In short, NZ rugby did not take responsibility for the disrespect shown to Irish players, Irish supporters and Ireland. NZ are responsible and accountable for the conduct of their players. He obliquely referenced Sexton’s incident with Peyper seemingly unaware that Ioane was citable under the exact same offence.

United Rugby Championship

• His performances for Ireland have been marked by “blistering pace, deft handling, and an uncanny ability to find the try line”.
• What was most remarkable was how, despite rotating and changing the team almost weekly, their efficiency remained incredibly high.
• Stephen Varney was brought up in Wales but opted to represent Italy to honour his grandparents.
• His ability to play fullback, wing, or center, coupled with his goal-kicking prowess, makes him a valuable asset to the New Zealand squad.
• Away from the Rugby World Cup, he was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year in 2019 and won the Rugby Championship the same year.
• Potentially the best scrum-half in England at the moment after an incredible season with Northampton, Alex Mitchell could really come into his own at this tournament.
• The latest edition of the Six Nations is rapidly approaching with the 2024 championship getting underway in the first weekend of February.
• He was then named in the 2023 Six Nations squad and he made his first start against Scotland.
• Five-eighth Arabella McKenzie, who missed last week’s victory after suffering a concussion during training, remains sidelined and will be monitored ahead of the side’s final game of the year against Scotland.

Rounding out the top players are two more outstanding selections and stars that will likely be selected by a lot of fantasy players. Another pair of players that are unsurprisingly right up near the top of the most valuable list given how significantly they influence the clashes they feature in. A powerful duo assume the responsibility of being the top-ranked players in 2024 with Antoine Dupont unavailable. At times erratic but invariably brilliant, Penaud is already one of the greatest finishers of all time and is just three tries short of equalling the national record of 38 held by Serge Blanco.

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His annual salary of $900,000 establishes him as the fourth highest-paid rugby player. He’s the only other player on the list to earn over $1 million a year for his services. ‘Industrious’ doesn’t begin to sum up the workrate of Azzurri captain Michele Lamaro, but it’s a good start. The back rower has made a breathtaking 55 tackles after three rounds of play – he also tops the dominant tackles list, with six – with Wales’ Tommy Reffell nine behind. Two front rowers have been putting themselves about too, in prop Pierre Schoeman (36) and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi (34).

• Sadly though, he may have to wait until after round one to make his debut.
• 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.
• One of the most exciting talents in the game, Russell is a magician of a fly-half with the skills to unpick any defence.
• So, as the rugby world awaits the imminent squad announcements, here are three fly-half options for each nation who should get the first crack at the whip in 2024.
• Very few players, if any, throughout the world of rugby exude leadership, passion and dedication like Michael Hooper does whenever he plays for the Wallabies.
• He’s also Scotland’s co-captain for their national squad and is a fly-half.

Joe McCarthy – Ireland – Secondrow

Once he gets back on the park, expect him to make an impression quickly. He’s earned 129 Super Rugby caps and 85 international caps for a reason. Second to one other hooker higher in the list, he looms as one of the All Blacks’ strongest competitors.

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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. Veteran centre Cecilia Smith has returned to the run-on side following a strong performance off the bench in the 37-5 win, with vice-captain Trilleen Pomare moving back to the reserves. 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.

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His 73 was a No1 effort, and he wielded nuisance without the ball as well as his 46 defensive rucks were fifth best behind Reffell. His impact has changed England’s thinking away from having a Billy Vunipola-like hulk at No8. Planet Rugby have been going through the ‘Top 50’ over the last few weeks and they’ve finally named their all-important ‘Top 10’ with one Irish player making the cut. Born in France, Capuozzo qualified for Italy through his paternal grandparents.

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Also guilty for giving the ball away after a 24 phase move when he recklessly chucked an off-load from the ground. Worse perhaps was the custard-soft penalty he gave away when Adams kicked from his own in-goal area to gift England three points. But a distinct lack of quality, as well as enough heft, meant they couldn’t get the better of England’s rush defence. Red runners were smothered by white shirts and when the match coalesced into a struggle of will, the team with more nous won out.

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Showed that last week’s tricks weren’t just a consequence the hopeless situation. An already established member of the All Blacks’ starting 23, Anton Lienert-Brown will be hoping to kick-start a stronger season in Waikato. Walking into their starting side with the likes of Lalomilo Lalomilo and Alex Nankivell departing the team, 2023 felt like like Lienert-Brown was still finding his feet again after an injury-ridden 2022 season.

