YESTERDAY, WE BROUGHT you the ugly mugs who will decide who wins what at the World Cup next month. Here are the guys who’ll determine by how much (and make it enjoyable for the rest of us who don’t call the bottom of a ruck home).
Aaron Smith
With all due respect to Conor Murray and Ruan Pienaar, New Zealand’s diminutive distributor is the world’s best scrum-half at present.
Aaron Smith (we’ll get into the habit of calling him by his full name due to the three non-related Smiths likely to start in a black jersey) provides his back-line with service on a silver platter and gives his forwards plenty of respite with a clever and varied kicking game. But it’s his explosive pace that makes him a cut above other nines. That awesome acceleration ensures defensive pillars don’t get a moment’s piece..
George North
Arguably the most powerful winger in international rugby, George North is a threat every team has to come up with a specialised plan for.
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PA Archive / Press Association Images
PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
In 2011, he was just a 19-year-old setting a new record as youngest try-scorer at the World Cup. This year, after a troublesome six months, he is in his prime and itching to unleash his power, speed and athleticism on the rugby field.
Unfortunately, the concussion problems he has endured this season are still not fully behind North. The Northampton wing has yet to formally complete his return to play protocols and has been ruled out of Wales’ opening warm-up Test with Ireland. That said, the coaching staff have expressed hope that he will be fit for the return meeting in Dublin at the end of the month.
Willie Le Roux
While Bryan Habana remains a major factor in South Africa’s wide channels, his try-scoring threat and eye for an intercept are of lesser importance than Le Roux (who set up this try for the Toulon man against Wales in 2014).
Le Roux is a different threat to the other back three stars on this list. He can count on his acceleration and pace to help him make breaks, sure. On top of his physical prowess, the 25-year-old’s brain and skill-set make him a thrilling player to watch in full flight.
Whether calmly executing difficult actions under severe pressure, stepping in to act as playmaker to relieve the out-half or showing off his deft touches with the boot at full pelt, Le Roux’s eye for space (or, just as good, flat-footed defenders) make him the perfect gamebreaker to compliment the Springboks’ battering rams up front.
George Ford
It may have come by accident, or maybe just sooner than they expected, but England found the spark to add to all that weaponry they have lying around when Owen Farrell missed the Six Nations through injury.
Farrell is a better distributor than most give him credit for, but in Ford England now have a truly exceptional playmaker capable of strike-running and finishing as well as delivering inviting passes for more powerful carriers.
Though he appears meek enough in the above still where he’s being carried along by George North, Australia’s fantastic fullback is anything but with the ball in hand.
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Perhaps the most gifted all-round athlete in the entire game, the 6′ 5″ 103 kg Folau is a threat from anywhere on the field. His background in Aussie Rules is testament to his abilities in the air and his distribution after breaking through gaps is a try-scoring recipe that the Wallabies hope to taste again and again and again this autumn.
5 backs who will set the Rugby World Cup alight
YESTERDAY, WE BROUGHT you the ugly mugs who will decide who wins what at the World Cup next month. Here are the guys who’ll determine by how much (and make it enjoyable for the rest of us who don’t call the bottom of a ruck home).
Aaron Smith
With all due respect to Conor Murray and Ruan Pienaar, New Zealand’s diminutive distributor is the world’s best scrum-half at present.
Aaron Smith (we’ll get into the habit of calling him by his full name due to the three non-related Smiths likely to start in a black jersey) provides his back-line with service on a silver platter and gives his forwards plenty of respite with a clever and varied kicking game. But it’s his explosive pace that makes him a cut above other nines. That awesome acceleration ensures defensive pillars don’t get a moment’s piece..
George North
Arguably the most powerful winger in international rugby, George North is a threat every team has to come up with a specialised plan for.
In 2011, he was just a 19-year-old setting a new record as youngest try-scorer at the World Cup. This year, after a troublesome six months, he is in his prime and itching to unleash his power, speed and athleticism on the rugby field.
Unfortunately, the concussion problems he has endured this season are still not fully behind North. The Northampton wing has yet to formally complete his return to play protocols and has been ruled out of Wales’ opening warm-up Test with Ireland. That said, the coaching staff have expressed hope that he will be fit for the return meeting in Dublin at the end of the month.
Willie Le Roux
While Bryan Habana remains a major factor in South Africa’s wide channels, his try-scoring threat and eye for an intercept are of lesser importance than Le Roux (who set up this try for the Toulon man against Wales in 2014).
Le Roux is a different threat to the other back three stars on this list. He can count on his acceleration and pace to help him make breaks, sure. On top of his physical prowess, the 25-year-old’s brain and skill-set make him a thrilling player to watch in full flight.
Whether calmly executing difficult actions under severe pressure, stepping in to act as playmaker to relieve the out-half or showing off his deft touches with the boot at full pelt, Le Roux’s eye for space (or, just as good, flat-footed defenders) make him the perfect gamebreaker to compliment the Springboks’ battering rams up front.
George Ford
It may have come by accident, or maybe just sooner than they expected, but England found the spark to add to all that weaponry they have lying around when Owen Farrell missed the Six Nations through injury.
Farrell is a better distributor than most give him credit for, but in Ford England now have a truly exceptional playmaker capable of strike-running and finishing as well as delivering inviting passes for more powerful carriers.
Israel Folau
Though he appears meek enough in the above still where he’s being carried along by George North, Australia’s fantastic fullback is anything but with the ball in hand.
Perhaps the most gifted all-round athlete in the entire game, the 6′ 5″ 103 kg Folau is a threat from anywhere on the field. His background in Aussie Rules is testament to his abilities in the air and his distribution after breaking through gaps is a try-scoring recipe that the Wallabies hope to taste again and again and again this autumn.
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aaron smith backs best backs england 2015 gamechangers George Ford George North good strong backs israel folau Rugby World Cup rwc 15 Willie le Roux