What a tournament the 2024 Rugby Championship was with the Springboks eventually emerging as winners in the most competitive edition of the competition since its inception in 2012.
We already put together our Team of the Tournament earlier this week and now we put it to the Planet Rugby readers where over 13,500 cumulative votes were cast on X, formerly Twitter, for YOUR Team of the Tournament.
Without further ado here is the side utterly dominated by Springboks.
Readers’ Team of the Rugby Championship
15 Aphelele Fassi (South Africa): The ‘Weekend Special’ did everything in his power to maximise his return to the Boks fold and he clearly impressed our readersm winning 60% of the votes ahead of Beauden Barrett (23%), Juan Cruz Mallia (15%) and Tom Wright (2%). Fassi was commanding in the air, venomous with ball in hand, kicked really nicely out of hand and crucially defended powerfully. A real coming-of-age tournament for the towering full-back.
14 Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa): It won’t come as a surprise to see the pocket-rocket winning the votes for right wing after a tournament loaded with vintage Kolbe moments. The double World Cup winner absolutely blew away the other contenders with a whopping 85% of the votes cast. All Black Will Jordan was a distant second with 11% while Matias Moroni (3%) and Andrew Kellaway (1%) were even further back.
13 Jesse Kriel (South Africa): Yet another Springbok and once again it’s no surprise as Kriel has continued his outstanding form from the World Cup, taking it full steam into the new attacking structures. There are few better 13s in the world at this stage and our readers agreed with 81% voting for the South African while All Black Rieko Ioane bagged 11% with Argentina’s Lucio Cinti getting an arguably unfair 7%. Wallaby Len Ikitau received 1%.
12 Damian de Allende (South Africa): The value of the rock-solid centre to the Springboks was glaringly apparent when the side struggled without him in their only loss of the tournament. De Allende won the hearts of our readers bagging 67% of votes while Los Pumas star and member of Planet Rugby’s Team of the Tournament, Santiago Chocobares, could only manage 21%. Jordie Barrett (11%) and Hunter Paisami (1%) were the other candidates.
Rugby Championship Team of the Tournament: Seven Springboks named
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa): The hot-stepping wing had a strong tournament with some mixed moments leading to the most competitive vote so far, with 47% going to the scrum-capped wing. The battle for second was very tight with resurgent All Black Caleb Clarke getting 26% of the votes while Los Pumas speedster Mateo Carreras earned 24% from our readers. Trailing behind was powerhouse Wallaby Marika Koroibete with 3%.
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomzeulu (South Africa): One of our three breakout stars of the tournament. The young fly-half showcased that he was born for Test rugby, producing some outstanding performances where he excelled in all facets, which was recognised by 62% of voters who felt he was the best pivot despite missing the final third of the campaign. Argentina’s Tomas Albornoz will feel hard done by after he lit up the Championship at the back end, which earned him 25% of votes. Damian McKenzie’s mixed bag gets him 12% as Noah Lolesio ends with 1% of the votes.
9 Grant Williams (South Africa): Yes it’s another Springbok but remember YOU voted. Regardless, Williams has become a vital member of the evolving Boks squad with his extreme pace proving very valuable to the side. His winning try against the All Blacks in round three was a testament to that and he gets just over half the votes, (53%). Our selection in the Planet Rugby Team of the Tournament was Cortez Ratima, who was some find for New Zealand and 26% of voters agree while Gonzalo Bertnranou (17%) and Jake Gordon (4%) rounded out the selections.
Powerful pack
8 Ardie Savea (New Zealand): If you are scrolling down looking for the non-South African, here he is in the form of the reigning World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year. It is very little surprise as Savea is ultra-consistent at the highest of standards, quite frankly a playing legend who is still only 30 years old despite having been on the Test scene for what feels like an eternity. The great All Black received 46% of votes ahead of Jasper Wiese (34%) while Argentina duo Juan Martin Gonzalez and Joaquin Oviedo got 13% and 7% respectively.
7 Siya Kolisi (South Africa): While robust Argentine Pablo Matera got the nod in our selection, the readers could not look past the inspirational leader who added yet another trophy to his illustrious tenure as Boks skipper. Kolisi’s 65% gets in ahead of Matera on 22% while Sam Cane (7%) and Fraser McReight (6%) battled out for the remaining votes.
Rugby Championship awards: Springboks’ Rassie Erasmus ‘innovation’, and ‘all-time’ Pablo Matera
6 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa): Did you expect anyone else? We didn’t and before Springboks fans complain that he is wearing the wrong number we just want to clarify that traditionally the blindside wears six but in South Africa it is inverted. Now the housekeeping is out of the way we can marvel at the superhuman engine shown time and again by the superstar who absolutely commanded the votes with 87%. Du Toit did not leave much for the others as Los Pumas hardman Marcos Kremer only got 7%, breakout All Black Wallace Sititi 5% and the most consistent Wallaby, Rob Valetini, got a harsh 1%.
5 Ruan Nortje (South Africa): This one was a more evenly contested votes but the Bulls skipper’s rise in the Bok jersey gets him 43% and the top spot. Nortje laughed in the face of a second-row crisis, looking like the perfect hybrid of Franco Mostert and Lood de Jager. Another who took his chance was New Zealand’s Tupou Vaa’i with 36% while Tomas Lavanini (19%) and Jeremy Williams (2%) rounded up the votes.
4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa): Aptly the most dominant of all the votes is a ridiculous 93% for the most-capped Springbok of all-time. Etzebeth has been one of the best locks in the world for a very long time and that still has not changed. He is a playing legend not just for South Africa but for rugby union on a whole. Pedro Rubiolo, Scott Barrett and Nick Frost fought for the remaining 7%.
Eben Etzebeth hails Springboks team-mates for ‘unbelievable performance’ in milestone match
3 Frans Malherbe (South Africa): Probably the most unfazed player in the whole tournament. Malherbe just goes about his business as the anchor of the Boks scrum and a sneakily busy tackler. His consistency is always impressive and he won 74% of the votes. All Black Tyrel Lomax won’t be happy with his 17% after a banging Championship while Joel Sclavi (7%) and Allan Alaalatoa (2%) fought for the scraps.
2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa): Chances are it was going to be another South African and the prolific Marx got the nod with 37% of the votes for a tournament that saw him become the Bok forward with the most tries. Bongi Mbonambi was second with 26%, Codie Taylor on 23% and Los Pumas centurion Julian Montoya got 14%.
1 Ox Nche (South Africa): Another VERY dominant one with the Bok taking 90% of the votes. We cannot blame the readers as Nche is firmly in the conversation as the world’s best loosehead which he showed yet again. The scary thing is that he will only get better. Thomas Gallo was second with 6% while Tamaiti Williams and Angus Bell rounded up the readers’ votes.
READ MORE: The ‘stark evidence’ which shows Rassie Erasmus’ Bok evolution as Springboks dominate
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