manager in the best sense of the word. With his long-term teammate and friend now unavailable and seemingly on his way to the Top 14, Ford could prove to be both the first-choice fly-half and English captain this year. Despite featuring against Italy and France in the tournament, Williams did not crack the Welsh World Cup squad.

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Aki possess the rare skill of being able to generate tremendous power from a standing start, even against defence as robust as South Africa’s. Ben Earl is far and away England’s main man when it comes to carries. So much so, in fact, that he’s the only Englishman in the top ten here, and is the overall leader with 42. Fellow back rower Aaron Wainwright for Wales has also underlined his exceptional Championship – in an otherwise disappointing year for his country – with 38. Welsh fans may also be heartened by the precocious presence of fullback Cameron Winnett, who for many will have come from nowhere and sits third with 37 carries (see below for another impressive Winnett-related feat). Captain of two-time European Cup-winning Stade Rochelais, Alldritt is a key leader for the French national side.

Other England names to watch

Having been among the world’s premier players for some time now, Maro Itoje enjoyed another fruitful season in 2021. The veteran lock was a shining light in England’s below-par Six Nations campaign to become a regular test starter for the British and Irish Lions on their tour of South Africa. Itoje then capped off his year with a string of standout showings as England swept the Wallabies, Springboks and Tonga in the Autumn Nations Series. Of equal importance to the Hurricanes is the performance of their star centre, Jordie Barrett. Head coach Warren Gatland has been forced to pick one of the youngest squads of his career following retirements, transfers and injuries to key players. Arguably only the second true utility player on this list alongside Levani Botia, former sevens specialty Smith is one of the best back row players in the world.

Andrew Porter – Ireland – Prop

Two front rowers have been putting themselves about too, in prop Pierre Schoeman (36) and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi (34). Here is the full list of the highest-paid rugby players of 2024, compiled using data from Yahoo News, GQ Australia, and The Scotsman. The best players can earn lofty wages in the most popular rugby leagues worldwide. Owen Farrell, fly-half of Racing 92, tops the list as the highest-paid rugby player in the world for 2024.

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Lowe has “rapidly become one of the most exciting wings in international rugby”, said Rugby All Star. His performances for Ireland have been marked by “blistering pace, deft handling, and an uncanny ability to find the try line”. And, as his impressive attacking stats prove, he is a player who can “turn a game on its head with a single moment of brilliance”.

But first they’ll get to experience some seminars this week which will help with this next phase of their lives. There’s no time to rest though because Woods is busy working in multiple media gigs with Triple M and Fox League — something he’s been doing for a few years now. https://just-bet.org/login/ Realistically, it would be foolish of Borthwick not to cap him, given both his form and the threat of him defecting north of the border. Like Ford, Smith is a sharpshooting kicker, both with his tactical and goal kicking, and like Ford, he is a great passer of the ball.

Wales

That didn’t change in 2021, a year of which he earned a World Rugby Player of the Year nomination, and one could argue Hooper can feel hard done by that he wasn’t the outright winner of the award. Antoine Dupont needs no introduction, and few would disagree that he is the best player in the world right now. Not only can he display his skills on a 15s stage, but he has also started his 7s career with a bang, scoring a try on his debut for France. So far in his career, he has won the Six Nations with France and three top 14 titles with Toulouse.

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However, if the occasion calls for it, he is a more-than-able option in the centers or on the wing, making him a prized asset to the South Africa setup. Japan’s Rugby League One and France’s Top 14 have two players each among the top five highest-paid rugby players. One tier two player also makes the final cut, with Fiji’s outstanding centre-come-back-rower Levani Botia ranking 15th.

A dynamic ball carrier without a ridiculous work ethic, Porter has elevated himself to the status of world-class since making his debut in 2017. In January, the wealthy French club Racing 92 made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Russell had been making about $800,000 a year from Saracens, his home club since he was a teenager. For possibly the first time ever, New Zealand don’t head into the Rugby World Cup as favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, and that is reflected in the Telegraph’s picks. Sexton’s actions to Peyper was misconduct, and for the exact same reason Ioane’s actions to Irish supporters are citable as misconduct. Sexton was banned for abusing/disrespecting Peyper in what was the identical version of this for the Chamions League competition.

Russell signed for Bath in the English Premiership for $1 million in 2023. He’s also Scotland’s co-captain for their national squad and is a fly-half. An agreement has been put in place which will prevent France’s best players from touring New Zealand in 2025. Meanwhile, Hugo Keenan is the highest-ranked full-back, claiming 10th place overall; he is joined in the top 10 along with back-rower Caelan Doris (5th). Sensational outside back Will Jordan just cracks the top 20, taking the 20th place on the list.

