The once-intimidating aura of the All Blacks seems to have faded.They are by no means in crisis like the Wallabies, but at the moment, they aren’t performing at a level that puts them among the elite. The Wallabies finished last, with only a last-minute win against Argentina in South America to their name. Australian rugby is clearly feeling the effects of a disruptive tenure under Eddie Jones.Joe Schmidt has a massive job ahead of him. The Wallabies are in the doldrums and need a significant boost in quality in their forward pack, particularly in the tight five, as well as finding a flyhalf capable of controlling the game. The 2024 Rugby Championship was filled with thrilling encounters between four of the top rugby nations. Bet Central takes a look at how all the teams fared in this year’s competition.

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12 – Nick Tompkins  – 4Struggled to provide any strike force through midfield. Also guilty for giving the ball away after a 24 phase move when he recklessly chucked an off-load from the ground. Worse perhaps was the custard-soft penalty he gave away when Adams kicked from his own in-goal area to gift England three points. 13 – George North – 5.5Was mostly quiet but had the most penetrating run of any Welsh back looking to punch through England’s line. Needed to have more of those impacts with ball in hand, but his larger frame was a weapon on the counter ruck. One shove in particular on 67 minutes procured a turnover against a possible overlap.

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When I look at Goosen for example, he was overplayed badly back in his younger days and IMHO never really reached the heights he should have done. It’s a question every rugby fan has an answer for, but rarely are any two answers the same. Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live. In the last minute before the final try, teammate Kristi Kirshe said she just had to “stay in it.” It took until the very last play to secure their win, when Alex Sedrick stiff-armed her way past Australia’s defense and ended up converting her own kick — and she’s not a kicker.

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Was also a menace at the breakdown, coming up momentum swinging steals in both halves, and made more tackles than any other Welshman. 2 – Elliot Dee – 6On a long list, it was the line-out that was most abject in Wales’ game last week. Dee’s accuracy here meant England wouldn’t get handed free balls at the set-piece. It was a brave call to go to the back of the line within striking distance, but it worked and Wales won a penalty try from the subsequent maul. As the Barrett brothers have proven time and time again, it is hard to keep any of them down (especially when playing together).

TOURNAMENTS

That’s neither here nor there because NZ rugby and their fans (if this site is a reflection) don’t value our respect. This is the standard that World Rugby expects all rugby nations including New Zealand to adhere to. Respect for team-mates, opponents, match officials and those involved in the game is paramount. A surprising amount of people were happy when the Irish team beat the All Blacks as it was good for the game.

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With Biggar now retired from international rugby, and Gareth Anscombe playing his club rugby in Japan, Costelow is the last remaining fly-half option from Wales’ 2023 Rugby World Cup squad. An already established member of the All Blacks’ starting 23, Anton Lienert-Brown will be hoping to kick-start a stronger season in Waikato. Walking into their starting side with the likes of Lalomilo Lalomilo and Alex Nankivell departing the team, 2023 felt like like Lienert-Brown was still finding his feet again after an injury-ridden 2022 season. The fastest player ever to reach 40 tries in Super Rugby, Sevu Reece, in partnership with former Crusader Leicester Fainga’anuku, was a major reason behind their team’s insane ability to score tries. A ruthless finisher, Reece is still no less of a threat out on the wings for Canterbury, and many backlines will have their work cut out just trying to shut him down.

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Was too easily brushed off by Earl and perhaps needed a bit more grunt at times. 1 – Gareth Thomas  – 6Won a big scrum penalty after a stodgy sequence when the game was scoreless, allowing Wales to scratch out a foothold. Sinned when he went early on another scrum when Wales had the feed on England’s line. 9 – Tomos Williams – 6.5It was his frenetic spark that turned the game against Scotland last week.

George Martin – England – Utility Forward

• Every year, the Six Nations showcases some of rugby union’s greatest players.
• The new voting system, where a player can get six points in a single match, means a late-season run can overshadow a season of consistency, as we saw with Kalyn Ponga pipping Shaun Johnson last year.
• Growing up in Sydney, Woods concedes he “didn’t really have a plan B because I just wanted to be a rugby league player”.
• He was once a good footballer who could play in the halves and slowly he turned himself into what he is now, which is a great half.
• ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help us rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from quarterback to cornerback and all positions in between.
• The Wallabies are in the doldrums and need a significant boost in quality in their forward pack, particularly in the tight five, as well as finding a flyhalf capable of controlling the game.

