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South Africa prop Ox Nche <\/p>\n
The cornerstone of South Africa\u2019s bench bomb squad, Ox Nche\u2019s introduction swung the semi-final against England in a string of impactful performances as a prop replacement. Angus Bell was the bright spot in a tough tournament for Australia, while if Argentina\u2019s Thomas Gallo can add a bit more prowess in the tight to his dynamic running game he will be a prop star.<\/p>\n
Hooker: Peato Mauvaka, France<\/strong><\/p>\n France hooker Peato Mauvaka <\/p>\n A breakout tournament for the France hooker, showing off his ridiculous physical gifts but also emerging as a consistent nuts-and-bolts front rower after the injury to Julien Marchand. Bongi Mbonambi wasn\u2019t far away, and a word for Jamie George, too, who had to shoulder plenty of load in England\u2019s front row.<\/p>\n Tighthead prop: Luke Tagi, Fiji<\/strong><\/p>\n Fiji prop Luke Tagi <\/p>\n Tonga\u2019s Ben Tameifuna was an unsung hero of the pool stages and Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand) will be pleased with his tournament, but Fiji\u2019s Luke Tagi gets our nod on the tighthead. His ability to anchor at scrum-time has solidified the set piece while Tagi was an ever-willing and destructive carrier across the park.<\/p>\n Lock: Eben Etzebeth, South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth celebrates<\/p>\n It\u2019s impossible to leave out the Cape Town colossus, immense in the quarter-final against France. The lock sets a physical tone but, unlike the Springbok enforcers of old, almost always plays within the bounds of the law. Teammates RG Snyman and Franco Mostert also went well.<\/p>\n Lock: Scott Barrett, New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n New Zealand’s Scott Barrett (right) leaps for a lineout <\/p>\n All three Barrett brothers were in contention for our composite selection, which says everything about a remarkable set of siblings. Scott simply does not have a weakness to his game, and now steps up to lead the All Blacks\u2019 engine room with both Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock bowing out.<\/p>\n Blindside flanker: Pieter-Steph du Toit, South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n Pieter-Steph du Toit was player of the match in the final <\/p>\n Big game player; big game hunter. 28 tackles in the final from Pieter-Steph du Toit, many of them monstrous, to complete another outstanding World Cup. Courtney Lawes is unfortunate to miss out and, though very different stylistically, Manuel Ardao was one of Uruguay\u2019s best.<\/p>\n Openside flanker: Nicolas Martins, Portugal<\/strong><\/p>\n Nicolas Martins scored Portugal\u2019s try against Wales <\/p>\n We are spoilt for choice on the openside, with all of Jac Morgan, Levani Botia, Marcos Kremer and Siya Kolisi meriting consideration. But let\u2019s give some love to Portugal and the outstanding Nicolas Martins, who was excellent in all facets throughout. Despite not featuring in the knockout rounds, Martins finished as the seventh top tackler at the tournament and combines lineout spring with more traditional openside ability.<\/p>\n Number eight: Ardie Savea, New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n Ardie Savea enjoyed an oustanding tournament <\/p>\n Ben Earl came close having been probably England\u2019s most consistent player across the campaign and both Gregory Alldritt and Caelan Doris would have been in the mix had their sides gone further, but Ardie Savea was a level above the rest of the number eight field. A blockbuster ball carrier, savvy scavenger and increasingly important leader \u2013 Savea can do it all, even if South Africa so impressively shut him down in the final. <\/p>\n Scrum half: Aaron Smith, New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n Aaron Smith has concluded his international career <\/p>\n There was no fairytale ending to his All Blacks career for the retiring No 9, who endured not only a heartbreaking one-point defeat in his 125th and final Test appearance but also saw his second-half try chalked off by the TMO for an earlier Savea knock on. Had an immense tournament however, as he got the New Zealand backline firing after concerns during the World Cup cycle \u2013 brilliantly managing them to victory in the quarter-final win over Ireland especially. A huge ask of a scrum half succession line featuring Finlay Christie and talented but raw Cam Roigard to replace him.