Rugby Championship Dream Team: Springbok power and the rise of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

How about this for a fixture that would rival a World Cup final — the British and Irish Lions versus a Rugby Championship Dream Team?

We know it bothers the north that, of the 11 World Cups to date, the southern hemisphere has bagged 10 of them. Will the north ever add to that sole triumph of England’s in 2003?

Of course, the Lions don’t feature France or Italy, so how about a Six Nations Dream Team up against their Rugby Championship counterparts?

The southern hemisphere tournament has just finished, and what a thriller it was. Picking the best 15 from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and South Africa is both a selector’s dream and nightmare, given how closely matched the sides were.

I mean, who would you pick between Ardie Savea and Pieter-Steph du Toit for the No 7 jersey?

So, bearing in mind that I could pick two evenly matched Championship teams — and that this selection is based purely on form in the latest Championship — I’m going to publish and be damned!

Rugby Championship Dream Team

15 Juan Cruz Mallía (Argentina) — I’m immediately going to get into trouble for leaving Will Jordan out, but the contribution of the brilliant Toulouse fullback was staggering. No player made more metres with ball in hand than Mallía. Only two others across the Championship beat more defenders than him.

14 Max Jorgensen (Australia) — If eyebrows were raised in New Zealand for my full-back choice, I’ll have to duck for cover in South Africa. What, no Cheslin Kolbe? Look, it was close, but while “Chessie” did some brilliant things in attack, he also had his share of blunders, including an “own goal” against the Pumas in Durban and another seven-point gift at Twickenham when he threw a Hail Mary pass. Jorgensen, the 21-year-old face of the Wallabies’ revival, impressed with his physicality in contact, ability to ghost past defenders, and prowess in the air.

13 Joseph Suaalii (Australia) — This was an easier selection. There was so much hype about the 22-year-old’s switch from rugby league to union ahead of the series against the Lions. He was impressive then but still finding his feet in the 15-man code. He came spectacularly good in the Championship, with four tries and several try-making offloads, not to mention some brilliant takes in the air.

12 Santi Chocobares (Argentina) — At 1.88m and 101kg, he’s not quite André Esterhuizen, but not far off. The Toulouse teammate of Mallía was consistently excellent for the Pumas. His muscular defence was matched by explosive attacks — although we’ll withhold applause for the easiest try in rugby history, when Cheslin nudged a drop goal into his disbelieving arms. Honourable mentions to Jordie Barrett and Damian de Allende.

11 Caleb Clarke (New Zealand) — It was a promising debut tournament for young Ethan Hooker, and the Pumas’ Rodrigo Isgro had some spectacular touches, including plucking the ball out of the air for the final say last week at Twickenham, but Clarke in full flight is the epitome of Julian Savea at his best. Clarke, son of ’90s All Blacks centre Eroni, is the perfect blend of pace and brawn.

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa) — This was a one-horse race, with respect to the consistent Beauden Barrett, but this Championship will be remembered for the birth of Superstar Sacha. The rugby world had seen glimpses of his brilliance before, but it was in Durban, against the Pumas, that he pulled out his magic wand and dazzled. He scored three tries and created several more as the Boks scorched home 67–30.

9 Cam Roigard (New Zealand) — New Zealand have had their share of rough patches of late, and many argue that the missing link has been their exceptional scrumhalf, Roigard, who has suffered a sickening run of injuries. He had a belated start to the Championship, but the All Blacks have been a different team with him at 9. Springbok fans will point to Cobus Reinach, and I’ve long been a fan — he was Player of the Match in London, probably because he scored two well-taken tries, but his option-taking in that game was ordinary.

8 Jasper Wiese (South Africa) — After the disappointment of his four-match suspension for a headbutt against Italy, Wiese put his, er, head down and did what he does best — run headfirst into the opposition and take a few of them with him. He is far and away the Boks’ No 8 at the moment, and peerless in the Championship.

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa) — There’s an argument that Du Toit could be South Africa’s greatest ever Springbok, although his teammate Eben Etzebeth will be in that conversation. But then Ardie Savea will be on the All Blacks’ greatest-ever list… For sheer, tireless consistency and massive all-round contribution across this tournament, I’m going Pieter-Steph — by the breadth of a hair.

6 Fraser McReight (Australia) — The leader of the new brigade of Wallabies, the stocky McReight is the ideal openside flanker at 108kg and 1.86m. David Pocock, George Smith and Michael Hooper would have been applauding as McReight dominated the breakdown in every match. Who can forget how he demolished the Springboks at the breakdown at Ellis Park to spearhead the Wallabies’ famous comeback win?

5 Ruan Nortjé (South Africa) — The lanky Blue Bull has almost come out of nowhere to blossom into a world-class lock. Like Wiese and Du Toit, he has an engine that never falters. Nortjé is one of those 100-percenters the crowd don’t really see, but he has the utmost respect of his teammates. Oh, and he’s pretty handy in the line-outs, too.

4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) — 138 Test matches down the line, the 33-year-old continues to set world standards for second-rowers. Although he’s matured and tempered his aggression, he remains the man you don’t want to meet in a blind alley. Nick Frost of the Wallabies had a fine tournament, and RG Snyman was right up there too.

3 Wilco Louw (South Africa) — There’s not a lot to say other than spare a thought for the opposition loosehead when Louw comes trudging on, sleeves rolled up and teeth bared. He won scrum penalty after scrum penalty in his demolition jobs. Hats off, too, to Thomas “The Tank” du Toit.

2 Julián Montoya (Argentina) — Monty seems to have been around forever — well, he kind of has, having played 115 times for the Pumas. The 31-year-old is at the heart of this excellent Argentina team and consistently delivers rugged, almost faultless performances. Malcolm Marx was a close second. With Bongi Mbonambi injured, Marx steadily grew in impact over the tournament and was imperious last week against Argentina, though he had his problems with the line-outs earlier.

1 Ox Nché (South Africa) — The roly-poly cake muncher is a jovial character off the field, but a monster on it. To have Nché starting and Louw finishing is a deadly, penalty-winning combination for the Boks. Wallaby Angus Bell also showed plenty of promise.