At the end of a year dominated by South Africa and Toulouse, it is a suitable time to play fantasy rugby by selecting a composite global line-up.
It is invariably a divisive process, as fans of certain countries and clubs are outraged that their favourites are not picked.
But part of the point is that the best individuals are not always in the best teams – look at how Sergio Parisse was feted and honoured throughout his career while carrying a struggling Italy side on his shoulders.
In 2024, several Springboks miss the cut for this column’s best side, because Rassie Erasmus engaged in (canny) squad rotation, in order to build depth in all areas.
And let’s just be clear now; the lack of a single England player is no injustice, given that Steve Borthwick’s national team lost seven of the 12 Tests that they played.
Many judging panels opt to include large contingents from the top teams, but this column has gone for a more multi-national blend. It is based on personal preference and inevitably distorted by first-hand evidence (matches viewed in person). For such subjective factors, no apology will be forthcoming. Here goes…
It was another dominant year for South Africa, who reigned supreme among the other international sides
French side Toulouse claimed the Champions Cup after a thrilling final against Leinster in May
England endured a disappointing 2024 and lost seven of the 12 Test matches played in the year
My World XV of 2024 (Test and club form)
15. Davit Niniashvili (Lyon/Georgia):
A multi-dimensional talent; illuminating European club rugby and enhancing Georgia’s threat to the establishment with his pace, footwork, finishing, kicking and warrior spirit. The case for Damian Willemse was undermined by Bok rotation and injury, Hugo Keenan missed various Ireland games and Tom Wright’s surge with the Wallabies came just too late.
Davit Niniashvili illuminated European club rugby and enhanced Georgia’s threat to the establishment
14. Will Jordan (Crusaders/New Zealand):
Shifted from 15 to the wing in this line-up, but he has to play. When he is fit, he scores tries. Every time he wore the All Black shirt, he kept gliding into space and finding the line. England newcomer Immanuel Feyi-Waboso came close as a breakthrough star, as did Cheslin Kolbe.
13. Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton/Italy):
He brought such line-breaking quality and clout to the Azzurri midfield that he deservedly won the Six Nations Player of the Championship award. South Africa are blessed with Jesse Kriel and Lukhanyo Am, who took turns to wreak havoc. Gael Fickou was a commanding talisman for France as usual and Paul Costes shone for Toulouse.
Tommaso Menoncello deservedly won the Six Nations Player of the Championship award
12. Josua Tuisova (Racing 92/Fiji):
This is a competitive position and others had more of a prominent impact in major Tests, not least Damian de Allende for the Springboks, Jordie Barrett and Bundee Aki. But ‘The Bus’ is a unique, freakish weapon of mass destruction who helped Fiji stun Wales in Cardiff and spread mayhem in the Top 14.
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh/Scotland):
The giant South African import surpassed Stuart Hogg’s national try-scoring record and cemented his place in Scottish rugby folklore with a hat-trick in the latest win over England. Like Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse is unlucky to miss out, as is Louis Bielle-Biarrey, given his prolific exploits for Bordeaux and France.
The giant South African import surpassed Stuart Hogg’s national try-scoring record
10. Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland):
Few contenders made a compelling case at fly-half. Erasmus mixed it up between Manie Libbok and Handre Pollard, Marcus Smith had brilliant bursts, Jack Crowley was usurped in the Ireland team by Sam Prendergast and Damian McKenzie was tried and discarded by the All Blacks. Russell ignited Bath’s title charge and helped Scotland to landmark victories.
9. Antoine Dupont (Toulouse/France):
This is a formality selection. Don’t even think about arguing. The Gallic idol is on another planet entirely. After inspiring Toulouse to a Double, he helped his country win Olympic gold in Sevens. Ridiculous. Grant Williams was electric for South Africa and Jamison Gibson-Park was Ireland’s dynamo again, but they are not Dupont.
Antoine Dupont is on another planet entirely after inspiring Toulouse to a Double and helping his country win Olympic gold in Sevens
1. Ox Nche (Sharks/South Africa):
The mighty prop who has made a virtue of eating cake and having a physique perfectly built for scrummaging is lord and master of his position, without doubt. But due credit should go to Angus Bell for his all-court role in Australia’s resurgence and to Andrew Porter as a mainstay of Irish success.
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland):
He was injured during the autumn but had done enough already with his rampaging, try-scoring heroics for his province and Test side. He was a stand-out star of Ireland’s latest Six Nations triumph, which allowed him to edge out Bok pair Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx, and Julian Montoya, Leicester’s Puma idol.
3. Thomas du Toit (Bath/South Africa):
The West Country recruit took the Premiership by storm with his try-scoring and set-piece impact on both sides of the front row. His scrummaging at loosehead in South Africa’s win over Wales was remarkable and ruthless. Tyrel Lomax pushed Du Toit close, as a cornerstone of the All Blacks pack.
