100 Best Rugby Players In The World: Here’s The Full List

He is the only Fiji star to make the list and one of three tier two players to make the top 50. No England players have been selected in a top 20 list of the world’s best rugby players ahead of the Rugby World Cup. 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.

‘So much for the All Blacks’ no d–kheads policy’: Rieko Ioane accused of filthy sledge

In response to these allegations, he FRU has disputed claims the bonuses weren’t paid or that players were left without their paychecks for long periods of time. They have also recently authorised an audit of player payments in response to the allegations made by its star players. List of England national rugby union players is a list of people who have played for the England national rugby union team.

George Martin – England – Utility Forward

Taking to the international stage like a duck to water, Crowley already has featured in several significant test matches. Jack Crowley took full control of the backup position at the 2023 Rugby World Cup; the uber-talented Munster star already has shown all of the hallmarks required of a top-quality international. The competition will feature the same 10 teams from the 2023–24 season. Host Darcie McDonald is joined by former NRL winger Josh Mansour to bring you your daily dose of NRL conversation. The team give you context and depth beyond the headlines in this footy conversation that’s equal parts thoughtful, insightful and fun.

Other Italy players to watch

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”.

Australia – Massive Rebuilding Job

Italian Rugby’s crown jewel, Capuozzo is the sprinkling of magic dust that takes the Azzurri backline to another level whenever he is fit and firing. Argentina’s captain is a no-nonsense, blue-collar worker who does the dirty work so his teammates can shine. Joining his fellow Irish centers, Henshaw is a hybrid of Aki and Ringrose, with the ability to slot into both the 12 and 13 shirts seamlessly.

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The Leinster player has also shown his abilities down the wing during the 2024 Six Nations, including with a fast-paced try against Italy in round two – which also displayed his power. He has cemented himself into Andy Farrell’s side and has already won a Grand Slam title. No. 8 Ardie Savea was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year in 2023 after picking up a silver medal at the Rugby World Cup. Savea’s standout performance in the tournament held in France came in the quarter-final, where his scoring prowess aided his team to victory over Ireland. He has also added his leadership skills to the All Blacks, captaining the team on multiple occasions.

Hookers

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.

Ex-Crusaders star singles out the All Black whose stock rose during Rugby Championship

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. 10 –  Ioan Lloyd – 7.5Dallied on the ball and, like a sacked quarterback, was monstered by Maro Itoje under his own sticks. The young fly-half was brave and skilful, showing great ambition in his play when kicking or running. Could have benefited from more punch through the rush, but didn’t need a midfield thanks to his sniper-accurate cross-kicks. Showed that last week’s tricks weren’t just a consequence the hopeless situation.

Jamaica celebrate winning return to test rugby

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.

United Rugby Championship

They will have to do so without the “talismanic figure” of Johnny Sexton, who has retired. Jack Crowley looks likely to take over as the new playmaker at No. 10 and experienced Munster flanker Peter O’Mahony is the new captain, reported Sky News. And with the key games against France and England being away from Dublin, back-to-back Grand Slams would be a “real achievement”, said the paper. Scotland also won the Calcutta Cup last year – the oldest trophy in international rugby is presented to the winner of the Six Nations England vs Scotland match.

Damian De Allende – South Africa – Center

The captain behind South Africa’s World Cup success in 2019, Siya Kolisi’s influence and leadership within the Springboks squad was a significant reason behind their series triumph over the British and Irish Lions. It was also a major reason behind their exhilarating victory over the All Blacks on the Gold Coast, as was his exceptional defensive and breakdown work. It’s hard to imagine if the Springboks would be the world’s top-ranked side without Kolisi, who will no doubt be instrumental in their World Cup title defence next year. Wing Duhan van der Merwe is lethal with ball in hand and some space. Arguably his best try scored was against England in the 2023 Six Nations, where he beat five defenders and ran 55m.

• The captain behind South Africa’s World Cup success in 2019, Siya Kolisi’s influence and leadership within the Springboks squad was a significant reason behind their series triumph over the British and Irish Lions.
• He’s the only other player on the list to earn over $1 million a year for his services.
• The sides all compete in one group with all the teams trying to win more points than the others.

