"Team of Decade"

[BallBoy]

So here's the Brits view on the best 22 playing our beloved game the last decade. What's your view. For me - to be honest - does not look like a team to write home about. I would question 14,12,11,9,8,1 and then quite a few on the bench

5 Argentinians in that squad,  by all accounts they should have ruled the rugbyworld the last 10 years...

Rugby World magazine’s team of the decade.
   
The magazine, which is printed in England, is one of the best selling rugby magazines worldwide and is highly regarded in British rugby circles.

Rugby World's team of the decade (15-1): Mils Muliaina (NZL), Jason Robinson (ENG), Brian O'Driscoll (IRL), Matt Giteau (AUS), Shane Williams (WAL), Dan Carter (NZL), Agustin Pichot (ARG), Sergio Parisse (ITA), Richie McCaw (NZL), Richard Hill (ENG), Martin Johnson (ENG capt), Victor Matfield (RSA), Carl Hayman (NZL), John Smit (RSA), Gethin Jenkins (WAL).

Reserves: Rodrigo Roncero (ARG), Mario Ledesma (ARG), Sylvain Marconnet (FRA), Juan-Martin Fernandez Lobbe (ARG), Fourie Du Preez (RSA), Jonny Wilkinson (ENG), Yannick Jauzion (FRA), Juan Martin Hernandez (ARG)

[Gwynn]

I have to agree it's doesn't strike me as the best team of the decade by far.  Jason Robinson should be pipped for the winger's birth by any number of players... one Bryan Habana pops to mind, and even Joe Rocokoco in his prime was better than him.

Agree with the centres, Umaga misses out due to O'Driscoll and Giteau being better specialists in their positions than Umaga was, though Umaga had a great ability to cover both... perhaps he should be a bench player?

Parisse has only come into his own in the last couple of years, so I'd rate Dallagio playing at 8 a better choice that him.  Don't know about Richard Hill at 6 either, Schalk Burger has made more of an impact in that position than Hill ever did, and Collins too has probably left more of a legacy on world rugby.

Gethin Jenkins is a worry, virtually every front row in the world bar Scotland and Australia would have had a better prop than him... Woodcock springs to mind, but certainly around the field there's bound to be people better than Jenkins or even Woodcock.

[Geeves]

This is just another water cooler time waster article.

I love the ambiguity of these things.  The best team of the decade should be based on the people who played for the majority of the decade.  So Johnston is already out. If not then players like John Eales is also eligible to be considered (he played in 2001).

I understand the best players for a calendar year/tournament but over a 10 year time frame is a complete waste of time.