Your favourite XV?

thomond2006

We have a lot of World XV threads but never any favourite player threads IIRC.

So what are your favourite players by position i.e. crowd pleasers/favourites? They don't necessarily have to be the best players in their position but players you like/like to watch. They don't have to be current players either.

My selection:

1. Tendai Mtawarira - Beeeeeeeeeast!!!
2. Schalk Brits - Great player to watch in possession!
3. John Hayes - ligind!
4. Andries Bekker - Huge guy but has brilliant handling skills.
5. Richie Gray - More or less same reason as Bekker.
6. Stephen Ferris - Fell for him (;)) after his epic solo runs on the Lions Tour. Just goes smash, smash, smash every game.
7. David Wallace - Thomond Park's favourite ball carrier!
8. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe - Been to 3 games where he played, dominated them all. Class player and can play 6-8, could play centre with his handling skills.
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Rupeni Caucau - shame he pissed away his talent. Great youtube moments though!
12. Sonny Bill Williams - Not the complete package but he is very entertaining.
13. Aurelien Rougerie - A few seasons ago he played against Scotland and went around smashing Scotsmen until his body gave in after 20 minutes. It was incredible and I've been his fan every since.
14. Vincent Clerc - Probably shouldn't be in an Irish fan's favourite players list but I love Toulouse and so had to include a toulousain somewhere.
15. Kurtley Beale

Honourable mentions: Adam Jones, Hines, Quinlan, Parisse, ROG, BOD, Dougie, Muliana

vinny chase

Fantastic thread idea! Took a bit of time over this:

Was tempted to just post the Leinster XV from either Heineken Cup Final!

Basing it from about '98 to present:

1. Jason Leonard-great player, seemed like he was good craic too!
2. Keith Wood-Legend
3. John Hayes-Think everyone has a soft spot for him
4. Martin Johnson-Classic player you love to hate
5. Paul O'Connell-Some of his displays in the GS '09 are unforgettable
6. Rocky Elsom-Season 2009 with Leinster = Phenomenal
7. Sean O'Brien-Love watching him play
8. Sergio Parisse-Don't think I've seen him turn in a bad performance
9. Fabien Galthie-As a scrum half, this guy was my idol!
10.Carlos Spencer-Sensational to watch at his peak, that try in '03
11.Denis Hickie-Leinster legend, that try in Toulouse
12. Tim Horan-Probably my favourite player growing up
13. Brian O'Driscoll-Favourite player of all time, needs no qualification
14. Shane Williams-Really exciting to watch, great stepper, makes things happen
15. Chris Latham-Great entertaining player for years

Honourable mentions:Shane Byrne, Ollie le Roux, Agustin Pichot, Joos van der Westhuizen, Quade Cooper (the most exciting player in the world today imo), Maxime Medard, Philippe Bernat-Salles, Stephen Larkham, Dan Carter (of course), Jason Robinson.

Hagz

1. Cian Healy
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Owen Franks
4. Joe Tekori
5. Anton Van Zyl
6. Sean O'Brien
7. Jack Lam
8. Liam Messam
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Juan Martin Hernandez
11. Shane Williams
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jared Payne
14. Gerhard Van der Heever
15. Rob Kearney

Kiwi_knock

My Selection, left out all the Irish players. My team is based on the last year, and which players I like at the moment. Team dominated by players from the Super 15.