Johnny Sexton v Rieko Ioane and rugby’s most infamous chirps, trash talk and sledges ever

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. Plus Brodie Croft wasn’t really working at halfback and because Craig Bellamy is Craig Bellamy and he very rarely misses an opportunity, he got Hughes feeding the scrums a few weeks before the 2019 finals series began. Slater retired at the end of 2018, Drinkwater won his job in the next pre-season only to be injured in the final trial and Hughes assumed the role. Nathan Cleary, whose head-to-head battle with Hughes is the best individual showdown the grand final has to offer, thought so. The voting body is made up of a select group of ex-players only we don’t know which ones anymore because their names aren’t made public anymore, which was supposed to increase the integrity of the votes somehow. 6 – Alex Mann – 6.5Scored his Test second try after as many matches thanks to lovely supporting run for Williams after Tommy Reffell bust through a gap.

Libbok miss sees Ireland return to the top of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings

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.

RG Snyman to make Leinster debut as Hugo Keenan returns to 15-a-side game

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 https://just-bet.org/bet/ 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.

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.

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Rassie Erasmus has transformed this Springbok side into one of the greatest teams of all time, and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Add to that the fact that this team has now won nearly everything available to them, and they become even more impressive. Following the conclusion of the 2024 Six Nations, we rated all the players who featured in the Championship, next up, fifth-placed finishers, Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy. A contender for player of the 2023 World Cup by the end of the group stage because of his barnstorming runs, power in the tackle and work over the ball.

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.

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.

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. This was the fifth edition of these rankings, and as usual, several players moved up or fell off last year’s lists. We got ex-England captain Chris Robshaw to speak about leadership, where he explained all the different leaders and captains in a rugby squad. The former back-rower picked out Ireland skipper Peter O’Mahony, who led his country to another Six Nations title in 2024. Russell is “a fly-half known for his attacking instincts”, said Rugby World. He can produce a host of “kicks, flicks and tricks to create try-scoring opportunities for himself and his team-mates”.

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.

Flanker Tommy Reffell must be a nightmare to play against, such is his disruptive influence at the breakdown. Followers of Reffell since his fledgling days with the U20s and Leicester will say it was ever thus, and won’t be surprised to see him atop the list of turnovers won. 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. Most surprising, perhaps, is the presence of Reffell’s former Tigers teammate George Ford among these turnover titans. Bendon recently undertook the daunting task of ranking the top 100 rugby players in the world. His annual salary of $900,000 establishes him as the fourth highest-paid rugby player.

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.

Rugby World Cup hosts France have six players in the top 20, starting with full-back Thomas Ramos in 16th place with hooker Julien Marchand in 13th. 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. In short, NZ rugby did not take responsibility for the disrespect shown to Irish players, Irish supporters and Ireland. In a year where the All Blacks struggled to reach the lofty goals they expect of themselves, Ardie Savea stood head and shoulders above his peers as the best New Zealand had to offer. 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.

• “I’ve played footy for 15 years since I finished high school, now I’ve got to go out and get a proper job.
• 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.
• The emergence of young loose forwards like Carlo Tizzano and Fraser McReight was a huge plus, while the growth of Harry Wilson was impressive.
• The 21-year-old earned his first cap in 2022, when he came off the bench against Georgia.
• A kicker without a game is like going to a great restaurant and having nothing but a slice of white bread.

Is there a team with more depth in world rugby right now than the Springboks? No team in the world can match the depth the Springboks have, and it was fully on display in the Rugby Championship, which they won after losing only once. The All Blacks are rarely second-best, let alone third-best, but this year they finished third in the tournament.

Born in France, Capuozzo qualified for Italy through his paternal grandparents. He made his international debut at the 2022 tournament, where he scored a brace against Scotland. In the next game, he set up Edoardo Padovani’s winning try against Wales. Every year, the Six Nations showcases some of rugby union’s greatest players.

The FRU have demonstrated some of the most disgraceful and disgusting management I have ever seen for a rugby team. Nayacalevu also said that during the team’s trip to England, the card that the team used to pay for excess luggage was rejected since there was no money on it at all. In addition, since there was no money on the card or no money given to the team, coach Mick Byrne had to pay for the laundry for the entire team out of his own pocket. On the other hand, France star Ramos is a strong contender for the top-point scorer in the Six Nations as he is in almost every competition he plays in. As a goal-kicker, there are few more reliable than the versatile playmaker who will not only create tries.

Making his senior debut for Leinster last season in the URC, he has begun to get more first-team opportunities this season. Quite possibly, the most talented 20-year-old in professional rugby, Sam Prendergast dominated the U20 circuit for the past few seasons. Like Crowley, Cian Frawley is a versatile operator who can play fly-half, center and fullback to a high standard. However, he has looked best when wearing the No. 10 shirt and has been in Andy Farrell’s thinking regarding the fly-half berth.

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.

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.