Brendan Gallagher World Cup XV

15. Ben Smith (New Zealand): Consumate in all departments, Japan‘s brilliant Agumu Goromaru the next in line
14. Julian Savea (New Zealand): Use to be skinny and quick, now big and quick. Positively Lomuesque
13. Conrad Smith (New Zealand): Wonderfully consistent and as influential as ever. ABs will miss him hugely
12. Matt Giteau (Australia): Cheika badly wanted him back… and the veteran Aussie showed exactly why
11. Santiago Cordero (Argentina): A tad madcap but brilliant and captivating. A huge star of the future
10. Dan Carter (New Zealand): Memorable swansong. Nicolas Sanchez and Bernard Foley in very close attendance
9. Fourie Du Preez (South Africa): Dodgy knee, bad back but inspired the Boks. Chapeau also to Greig Laidlaw
8. David Pocock (Australia): No arguments although Kieran Read, David Denton and Leanardo Senatore also impressed
7. Richie McCaw (New Zealand): Too close to call really. Warburton, Burger, Fernandez-Lobbe and Hooper also utterly magnficent
6. Scott Fardy (Australia): Piratical and a complete bloody nuisance at blindside flanker. World class beard
5. Leone Nakarawa (Fiji): Made a massive impact in adversity. Just creeps in ahead of Eben Etzebeth
4. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand): Not only the world’s best lock but probably the game’s best forward – period
3. Ramiro Hererra (Argentina): The latest front row monster from Argentina’s conveyor belt. Awesome player
2. Stephen Moore (Australia): The proud Aussie skipper produced his finest ever rugby and inspired his team
1. Marcos Ayerza (Argentina): Still the world’s best loosehead by some distance. Can he make it through to 2019?