Aki possesses the rare skill of being able to generate tremendous power from a standing start, even against a defence as robust as South Africa’s. At times erratic but invariably brilliant, Penaud is already one of the greatest finishers of all time and is just three tries short of equalling the national record of 38 held by Serge Blanco. There are quicker wings but few with the try-scoring finesse of the electric 27-year-old. To round off the Perfect Player series, we tasked Easter, Bernard Jackman and Adam Jones to select their perfect player, a star who ticked all the above boxes. But from the 2024 Six Nations crop of players, Gustard highlighted one of his club players, France lock Paul Gabrillagues.

Top 10 offensive tackles

The return of Len Ikitau also provided much-needed defensive strength and attacking creativity. Some of the changes he made, like the elevation of Tomás Albornoz, gave the team more control in terms of game management, resulting in major improvements. There is plenty for Contepomi to build on with this Los Pumas side. There is a further update on England’s coaching situation and it is not good news for Steve Borthwick.

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We got insight from one of Scotland’s all-time greats, Chris Paterson, who was quick to praise Toulouse star Blair Kinghorn. Rugby is a collision sport, which means that power in contact is a bare minimum for players. However, some players are physical beasts on the pitch, and we got insight from ex-England back-rower Nick Easter about who the most powerful player in the 2024 Six Nations is. Planet Rugby teamed up with Two Cents Rugby, eToro and a host of former players and coaches to answer that question.

Andrew Porter – Ireland – Prop

Handrè Pollard is the definition of a clutch player – always there to depend on in the tough moments. Aaron Woods always wanted to be a rugby league player – but the talented media performer, unsurprisingly, would’ve been talking people’s ears off if he wasn’t one. For some of the boys playing in the national team, playing for the Flying Fijians is how food gets put on the table for their families and they can’t support their families if they don’t get paid. I wholeheartedly agree with Botia’s statement that FRU should not expect the best out of their players if they are not able to pay the players who decided to join them. He also noted that had FRU kept their promises, the players that represented their country would be more focused on the upcoming games rather than the payments that FRU had either failed or refused to give them.

Defence – Paul Gabrillagues

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.

• Last year, with Ireland winning all their matches to secure the Grand Slam, they also won the Triple Crown.
• This was the fifth edition of these rankings, and as usual, several players moved up or fell off last year’s lists.
• Rangy runs, athletic grabs under high balls, he also offered a target at the line-out.
• He was a good footballer though, fast and tough and smart and brave, the kind of player who could play anywhere and find a way to do a good job of it, and that was more than enough.
• Slotting into a star-studded Toulouse backline, the diminutive dynamo is one of the most exciting attacking talents in the world.
• 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.

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. The Scarlets’ playmaker “remains a work in progress” but is “highly regarded” by the Wales management, and seen as a player with an “extremely bright future on the international circuit”. Last year, with Ireland winning all their matches to secure the Grand Slam, they also won the Triple Crown. There’s not just the tournament winners title up for grabs, the Six Nations teams compete to win various other trophies.

Slotting into a star-studded Toulouse backline, the diminutive dynamo is one of the most exciting attacking talents in the world. England’s lost soldier, and yet another Toulouse player, how Willis remains ineligible due to selection rules is one of the greatest travesties in rugby. While he is no slouch, De Allende is the first player to volunteer himself to run into a brick wall to create space for his flashy teammates. Shining whenever given the opportunity, the little magician will return the All Blacks attack to scarily good levels this season.

Fresh from his mid-season break, Alldritt is expected to lead from the front for France, his power and commanding presence in the pack giving his side confidence. Head coach Warren Gatland believes he can grow into an Alun Wyn Jones-style of leader- the highest of compliments for the young man. Potentially the best scrum-half in England at the moment after an incredible season with Northampton, Alex Mitchell could really come into his own at this tournament. In addition to Ringrose, Irish supporters will be excited to watch new captain, Peter O’Mahony. Farrell will be hoping that O’Mahony can fill the void left by behemoth Johnny Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. All eyes will also be on hooker and new England captain, Jamie George.

United Rugby Championship

Like Reed, Scotland’s Six Nations squad features three other uncapped players. Most noteworthy is loosehead prop Alec Hepburn, who earned six caps for England in 2018. Additionally, Will Hurd and Harry Paterson will make their debuts.