Other Ireland players to watch

This is not meant to disparage Farrell’s contribution to English rugby, but his presence no doubt has hampered Ford. A master tactician with a sublime passing and kicking game, Ford is an old-school game manager in the best sense of the word. With his long-term teammate and friend now unavailable and seemingly on his way to the Top 14, Ford could prove to be both the first-choice fly-half and English captain this year. Despite featuring against Italy and France in the tournament, Williams did not crack the Welsh World Cup squad. Making his senior debut for Leinster last season in the URC, he has begun to get more first-team opportunities this season.

• 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.
• Nicknamed the ‘Italian wonder kid’, Ange Capuozzo will compete at his third Six Nations in 2024.
• It wasn’t a campaign to hang in the Louvre but, collectively, these players can feel pleased with what they achieved.
• An effective kicker, dangerous in broken play and a strong finisher, the decision to re-sign him for two years is a strong indication of his potential as an attacking weapon.
• Du Toit, who delivered another Man of the Match performance in the victory over Argentina, stressed the importance of teamwork.
• At the Six Nations, we will see if he can meet the challenge of blending youth, experience, and managing players he has played alongside for a long time.
• While Wales’ lineout has faltered at key moments, back rower Aaron Wainwright (15) and lock Dafydd Jenkins (12) have been the go-tos in this area.

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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. The top spot should come as little surprise after Antoine Dupont led Toulouse to both Investec Champions Cup and Top 14 title. Ford had started all of England’s matches during this year’s Six Nations but missed the summer tour after undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon.

Kwagga Smith – South Africa – Utility Player

Bendon recently undertook the daunting task of ranking the top 100 rugby players in the world. The best players can earn lofty wages in the most popular rugby leagues worldwide. Owen Farrell, fly-half of Racing 92, tops the list as the highest-paid rugby player in the world for 2024. 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. “Kolbe running into props and pretend to have been flattened.” Tyrel Lomax changed his line and took Kolbe out.

Pieter-Steph du Toit was central to South Africa’s 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup campaigns. His consistency for club (Toyota Verblitz) and country is second to none, and he raised his game once again for the 2023 final – where he was named Player of the Match. Away from the Rugby World Cup, he was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year in 2019 and won the Rugby Championship the same year. FloRugby broadcasts dozens of international rugby matches throughout the year, including the summer rugby internationals from July to September. With the eyes of the sport turning from the recently ended United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and Super Rugby seasons, it’s time to look at who the best players in the world are in 2024. Bristol and a number of other clubs remain in the market for a fly-half.

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South Africa is always great and the vast majority of their fans are brilliant. I’ve been plucked from the crowd and invited into corporate boxes on several occasions. The former Scotland centre turned schools coach is taking a holistic approach to developing young players. Similarly, the impact https://becric.co.in/ that experienced Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth provides to South Africa cannot be questioned, especially given his output at international level last year. The towering second rower was at his physically confrontational best as he narrowed in on a century of test matches throughout 2021.

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.

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Seemingly unstoppable, Italian fans have high hopes that he will soon become one of their best Six Nations players of all-time. Ringrose achieved new heights at the 2023 Six Nations, scoring Ireland’s winning try against France. Commenting on his performance, O’Driscoll praised Ringrose’s ability to disrupt and halt oncoming attacks. But which players could make their mark at this year’s Six Nations?

A mountain of a man who has long been a vital component of Ireland’s recent successes, Tadhg Furlong is among the few players who is a guaranteed selection in any given World XV. A strong scrummager and effective ball carrier, Furlong undoubtedly remains the best tighthead prop on the planet. 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.

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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. He now plays with Suntory Sungoliath in Japan’s Rugby Union League. Russell signed for Bath in the English Premiership for $1 million in 2023.

Sinned when he went early on another scrum when Wales had the feed on England’s line. 15 – Cameron Winnett  – 8Didn’t merely catch high balls and hoof them back. He showed maturity and composure, looking up with the intent to impact the game. And when fielding under pressure he demonstrated the strength to keep the ball alive. Gets extra points for a one-on-one tackle on the much larger Tommy Freeman that saved a try early in the second half. An effective kicker, dangerous in broken play and a strong finisher, the decision to re-sign him for two years is a strong indication of his potential as an attacking weapon.

