2015 Rugby Championship: Best XV from Entire Tournament
Australia put a cursed four years behind them to win their first Rugby Championship crown on Saturday thanks to a 27-19 victory over New Zealand, putting them in good stead for the World Cup.
Michael Cheika's side had their fair share of heroes throughout the competition, but South Africa, Argentina and the All Blacks each contributed some star displays regardless of finishing place.
As the dust settles on another southern-hemisphere showdown, we've selected a lineup of the most impressive players at the 2015 Rugby Championship.
Let us know who you feel should or shouldn't have made the cut by commenting in the forum below.
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15. Israel Folau, Australia
The race to be crowned strongest carrier at the Rugby Championship couldn't have finished under tighter circumstances, with South Africa full-back Willie le Roux making 287 metres in total, the most of any player.
However, just behind the Springboks star was Israel Folau with 286 of his own, and it's the Wallabies' No. 15 who enjoyed a greater deal of consistency throughout, not to mention boasting less proneness for error.
Perhaps not surprisingly for Australia fans, Folau was their most reliable line-breaker throughout the competition, beating 20 defenders in total, including 10 in the win over South Africa—no player beat more opponents.
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper, Australia
The only player to score in all three weeks of this year's tournament, the ever-reliable Adam Ashley-Cooper brought his complementary prolific touch to the Australian back line once again.
If it's dazzling flair and showboating one looks for in a winger, you'll not find it in Ashley-Cooper, who amassed a less-than-amazing total of 138 carrying metres in 240 minutes of play—an average of 46 metres per game.
However, rugby writer Ellis Lane rightly outlines the 31-year-old's balance as his best asset. His flying try finish against New Zealand also showed he does still have the capacity for flash-in-the-pan brilliance.
11. Charles Piutau, New Zealand
Coming into the Rugby Championship, an abundance of New Zealand wing talents might have had Charles Piutau at the base of Steve Hansen's pecking order; it's fair to say he doesn't sit there any longer.
The Ulster-bound speedster played no part in the defeat to Australia in Week 3, and some might feel he could have made a difference had he featured. TV3 presenter Hamish McKay has backed him to return in Saturday's Bledisloe Cup game at Eden Park.
Piutau possesses an advantageous positional awareness from his time spent at full-back and failed to miss a single tackle in his two outings, covering well at the back, racking up 178 carrying metres and one try in his 160 minutes.
Centres
2 of 613. Jesse Kriel, South Africa
It was an unfair fate for breakout star Jesse Kriel to finish his Rugby Championship out on the wing to accommodate the return of Jean de Villiers, having impressed so wildly at outside centre up until then.
However, even a misfiring performance against the Pumas wasn't enough to dismiss the tremendous displays of Weeks 1 and 2, when Kriel proved to the world he's capable of lighting up South Africa's midfield.
Even with the return of De Villiers, SuperSport's Brenden Nel suggested he would stick with young Kriel at 13, having watched the Bulls youngster score twice in his first two Test appearances, against Australia and New Zealand respectively.
There's room for Kriel to improve in a defensive sense after missing six tackles in those first two matches, but so electric was the dynamo with ball in hand, his individual promise will give Heyneke Meyer hope of what's to come.
12. Matt Toomua, Australia
A controversial decision to say the least, considering he made just one start over the course of the tournament and played a collective 54 minutes, but Matt Toomua's impact was painfully obvious as Australia marched to success.
The Brumbies playmaker was introduced from the bench during wins over South Africa and New Zealand, proving himself to be a steadying presence in midfield on each occasion, the epitome of a super-sub.
Cheika now has little choice but to start Toomua at the World Cup, with ex-England centre Will Greenwood calling him "the best 12 on the planet." Rugby World's Charlie Morgan gave his take on how improved a team the Wallabies were with him among their ranks.
A calm and cool Toomua was unlucky to be taken off after just nine minutes against Argentina, but he returned against the All Blacks to set up a wonderful Ashley-Cooper try, per Eat Sleep Rugby, something he's capable of producing on a regular basis.
If anything, the fact Cheika's versatile back played so little yet made such an impact shows just what a weapon he could be with the likes of Ma'a Nonu and Damian de Allende struggling for consistency.
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10. Dan Carter, New Zealand
Picking a standout fly-half in this year's competition makes for difficult work, but Dan Carter showed enough glimpses of his former greatness to earn his selection after becoming the first player to score 1,500 Test points.
Australia have a real conundrum on their hands after none of Quade Cooper, Bernard Foley or Matt Giteau proved too awe-inspiring, while Handre Pollard's main woe remains that of consistency, disappearing too often.
Carter started against Argentina and Australia, scoring the second-highest points total of any player in the tournament (23), but the likes of Beauden Barrett and Lima Sopoaga will know the No. 10 shirt could soon be theirs.
9. Tomas Cubelli, Argentina
Stellar scrum-half performances were also few and far between at the Rugby Championship, as each coach chopped and changed their selection—South Africa's Ruan Pienaar was the only No. 9 to start in each round.
Tomas Cubelli did manage two starts for Argentina, however, and it was a particularly decisive display against South Africa that saw him lead the Pumas to their first Rugby Championship away win.
