The dust has settled on the 2024 Test season and we put it to our readers to select their Team of the Year following all the thrills and spills of this campaign.
We offered readers four nominees for each position and conducted a vote that has seen several of the stars from the World Rugby Dream Team feature while some other names have been thrown in the mix.
Without further ado, here is the Planet Rugby Readers’ Team of the Year for 2024.
Readers’ Team of the Year
15 Will Jordan (New Zealand)
Full-back followed suit from the World Rugby Dream Team with the All Blacks speedster, who earned an impressive 45% of votes for a very encouraging season. Jordan’s switch to 15 at Test level was good enough to get in ahead of the main competitor for this position, Springbok Aphelele Fassi, whose watershed season bagged him 36% of the votes. Los Pumas’ Juan Cruz Mallia (10%) and Scot Blair Kinghorn (9%) rounded out the poll.
14 Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)
One of the most dominant victories of all the positions is the hot-stepping superstar with a ridiculous 89% of the votes. It is no surprise as Kolbe was way and above the best 14, constantly producing game-breaking moments for the Springboks, and he thoroughly deserves the spot. His dominance means there was little left for All Black Mark Telea (6%), England’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (4%) and Georgian Aka Tabutsadze (1%).
13 Jesse Kriel (South Africa)
Another Springbok with a commanding win in the vote was the no-nonsense centre Kriel, who seems to have forgotten how to make mistakes. He continued the sensational form from the Rugby World Cup and only Scotland’s Huw Jones’ tally made it into double figures with 19%. Ireland’s Garry Ringrose (9%) and Italian Juan Ignacio Brex (5%) complete the options at 13.
12 Damian de Allende (South Africa)
Surprise surprise another Springbok gets the nod and this time it is unsung hero and workhorse De Allende, who was given more license to distribute this year under the new attacking structures. His consistency and ability to come up with important plays, as he did against England, is part of why he ended with 53% of the votes. The talented duo of Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland) and Jordie Barrett (New Zealand) ended with 21% and 20% respectively, while masterful Puma, Santiago Chocobares, only managed 7%.
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa)
By far the closest of the vote thus far with the other scrum-capped Springbok bagging 35%. Arendse, despite maybe not hitting the heights of 2023, was still outstanding in green and gold but was very nearly pipped by French sensation Louis Bielle-Biarrey (32%), who absolutely announced himself in 2024. All Blacks star Caleb Clarke (17%) and Ireland’s James Lowe (16%) round out the most competitive position at this stage.
10 Marcus Smith (England)
There was much outrage when Damian McKenzie made WR’s Dream Team and, in our vote, the fans have spoken. Smith was the most complete 10 of the year and consistently put England in great positions, showing great maturity as a Test fly-half in the process. He got 37% of votes with Argentine superstar Tomas Albornoz coming in second with 27%. Les Bleus man Thomas Ramos got 19% of votes on third while McKenzie himself only scored 17% from our readers.
9 Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
The scrum-half has been the heartbeat of Ireland for quite some time and really kicked things up this year softening the impact of Johnny Sexton’s retirement. Gibson-Park is a classy operator and easily the best nine of the year and our readers agreed with 51%. Rapid Springbok Grant Williams earned 40% for his special performances in 2024 while Scotland’s Ben White (6%) and England’s Alex Mitchell (2%) cleaned up the scraps.
8 Caelan Doris (Ireland)
Despite not having the most glittering autumn by his standards the new Ireland captain was a colossus for the rest of the year and in particular during the South Africa tour. He is a serious athlete and one that could take his game to even greater heights. Doris got 38% of votes which only just pipped powerhouse Bok Jasper Wiese with 30% while evergreen Ardie Savea got 28% himself, leaving England’s Ben Earl with just 4%.
7 Siya Kolisi (South Africa)
Before our South African readers shoot to the comments section and tell us we have the wrong number for Kolisi we would like to remind you that most countries outside of the Rainbow Nation have their opensides wear seven instead of six. With the housekeeping aside the Boks captain issued a strong reminder in 2024 that he still has a lot to offer this team and that he wants to be present in 2027. His 45% was enough to get ahead of Irishman Josh van der Flier (31%), Pumas hardman Pablo Matera (14%) and Wallaby Fraser McReight (9%).
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6 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
The reigning World Rugby Player of the Year surely had to feature right? And so he did with a ridiculous 88% of the votes which is no surprise given the royal quality of his tireless performances. Du Toit notably grew his running game in 2024 and was the undisputed king. Wallace Sititi bagged the majority of the remaining votes with 8% while Argentine Marcos Kremer and Frenchman Francois Cros had 2% each.
5 Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
The Irishman is supremely talented and was equally effective whatever number was on his back. The fascinating thing about Beirne’s game is that he so brilliantly completes the duties of the second-row while also being a master at the breakdown. World-class. His 45% wins the race with Tupou Vaa’i’s good All Blacks season getting him 27% with Frenchman Thibaud Flament (21%) and England’s George Martin (8%) rounding out the options.
4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
By far the most commanding of all the votes as the most-capped Springbok scored a whopping 92% of the votes from our readers. Etzebeth has surpassed world-class and is an icon of our game. His influence on rugby union will remain in years to come as the Boks enforcer is now one of the game’s timeless greats. There was not much left for the rest with Ireland’s Joe McCarthy and England’s Maro Itoje on 3% each and Scott Barrett with 2%.
3 Vincent Koch (South Africa)
Perhaps one of the more surprising selections with Mr Incredible bagging 52% of the votes for a very solid year that once again saw him mostly come off the bench. He gets in at tighthead although we really loved his brief cameo at loosehead near the end of the year. Dream Team representative Tyrel Lomax of the All Blacks got 30% with Scotland’s Zander Fagerson 15% and England’s Will Stuart 3%.
2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
Another Dream Team member despite not having his best year once again by his lofty standards. The Springboks contingent of our readers certainly didn’t agree with that as he scored a powerful 63%. That tally was followed by veteran All Black Codie Taylor (17%), Frenchman Peato Mauvaka (15%) and Welsh skipper Dewi Lake on 4%.
1 Ox Nche (South Africa)
Last but not least it is South Africa’s cake-loving scrum winning superstar! Nche took his game up several levels from the Rugby World Cup last year and many (including us) believed he should have got the Player of the Year award. Regardless, he got the top gong in our readers’ awards and now his 80% is more than enough for him to secure the loosehead spot. The trailing trio of Thomas du Toit (8%), Andrew Porter (7%) and Tamaiti Williams (5%) were all way behind.
READ MORE: The eye-opening statistics of 2024: Olympic successes, Year of the Springbok, growing global powers?
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/readers-team-of-the-year-a-whopping-10-springboks-feature-including-timeless-great-and-cake-loving-prop