• Fellow back rower Sam Underhill is making up for lost time in the England jersey and has five turnovers, with Maro Itoje and Gianmarco Lucchesi behind him on four.
• Clermont are the best sports fans in the World in any sport, never mind rugby.
• As the Barrett brothers have proven time and time again, it is hard to keep any of them down (especially when playing together).
• The 23-year-old has won only eight caps “but this could be the campaign where he really makes a name for himself”, said Wales Online.
• And when fielding under pressure he demonstrated the strength to keep the ball alive.

He backed up his good performance against the old enemy in the 2024 Six Nations, scoring a hat-trick – with each try coming from some individual brilliance. Our round-up of the finest rugby union players in the world right now. Lakapi Samoa, the nation’s rugby governing body, has not yet stated whether the head coach will continue in his current role. “It’s such a rollercoaster of emotions,” rugby player Stephanie Rovetti said. In a last-minute upset, the U.S. women’s rugby team beat out Australia in rugby sevens and claimed the bronze medal. Woods announced his retirement earlier this month after a 14-year career which included 269 NRL games, 14 games for New South Wales and 17 appearances for Australia.

English Premier League

• There is a further update on England’s coaching situation and it is not good news for Steve Borthwick.
• Realistically, it would be foolish of Borthwick not to cap him, given both his form and the threat of him defecting north of the border.
• 8 –  Aaron Wanwright – 7Wales’ best player last week continued his form here.
• From there, the cumulative lists were averaged out to create the RugbyPass Top 100, an overall list of the 100 best players on the planet based primarily on test rugby performances in 2021.
• Are you suggesting that we have a weakness at 10 because Manie has a problem place kicking?
• He doesn’t play State of Origin, which means he misses out on the shine afforded to that arena and despite playing some great football for New Zealand that’s often not celebrated as much as it should be.

The battle to sign former England captain Courtney Lawes appeared to be a straight shoot-out between Pro D2 promotion hopefuls Provence and Brive, but there is a potential spanner in the works. 5 – Adam Beard – 5A hefty presence at set piece, he couldn’t replicate that anywhere else on the park. Wales had the upper hand on a few metrics, but their engine doesn’t have the requisite torque to boss around the fringe.

Gustard spoke highly of ex-Saracens forward Jacques Burger, who he believed had many of the key characteristics of the best defenders in rugby. He’s had a pretty impressive resume, of course being very heavily involved with the Munster captaincy and was skipper there for a long time, albeit he has just stepped down,” Robshaw said of the Ireland captain. Any match that is not a full international between two member countries does not count at all.

“I’ve played footy for 15 years since I finished high school, now I’ve got to go out and get a proper job. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit nervous and scared because you’re going into the real world now. Woods, along with fellow retirees, will be celebrated on grand final day.

They will open this year’s tournament against favourites France, with the winner opening up the path to another perfect championship. Although it gives a team a great chance of overall success – winning the Triple Crown doesn’t always mean you win the Six Nations. The Grand Slam is the cherry on top of the cake for any team that has won the Six Nations, as this additional achievement is only awarded to a team that has won all of their matches during the tournament. The game is played by two teams of 15, with each team made up of eight forwards and seven backs. The sides all compete in one group with all the teams trying to win more points than the others. The team with the most points at the end of the tournament wins the championship.

During training for the World Cup, the team was getting prepared for a deep run in France. Then representatives from FRU came and promised that if they made the quarter-finals, they would receive a bonus. When the World Cup started, they hadn’t been paid and by the time they reached the quarter-finals, they never received the bonus that was promised.

The Centenary Quaich named after a Gaelic drinking dish, the ‘Quaich’ has been presented to the winners of the Ireland against Scotland since 1989 and won by Ireland in 2023. The four home nations also compete for various trophies, including the the Millennium trophy which has been given to the winner of the Six Nations match between England and Ireland since 1988. The trophy itself looks a little bit like a Viking helmet with horns. The Triple Crown is given to the team that defeats all the other original home nations and only England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are able to win it. A match is split into two 40-minute halves – the aim of the game is to score more points than the other team through tries, conversions, penalty kicks and drop goals. Scotland’s last championship title was the 1999 Five Nations and their last two World Cup campaigns have ended at the pool stage.

In this new reality, Andy Farrell, Warren Gatland and Steve Borthwick have the unenviable, yet exciting, opportunity to set the foundations of their respective squads as they build toward Australia 2027. He has been the man, the one, a king with headgear for a crown, the very best of this whole damn sport. There might be other stars on the day, and Cleary still has a fair claim to being the best player in the world, but this year has belonged to Hughes. This year, he hit a new level entirely and the other three have all found something close to their best, which is why the Storm are back in the grand final. Eli Katoa won second rower of the year on Wednesday night, in no small part due to his combination with Hughes, and he talks about his halfback like he’s a coach on the field, which he pretty much is at this point. He can hit holes as easily as he puts people in them, he can slice through the defence or straighten up and create the space for someone else to do it for him.

