With the Rugby Championship about to kick off, I have been casting my mind to which players I think could make a big impact for their countries during this edition of the tournament. Ladies, don’t worry about losing your man’s interest for the next two months – rugby is a sport for everyone, after all. Let him have his rugby – you have the players! These next 4 standouts have been nominated for their special talents both on and off the field.
Rugby Championship Players to Watch
Damian de Allende (South Africa)
One of the most exciting parts of any start to a tournament is the introduction of new talent. Damian de Allende will be making his RC debut for South Africa when the Boks take on Argentina at Loftus. De Allende has the advantage of being a bit of an unknown – trawl through Google and the best I could find was that Damian’s favourite food is McDonalds. However, being the unknown quantity is something that can play in his favour. With Frans Steyn now deciding the Yen works better for him, de Allende has a great opportunity to cement himself as the regular centre pairing with Jean de Villiers by having a strong tournament.
Here’s hoping he picks up a few Man of the Match gongs too, so we have the opportunity to gaze into those piercing blue eyes.
Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)
Did anyone notice how many lineout turnovers Sam Whitelock made during the Super Rugby semi-final against the Sharks? I don’t know because I lost count. What wasn’t lost on me, however, was how often he poached the opposition’s ball at critical periods. Besides his 2.02m frame giving him the edge in the lineouts, it’s his predatory instinct that really sets him apart from most tight forwards in the world. I would go as far as to say that he is the number 1 lock in the world – no easy feat considering that he will be competing against the likes of Juan Fernandez Lobbe and Eben Etzebeth in this year’s RC.
He can also lay claim to being one of the best looking tight forwards in world rugby with that rugged cave-man look that make quite a few women – my friends included – a bit weak at the knees. I am picking Whitelock to once again be one of the standout stars of the tournament; he is already an integral cog in the All Blacks machine.
Israel Folau (Australia)
Israel Folau takes a the term ‘triple threat’ to a whole new level – and, no, I am not just referring to his powerfully built body, smouldering good looks and the ability to look stylish in just about anything he wears. Folau spent time in rugby league and AFL (Aussie Rules Football) before joining rugby union in 2012. Swapping between two codes isn’t exactly easy (just ask Benji Marshall …), but to play THREE codes and be a success? That’s Israel Folau for you. Forget that he could pass for a forward with his size and build, this fullback is more explosive from the back, creating and scoring tries at will almost. Couple that with his skill under the high ball and he is sure to be a marked man throughout the tournament.
The Wallabies are being talked up as genuine contenders for RC – especially after the Waratahs Super Rugby triumph in Sydney just 2 weeks ago – and a lot will be riding on Folau’s broad shoulders if they are to show their rivals that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Juan Martin Hernandez (Argentina)
He could easily pass for one of those eye-catching models who pose in Calvin Klein underwear because of his seriously sexy Latino looks and butter couldn’t melt in your mouth Spanish accent (and by the way he speaks fluent French too!). Luckily for us rugby fans, he turned his back on football in his teens and decided to pursue his passion for rugby instead. Think back to the 2007 World Cup when ‘JMH’, or the ‘Magician’ as he is also known, exploded on to the world stage and heralded his arrival in the most emphatic of fashions. Suddenly, he was being talked about in the same company as the premier tens of world rugby – the Carters, Giteaus and Wilkinsons – and not only because he knew how to kick the leather out of a rugby ball (see Dieux de Stade’s 2005 Calendar for further information).
Unfortunately, lady luck has not been kind to JMH and since 2007 he has suffered a number of serious injuries that has derailed his progress. But don’t count him out. I am a keen viewer of the French top 14 and I have seen enough glimpses of brilliance to know that the ‘magician’ still resides within JMH. Expect him to have a strong – overdue – showing during this year’s RC.
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