We are now midway through the autumn internationals, so which players have shone the brightest? Who are the established stars and new faces that have really caught the eye?
There are plenty of contenders, but here is our world XV from the men's autumn internationals so far. See what you think.
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15. Ange Capuozzo (Italy)
Freddie Steward has been outstanding for England, but Capuozzo just gets the nod after his dazzling double in the Azzurri’s historic victory over Australia. Welsh fans will be all too familiar with the diminutive 23-year-old as he was the defence-splitting architect of Italy’s match-winning try in Cardiff back in March. He provided emphatic proof that was no one-off with his scintillating performance against the Wallabies in Florence, twice carving his way to the line with a dummy, a shimmy and a step along the way, not to mention blistering pace.
14. Damian Penaud (France)
His father Alain was a class act, winning 32 caps at fly-half in the 1990s, and the family tradition is being continued in style by the dancing Damian. There have already been plenty of highlights during this autumn campaign, but Penaud’s late match-winning try against Australia is right up there, with an out-in swerve and step to beat the first covering defender and then a killer hand-off to dismiss the second. A hat-tip for Scotland’s Darcy Graham who is having such a fine season for club and country.
13. Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
The Dubliner is such a crucial cog in the Irish back-line with his polished all-round game. Outside centre is arguably the toughest defensive position in the game, but he handles it with calm aplomb, marshalling the midfield rearguard, while he consistently crosses the gain-line with his punchy carries. Add in his ability in the air and over the ball and you have a pretty complete centre.
12. Gael Fickou (France)
It seems as though he has been around forever, but the man from the Côte d’Azur is still only 28. He’s now at the peak of his powers, with bags of experience and know-how to add to his abundant God-given talent. The silky skills and graceful running have always been there, but there is also a real defensive steel to his game these days as demonstrated by the way he dealt with De Allende and Co in the victory over the Springboks.
11. Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina)
No one has scored more points in international rugby this year than the Edinburgh winger. He added 25 more to his tally against England, displaying his unerring place-kicking accuracy, while also finishing off a sparking back-line attack off first-phase ball. A mention too for Mack Hansen who continues to prove a real quality addition to the Ireland set-up.
10. Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand)
It says everything you need to know about the Crusaders pivot that he has kept Beauden Barrett out of the No 10 jersey for much of the past couple of years. He is such an intelligent player with so many strings to his attacking bow as he demonstrated during the romp against Wales in Cardiff.
9. Aaron Smith (New Zealand)
While reigning World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont blotted his copybook with a red card against South Africa, Smith has shown that he is right back to his imperious best. The 33-year-old was just far too hot for Wales to handle, crossing for a brace of tries, his first, a searing snipe off the base of a scrum followed by a lethal step, coming at a crucial point in the game.
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1. Ellis Genge (England)
France’s Cyril Baille is always a strong contender for this position and that’s the case once again following his try-scoring shift against the Springboks, but Genge just edges it for me. He too was on the scoresheet at the weekend surging over the Japanese line in typical fashion while his scrummaging has been strong and assertive so far during the campaign.
2. Codie Taylor (New Zealand)
Two early tries to lay the foundations of the big win in Cardiff and then a crucial impact off the bench at Murrayfield, where he provided fresh impetus to help the All Blacks extricate themselves from a tricky situation. Fellow All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho has also really caught the eye, living up to the pre-tour plaudits from Steve Hansen, with his mighty ball carrying and solid set-piece work. Elsewhere, Dan Sheehan adds to his growing reputation with Ireland and Springbok Malcolm Marx is such a force of nature.
3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
The man from farming stock in County Wexford seems to be pretty much an ever-present in these World XV selections, but there is a reason for that. He is just so damn good. Now he has international captaincy to add to his CV, having skippered for the first time against Fiji on Saturday. It’s been business as usual from him, as scrum cornerstone, workaholic and prop come fly-half with his tip-ons and offloads.
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4. Cameron Woki (France)
A really tight call this one, as Tadhg Beirne has again been excellent, with his carrying, his mauling and his trademark breakdown brilliance. But the 24-year-old Woki has become a key figure in the French pack with his amazing athleticism, both in terms of his gravity-defying lineout-leaping and his contribution around the park. He’s admitted he has never before experienced such intensity as in Saturday’s game against South Africa in Marseille, but he literally rose to the challenge, winning vital set-piece ball while also putting his body on the line in defence.
5. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
He couldn’t have done much more for the Springbok cause over the past couple of weeks during narrow defeats to Ireland and France. The 6ft 8ins second row enforcer from the Western Cape, who is now with Durban’s Sharks, brings such a destructive, abrasive edge to proceedings, but he’s also comfortable with ball in hand and a real technician at the lineout. Just one of the most consistent performers in the world game.
6. Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
I’ve done a bit of positional tinkering here in order to fit in all three back rowers who have impressed me the most. To my mind, Savea is the best player in the world right now. His performance against Wales was just off the scale, with his carrying, his offloading and his pilfering at the breakdown, while he was again a talisman when the All Blacks found themselves in a hole up in Murrayfield. Outstanding whatever the number on his back.
8. Taulupe Faletau (Wales)
There were some who wondered whether Faletau’s best days were maybe behind him amid the injury issues that have plagued him in recent years. But he is the absolute epitome of class being permanent. His immense work-rate in a losing cause against New Zealand was defiance personified as he made 26 tackles and 15 carries, while he followed that up with a Man of the Match display in the win over Argentina, showing off his footwork and athleticism, adding in a rumbling try for good measure.
7. Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
The openside from County Wicklow is having the year of his rugby life. Superb last season, he was crucial to the series victory in New Zealand over the summer and he has carried on in the same vein this autumn. He is an absolute metronome, repeatedly getting Ireland over the gainline and bossing the breakdown, while it’s still not entirely clear how on earth he managed to get the ball down before going into touch with his maul-drive try against South Africa in a game where he also topped the tackle count. A word too for All Blacks No 7 Dalton Papali’i.
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