Le Roux, Kaino, Retallick, Conrad Smith, Pocock — we begin our Top 20 Super Rugby players countdown
TO celebrate the return of rugby’s top provincial comp, we’re counting down the top 20 Super Rugby players, starting with 20-16.
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SUPER Rugby ramps us this week when the Australia and New Zealand conferences kick off after South Africa got the competition under way at the weekend.
To celebrate the return of rugby’s top provincial competition, we’re counting down the Top 20 Super Rugby players. Today we start with 20-16.
A panel of experts from across the country — The Courier-Mail’s Jim Tucker, The Daily Telegraph’s Jamie Pandaram and Iain Payten, and Fox Sports News’ Gerard Middleton — have cast their vote, from which our final top 20 was formed. (All Blacks and Crusaders star Dan Carter is on sabbatical and will miss the majority of the Super Rugby competition, so he was not considered).
Join the debate by letting us know what you think. Tweet us at @FoxRugbyLive and @Rugby_Gold by using the hashtag #SuperRugbyTop20
Stay tuned to foxsports.com.au throughout the week as we count down to the best player in the Super Rugby competition. Here’s 20 to 16.
20. Willie le Roux — Cheetahs
Fantasy Super Rugby price: $250,000
The Springboks flyer is the poster-boy for attacking rugby in South Africa, thanks to his ability to carve through opposition defences with nonchalant ease.
Comfortable on either wing, le Roux’s talents are best used at fullback for the Cheetahs where he can just as easily set up a teammate — as he did twice in their round one loss to the Lions at the weekend — as cross for a five-pointer himself.
19. Jerome Kaino — Blues
Fantasy Super Rugby price: $225,000
The 2011 World Cup-winning All Black returns to Super Rugby after a year in Japan. A devastating loose forward comfortable at No. 8 or blindside flanker, Kaino can swing a match with a bone-rattling big hit or tackle-shredding charge with the ball.
The 30-year-old will be looking for a big season with the Blues to show he can still mix it with New Zealand’s up-and-coming backrow brigade and add to his 48 Test caps.
18. Brodie Retallick — Chiefs
Fantasy Super Rugby price: $350,000
Just 22, Retallick has already stamped himself as one of the premier locks in world rugby after making his Super Rugby debut at the start of 2012.
A non-stop worker, Retallick gets everything out of his giant 204cm and 119kg frame in defence and at the breakdown, and he can also be a handy contributor with the ball around the park.
After playing 17 games in his first Super Rugby season, he featured in all 18 of the Chiefs’ matches in 2013 as they clinched back-to-back titles. He has already represented the All Blacks 24 times.
17. Conrad Smith — Hurricanes
Fantasy Super Rugby price: $300,000
The veteran outside centre shows no signs of slowing down, particularly after a well-timed sabbatical at the end of 2013 to rest his 32-year-old legs.
An expert defender in the tough No. 13 channel, Smith’s experience and cool head is a vital cog in the Hurricanes’ and All Blacks’ backlines, as is his expert line-running.
Smith, 32, is just four games short of 100 Super Rugby caps with the Wellington outfit.
16. David Pocock — Brumbies
Fantasy Super Rugby price: $325,000
At the peak of his powers Pocock was challenging All Blacks legend Richie McCaw for the mantle of best No. 7 in the game, before he was cut-down by successive knee injuries.
Pocock’s powerful physique is a weapon at the breakdown where he is always ripping in to try and win back possession for his side.
The 2010 John Eales Medallist has 46 Tests under his belt with the Wallabies and after the emergence of Waratahs’ No. 7 Michael Hooper as a genuine rival for the Aussie No. 7 jersey will be fired up for a massive 2014.
In his last full Super Rugby season (with Western Force in 2012), Pocock led the competition for pilfers (14) and forced penalties (12).
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