Planet rugby's Readers team of the world cup...!

The people have spoken! We received an overwhelming response to our invitation for readers to name their best XV of the 2011 World Cup.

Planet Rugby Readers' RWC XV:

15 Israel Dagg NZ

14 Cory Jane NZ

13 Ma'a Nonu NZ

12 Jamie Roberts wal

11 George North wal

10 Rhys Priestland wal

9 Mike Phillips wal

8 Toby Faletau wal

7 Sam Warburton wal

6 Jerome Kaino NZ

5 Victor Matfield SA

4 Brad Thorn NZ

3 Owen Franks NZ

2 Keven Mealamu NZ

1 Genthin Jenkins wal

We received literally hundreds of submissions, with some creative spelling making the counting process an arduous task!

The results are interesting to say the least with your team almost exclusively a mix of Welsh and Kiwi players. Only Springbok lock Victor Matfield could break the trend of red and black.

There is a pretty even split between the hemispheres, with eight representatives from the South and seven from the North.

Remember, this team was voted for exclusively by readers, so no need to send us hate mail if you don't agree with the choices.

Save your letters for Tuesday when we'll unveil our XV (the debate is still in full swing and tempers are running high!)

So without further ado, herewith the Planet Rugby Readers' Team of the 2011 Rugby World Cup:

Full-back: Israel Dagg No arguments here. Izzy Dagg at full-back was as close to a unanimous choice as you could hope for. 87 percent of you agreed with Graham Henry's decision to go with the young flyer instead of Mils Muliaina. He was the most selected player in any position.

Wing: Cory Jane Since many of you mixed and matched your left and right wings, we decided - after a long debate - to count the votes for wings together. Jane isn't exactly a specialist wing, but he was your favourite, being named in 41 percent of the teams.

Wing: George North Hot on Jane's heels was the 'Welsh Lomu' with the big lad featuring in 40 percent of your submissions. France flyer Vincent Clerc is the unlucky exclusion with 38 percent of the ballots.

Centre: Ma'a Nonu Like with the wings, many of you took the liberty of moving a 12 to 13 to be able to include your favourites. We'll forgive you because Nonu did start at 13 against Tonga. Your top specialist outside centre was Conrad Smith with just 22 percent of the vote. By contrast, 61 percent of you picked Nonu.

Centre: Jamie Roberts The big Welshman's stellar performances were worth 70 percent of you putting him in your XV.

Fly-half: Rhys Priestland A convincing winner in the pivot rule with just over half of you picking the youngster. The rest of the votes were mainly split between the tournament's top points scorer, Morné Steyn, and the tournament's biggest injury casualty...Dan Carter.

Scrum-half: Mike Phillips Another Welshman and another clear choice. Phillips got 47 percent of the vote, beating Piri Weepu, who could only muster 31 percent.

Number eight: Toby Faletau A surprise here in one of the most hotly-contested positions. Faletau score 24 percent of the vote, followed closely by Imanol Harinordoquy with 19 percent, Kieran Read with 17 percent and Sergio Parisse with 15 percent. Close one!

Openside flank: Sam Warburton The closest contest of the lot saw Warburton edge out Richie McCaw by the narrowest of margins. 35 percent of you went with the Welshman, 34 with the All Blacks skipper.

Blindside flank: Jerome Kaino A clear winner here. 53 percent of you thought the All Blacks flank deserved the nod. The rest of the votes were spread across five players.

Lock: Victor Matfield There were three main contestants for the two lock berths. Springbok veteran Matfield came in second best with 32 percent of the vote, beating second-row partner Danie Rossouw, who got 24 percent.

Lock: Brad Thorn The number one lock choice by a country mile. Thorn got more than double the votes of any other second-row candidate: 66 percent

Tighthead prop: Owen Franks A close call up front with Adam Jones missing out a by just three percent. Nicolas Mas got a handful of votes but Franks gets the nod after featuring in 29 percent of the teams sent in.

Hooker: Keven Mealamu Not a clear choice by any means but 29 percent of the vote proved enough for the All Blacks stalwart to edge Bismarck du Plessis, who surely would have received more than 24 percent of the nominations had he been given more game time.

Loosehead prop: Genthin Jenkins There were only three real contenders for the number one jersey. Tony Woodcock and Cian Healy fell short with about 20 percent of the vote each while Jenkins landed 39 percent to make him a clear winner.

I'd put Warburton and Pocock over McCaw in terms of playing form. The fact that McCaw managed to outplay Pocock in the semi and have huge impacts on each of the big games he played in was just immense for a guy whose foot was as mangled as it is. Add that to his brilliant and inspirational captaincy and I'd say it'd be a shoe-in if he'd played on both feet, no offence to Warburton and Pocock who were magnificent too.