1. Matt Stevens Good scrummager
2. Schalk Brits Such a dynamic ball carrier
3. Owen Franks Makes massive hits
4. Richie Gray A future Lion
5. James Horwill Great leader
6. Radike Samo The hair is enough to get him in the team
7. Imanol Harinordoquy Enjoy watching him play
8. Gareth Delve Was going to put Parisse but then I remembered how impressed I was by his performances as captain of the Rebels
9. Luke Burgess Unlucky to have Genia ahead of him, top class scrum half
10. Quade Cooper Can create magic with a ball in hand
11. David Smith Has the potential to be the star of the Toulon team, plus check out the size of his thighs.
12. Sonny Bill Williams Can offload the ball in any situation
13. Conrad Smith He just edges Nonu, one of the best outside centres in World rugby
14. Rene Ranger Always wants to get on the ball and is nearly guaranteed to beat at least one man
15. Kurtley Beale Muliaina is a better fullback but Kurtley is much more entertaining to watch

A year ago this backline would have nearly all been Australia but drops in form to Ashley-Cooper and O'Connor and injury to Mitchell mean they are not in my top 15.

corny

1. Roncero Love all the Argie (sorry;)) bargie when he plays against Ireland
2. Keith Wood Obviously
3. Castro Bit of nut job but you have to love him.
4. Bakkies Botha Hard, hard man.
5. John Eales Goal kicker supreme!
6. Stephen Ferris Love the way he plays the game.
7. Oliver Magne Classy player
8. Laurence Dalaglio Great all rounder and never say die attitude.
9. Fabian Galthie Probably have to pick a French 9!
10. Stephen ''Bernie'' Larkham Best playmaker and passer i've yet to see.
11. Jonah Rugby phenomenon.
12. Scott Gibbs Lions tour bouncing into Du Randt! Has to be.
13. BOD Obviously
14. Jason Robinson Unbelievable acceleration. Great player in both codes.
15. Christian Cullen Amazing ability with ball in hand.

Honourable mention: Rocky Elsom for 2009, Joost Van De Westhuizen, Simon Geoghegan for being an idol of mine growing up and Diego Dominguez and Johnny Wilkinson for goal kicking.

irishbucsfan

At the moment:

1. Tonga'uiha - Just because of the way he played this season, including but not limited to the first half of the H Cup final.
2. Shalk Brits - He can do everything, and his workrate is phenomenal.
3. John Hayes - I don't actually rate him as a great player or anything, but he just keeps going, and the image of him in tears before the England game in '07 will stay with me forever.
4. Richie Gray - He was the best player in the 6 Nations this year IMO. I just love the guy. His workrate, his lineout play, his ball carrying. Impossible to tell how much of an impact he has in the scrum, but in everything else a 2nd Row is expected to do is is exceptional.
5. Paul O'Connell - When fit he makes a humongous difference to the Irish team, look at our lineout stats with and without him. "Put the fear of god into them" will remain in the lexicon of Irish rugby supporters decades after his retirement.
6. Stephen Ferris - His injury problems are heartbreaking. In my opinion he is the best in the world in his position when he is fit. He can do it all. I hope to god he's over his injuries and he will go on now to dominate Irish rugby for the next 5-8 years.
7. Shane Jennings - Not the best in the world by any means, but I love him. I'd start him for Ireland every time (exaggeration). I can't even explain why, it just seems to me that when he plays at all, everyone else plays far better. If the Leinster pack is a machine, he is the grease in the cogs.
8. Sergio Parisse - Impossible not to love him. He is just immense for Italy.

9. Will Genia - If something happens to him, Australia go from being world beaters to an average team. He was the best player on the Reds team at 19 years old. He is a beast, he is a genius, he is technically superb. He is everything you could ever hope for in a 9. The best player Papua New Guinea will ever produce.
10. Johnny Sexton - I love him. I think he underperforms for Ireland, but when playing for Leinster I think there is only one person in the world I would swap him for. Great defender, great kicker, great distributor. He has very few weaknesses and he hides them well. Plus he looks like a tadpole. His performance in the second half of the H Cup final will be very hard for anyone to better.
11. Hosea Gear - HOW IS HE NOT AT THE WORLD CUP!?
12. Benoit Baby - I have always been amazed at his lack of involvement with France. He is so talented and intelligent. He doesn't even start for Clermont and hasn't for years, which shows that I'm wrong (because Joe Schmidt is never wrong), but I don't care. He is so creative and exciting to watch.
13. Not even going to write his name - He is god.
14. Sean Lamont - He's just so good, and never gets the credit he deserves. Hugely important to Scotland this year in the 6 Nations.
15. Geordan Murphy - Based entirely on his play for Leicester. The complete fullback. Shame he never brought it to international level because of his personal issues with management. Hopefully he'll have a last hurrah in a few hours against the Americans and give Kidney a selection headache for the rest of the tournament.