Thomas du Toit took the Premiership by storm with his try-scoring and set-piece impact
4. Eben Etzebeth (Sharks/South Africa):
The best by a mile. South Africa’s pack figurehead was at his vintage peak in 2024, playing the part of imperious enforcer as the Sharks won the Challenge Cup and the Boks won the Rugby Championship. Joe McCarthy emerged as a hard-hitting Irish asset, but he has a way to go to match Etzebeth.
5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland):
He is picked here at lock but also operated at blindside flanker. Such a mainstay of Ireland’s championship success and was on duty when they won a Test in South Africa a few months later. Continued to live up to his billing as a breakdown specialist, but also a prodigious athlete and aerial asset.
6. Wallace Sititi (Chiefs/New Zealand):
Lauded far and wide as a new sensation of the sport. The son of former Samoa captain exploded to prominence over the summer, in Super Rugby and then as a new All Black back-row star. Blessed with astonishing skills, explosive pace and incredible assurance at such a young age. What a find.
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz/South Africa):
Erasmus’s leading hit-man won the World Rugby Player of the Year award for a second time, as a reflection of his thunderous contribution to the world champions’ dominant year. But it was a close call at openside, with exiled England flanker Jack Willis a contender for his exploits with Toulouse.
Pieter-Steph du Toit won the World Rugby Player of the Year award for a second time
8. Juan Martin Gonzalez (Saracens/Argentina):
Saracens’s first-choice pack is awash with Test talent but their South American signing was still able to stand out so consistently. Having become a force in the domestic game here, he helped Argentina claim Rugby Championship wins over New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Caelan Doris and Ben Earl were close behind.
The best matches of 2024
Bordeaux 41 Harlequins 42:
This was a pulsating, gladiatorial, helter-skelter classic in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup last season. A full house of more than 30,000 on a hot spring day in France and Bordeaux, with all their power and pace, were heavy favourites, but Quins produced an epic upset.
Will Porter scored two of the visitors’ six tries but the primary heroes were in the front row, as Fin Baxter and Will Collier led a scrum demolition against a monstrous pack, which accelerated Baxter’s rise into the England squad.
A full house of more than 30,000 on a hot spring day in France witnessed a thrilling Champions Cup quarter-final between Bordeaux and Harlequins
England 37 Australia 42:
It was a sign of how far the Wallabies had fallen that this was regarded as a seismic shock at Twickenham. It was an enthralling match which signalled the arrival of a cross-code talent who could illuminate union for years to come.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was a deadly threat in Australia’s audacious back line on debut and spooked England so emphatically at re-starts that it led to the visitors’ winning try by Max Jorgensen, in the dying seconds. The result signalled a Wallaby revival and reignited interest in the Lions tour Down Under next summer.
It was a sign of how far the Wallabies had fallen that this was regarded as a seismic shock at Twickenham
The gloriously illogical Premiership
The Premiership is often bonkers, but the latest round of matches really summed up the gloriously illogical nature of the league. English rugby’s elite division likes to highlight the abundance of close contests as its calling card, but that went out the window over the weekend. Sale’s stunning shut-out of Bristol at Ashton Gate on Friday night, to claim a 38-0 away win, set the tone for the mayhem.
The Bears had been rampant in putting Leicester to the sword in their previous outing, so for them to be nilled in a Premiership game for the first time since 2016 was an astonishing development. Then Bath routed Saracens 68-10 and Northampton won 61-0 against Newcastle. Bristol and Gloucester had been the form teams in the league of late and they both lost. Saints looked like champions again but still lie eight out of 10. Aside from Bath, no club can establish and maintain consistency. It’s all over the place, which is great news. Just think twice about betting on it…
Sale Sharks’ 38-0 demolition of the Bears began a peculiar weekend of thrashings in the Premiership
Steward steps up after England demotion
Freddie Steward has not taken his England demotion lying down, it is fair to say. The flying Tiger has added layers to his game at full-back. There was a big fuss a few weeks ago about the fact he made 300 carrying metres against Bordeaux, away, but his form has been commanding for most of this season.
On Saturday, he scored again as Leicester drew against Quins, and continued to threaten with his counter-attacking from deep.
Freddie Steward has added layers to his game since he lost his place in Steve Borthwick’s England side
Now that referees have been ordered to crack down on escort runners, Steward’s authority under the high ball is more valuable than ever and he is using the change to his advantage.
When England play next, against Ireland in Dublin on February 1, they will be without George Furbank and it appears that Steve Borthwick is thinking about redeploying Marcus Smith to wear the No 15 shirt.
That option has worked in the past and provides England with an extra playmaker. But the Irish would rain hellfire down on Smith at full-back and it seems like an unnecessary risk when Steward has international pedigree and is on a roll.
Surely, he should slot in as a specialist last line of defence. For that daunting fixture, it needs a round peg for a round hole.