I think these results show that the Welsh like to vote. I guess it's all that practice watching the X-Factor etc.

It's a tough call... I entered my opinion in the poll, I read many others too... Very interesting, planet rugby attracts a mixed international crowd.

Especially good for Nonu at 13 considering he didnt play there except against Tonga- interesting how voters can move players and then vote them in...hmmm.

Faletau's no surprise in these parts- never missed a SINGLE tackle all tournament- phenomenal- for me the find of the tournament.

SA and Oz shut out of consideration probably because of their early exits (early for Oz in that no one would have been picked from their semi shut out) though Burger and Pocock were huge.

Looks a bit flattering towards NZ and Wales and on his final performance Dusattoir deserves the spot. Best player on the field in a world cup is special.

Dagg I agree stands out...has proved when fit to be a model of consistency- in fact has rarely played an average test let alone a bad one that I can recall. Fast moving in on Cullens class...

Funny how a team that's ranked 8, came forth and had their captain sent off for a hidious tackle get so many plaudits.

slartibartfast wrote:Funny how a team that's ranked 8, came forth and had their captain sent off for a hidious tackle get so many plaudits.

Seems to be a very magnanimous feeling throughout the rugby world though doesn't it...! Wales received encouraging plaudits the world over.

Well, I've got my ticket for the 3rd, hope those players continue to shine!

I was a little surpised to see so many welsh players there, and when you see how close some of the voting was you can understand the marginal calls. But saying that, were there players who played as consistently well throughout the whole tournament?

Cant believe Warbs got in over McCaw though, did make me chuckle, however close!

The fact that Dusutoir is not there would lead me to suspect a wum....player of the tournament but erm..not in the 15xv....okey dokey....

Geordie, its the readers votes, so could explain why the world cup winning captain and player of the tournament arent on the flanks........

Cos his INDIVIDUAL performances werent as good as Warburtons....and actually as Captaincy goes Warburton probably had more of an influence than McCaw...as the NZ'ers were expected to win where as Wales were being touted as group exiters.....

So thats how,....

PS i was touting Dussutoir as 6 over Kaino. ..

6 Dussutoir
7 Warburton
8 Faletau...

haha im with you Geordie, even as a welshman though, id still have the man that lead his team to the bill at 7, rather than the captain who got sent off in the semi-final, ya diggg.

GeordieFalcon wrote:PS i was touting Dussutoir as 6 over Kaino. ..

6 Dussutoir
7 Warburton
8 Faletau...

Dusautoir's more an openside (the French play their opensides at 6 and blindsides at 7, like the Saffers do) so he's competing with the likes of Warburton, McCaw, Pocock and Brussow. Kaino as 6 was immense.

Aw i totally Digg....

But ya understand the way i see it....to lead a team rated with no chance....to a semi final (one they should have won really) is a big thing....whereas to lead a team that was the most overriding favorites EVER in a rugby WC to victory in their home country is not quite the same....

Oh and please guys im not devaluing NZ's world cup...cos its so hard just to win a WC.....

"Dusautoir's more an openside (the French play their opensides at 6 and blindsides at 7, like the Saffers do) so he's competing with the likes of Warburton, McCaw, Pocock and Brussow. Kaino as 6 was immense.."

Ah Kiwi i was just following England 2003's format of 2 Openside's

Good comeback Geordie .

To be honest I'd have Pocock as my best 7 of the tournament. McCaw was playing on 1 foot so wasn't quite as effective, it took the combined efforts of McCaw and Read to shut down Pocock in the semi - luckily for NZ the Aussie tight 5 was inferior, plus Elsom's nowhere near the player he was 2 years ago so NZ could afford to double mark Bam-Bam.

haha oh yeah geordie, and dont get me wrong, I am veeeeery tempted to agree with you that Warbs should be there! But gotta give it to McCaw. Can you imagine the media reports/headlines if France had won that final? Thats one giant back-riding-2007 reminding-choking-expectation-monkey! Firmly put in his box for now mind.

Kiwi, I forgot Elsom even played this World cup!

Kiwi,

Pocock is one hell of a player.....imagine with a decent pack around him...ouch.

Comfort.....i cant believe im argueing with a Welshman, that a Welsh player shoud be in the team...and he's disagreeing...

Am i in the twilight zone.....??

i have a rare disease geordie, i was born with 2 open eyes!!

I wouldnt say im arguing, im more than happy for Warbs to be there

Dusatoir's influence was hugely overrated. Harinorduquy was the main French player who kept dragging them on and on.

Hari was fantastic...but Dusatoir was awesome Beshaocked....