When next you go to the pub to win the trivia competition, remember New Zealand’s fullback phenom Will Jordan has been selected for every World Rugby Dream Team.
This year he was joined by fellow All Blacks tight-head Tyrel Lomax and fly-half Damian McKenzie; all three perhaps surprising decisions (hooker Codie Taylor was unlucky to be slighted in favour of a below normal but still very good Malcolm Marx).
Rather than cherry pick apart the Dream Team like a TMO forensically disallowing tries which would have been best of the years prior to the 1990s, we should probably look at the team as a whole and see where the esteemed panel may have gone wrong.
The Dream Team, as selected by a World Rugby panel which included the likes of Kieran Read, Drew Mitchell and Victor Matfield, for 2024 is as follows:
Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Tylel Lomax, Eben Etzebeth, Tadhg Beirne, Pablo Matera, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Damian McKenzie, James Lowe, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Will Jordan.
No howlers, of course, but some of the 15 appear selected on prior years’ exploits or reputation. In addition, as we have seen abundantly, a team is precisely 23 men strong and no less.
Thus, keying off Drew’s dream team, here is The Roar’s 2024 Test Team of the World (a full XXIII):
Loose-head prop:
Nche would likely have been close to a unanimous choice at loose-head prop. With Steven Kitshoff’s unfortunate and possibly career-altering neck surgery, the stout Sharks cake-lover stepped up. The affable Bok, who has degrees in statistics and geography, is built in such a way there is no comfortable position in which to rest, reload, chase, or resist. In 2024, he swung entire Tests to his team’s side, creating the simplest entries and exits with clear and unmistakable penalties at scrum, but added dynamism to his carry-clean game. As his backup, Pierre Schoeman for Scotland was immense and will likely be seen next year as a Saffa-Scottish British Lion.
Ox Nche (R) was Harry Jones’ best loose-head prop of 2024. (Photo by Getty Images).
Hooker:
Marx is one of the best hookers of his generation, but coming back from a gruesome injury, he was not as sharp as before. In comparison, Taylor’s ten Tests (all as a starter) for the All Blacks were brilliantly consistent, combining pinpoint accuracy with storming carries across the gainline. Reserve hooker should go to the Pumas captain Julian Montoya, who is the ultimate all-rounder rake, not the best at any one facet but about second best in them all, just nipping France’s Peato Mauvaka.
Tight-head prop:
Frans Malherbe was on track, and Zander Fagerson was superb, but Lomax (11 starts in 2024) was clearly the class of the tight-head props. He is a smart player, brutally strong, and a good enough defender to stay in the contest 70-plus minutes. Barrel-chested Fagerson gets the nod as reserve, another in a potential bid to tour Australia next year. If Scotland could stock a second string front row as good as their starters, they might have snuck a couple of extra wins.
Eben Etzebeth had another fine year in 2024 as he became the Springboks’ most capped player of all time. (Photo by Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Locks:
Eben Etzebeth used 12 caps in 2024 to go to the top of all-time Bok caps, dominant in new areas (kick chase and kick box). The more difficult pick is the other lock. RG Snyman was very good but did not play as much as others as a starter. World Rugby selected 32-year old Beirne on the strength of his eight Tests, in which he ruined opponent lineouts and rucks, but Maro Itoje was strong and Tupou Vaa’i was also a warhorse. We will go with Beirne as starter with Itoje on the bench, but just behind them is Melbourne’s own Manny Meafou.
Blindside flanker:
Rob Valetini was almost as good as the best player of the year, Bok legend Pieter-Steph du Toit. Wallace Sititi was almost as good as Valetini, with a stronger pack to support him. Du Toit has added strength to an already naturally powerful physique, a product of Japan’s healthier lifestyle and nutrition. In the tackle (as many 20 in a Test is now de rigueur), the carry and the chase, few better. Ever.
