Ranked! The 10 most disappointing players of the 2019 Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup 2019Friday, 01 November 2019 at 16:53
Every player has a dream to do well for his country in the Rugby World Cup. So it is not a surprise that the players reserve their best game for the games biggest stage.
However, from superstars who couldn't find form, to highly-rated youngsters struggling to step up: they all feature in RUCK's take on the disappointments in Japan.
#10 Joe Launchbury (England)
One of my favourite players. To see him start just one game against the USA was very disappointing and the fact he made just five carries and two tackles in that contest means we didn't get to see the best of the Wasps captain. He will be keen to get back to Premiership action.
#9 Willie le Roux (South Africa)
He's come under severe scrutiny from the South African press. A bit of a scratchy display from against Wales made him look very vulnerable at times. England will definitely target him in the World Cup final.
#8 Conor Murray (Ireland)
Never looked comfortable. Uncharacteristic handling errors from the scrumhalf spread like a virus through the team as they crashed out with a whimper against New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
#7 David Pocock
An uninspiring end of a remarkable international career. His poor pass led to Jonny May’s second try in the quarter-final but got through plenty of work throughout the tournament. His displays just lacked the same intensity he embodied back in 2015.
#6 Ben Tameifuna (Tonga)
Remember Big Ben? Being the heaviest player by some distance got the Tongan some major press before the tournament, but his performances simply didn't deliver.
#5 George North (Wales)
I've been a huge fan of the Welsh winger since he broke onto the scene in 2010. The 27-year-old made five appearances, scoring one try against Georgia, and making a limited impact before limping out of the semi-final against South Africa. Completely outshone by Josh Adams.
#4 Guilhem Guirado (France)
The France captain, who is often one of their best performers, was poor throughout their campaign. The moment that stands out was him losing the ball for Aaron Wainwright’s crucial try as they lost their quarter-final against Wales. Shouldn’t be starting right now.
#3 Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Poor. Did not look himself with multiple missed tackles and seeming inability to play himself into the game. One incredible drop-goal didn't save his tournament. However, I fully expect the Exeter speedster will bounce back and star in the Gallagher Premiership this season.
#2 Sevu Reece (New Zealand)
The All Black speedster was the bookies favourite to finish the tournament top-scorer. Did he deliver? sort of but not really. He had plenty of the ball but the 22-year-old wasn't able to convert his opportunities on the biggest stage. He will come again.
#1 Bernard Foley (Australia)
His selection against Wales had Wallabies fans baffled. He conceded two turnovers and missed two tackles before he was replaced after just 44 minutes. The Aussies were much improved after he went off. Considering he was the Wallabies star man four years ago, it’s fair to say the 30-year-old playing far from his best.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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