In the fifth of a six-part series, SA Rugby magazine’s writers pick their world team of the year, based on performances throughout 2022.
Ollie Keohane
The All Blacks seem to have stumbled onto their answer to the worrying question around who wears No 12. Injury forced Jordie Barrett to inside centre in New Zealand’s second Test of 2022, where he had a blinder and didn’t look back. Where Barrett can play across nearly every position in the backline, it is at ‘second five-eighth’ where he looks most comfortable and threatening for the All Blacks.
Although injury cut Lukhanyo Am’s season short, there is nobody who came near to him in his position. Am was arguably the Springboks’ most impactful player in every Test he played in, and while his defensive understanding is the glue to much of the Bok game plan, his attacking prowess was phenomenal in 2022. Crazy offloads, cutting runs and a deceptive turn of pace made him a danger to defences.
Simon Borchardt
Damian de Allende again displayed his physicality in midfield, on attack and defence. He regularly got over the gainline for the Boks and has become a better distributor since moving to Munster. He was a key organiser of the Bok defence too, and made some big hits.
Lukhanyo Am played just five Tests for the Boks before suffering a season-ending knee injury, but did enough to earn a World Rugby Player of the Year nomination. His playmaking ability and defensive reads were missed by the Boks in the latter part of the Rugby Championship and end-of-year tour.
Zelím Nel
Individually and as a combination, Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am are the best centres in the game today. Am’s 2022 international season lasted just five Tests before he was sidelined with a knee injury, but De Allende was on deck for all but one Bok Test and he continued to drop the hammer in a musical chairs backline.
With Garry Ringrose joining Am on the injury report, Rieko Ioane gets the nod at 13. Lined up behind an All Blacks pack that operated in fits and starts in 2022, Ioane’s breakaway speed was a redeeming feature.
Dylan Jack
There’s no denying Damian de Allende has the title of best inside centre in the world. Uncompromisingly physical on attack and defence, he was a wrecking ball for the Springboks. His counter-rucking ability is equally tremendous.
Whether he was at inside or outside centre, Robbie Henshaw was a vital cog in the Ireland machine that climbed to the No 1 Test ranking in 2022. Equally good at distributing and carrying, Henshaw ensured the Irish did not miss the presence of midfield partner Garry Ringrose during the crucial third Test in the tour of New Zealand.
Devin Hermanus
It was roughly halfway through the Test season and sensational Springbok outside centre Lukhanyo Am had already been hailed as World Rugby’s Player of the Year, before injury ruled him out of the remainder of the Rugby Championship and November Tests.
Even when asked to shift to wing against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, the classy Am was unquestionably the best on the park and a dynamic foil to regular midfield partner Damian de Allende, who started 12 of the Boks’ 13 Tests in 2022.
De Allende, this year, came into his own for the Boks and Munster, as his weaknesses – his tendency to carry the ball into contact and get involved at the breakdowns – turned into the strengths and made him one of the world’s best No 12s.
