Tournament Team so far

[Puja]

Was thinking about an old meme from RWCs past of trying to pick the best possible side that included just one player from every nation in the tournament, and thought I'd give it a go now that the group stages are over.

My World XV with picking one rep from every team is:

1. Kitshoff (SA)
2. Montoya (Arg)
3. Furlong (Ire)
4. Rowlands (Wal)
5. Itoje (Eng)
6. McFarland (Sam)
7. Botia (Fij)
8. Himeno (Jap)
9. Dupont (Fra)
10. Russell (Sco)
11. Nawaqanitawase (Aus)
12. Ahki (Ton)
13. Ioane (NZ)
14. Storti (Por)
15. Niniashvili (Geo)

Bench: Savin (Rom), AN Other, AN Other, AN Other, Sigren (Chi), Arata (Uru), Allan (Ita), Mouton (Nam)


I started from the bottom upwards - picking the standout players from the weaker teams like Namibia, Chile, and Australia, and then filled in the gaps with players from the better nations. I'm not convinced it worked - feels weird not to pick Morgan or Rees-Zammit for Wales, but the wings and back row filled up early. Lemeki would've been a better pick for Japan, but I couldn't really justify picking anyone but Niniashvili considering how average the rest of the Georgian team were. And it felt a bit embarrassing picking anyone from England for a World XV at all on current performances, so I went for long-term class instead (and also I needed locks).

Be interested to see what kind of sides (full XXs!) other people can make from the same set of rules.

Puja

[16th man]

Was thinking about an old meme from RWCs past of trying to pick the best possible side that included just one player from every nation in the tournament, and thought I'd give it a go now that the group stages are over.

My World XV with picking one rep from every team is:

1. Kitshoff (SA)
2. Montoya (Arg)
3. Furlong (Ire)
4. Rowlands (Wal)
5. Itoje (Eng)
6. McFarland (Sam)
7. Botia (Fij)
8. Himeno (Jap)
9. Dupont (Fra)
10. Russell (Sco)
11. Nawaqanitawase (Aus)
12. Ahki (Ton)
13. Ioane (NZ)
14. Storti (Por)
15. Niniashvili (Geo)

Bench: Savin (Rom), AN Other, AN Other, AN Other, Sigren (Chi), Arata (Uru), Allan (Ita), Mouton (Nam)


I started from the bottom upwards - picking the standout players from the weaker teams like Namibia, Chile, and Australia, and then filled in the gaps with players from the better nations. I'm not convinced it worked - feels weird not to pick Morgan or Rees-Zammit for Wales, but the wings and back row filled up early. Lemeki would've been a better pick for Japan, but I couldn't really justify picking anyone but Niniashvili considering how average the rest of the Georgian team were. And it felt a bit embarrassing picking anyone from England for a World XV at all on current performances, so I went for long-term class instead (and also I needed locks).

Be interested to see what kind of sides (full XXs!) other people can make from the same set of rules.

Puja

Got to admire this much background spadework to get this dig in.

[switchskier]

Think that's a pretty good effort. Id want to accommodate Martin, who completely won me over, but one change leads to others and then you've got a whole new team. I also haven't seen all of the games...

1. Inagaki (Jpn)
2. Porecki (Aus)
3. Tamiefuna (Ton)
4. McFarland (Sam)
5. Leindekar (Urg)
6. Cannone (Ita)
7. Martin (Por)
8. Doris (Ire)
9. Roigard (NZ)
10. Russell (Sco)
11. Videla (Chi)
12. De Allende (RSA)
13. Nayacalevu (Fiji) - overlooking last night
14. Penaud (Fra)
15. Niniashvili (Geo)

I really wanted Mauvaka but Penaud has been the star of the tournament so far from me (Dupont excellent but not quite hit his absolute best I think).

Scrumhalf, centres and locks were difficult. Picked Roigard because he's really broken through, even if he isn't first choice. Centers and locks is love and Irish option, but Doris has been their standout for me.

[Puja]

Think that's a pretty good effort. Id want to accommodate Martin, who completely won me over, but one change leads to others and then you've got a whole new team. I also haven't seen all of the games...

1. Inagaki (Jpn)
2. Porecki (Aus)
3. Tamiefuna (Ton)
4. McFarland (Sam)
5. Leindekar (Urg)
6. Cannone (Ita)
7. Martin (Por)
8. Doris (Ire)
9. Roigard (NZ)
10. Russell (Sco)
11. Videla (Chi)
12. De Allende (RSA)
13. Nayacalevu (Fiji) - overlooking last night
14. Penaud (Fra)
15. Niniashvili (Geo)

I really wanted Mauvaka but Penaud has been the star of the tournament so far from me (Dupont excellent but not quite hit his absolute best I think).

Scrumhalf, centres and locks were difficult. Picked Roigard because he's really broken through, even if he isn't first choice. Centers and locks is love and Irish option, but Doris has been their standout for me.

Tameifuna is a much better shout for the Tongan pick - I'd forgotten about him when trying to think. That would allow me to swap out Ahki for Aki, which is very satisfying, as well as probably capturing a higher quality performer from the Ireland team.

It's a really hard thing to select, isn't it? You think you've cracked it, but then you end up realising you've left yourself needing something stupid like picking a scrum-half from England and, to unravel it, you've got to undo about 5 choices.

Puja

[Sandydragon]

Think that's a pretty good effort. Id want to accommodate Martin, who completely won me over, but one change leads to others and then you've got a whole new team. I also haven't seen all of the games...

1. Inagaki (Jpn)
2. Porecki (Aus)
3. Tamiefuna (Ton)
4. McFarland (Sam)
5. Leindekar (Urg)
6. Cannone (Ita)
7. Martin (Por)
8. Doris (Ire)
9. Roigard (NZ)
10. Russell (Sco)
11. Videla (Chi)
12. De Allende (RSA)
13. Nayacalevu (Fiji) - overlooking last night
14. Penaud (Fra)
15. Niniashvili (Geo)

I really wanted Mauvaka but Penaud has been the star of the tournament so far from me (Dupont excellent but not quite hit his absolute best I think).

Scrumhalf, centres and locks were difficult. Picked Roigard because he's really broken through, even if he isn't first choice. Centers and locks is love and Irish option, but Doris has been their standout for me.

Tameifuna is a much better shout for the Tongan pick - I'd forgotten about him when trying to think. That would allow me to swap out Ahki for Aki, which is very satisfying, as well as probably capturing a higher quality performer from the Ireland team.

It's a really hard thing to select, isn't it? You think you've cracked it, but then you end up realising you've left yourself needing something stupid like picking a scrum-half from England and, to unravel it, you've got to undo about 5 choices.

Puja

Hang on, I thought you said you started at the bottom…