It was quite good fun to be part of a selection committee that sat today to choose a RWC Team of the tournament … The other two on the panel were Sport24 colleagues Rob Houwing (chief writer) and Garrin Lambley (managing editor).
Seven All Blacks crack the nod, but the team also includes three South Africans, despite their controversial exit at the quarter-final stage at the hands of Australia: hooker Bismarck du Plessis, flank Schalk Burger and lock Victor Matfield.
I was the man entrusted with choosing the tightforwards, and two of the Boks to make the side:
5 – Tighthead lock
Victor Matfield – He may have missed out on the last two rounds, and perhaps a controversial pick given that he also missed two games due to injury, but the Springbok legend did more than enough in the lineouts and kick ins when on the field to sneak into our team.
Honourable mention: Luke Charteris (Wales)
4 – Loosehead lock
James Horwill – A late call from Australian coach Robbie Deans to install Horwill as captain of the canary yellows seemed to inspire the man to performances not seen from him prior to the tournament. Absolutely immense in the tightloose.
Honourable mention: Brad Thorn (New Zealand)
3 – Tighthead prop
Owen Franks – The People’s choice might be the hairy firebrand we have given an honourable mention, but for an immovable object with a spine cut from titanium and straighter than your headmaster’s cane, look no further than the All Black tighthead.
Honourable mention: Martin Castrogiavanni (Italy)
2 – Hooker
Bismarck du Plessis – Perhaps a controversial selection in that he started only one game, but on plain playing ability, and more importantly, the ability to change the course of a game, the Springbok impact player had no peer in the tournament.
Honourable mention: Kevin Meealamu (New Zealand)
1 – Loosehead prop
Tony Woodcock – Keeping Cantabrian Wyatt Crockett out of the All Black side is one thing, putting in performances rendering him a Super Rugby memory is extraordinary. His try in the final was the icing on a perfectly baked scrumming cake!
Honourable mention: Cian Healy (Ireland)
CLICK HERE to see the full team …
And CLICK HERE to vote for the Sport24 readers team of the RWC …
Super Bru winners …
On 60.75 points, the winner of the Front Row Grunt Rugby World Cup Superbru pool is Bruce Robinson … aka “Turtle”! The FRG shirt and Keg King voucher is yours!
Bruce managed to keep PurpleDragon, Stormer cK and 88Phillips88, who all ended on a more than respectable 60.5 points, at bay.
Bruce takes home a Front Row Grunt slogan shirt and a voucher from Keg King to the value of R 1 500.00 … Best he invite a few of us to partake in the cold amber liquid I say!
And with regard to the three Springbok Canterbury backpacks and Front Row Grunt long sleeve slogan shirts for the top three predictors of the weekend …
Japie Erasmus (Jmonster) took the yellow cap with 6.25 points, and a guaranteed prize … But with three players coming in on 6 points for the weekend, I am afraid I had to draw 2 players names out the hat … And those names were Masonge Ngcaba (Mozez), and Christo Schoeman (Fi5) … With Philip Meyer (pip) missing out (and an obvious reserve should one of the other two not respond to my e-mail) …
Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to all of you that played in the Front Row Grunt Rugby World Cup pool – it was a jol!
PS – I was pretty hopeless, coming an underwhelming 350th out of 658 players!
