In the end, we are as it is told in the books. World Rugby’s rankings come in for stick but over the long run, by the close of the year, are as fair as we have.
The Springboks hold a clear gap over Ireland, who are a nose ahead of New Zealand, just ahead of recent in-form France, and a trio of teams (Argentina, Scotland and England) barely.
The fourth week of the Autumn Nations series went to rank. France silenced Argentina by hook more than crook, South Africa tore Wales further asunder, New Zealand outlasted Italy, and Scotland showed Australia the next level. Well-beaten Fiji and salvaged Italy round out the top ten.
Proud but fallen Wales is not far above Georgia, Japan, Samoa, and a surging USA (now fifteenth) who quietly went unbeaten in a proper tour of redemption.
Depth, not just on the team sheet but in tactical shift and acuity, told the tale this week. If the Wallabies had proved they could defend by attacking, they ran into an outfit better versed in that hymn, and at home. Who stood out? Who sank a bit?
Southern Team of the Week
(15-1) Aphelele Fassi (SA), Cheslin Kolbe (SA), Jesse Kriel (SA), Damian de Allende (SA), Kurt-Lee Arendse (SA), Tomas Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz (ARG), Cam Roigard (NZ), Jasper Wiese (SA), Kitione Salawa (Fiji), Rob Valetini (Aus), Franco Mostert (SA), Will Skelton (Aus), Wilco Louw (SA), Codie Taylor (NZ), Ethan de Groot (NZ).
Fullback: Will Jordan seldom puts a foot wrong and when he does, he makes up for it soon. But Bok aerial athlete Fassi has seized his chance, with Willie le Roux aging and both Sacha Feinberg-Mgomezulu and Damian Willemse recuperating. His 620 minutes this season put him sixth in the wider squad, with the 80 in Wales among his finest.
Right wing: Years ago, the only Boks who might have been selected in a team of this nature were forwards. Cheslin Kolbe was probably one of the first in the recent crop to force his way in; he is still forcing his way into other conversations. With only 40 caps and aged 31, he may continue to rise. He can do things very few others can do; and nobody in British Isles at the moment.
Outside centre: Jesse Kriel played in 11 of 13 Tests for his nation this year; always for the full eighty, except for two minutes in Brisbane. He has fastened on to new coach Jerry Flannery’s version of the umbrella blitz better than his teammates and directs traffic. His robust intelligence of space and time allows his coaches to experiment with new talent.
Inside centre: Damian de Allende is 32 but playing with the dynamic energy of a 31-year-old. It is no coincidence that he and his midfield mate live and play in Japan, where the diet and vibe appear to give players an extra year or two of vitality. He broke the line at will in Cardiff, as he has all season.
Left wing: The ‘Butcher’ Kurt-Lee Arendse does not butcher many chances. Against Wales, he touched the ball nine times, beat four defenders, and offloaded to none other than Eben Etzebeth on a terrifying support line for a try of his own (one of twenty-four Bok offloads).
Flyhalf: A strange first half of rugby in Paris had France up and nearly away from Argentina at 30-11. A semantical penalty try on top of the lightest yellow of cards for a cinnamon roll that never quite crocodiled, and every bounce a Gallic fortune; but it was Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz, the revelation ten of 2024 who led the comeback which fell short. He never relents.
Scrumhalf: Cam Roigard has taken up the mantle of All Black quick ball merchant, inherited from Aaron Smith, but worn more ruggedly. The ability of halfbacks to extract clean ball, navigate a strategic retreat, handle the Great Autumn Counter Ruck and box kick without a guard has tested all and it has been Roigard who has stood tallest.
No. 8: Every team must have a carrier who does not require an opening or time and space. The Kalahari Pain Train, Jasper Wiese, is a workhorse, having topped the Premiership a couple of times in carries made and meters post contact. This week he took the ball into contact eighteen times and made it over the gainline every single time, racking up 117 metres and never giving the Welsh respite.
Opensider: In a losing cause, twenty-three-year-old Fijian Drua lock-flanker Kitione Salawa impressed all on or off the pitch, which can be hard to do when losing 17-52. Besides a try, Salawa made his mark in many collisions, rucks and tackle points.
Blindsider: Rob Valetini would have been the only Wallaby whose inclusion in World Rugby’s nominees would not have raised an eyebrow, given his almost implausible consistency of work quality and quantity. In a year of rebuilding and testing, Joe Schmidt surely writes down ‘Bobby V’ first.
Locks: It will be a long time before we see a sweeter inside line run by a lock at pace: 33-year-old Bok Franco Mostert, back from a broken leg in Durban (by a true croc roll), split the Welsh defence and took his try at pace. Joining him will be Will Skelton, who along with Valetini, posed the most resistance to a triumphant Scottish pack. Just as windy golf favours big golfers, cold-weather rugby is a friend of size. The mammoth man from La Rochelle could, if talent spotting had been better, be locking down with Emmanuel Meafou of Melbourne and France, in the world’s largest second row.
Tighthead prop: South African man mountain Wilco Louw earned his 16th cap this week, at age 30, profiting from the absence of stalwart Frans Malherbe and the commitment to keep the Bomb Squad front row together. Not only did he wreck the Welsh scrum, he does a job in defence and attack.
Hooker: Codie Taylor should have been chosen by World Rugby for their Dream Team over Malcolm Marx. He has seldom had a poor moment this year, let alone a bad game. He almost always loses out to Will Jordan for Man of the Match, but is almost always in line.
Loosehead prop: Ethan de Groot made a triumphant return, destroying his opposite at set piece and looking like a man on reprieve. The All Blacks set pieces kept improving all season and one can look at the scrum as the foundation.
Northern Team of the Week
(15-1) Blair Kinghorn (Scot), Gabin Villiere (Fr), Huw Jones (Scot), Sione Tuipulotu (Scot), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Fr), Finn Russell (Scot), Craig Casey (Ire), Charles Ollivon (Fr), Josh van der Flier (Ire), Jamie Ritchie (Scot), Emmanuel Meafou (Fr), Thibaud Flament (Fr), Zander Fagerson (Scot), Ewan Ashman (Scot), Pierre Schoeman (Scot).
Kinghorn and the Scottish backline were superb in dismantling dreams. Craig Casey should surely supplant Conor Murray next year behind the Irish pack. Jamie Ritchie and Zander Fagerson are dynamos behind a strong front row.
