Rugby World UK – July 2019

Age 25 (28.11.93) Position Centre

He’s not a familiar name in the

northern hemisphere but Am is South

Africa’s silkiest midfielder. He runs

great lines, has superb vision and

has the skills to put team-mates into

space. He’s the best defensive reader

of the game in SA too. Not huge but

a strong tackler and midfield general.

Age 34 (15.3.85) Position Hooker

Many expected Creevy to move to

Europe to finish his distinguished career

after RWC 2019, but he has re-signed

for two more years with the UAR. A

powerful set-piece colossus with a

penchant for jackling, the former Pumas

captain is still a huge asset to the

Jaguares and Argentina. He’s set to

become the first Puma to play 100 Tests.

Age 24 (9.12.94) Position Wing

Injuries and politics have so far

prevented the Fijian making his France

debut, but he’s expected to make a

big impact at Japan 2019 now he has

both French citizenship and a passport.

Clermont Auvergne’s Challenge

Cup-winning campaign illustrates how

dangerous he is out wide. He beat

more defenders than anyone else –

34 in just five matches. That’s nearly

seven opponents a match flummoxed

by the winger. He also averaged two

breaks and 100 metres a game.

Don’t just rely on stats, though.

Ben Ryan described Raka as “box

office” in Rugby World earlier this year

before analysing his skill-set in detail.

“His MO is to clutch the ball in his left

hand, ready to offload, which frees up

his piston-like right arm for the ‘see

you later’ fend,” says Ryan. “The third

strand to his attacking game is his

1970s hip swerve. This, combined with

his fend and balance, will get him past

even the most able of defences.

“He’s more than a hard man to stop;

he’s a pinballing force of nature.”

92

STUART

McINALLY

90 LUKHANYO AM

91 AGUSTÍN CREEVY

6

83

27

93 ALIVERETI RAKA

0

100 Best Players

Age 28 (9 August 1990) Position Hooker

W

HEN SCOTLAND were
in the deepest, darkest
hole of their lives half an
hour into the Calcutta
Cup at Twickenham in March, they
needed some kind of miracle to arrest
their pitiful descent into humiliation.
Trailing 31-0, somebody needed to
step up. McInally did precisely that.
His try, from 65m out, gave Scotland
belief that a comeback was possible.
That chargedown encapsulated him.
The awareness to read Owen Farrell’s
intentions, the skill to pick up the ball,

the pace and determination to outrun

the retreating Farrell and Jonny May.

McInally has a huge heart and a huge

engine. He’s a hooker who probably

doesn’t get talked about as much as

he should outside Scotland, but ask

anybody who has played with him or

coached him and you hear about his

leadership, his relentless setting of

standards, his work-rate, his durability.

His season petered out a little with

Edinburgh. He deserved better. Forced

to withdraw from Scotland’s World Cup

squad on the eve of the tournament

four years ago, he’s longing to get to

Japan. He may yet go there as captain.