How our World Rugby Team of the Year looks

SA Rugby Magazine editor Zelim Nel and myself picked our 2022 Rugby Team of the Year – and it looks decidedly different to the XV confirmed by World Rugby as the best XV of the year, writes Mark Keohane.

Only four of World Rugby’s Team of the Year make our Team of the Year.

Here’s our picks:

15. Ange Capuozzo (Italy)
14. Damian Penaud (France)
13. Gary Ringrose (Ireland)
12. Damian de Allende (South Africa)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
10. Romain Ntamack (France)
9. Antoine Dupont (France)
8. Ardi Savea (New Zealand)
7. Pablo Matera (Argentina)
6. Siya Kolisi (South Africa, captain)
5. James Ryan (Ireland)
4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
3. Frans Malherbe (South Africa)
2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
1. Steven Kitshoff (South Africa)

Representation:
South Africa: 6
France: 3
Ireland: 2
Argentina: 1
Italy: 1
Scotland: 1
New Zealand: 1

*Lukhanyo Am misses our team because he has missed most of 2022.

Here’s World Rugby’s XV

World Rugby’s 2022 Men’s Team of the Year — 15 Freddie Steward (ENG); 14 Will Jordan (NZL), 13 Lukhanyo Am (RSA), 12 Damian de Allende (RSA), 11 Marika Koroibete (AUS); 10 Johnny Sexton (IRL), 9 Antoine Dupont (FRA); 8 Gregory Alldritt (FRA), 7 Josh van der Flier (IRL), 6 Pablo Matera (ARG); 5 Sam Whitelock (NZL), 4 Tadhg Beirne (IRL); 3 Tadhg Furlong (IRL), 2 Malcolm Marx (RSA), 1 Ellis Genge (ENG).