All 16 teams have some great players, but only a few will fall under the “Best” category as their performances are delightful to watch.
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The 2023 Rugby World Cup kicked off last week after a long wait of one year and is going on in full swing. Some teams like Tonga, Australia, and New Zealand are on top in the standings. However, these results are because of players’ hard work in the field and their impact on the opposition teams. All 16 teams have some great players, but only a few will fall under the “Best” category as their performances are delightful to watch. Here are the top picks for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The Wigan-born playmaker and three-time Premiership winner with St Helens have played a key role in recent times. Jack scored the decisive try after the final siren in his 2020 grand final and added his three tries with his assist in St Helens’ 24–12 victory over Leeds in the 2022 edition.
The 2022 Super League season was, on the whole, one in which Jack came to the fore as one of the game’s most prominent playmakers. A St Helens playmaker, he recorded 30 try assists and 30 line-hit assists during the season. This was his second-most number of players in each category, and his break of 114 tackles was also his fourth-most number of any player that season.
France faced Greece in their opening match before facing tough challenges from England and Samoa. At the helm of their team is multifaceted striker Benjamin Garcia. Garcia’s leadership will be key to France’s challenge, with influential halfback Theo Farez out of the tournament through injury.
Catalunya’s season ended abruptly after losing to Leeds in the play-off, but Garcia finished the season leading the team in all areas of defense. Garcia recorded the most tackles with his 764, defeating the Dragons with an average of 34.7 tackles per game and his impressive 92.4% tackle efficiency. Garcia will try to take Les Tricolors to the quarter-finals where they could be tied with 2017 semi-finalists Tonga.
Australia will face their toughest opponents since losing to New Zealand in the 2008 final in another Rugby League World Cup title. A top-level player pledges allegiance to his rival team months before the tournament. The Kangaroos’ dominance has been in question, especially since they haven’t appeared in a game since 2019, and Cleary could be the main presence they need to keep the team together.
Cleary played a key role in every aspect of his NRL season in 2022 for Penrith Panthers, but there was no better way to show his command than with the boot. No player has been able to regularly defuse Cleary’s signature floating bomb. Also, Penrith’s halfback perfect target for his shot means he barely had to settle for four points at a time.
Greece made history by qualifying for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. They will make their World Cup debut alongside Jamaica and will face England, France, and Samoa, perhaps the toughest group.
Peter Mamouzelos, who has appeared in his five NRL games in the last two seasons, has been one of the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ most reliable players during his NSW Cup campaign in 2022. Hooker said he averaged 36.7 tackles per game during the 2022 season. That’s at least his fifth-highest number for a player with 10 appearances.
Jamaica will qualify for the Rugby League World Cup for the first time in the history of the competition after beating the USA 16-10 in America’s Championship final. Jamaica has never lost a men’s international rugby league match of the day (W1 U2) played by Jordan Andrade, including his 68-16 victory over Ireland in October 2016.
Jordan Andrade could be a lucky charm for the team as they can use him when they face Ireland, Lebanon, and world number one New Zealand in Group C of the 2021 Men’s Rugby League World Cup.
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