Rugby union, known for its passionate debates, often sees heated discussions when the topic of overrated players arises.
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Selecting an XV of overrated players from the sport’s rich history is no easy task, given the vast number of athletes who have graced the field.
An interesting dilemma also emerges: Can a good player be considered overrated?
The answer appears to be yes. If the general consensus holds a player in higher regard than their actual performance merits, they are deemed overrated.
While opinions on overrated players can vary widely, here’s a suggested overrated rugby XV, as compiled by users on Reddit.
Most Overrated XV:
15 Johan Goosen (South Africa)
“He was supposed to be the next big thing for Springbok rugby, and now he’s barely remembered.”
14 George North (Wales)
“Is the most overrated player of this generation, when was the last time he had a good game that wasn’t against Italy?”
13 Manu Tuilagi (England)
“Beside the word ‘overvalued’ in the dictionary, there should probably be a picture of Mr Manu Tuilagi.”
12 Gavin Henson (Wales)
“One kick and one big tackle and everyone thought he was the bee’s knees for the next few years. To be honest, he was as useful as a fish with wings.”
11 Chris Ashton (England)
“That man lived off his ‘solo’ try against Australia and managed to get in the England team every time. He couldn’t tackle a crossword! Lacks creativity and only works running a line of a short pass from No 10. Overrated definitely!”
10 Danny Cipriani (England)
“I think compared to normal players he’s pretty decent. But, we’re talking about being overrated, and Danny has been constantly touted by the media as the next big thing and he has definitely not lived up to that mantle.”
9 Ben Youngs (England)
“He is the most overrated English scrumhalf ever and isn’t in the top-four scrumhalves in England, let alone the world.”
8 Sergio Parisse (Italy)
“Going to be controversial but Sergio Parisse. Sure he had fantastic skills but he was a show pony and not a work horse and people often overlooked this. He looked fantastic for Italy but that was because he was allowed to do all the flashy stuff but was mediocre in other areas.”
7 Sebastien Chabal (France)
“Talented athlete who put in the odd big tackle but when push came to shove he always seemed to wilt away from the physical side of the game.
6 Peter O’Mahony (Ireland)
“He tends to have a massive game just when he/his team needs it, and then go back to anonymity for a while.”
5 Will Skelton (Australia)
“Physical specimen almost without peer but couldn’t seem to produce regular performances matching his size. Didn’t seem to put enough work in and eventually faded away.”
4 Richie Gray (Scotland)
“He is just massive, there are much-better second rowers out there, he just gets PRd much more effectively.
3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy)
“Sure he had nice hair and liked dogs, but I’ve seen better-skilled props down at my local rugby club.”
2 Dylan Hartley (England)
“Outside of the England dressing room, I guess he was never massively rated but [Eddie] Jones, specifically, loved him. I never saw him as international quality and more of a liability than anything else.”
1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
“Played for far too long. Was nowhere near international [standard] in the last few years yet still always got picked.”
The 33-man England Squad Steve Borthwick Should Select For Summer Tour
It’s been a decade since England’s last visit to New Zealand, a challenging 2014 series under Stuart Lancaster resulting in a 3-0 defeat.
The memories of the 2008 tour aren’t any sweeter, with England tasting defeat in both Tests against the All Blacks. However, a glimmer of triumph emerged in 2003, as they secured a thrilling 15-13 victory over New Zealand just before the Rugby World Cup.
In this highly anticipated tour, Borthwick’s squad will face a formidable challenge with only two tests against the All Blacks, following a clash with Japan in Tokyo.
Here is the list of our predicted squad organised by their current clubs:
RUCK’s England squad for the summer:
Harlequins
- Joe Marler
- Fin Baxter
- Chandler Cunningham-South
- Marcus Smith
Bristol Bears
- Ellis Genge
- Harry Randall
- Gabriel Ibitoye
Saracens
- Jamie George
- Theo Dan
- Maro Itoje
- Ben Earl
- Elliot Daly