Jon Swift
THE inherent weakness in picking a World XV is that it remains a paper exercise made more difficult by pulls of patriotism and the dictates of producing a line-up which would not necessarily gel in real life.
There were, however, some truly stand-out players in the World Cup where no dispute can be countenanced in any selection of a theoretical side to take on the strong men from Mars or wherever.
There are others though who, while they showed themselves to be a cut above the average, are edged out of the final selection for one reason or another. Such is the case with South Africa’s inspirational captain, Francois Pienaar. There were few better leaders of men throughout the tournament, but there were any number of flank forwards with at least equal claims to selection.
With All Black Sean Fitzpatrick — his experience as a captain edges out top contenders like Frederico Mendez of Argentina — selected to lead the side, there is no place for Pienaar but on the substitutes bench.
At fullback, there can be no argument. Andre Joubert bestrode the tournament with a calm professionalism that not even a broken hand could shake. He hardly put a foot wrong throughout the month. Scotland’s Gavin Hastings has retired. New Zealander Glen Osborne and France’s Jean-Luc Sadourny came close. But not close
Emile N’Tamack, the French flier, takes the right wing as the most elusive — and arguably perceptive — wingman in the tournament in a position where few really shone and James Small did not contribute enough due to his hamstring injury.
On the opposite wing, French captain Phillipe Saint- Andre gets the vote ahead of South Africa’s Chester Williams and giant All Black Jonah Lomu. Williams had only half a tournament and Lomu, unstoppable as he seemed at times, was exposed in the final as a young man of potential but lacking the vital finish.
In the centre, the pairing of New Zealand’s Walter Little and South Africa’s Japie Mulder gets the nod; Little for his vast experience and all-round ability and Mulder as one of the best broken-field runners to emerge of late. It was Mulder’s superb cover tackle that took the wind out of Lomu’s sails in the final. One feels that he would complement Little admirably and form a fearsome midfield combination.
You also need look no further than Joel Stransky and Joost van der Westhuizen as a halfback combination, with the pairing of New Zealand’s Graeme Bachup and Andrew Mehrtens a close second. Stransky put the seal on his claims over the silky talents of Mehrtens in the final and — with the exception of Welshman Robert Jones — Van der Westhuizen had no equal. Splitting the South African pairing would be foolish in the extreme.
In the front row, Fitzpatrick would call on Puma Patricio Noriega, strong and mobile, and the proven ability of Ireland’s British Lion Nick Popplewell. Noriega was a stand-out at tighthead and Pops, despite his fast approaching sell-by date, is still one of the best around, though Os du Randt for one would run him
At lock, you don’t have to look much further than the elongated Antipodeans, Aussie John Eales and Ian Jones of New Zealand. Both are deceptively good forwards and have no peer in line-out play. Oliver Roumat of France would come close as would Robin Brooke and England’s Martin Bayfield. Kobus Wiese too had a magnificent tournament but is not in this league as a jumper.
On the flanks, you don’t have to look much further than Moroccan-born Frenchman Abdel Benazzi and South Africa’s silent assassin, Ruben Kruger. Both had outstanding tournaments and, in harness, would be almost unstoppable. All Black find Josh Kronfeld came close as did Pienaar, Laurent Cabannes (France), Scotland’s Rob Wainwright and Aussie David Wilson. But in deciding on a pairing, it was apposite to look at how the talents of one player would mesh with those of the other, hence Benazzi and Kruger.
At the back of the scrum, Wallaby Tim Gavin gets the nod over All Black Zinzan Brooke, who missed most of the tournament with an Achilles injury, Ireland’s Paddy Johns and England’s Dean Richards. Richards is a pace or two short of the pack and Johns, a player who performs with pace, fire and real joy in what he is doing, was hampered by an Irish pack who did not really match the company they kept. The Irishman would be second choice.
As coach, you need look no further than Kitch Christie. His quiet logic and belief in his own assessment and his team’s uncompromising guts, make the South African first choice.
New Zealand’s Laurie Mains had his claims for the way he has revolutionised All Black play, but there is a lack of joy in his approach. He seems for to be a mechanical device bolted onto a magnificent machine. Christie is human in all he does.
In the analysis, this would mean a breakdown of five South Africans, three from New Zealand and France, two Wallabies and one each from Ireland and Argentina.
It is a team which could never be assembled. But well worth the mental exercise of just how they would do.
World XV
15 Andre Joubert (SA)
14 Emile N’Tamack (France)
13 Japie Mulder (SA)
12 Walter Little (New Zealand)
11 Phillipe Saint-Andre (France)
10 Joel Stransky (SA)
9 Joost van der Westhuizen (SA)
8 Tim Gavin (Australia)
7 Reuben Kruger (SA)
6 Abdel Benazzi (France)
5 John Eales (Australia)
4 Ian Jones (New Zealand)
3 Patricio Noriega (Argentina)
2 Sean Fitzpatrick (NZ, captain)
1 Nick Popplewell (Ireland)
Coach: Kitch Christie (SA)