<\/p>\n Fly half: Johnny Sexton, Ireland<\/strong><\/p>\n Johnny Sexton became Ireland\u2019s record points scorer before heading into retirement<\/p>\n Another retiring legend who didn\u2019t quite get the finish he wanted but showed he hadn\u2019t lost a step at the end of his career. Flawless from the tee and still the best game manager in the world at 10, as proven by masterminding the pool-stage win over South Africa \u2013 the greatest World Cup victory in Ireland\u2019s history (a slightly depressing thought in itself). Drove standards in the Irish camp until the end, making everyone around him better and was fitting that even in the final seconds of his Test career, he was still running the fly half wraparound that he has perfected over the years, albeit this time to no avail. Richie Mo\u2019unga just misses out on the spot here.<\/p>\n Wing: Damian Penaud, France<\/strong><\/p>\n Damian Penaud was brilliant before France\u2019s quarter-final exit <\/p>\n Penaud\u2019s ascent to be the most complete winger in world rugby was finished before the World Cup but this tournament just cemented that fact. While his young running mate Louis Bielle-Barrey was exposed by the Springboks\u2019 inspired kicking game in the quarter-finals, Penaud\u2019s ability to read the game, position himself correctly and then return kicks in kind kept Les Bleus in the contest. His running with ball in hand and attacking vision proved to be almost unstoppable and his finishing prowess is equally unquestioned, as shown by the six tries he helped himself to across the World Cup. <\/p>\n Inside centre: Bundee Aki, Ireland<\/strong><\/p>\n Bundee Aki is a contender for World Rugby Player of the Year <\/p>\n Damian de Allende and especially Jordie Barrett, who was the puzzle piece that unlocked the All Blacks backline, are unlucky to miss out but Bundee Aki was simply astonishing at inside centre and was the Player of the Tournament up until his quarter-final departure. At that point he topped the tournament rankings for carries, dominant carries and defenders beaten, while also leading the Irish charts for offloads and line-breaks. His absurdly powerful carrying gave Ireland continuous front-foot, quick ball and he showed his flair with a superb try against New Zealand, jinking inside two defenders despite being off-balance, fending off another and powering through a gap to score. Was similarly an absolute monster in defence.<\/p>\n Outside centre: Jesse Kriel, South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n South Africa\u2019s Jesse Kriel celebrates after winning the World Cup final<\/p>\n \ufeffThe picture of a bloody and bruised Kriel, grinning away after the quarter-final win over France may well sum up the Springboks’ entire campaign. He was superb in that game, making 13 tackles as the brick wall at the heart of the South African defence and was a tone-setter throughout the tournament. He showed his attacking prowess with a precise grubber kick through for Cheslin Kolbe’s try and early-tournament talk about Lukhanyo Am returning from injury to reclaim the No 13 jersey for the big games soon faded thanks to Kriel’s vice-like grip on it.<\/p>\n Wing: Will Jordan, New Zealand<\/strong><\/p>\n New Zealand wing Will Jordan scored eight tries across the tournament <\/p>\n The final may not have been his best game, with limited touches and having his lunch money taken in a tackle by a Cheslin Kolbe-Kwagga Smith combination, but you don\u2019t equal the all-time try-scoring record at a World Cup and miss out on team of the tournament. The best, most electric finisher in world rugby who can score from anywhere in any way. The semi-final hat-trick against Argentina brought him level with Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea for eight in a single tournament and his third try showed his class \u2013 starting in his own 22, Jordan weaved between three defenders, then chipped over another on halfway before collecting his own kick to race in for the score. Argentina\u2019s Emiliano Boffelli and Ireland\u2019s James Lowe also had good tournaments.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/10\/29\/10\/newFile-3.jpg\")
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