Rugby World Cup Groups 2015: Biggest Surprise Players in Pool A Teams

Pool A has unsurprisingly proved to be the entertainment epicentre of the Rugby World Cup 2015, but that drama has come largely thanks to the lesser-known stars performing better than expected.

Whether it's Wales' injury crisis leading to a shock selection or Stuart Lancaster's rotation that gifts someone their chance, it's been a joy to see stars emerge from the shadows and dazzle so brightly thus far.

Earlier in the week, we brought you a roundup of the biggest surprise stars from Pool C so far, but here we take a look at the Pool of Death in an attempt to root out which figures have impressed beyond expectation.

1. Gareth Davies

As one of the major injury blows suffered by Wales prior to the tournament, some may have thought that all was lost when Rhys Webb would play no part in the World Cup, but successor Gareth Davies is fast proving a hero in his own right.

In truth, the Scarlets scrum-half was never that far behind Webb in Warren Gatland's pecking order, but Wales supporters have been pleased to see him not only plug a gap, but thrive as the first-choice No. 9.

Of course his highest-ranking achievement of the tournament was the 71st-minute try against England last Saturday that helped Wales tie the match they'd eventually go on to win at Twickenham.

However, that small piece of history came on the back of an all-encompassing, expansive performance from Davies, who was every bit the metronomic playmaker his team needed—and that little bit extra.

2. Dean Mumm

It's no understatement to say Dean Mumm has taken his career to new heights this year after going from international uncertainty to Wallabies captain in less than six months.

Toward the tail-end of his Exeter Chiefs tenure, it was unclear whether the Australia lock would even go to the World Cup, but he led the side to a 65-3 battering of Uruguay on Sunday, which was the biggest win of this World Cup so far.

And Mumm was irrepressible during a try-scoring performance, telling ITV just how much the result meant to him and his men, per the official Rugby World Cup Twitter account.

There will be bigger tests than Uruguay to come, that's for sure, but after excelling in that result and making a cameo in the win over Fiji, Mumm may be considered a real contender to start against England.

3. Ben Volavola

Playing fly-half for Fiji must be up there with one of the more difficult jobs at the World Cup, where Ben Volavola is attempting to marshal a side that, by its very nature, is lacking order, for better or worse.

One may scrutinise Fiji's technical proficiency—after all, their physical attributes are what grab the plaudits—but recently signed Crusaders No. 10 Volavola is proving to be a pinpoint puppeteer of serious potential.

We're yet to see the complete 80-minute performance from the former Waratahs man, sure, but there's been some delightful glimpses of magic from his boot and with ball in hand, not least of which was his try against Australia.

4. Hallam Amos

Another Wales figure to benefit from a pre-tournament blow, Newport Gwent Dragons star Hallam Amos has found himself thrown in at the deep end thanks to an injury, this time to Leigh Halfpenny's World Cup absence.

And how the young outside back has managed to do a job when it's been needed most of him, beating England at Twickenham in what was just his fourth start for his country last Saturday.

Amos was far from a prominent carrier against England, but he did show some confident interlinking play before seeing his tournament ended with an unfortunate shoulder injury.

All that came after the 21-year-old scored his first Test try against Uruguay barely a week previous, and fans can only hope the utility back comes back stronger, as he looks far too valuable a prospect to miss out on.

5. Tom Youngs

There's been huge debate over the past year as to who England's best hooker is, but Dylan Hartley's behavioural issues gave Tom Youngs the only chance he's needed to establish himself as Stuart Lancaster's No. 2.

Youngs hasn't been invulnerable to criticism during his England tenure, mainly thanks to some suspect line-out throwing, but a majority of the Leicester Tiger's weaknesses have been outshone by strengths at the World Cup.

And if there were two words to sum up Youngs' dashing performances already, they would be "work rate," with the hooker one of only two England players to have made tackles in the double digits in each of their two games.