Cubelli set up two of Juan Imhoff's three tries in that encounter thanks to some supreme initiative, the kind of quick thinking that led Super Rugby's Brumbies to sign him up, per Christy Doran of Fox Sports.
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8. Kieran Read, New Zealand
Far from just a pretty face, New Zealand No. 8 Kieran Read revealed it was his line-out call that led to Richie McCaw's game-winning try against South Africa in Week 2, reported by the New Zealand Herald.
It's hardly surprising considering just how intelligently the 2013 IRB Player of the Year went about his work, completing 42 tackles in total for an average of 14 per game.
Rugby Players' Association chairman Christian Day hailed Read's performance against the Wallabies in Week 3. The player also stood out as a fearsome figure at the set piece, albeit not capturing his strongest form with ball in hand.
7. David Pocock, Australia
What a welcome return to the Test arena this year's tournament was for David Pocock. After two knee reconstructions, he doesn't look like he's missed a beat in terms of rediscovering his world-class stride.
Cheika reaped the benefits of fielding him and fellow openside Michael Hooper as a flanker combination against New Zealand, with ex-England prop David Flatman attesting to their nullifying effect on McCaw.
Pocock managed a total of 26 tackles in his two starts, against Argentina and the All Blacks, signalling an extremely successful re-entry to the Wallabies side, and his pilfering was critical to their triumph.
6. Michael Hooper, Australia
A Team of the Tournament wouldn't be complete without former Wallabies captain Hooper, who comes in at blind-side in order to accommodate back-row mate Pocock on the other flank.
A Man of the Match performance against the All Blacks in Week 3 was the perfect manner in which to shrug off the citation he received following the Week 2 win over Argentina, the only game he didn't start.
Pocock's introduction to the side certainly helped alleviate Hooper's tackling burden to an extent, as he made just 23 tackles in his two starts. But more importantly, he failed to miss any tackling attempt in those victories over South Africa and New Zealand.
That being said, not having the armband certainly didn't affect Hooper's leadership, as he clinched a crucial 73rd-minute try during the defeat of the Springboks and, to his team's delight, was a non-stop nuisance.
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5 of 65. Eben Etzebeth, South Africa
An injury crisis at lock threatens to derail South Africa's bid to contend at the World Cup later this year, but in Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, the Springboks could have their lock partnership for the next decade.
De Jager stood up terrifically in the absence of an injured Victor Matfield, but it was very much a case of "anything you can do I can do better" as far as Etzebeth was concerned.
Not having a recognised No. 8 in the team also coaxed out a more carry-conscious version of the second row, who scored South Africa's opening try of the tournament.
Typically monstrous in all areas, Etzebeth also helped out with the line-out technicalities following Matfield's injury and made use of that Hulk-like frame in defence, making 32 tackles and missing just one.
4. Dean Mumm, Australia
Cheika will undoubtedly look back on his decision to bring Dean Mumm back into the international fold with glee after the lock repaid his gesture with some brilliant performances in Weeks 1 and 2.
Coming off the bench to score a sensational try against Argentina, former Exeter Chiefs captain Mumm then made his presence felt against the All Blacks, making two turnovers and being great at the set piece.
Will Skelton will have a difficult time getting back into the Wallabies XV as long as the mobile Mumm is in this kind of form.
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6 of 63. Sekope Kepu, Australia
Week 3 started in shambles for Sekope Kepu, but after being sin-binned in the seventh minute against the All Blacks, he made his return to score the opening try of the match with a brilliant step through enemy lines.
The tighthead has given Cheika an answer to one of his scrum dilemmas and hardly took a backward step at the set piece. He also proved himself to be an energetic figure in defence, making 11 tackles against the Boks.
The Daily Telegraph's Jamie Pandaram believes Cheika has his props set for the World Cup in Kepu and Scott Sio, with the Waratahs man certainly doing enough to justify his starting place for now.
2. Agustin Creevy, Argentina
A special mention has to go to New Zealand's Dane Coles, who proved in recent weeks that the modern hooker couldn't be further from its old, burly stereotype, but Argentina's Agustin Creevy takes the No. 2 jersey.
Daniel Hourcade's captain couldn't have hoped to start the tournament much better on an individual scale, touching down for two well-worked tries against the All Blacks.
Having led the Pumas to last year's historic win over Australia in Mendoza, the hooker was again in the front seat for another piece of history at this year's tournament—this time in Durban.
Argentina's pack was undoubtedly the highlight of their tournament, and if the Pumas' scrum works like a well-oiled machine, Creevy is its caretaker, ensuring every cog keeps working as it's supposed to.
1. Marcos Ayerza, Argentina
Despite being on the international scene for more than a decade, Leicester Tiger Marcos Ayerza isn't letting standards fall at 32 years of age.
In fact, the Leicester prop may even be peaking at the right time as far as Hourcade is concerned, with Flatman dubbing him "the best loosehead there is" following his display in Durban.
When it comes to packing down, not many a scrum technicians know their ins and and outs like Ayerza, who constantly provided his side with a reliable foundation in an area of the park that proved extremely fruitful.
All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum.
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