10 MOST INFLUENTIAL PLAYERS
10: WILL GENIA
When he was in his absolute prime, Will Genia made games all about him. He personally dragged the Reds to the playoffs in 2010 and a year later, he pretty much won them a title.
That try he scored in the final was incredible – he ran through the entire Crusaders team.
9: AARON CRUDEN
The Chiefs were mostly hopeless for all of Super Rugby. Then Aaron Cruden pitched up in 2012 and they won a title. That says it all. They won another the following year with Cruden at No 10 and never failed to make the playoffs when he was around.
And the fact he’s back this year for one more campaign...makes the Chiefs way more dangerous.
8: VICTOR MATFIELD
A huge man who remains to this day arguably the greatest lineout forward there has ever been. He was at the core of the Bulls’ great period between 2007 and 2010 – captaining them to three titles.
7: DANIEL CARTER
The last years of Dan Carter’s Super Rugby career were disrupted by injury and by the lack of killer instinct shown by the Crusaders.
But he steered them to back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006 and was at his peak in 2008 when they cruised to their seventh title.
6: STIRLING MORTLOCK
For quite some period between the late 1990s and early-mid 2000s, the Brumbies were a fearsome team. They won two titles and had two other appearances in the final.
They played a distinctive style of football and much of that was typified by Stirling Mortlock who was always there, thundering through the midfield and strangely kicking goals.
5: BEN SMITH
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The 20 Most Memorable Rugby Acts Of 2020
2020- Most Amazing Rugby Acts
RUGBY ROYALTY
FRANS STEYN’S IMPACT AT LAST YEAR’S WORLD CUP ADDED MORE PRESTIGE TO A DECORATED CAREER THAT ISN’T OVER YET. CRAIG LEWIS FROM SA RUGBY MAGAZINE REPORTS.
WINGING IT FOR LONGER
TYPICALLY POWER WINGS DON'T LAST LONG IN THE ALL BLACKS. BUT CALEB CLARKE AND RIEKO IOANE ARE HOPING TO BUCK THE TREND.
TOUGHEST JOB IN THE WORLD
NZ RUGBY WORLD EDITOR GREGOR PAUL HAS A NEW BOOK OUT CALLED THE CAPTAIN'S RUN. IN IT HE EXPLORES WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD THE WORLD'S BEST RUGBY TEAM, HOW THE JOB HAS CHANGED AND HOW THE VARIOUS LEADERS HAVE DEALT WITH PRESSURE, FAILURE AND SUCCESS.
WOW FACTOR
SCOTT ROBERTSON IS UNORTHODOX BUT HE'S ALSO BRILLIANT AND WANTS A JOB WITH THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS.
RUGBY REBORN
COVID BROUGHT ECONOMIC CARNAGE IN 2020 BUT RATHER THAN BEING SEEN AS A WRECKER OF FORTUNES, THE PANDEMIC WAS ACTUALLY A GIANT BLESSING.
BATTLE FOR THE BLEDISLOE
THE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS OF 2020 SAW THE INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR HASTILY REDRAWN AND IN A UNIQUE TWIST FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AGE, THE ALL BLACKS PLAYED FOUR CONSECUTIVE TESTS AGAINST AUSTRALIA.
PACIFIC POWER HOUSE
FIJI HAVE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO FULFIL THEIR ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. BUT THEY MIGHT NOW FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF VERN COTTER AS HEAD COACH.
THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION
ON AND OFF THE FIELD, SPRINGBOKS WING CHESLIN KOLBE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL IMPACT.
DEFENCE FORCE ONE
THE BLUES WERE A RADICALLY DIFFERENT TEAM IN 2020 AND MUCH OF THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR VASTLY IMPROVED WORK ON DEFENCE.