Aki has won two Six Nations titles with Ireland and the Pro12 with club Connacht. Our round-up of the finest rugby union players in the world right now. Prop Hannah Botterman, one of 10 changes to the starting line-up, wins her 50th cap in the front row. Bath flanker Sam Underhill, who has started every match for England this calendar year, has also been declared fully fit for the West Country derby against Bristol following ankle surgery. Last year, Smith held advanced talks with Racing 92 about a move to the Top 14, where he retains suitors but would render him ineligible for international selection.

Welsh fans may also be heartened by the precocious presence of fullback Cameron Winnett, who for many will have come from nowhere and sits third with 37 carries (see below for another impressive Winnett-related feat). Finally you have lost the respect of a lot of the Irish rugby community. 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 to.

While this has, at times, counted against him starting, his world-class ability has made him a British and Irish Lion, as well as a staple in the Irish match day 23. His performance against the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal is up there with the best individual showings of all time. Rugby in countries like the US has a long way to go to catch up in spending. The sport continues to gain popularity and may eventually land players on the list.

We continue our countdown of the the 50 best players set to have a significant impact this year, based on previous form, talent and the potential impact they can have on their team’s season. Scott Robertson won’t be disheartened, though, as there were many positives. However, his Achilles’ heel was the bench’s inability to close out games as well as they started. The wing is truly prolific personified and a dangerous threat whether he crosses for a try or sets one up.

• Aki possess the rare skill of being able to generate tremendous power from a standing start, even against defence as robust as South Africa’s.
• Still just 27 years old, the 2019 Rugby World Cup star brings a nasty edge to an explosive England pack.
• The back-row bruiser also expressed his satisfaction with his evolving role as a ball-carrier in the wider channels, a tactic that has proven effective for the Boks this season.
• Rangy runs, athletic grabs under high balls, he also offered a target at the line-out.
• Scoring nine tries last year, he’ll be in stiff competition with teammate TJ Perenara for starting caps in both Wellington and the national side.
• Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp was forced to fly Western Force halfback Samantha Wood in for the Cape Town clash on Sunday morning (1am AEST) after reserve halfback Natalie Wright suffered a foot injury.

Crusaders have found an experienced playmaker to aid the development of their young players. Having just carried up-field a minuter before half-time, he got up, carried again, stepped, off-loaded and found Williams on his inside. Was also a menace at the breakdown, coming up momentum swinging steals in both halves, and made more tackles than any other Welshman. 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. 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.

His ability to play fullback, wing, or center, coupled with his goal-kicking prowess, makes him a valuable asset to the New Zealand squad. Japan’s Rugby League One and France’s Top 14 have two players each among the top five highest-paid rugby players. Hopefully NZ will respect us enough to do likelwise without abusing Irish players or abusing our amazing supporters again. “They also are producing a steady stream of positive drug tests.” No ‘They’ are not. A few players outside the Bok squad like Jantjies and Nkosi have tested positive and often players are testing positive once they’ve moved to another country to play club rugby. Meanwhile, the ABs seem to have no problem turning a blind eye to wife beaters.

Owen Farrell’s absence presents an important moment to one of the brightest talents in English rugby, who should now be given an extended run at fly-half. Smith shows an instinct for attack and courage to play beyond any of his rivals for the jersey, but he must also prove he can guide England through choppier waters. Here we take a look at five stars expected to grab the headlines when the tournament kicks off on February 2nd.

16 – Ryan Elias – 5Hit first jumper but missed his most important throw when Wales had to chase the game. 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. 11 – Rio Dyer – 6.5This felt like a more senior, accomplished performance from Dyer. His darting runs – like the one where he reached the safe ty of his 22 after collecting a pass under his own poles – weren’t just brave, they were calculated. 12 – Nick Tompkins  – 4Struggled to provide any strike force through midfield.

Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Fans will disagree on who they believe would make the top 10, with all manner of factors to consider – with trophies, scoring ability and leadership skills all involved. Others are preparing to represent their countries at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris in the rugby sevens tournament.

It wasn’t a campaign to hang in the Louvre but, collectively, these players can feel pleased with what they achieved. Now, if he impresses new head coach Gonzalo Quesada, Varney could be the danger man as Italy look to fire in attack like they never have before to challenge the likes of Wales, England, and Scotland. When England played to his style at the latter end of the World Cup it worked wonders and his kicking game could be pivotal in the Six Nations.