Ireland pip New Zealand to have the most representatives, but it was a close-run thing.
Another season of rugby has officially wrapped and, with it, so are the rugby shows and podcasts. The Irish lads are now off for the next four weeks but we’ll not be seeing many of the in action again until September.
The Hard Yards is taking a break for a few weeks while the gang over at the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly are putting their feet up for a well-earned rest. Before Chris Jones and Ugo Monye (former England & Lions) did so, they selected their Best XV from all the summer internationals.
Ireland claimed their first Test Series victory in Australia since 1979, at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, and four of their players make the select team.
Starting with the backline, there was a healthy spread and Israel Folau’s yellow card picked up against Ireland did not stop him making the team. There was no room for the likes of Garry Ringrose or Keith Earls but Johnny Sexton made the cut. Monye suggested Beauden Barret should be in the conversation but Jones fought for the Leinster 10.
“Johnny Sexton. Come on, Johnny Sexton. Just for that kick he got at the end, when he had just been poleaxed, and for his 2018.”
Monye did not need much convincing and also agreed to Tadhg Furlong going in at tight-head despite the Australian scrum “dominating” at the scrum in Sydney. Wallabies flanker David Pocock pipped teammate Michael Hooper to the openside slot and there was room for Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony. Jones commented:
“Peter O’Mahony, he seems to be having a bit of an Indian summer to his career after a quite few years before the Lions [2017].”
The final Irish selection just about got in there ahead of All Blacks lock Scott Barrett.
“It’s quite hard to look past James Ryan,” said Monye. “He has been very, very good.”
We can’t argue with many of those selections – as in wedging in Irish players – but surely Conor Murray should have been in there at scrum-half. Faf de Klerk did well against England but Murray was a class act Down Under.
BBC’S BEST SUMMER XV
Israel Folau (Australia)
Jonny May (England)
Semi Radradra (France)
Kurtley Beale (Australia)
Rieko Ioane (New Zealand)Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
Faf de Klerk (South Africa)Steven Kitshoff (South Africa)
Codie Taylor (New Zealand)
Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)
James Ryan (Ireland)Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)
David Pocock (Australia)
Duane Vermeulen (South Africa)
That’s a pretty decent team.
