PLAYER POWER RANKINGS | 12. INSIDE CENTRE

There's always one! Pita Ahki, I'm sincerely sorry. He started playing for Tonga just before and during the RWC. IF he continues playing international rugby, then his name is an accidental omission. I'm hoping that's the case, rather than he'll focus on club rugby now the World Cup is over, because he is class!

Glad Stuart McCloskey got a v honourable mention

I think we're at the stage where we've taken bundi for granted, not in a bad sense, but it feels like hes played for Ireland forever, hes been a brilliant player forever. And when he does finally leave we'll realise how great he really was.

That's a great list. Nice to see so much respect for De Allende, feels like he is usually so underrated. Think Menoncello is the most fun to watch on that list.

I don't think that we Ireland fans recognize enough just how good Bundee Aki has been for the last 5 years. Aki and Sexton were imo probably the best 10-12 combination on the planet in that time. BA has such great rugby intelligence on both sides of the ball - he is a 2nd playmaker, orchestrating the attack with his running and passing. His defense is rock solid - he and Gary Ringrose work so well together. I hope that he can be convinced to stay on In Ireland and begin coaching when he decides to hang up his boots. Easily belongs on any Greatest Ireland Rugby Team ever.

Pita Akhi steel underrated even if he is the best center defensively in the world . But we don’t care if he still make us winning trophies in Toulouse . Chocobares is class, I hope Mallia is going to be in your top for wingers cause in my opinion he is the best top14 player this year

I don't think that Esterhuizen isn't trusted by Rassie, I think it's just that De Allende is ultimately better, and generally there's no sub for the centres on the SA bench. Esterhuizen is world class, but De Allende is just in a class of his own.

Brilliant! These posts are fantastic

Aki still living on his World Cup form, perhaps fairly since he was so good there, but he's been very average for Connacht and Ireland since.

Tim, I don't envy you putting these lists together 🤣 Centres one of those positions with almost as many "honorable mentions" as the list itself.

Bundee Aki has dominated at inside centre for the last 3 or 4 years now. He’s really taken his game to a whole other level.

The Portuguese 12 is decent, I hope you find space for the Portuguese 15 in your list he was amazing against the Boks

Esterhuizen did play that games against NZ and Aus last year, the Rugby champs and the Twickenham game.

I can’t believe you put this player here

Glad to see Henshaw getting his recognition! Hes been amazingly consistent since bursting onto the scene at such a young age. 2 british and irish lions apperarances says it all! Im suprised about de allende being so high. Watching him at munster i was always a bit disappointed.

Very nice Tim

I still think De Allende is number 1

Great list but I reckon tuipolutu should be at least top 5 he was glasgows most important player as they won the urc and was incredibly missed by Scotland in the last 2 games of the six nations

Great blog AGAIN Tim! I would never be able to have an unbiased opinion on player selections, being a hard-core Saffa, but you have accurately described the top 10 guys... Just on Andre Esterhuizen, I think his biggest problem is as a result of the combination that Damian & Jesse form... Just as it was difficult to break up Jacques Fourie and Jean De Villiers.

Great lost Tim, you nailed #1&2 with Bundee and Damian performances over the last year. I personally would have had Danty higher but it is a tough list to pick.