Bench:

16. Richardt Strauss
17. Tandi Mtwarira
18. Carl Haymans
19. Nathan Sharpe
20. Imanol Harinodoquy
21. Ben Youngs
22. Dan Carter
23. Sonny Bill Williams

scholar007

1. Glenda
2. Amy
3. Claudine
4. Jennifer
5. Rachel
6. Lisa
7. Georgina
8. Cecilia
9. Sharon (Ni Bhellybutton)
10. Breda ( aul reliable)
11. Jacqui (another aul reliable)
12. Michelle
13. Orla
14. Maureen (if things get desperate)
15. Fiona (if things get really desperate)

chupacabra

If I remember correctly Thomond2006 started his boards.ie career making threads like this

Anyway here's mine:

1. Mtawarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Castrogiovanni
4. Victor Matfield
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Sean O'Brien
7. David Pocock
8. Jacques Burger

9. Will Genia
10. Ronan O'Gara
11. Gerhard van den Heever
12. Sonny Bill Williams
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Tim Visser
15. Chris Paterson

astonaidan

My Fav 15 Would Be:
(1) Tendai Mtawarira
(2) Jerry Flannery
(3) John "Bull" Hayes
(4) Victor Matfield
(5) Ali Williams
(6) Dennis Leamy
(7) Richie McCaw
(8) Sergie Parisse
(9) Byron Kelleher
(10) Ronan O'Gara
(11) Cedric Heymans
(12) Dan Carter
(13) Tana Umaga
(14) Mirco Bergamasco
(15) Jason Robinson

Special Mention: Percy Montgomery, Brian O'Driscoll, George Gregan, Matt Giteau, Mauro Bergamasco, Castro Giovanni, Rodney So'oialo, Tommy Bowe, Sebastian Chabal

mrboswell

For me:

1. Phil Orr – Incredibly strong and loved his mustache!
2. Bismarck du Plessis – Always thought he was better than Smit but a bit of a loose canon.
3. Patricio Noriega - Hard core!
4. Bakkies Botha – Very talented, great lineout man and always makes himself a pain in the neck at ruck time.
5. Paul O'Connell - At his best clearly is one of the best. A Martain Johnston with Talent.
6. Schalk Burger – Complete beast. Couldn’t get his herniated discs fixed so just got his vertebrae fused instead!!
7. George Smith – great player that served Aus very well for years. In reality it has to be McCaw but I reckon Nigel Carr would have been up there barring injury
8. Radike Samo – there were a few contenders here but Samo has been a revelation for the reds and Aus this year. At the very least you gotta love his hair.
9. Fabien Galthie – The guy was fantastic but Joost van der Westhuizen and George Greegan would be in the mix here.
10. Stephen Larkham - Gets the nod becuase I liked him more but clearly Jonny Wilkinson is a more complete player with his fantastic tackling and kicking
11. Simon Geoghan - Short career but fantastic. Only player that I remember actually being able to tackle Lomu in WC '99.
12. Brian Lima – The Samoan Chiropractor’s hit on derick hougaard here did it for me at 12.
13. Brian O'Driscoll - who else could you put at 13?
14. Shane Williams - The little Welshman always punched above hie weight and scored his fair share of trys.
15. Serge Blanco – he was way ahead of his time although I hope I don’t put on that amount of weight in my latter years!

Honorable mentions: Too may to mention

wixfjord

Cian Healy
Strauss
Barcella
Botha
Gray
SOB
Pocock
Heaslip
Genia
Sexton
Ngwenya
SBW
BOD
Ioane
Nacewa