• That’s why RugbyPass has undertaken a comprehensive deep dive into the last 12 months of test rugby to formulate an answer of our own.
• He started on the Gold Coast, where he played Under 20s until he got one NRL game in 2013, before heading north to the Cowboys, where he eventually played another.
• It was revealed that FRU had been withholding payments to not just those three players but the entire team and their staff.
• Similarly, the impact that experienced Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth provides to South Africa cannot be questioned, especially given his output at international level last year.
• Wales have finished fifth in the Six Nations for the past two years having won just two of their last 11 games in the Championship.
• This year, he hit a new level entirely and the other three have all found something close to their best, which is why the Storm are back in the grand final.
• While he only featured in one Test, Blackadder looms as one of the All Blacks most exciting prospects coming through the ranks, and certainly has already established himself in the Crusaders line up.

He’s the only other player on the list to earn over $1 million a year for his services. The former Scotland centre turned schools coach is taking a holistic approach to developing young players. Bestowed the crown of World Rugby Player of the Year in 2021, the recent renaissance of French rugby has largely centred around halfback Antoine Dupont. While France are currently blessed with a raft of talented youngsters who have thrust Les Bleus back to the peak of their powers, few wield the influence Dupont has on both his team and the matches he plays in. Being central to such a significant comeback after years of dormancy deserves recognition, hence why Dupont has claimed top spot in the RugbyPass Top 100. FloRugby broadcasts dozens of international rugby matches throughout the year, including the summer rugby internationals from July to September.

If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. With the likes of Mark Telea and Will Jordan keeping him from returning to the All Black line up, Reece will be hoping to push his case to return to the national side – but he has a lot of competition. An effective kicker, dangerous in broken play and a strong finisher, the decision to re-sign him for two years is a strong indication of his potential as an attacking weapon.

Rampaging second row Federico Ruzza is a cornerstone of the Italian pack, and he is evidently their target man at this set-piece, taking 17 lineouts in three matches. While Wales’ lineout has faltered at key moments, back rower Aaron Wainwright (15) and lock Dafydd Jenkins (12) have been the go-tos in this area. Tadhg Beirne, Ollie Chessum and Scott Cummings are all level with Jenkins in third.

Despite representing England at age group level, Arron Reed will make his debut for Scotland at the upcoming Six Nations. The Sale Sharks winger had reportedly garnered the interest of Steve Borthwick before being snapped up by Gregor Townsend. Emmanuel Meafou will be looking to make a statement at the 2024 Six Nations. Standing at 6 foot 8 and weighing 145 kg, this commanding lock is a firm favourite amongst Toulouse fans. At just 20 years old, Cunningham-South is already forging a fierce reputation.

With Scott Barrett also captaining the Crusaders, Jordie will also be desperate to get his hands on a Super Rugby title. This will be a year of significant growth for the talented loose forward, with spots now wide open and a chance to impress his former coach, Scott Robertson. After a strong year in Super Rugby that saw the Crusaders retain their title, Blackadder was called into the All Blacks squad for the World Cup as an injury cover. While he only featured in one Test, Blackadder looms as one of the All Blacks most exciting prospects coming through the ranks, and certainly has already established himself in the Crusaders line up. A shoo-in for the Blues starting XV, he looms as one of their most dangerous attacking weapons and one of the best finishers in the competition.

Nicknamed the ‘Italian wonder kid’, Ange Capuozzo will compete at his third Six Nations in 2024. Seemingly unstoppable, Italian fans have high hopes that he will soon become one of their best Six Nations players of all-time. Ringrose achieved new heights at the 2023 Six Nations, scoring Ireland’s winning try against France. Commenting on his performance, O’Driscoll praised Ringrose’s ability to disrupt and halt oncoming attacks. But which players could make their mark at this year’s Six Nations?

The first game of the tournament is between two sides tipped to win this year’s competition with France taking on Ireland in Marseille on Friday 2 February. Now, if he impresses new head coach Gonzalo Quesada, Varney could be the danger man as Italy look to fire in attack like they never have before to challenge the likes of Wales, England, and Scotland. Stephen Varney was brought up in Wales but opted to represent Italy to honour his grandparents. A good friend of newest NFL recruit Louis Rees-Zammit, Varney has been a consistent player in Italy’s squad since 2020. There has been a lot of change in the Italy camp heading into this tournament and so Michele Lamaro will want to be the consistent, guiding force as they look to try and finally avoid the wooden spoon.