Openside flanker:
Fraser McReight might have won this jersey if he had more time in the Wallabies, and Rory Darge was quality for Scotland. Siya Kolisi played bigger minutes than usual, even as he is used by Tony Brown in the trams. But former World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier for Ireland was back to his very best. The Irish defensive ruck was the best in rugby; even as their attacking cleans lost ground, more dependent than most on the roll to clean.
Pieter-Steph du Toit might have had the No.7 jersey on his back but the two-time World Cup-winning Springboks forward is the game’s best blindside flanker. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
No. 8:
As one of the four nominated players of the year, Caelan Doris is a solid pick here, captaining Ireland during a transitional year and almost always being the best number eight on the pitch, even in their losses. When Wallace Sititi and Ardie Savea swapped positions deep in the season one felt it was an overdue shift and perhaps with Sam Cane’s departure, this will be the new order of things. Greg Alldritt is never poor, but there are times it feels Charles Ollivon would be a better link man. Beyond this list, Jack Dempsey was going great gainline guns until injury.
Scrum-half:
Cam Roigard just needed more time in the saddle to take the reserve jersey, but that will go to Grant Williams of the Boks, who is the understudy for the remarkable Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland, who was asked to sweep in defence, take many of the clearing kicks, and mentor young tens. Roigard may have just the right body type and passing structure to navigate the counter ruck, which rendered English halfbacks and a few highly fancied number nines into risk magnets from the base.
Fly-half:
Damian McKenzie had a decent year swapping with Beauden Barrett but did not seem like the best in the world. The Boks platooned four players, Finn Russell was about average, Ireland is still settling on Johnny Sexton’s successor, and Santiago Carreras was good until Tomas Albornoz was better for Argentina. But Marcus Smith seemed, along with Itoje, the only English player in full command of his post. We will start him and bring the fantastic Thomas Ramos in to make the late kicks.
Marcus Smith finished the year in superb form for England despite the nation’s November struggles. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Left wing:
Leaving out the likes of Caleb Clarke and Kurt-Lee Arendse seems a travesty, but the same cannot be said of Lowe, who almost single-handedly give the Boks a win over Ireland at Loftus and seems a yard or two off the pace. Louis Bielle-Biarrey takes this spot with searing pace and four 2024 tries (three in the autumn) from the gods. He is 21 with 14 caps and will be trouble if healthy in 2027.
Midfield:
World Rugby got this right with the Bok duo but Santiago Chocobares deserves a mention. His eight Tests were full of fire and he set his teammates free routinely. But Jesse Kriel played more than any other Bok (11 caps this year) and seemed to make Damian de Allende better as well.
Right wing:
Cheslin Kolbe had one of the great seasons for a wing in 2024, but also played scrumhalf, hooker and flank!
Fullback:
Jordan was excellent (and makes the Roar 23) but Juan Cruz Mallia was nigh unplayable when he had a seam. Wonderful play by Blair Kinghorn, Willie le Roux, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mgomezulu, and good old Beauden Barrett should be noted. Ramos also makes our squad but as a ten or fifteen, allowing Jordan to roam.
The Roar’s World 23 for 2024:
Ox Nche (RSA), Codie Taylor (NZL), Tyrel Lomax (NZL), Eben Etzebeth (RSA), Tadhg Beirne (IRE), Pieter-Steph du Toit (RSA), Josh van der Flier (IRE), Caelan Doris (IRE), Jamison Gibson-Park (IRE), Marcus Smith (ENG), Louis Bielle-Biarrey (FRA), Damian de Allende (RSA), Jesse Kriel (RSA), Cheslin Kolbe (RSA), Juan Cruz Mallia (ARG).
Bench: Julian Montoya (ARG), Pierre Schoeman (SCO), Zander Fagerson (SCO), Maro Itoje (ENG), Rob Valetini (AUS), Grant Williams (RSA), Thomos Ramos (FRA), Will Jordan (NZL).
Five differences from World Rugby in the starting 15; how many did you have?
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