Ben Youngs and Anthony Watson built their current top 10 off Nations Championship form, and four Springboks made the cut: Marx at 10, Pieter-Steph du Toit at 5, Kolbe at 4 (one game, one dominant performance against England), and Wiese at 2 — the latter's inclusion effectively ending any lingering debate about who owns the Bok No.8 jersey. The list is Southern Hemisphere-heavy overall, with All Blacks Jordan and Savea featuring alongside Lucu and Jalibert at the top. Youngs pre-empted the controversy himself, joking 'no way anyone's agreeing with that list' before signing off — which is exactly the kind of provocation that makes it worth engaging with.
AnalysisSpringboksPlanet Rugby
Four Boks crack ex-England players' world top 10 — but is the list any good?
Youngs and Watson's Nations Championship-based world top 10 slots in Marx, Du Toit, Kolbe and Wiese — with the latter's ranking effectively settling the Bok No.8 debate. The full list is worth a look if you want something to argue about.
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