• A host of rugby’s most gifted players will go head to head over the coming weeks in the 25th instalment of the Guinness Six Nations.
• So, as the rugby world awaits the imminent squad announcements, here are three fly-half options for each nation who should get the first crack at the whip in 2024.
• Now a first-choice selection on New Zealand’s team sheet, another big year beckons for Jordan in 2022 as he looks to maintain his immaculate strike rate.
• A good friend of newest NFL recruit Louis Rees-Zammit, Varney has been a consistent player in Italy’s squad since 2020.
• Finally, a player is allowed to attempt a drop-goal in play for three points.
• Bendon recently undertook the daunting task of ranking the top 100 rugby players in the world.
• Somewhat of a throwback in his style of play, Kremer is the enforcer in a gnarly Argentine pack that never takes a backwards step.

4 – Dafydd Jenkins – 4.5A totem at the line-out, he lacked enough grunt to punch holes through the rush defence. 11 – Rio Dyer – 6.5This felt like a more senior, accomplished performance from Dyer. His darting runs – like the one where he reached the safe ty of his 22 after collecting a pass under his own poles – weren’t just brave, they were calculated.

Like his clubmate, Costelow, Ioan Lloyd possesses a strong running game and a clever short- to mid-range kicking game that could work a treat with the dangerous Welsh backs. The 2024 Six Nations brings with it more change than just about any of the previous ten editions of rugby’s oldest international tournament. Over the past two seasons, when Papenhuyzen was cast into injury hell, when Munster and Grant grappled with the ravages of rep football and struggled for club consistency, it has been Hughes who bore the weight. Cronk arrived at the Storm as a true utility and player five-eighth, hooker and lock.

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.

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. McReight looked very good against the ABs but I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him excel against top opposition. Ioane also makes disrespectful gestures to the Irish crowd twice, which is a citable offense and misconduct under the same regulation that Sexton was disciplined for abusing Peyper. He was as fast as Christian Cullen, had a pass on him as good as Quade Cooper’s and a Roger Gould boot. His telling off of Sacha was very much the right thing but hopefully not too late.

The towering second rower was at his physically confrontational best as he narrowed in on a century of test matches throughout 2021. Epitomising what it takes to be a hard man at the elite level of the game, no opposition forward was safe from Etzebeth’s wrath as he stamped his authority to remain among game’s the elite locks. One half of an all-star French halves combination, Romain Ntamack continues to emerge as one of rugby’s most promising young players. Still only 22-years-old, Ntamack has acted as a pillar of France’s recent rejuvenation in test rugby, having starred in a variety of matches from the No 10 jersey.

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.

Are you suggesting that we have a weakness at 10 because Manie has a problem place kicking? A kicker without a game is like going to a great restaurant and having nothing but a slice of white bread. However, in essence, the RugbyPass Top 100 is a celebration of the stars who shone the brightest on rugby’s biggest stage last year. 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. Edinburgh have confirmed they expect to be without full-back Emiliano Boffelli for a large chunk of the season as the Argentine star prepares for further surgery on a longstanding back problem. Others are preparing to represent their countries at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris in the rugby sevens tournament.

He was not a halfback until he was and once he was he willed himself into being one of the best of all time. Hughes’ rugby league story begins in Queensland, where he spent years wandering through underage and lower-grade football. Memories can fade, but medals don’t and accolades like the Dally M are how we talk to each other about rugby league history across time, so getting it right matters. The new voting system, where a player can get six points in a single match, means a late-season run can overshadow a season of consistency, as we saw with Kalyn Ponga pipping Shaun Johnson last year. The Dally Ms aren’t always an easy thing to believe in and they can be even harder to set your compass by as you wade through rugby league history, trying to sort things out.

Clermont are the best sports fans in the World in any sport, never mind rugby. French fans generally are amongst the best in the World, so they are right up there. Anyone who has been to Buenos Aires will tell you how great Argentina is, with a real party atmosphere and passion that can’t be beaten. South Africa is always great and the vast majority of their fans are brilliant. I’ve been plucked from the crowd and invited into corporate boxes on several occasions.

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.

Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. https://just-bet.org/ Fans will disagree on who they believe would make the top 10, with all manner of factors to consider – with trophies, scoring ability and leadership skills all involved.