The 100 best rugby players in the world, part three: 60-41

With the Rugby World Cup less than two weeks away, Telegraph Sport’s rugby experts have put their heads together to rank the world’s finest 100 players.

Players 100-81 and 80-61 have been ranked, and here are 60-41. Come back each day this week to see the remainder of the list and who takes the top spot.

60. Waisea Nayacalevu (Fiji)

Fiji are not exactly lacking for explosive backs, so Nayacavelu’s standing as a recent captain of the team speaks volumes. Previously of Stade Français, he moved to Toulon ahead of last season. Few roam the 15-metre channels as threateningly, capable of accelerating through holes or sucking in multiple defenders prior to offloading.

59. UJ Seuteni (Samoa)

Now a Samoa international after representing Australia Under-20, Seuteni made his way to La Rochelle via Toulon, Oyonnax and Bordeaux and has settled at outside centre. There, under Ronan O’Gara, he looks like a rockstar of an outside centre and is especially dangerous in the opposition 22, standing tall to offload or hitting effective lines.

58. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)

Should Ireland defy their World Cup hoodoo and progress beyond the quarter-finals, with Gibson-Park directing the rapid phase-play that has become their overarching strength, then Andy Farrell’s decision to promote the scrum-half at the expense of veteran Conor Murray should be celebrated even more heartily. Already, the verve of Gibson-Park has been transformative for his adopted nation. Now to deliver on the biggest stage.

57. Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa)

When Cheslin Kolbe missed South Africa’s final game of 2022 against England there was disappointment that Twickenham would not get to witness one of the world’s best finishers in action. And then Kurt-Lee Arendse turned up, combining with Damian Willemse and Willie le Roux before side-stepping Marcus Smith into a right tangle before scoring. It was his fifth try of the autumn, and Arendse has since added a hat-trick against Australia. Slight, rapid, lethal.

56. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)

By the stratospheric standards of an erstwhile back-to-back world player of the year, Barrett had endured a rather quiet couple of years. Now, after a polished start to the current Rugby Championship, comprising trademark kick-passing and spearing runs, he looks to be reaching the World Cup in hot form. When stationed at full-back, he will step up at first-receiver and control proceedings.

55. Maro Itoje (England)

One of the game’s great competitors. Detractors might proffer that Itoje’s strengths have been figured out and neutralised by opponents, but he merits a place for his consistency here if nothing else. A born winner, his performances never drop below eight out of ten. In the court of public opinion, he is arguably a victim of his own early-career success.

54. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)

Ranked second on this list four years ago and at the time he was unquestionably the world’s best lock but plenty can change in four years. Injuries and a couple of (well-earned) stints in Japan, plus the fact that Retallick is now 32, mean he’s not quite the same all-encompassing force of 2019. But he’s still an excellent player, and now a Test centurion too.

53. Siya Kolisi (South Africa)

Kolisi’s remarkable recovery from knee surgery, with a barnstorming cameo in Cardiff, will have been a huge boon for South Africa. The resourceful, industrious back-rower also fought back to fitness four years ago and that turned out nicely. If anyone can inspire the Springboks to a title defence, it is him. 

52. Codie Taylor (New Zealand)

After an apprenticeship dating back to the 2015 Rugby World Cup win, when he was the third hooker behind Keven Mealamu and Dane Coles, the No 2 shirt is now Taylor’s to lose. Has thrived as part of the Crusaders side that have won every Super Rugby trophy going, elite in the set-piece and with an excellent turn of pace, seen to good effect when he set up a long-range score for Will Jordan in last year’s Rugby Championship.

51. Lukhanyo Am (South Africa)

His form might have dipped a touch but Am has it all, developing a deft kicking game to go with his distribution and ball-carrying. He separates himself from most centres with his defensive authority, as the heart of the blitz that helped lift the World Cup four years ago. Am’s vital try to help level the series against the Lions two years ago should not be forgotten, either. No wonder Springboks supporters are concerned by his initial absence from the World Cup squad.

50. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)

Without a doubt the best player at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, when his blend of athleticism, line-out work and muscle set the tone for South Africa’s pack. We’re lucky to still have him playing after Du Toit nearly lost his leg back in 2020 following a freak injury but he has since bounced back, helping to defeat the Lions in 2021. His red card against France last autumn was a rare blemish for an otherwise world-class operator.

49. Davit Niniashvili (Georgia)

The only Lelo in the list, but entirely deserved. The Lyon full-back has developed into a counter-attacking sorcerer, but is safe as houses in the back field, too. Named Top 14 player of the season by historic French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique, if Georgia are to stand a chance in France, Niniashvili must sing.

48. Mack Hansen (Ireland)

Of the Irish wings, Lowe often gets the headlines but Hansen has established himself in the past 12 months as one of the world’s great back three players. His attributes are almost a clash of two eras: the instinct and identification of space of an amateur but the attention to detail and skills – especially in the air – of a consummate professional.

47. Taniela Tupou (Australia)

Of all the front-rowers listed, Tupou has the fastest feet in the West! Stopping him would be tough enough were he lumbering, but what sets him apart is that he is able to bring agility and dynamism to his gigantic frame. Australia have missed him greatly.

46. Rieko Ioane (New Zealand)

We do not talk enough about just how well Ioane has converted from wing – where he was already quite some player –into one of the game’s best outside centres. Learning how to defend in that channel has naturally taken time but the ability in attack, with his pace and power to get past the first man when lined up one on one in midfield, makes Ioane a huge threat. Now on 34 tries in 61 Tests at an average of 0.56 tries per Test.

45. Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)

Now a veteran but it seems incredible that Henshaw is only 30, having been a mainstay at the top of the game in Ireland now for near to a decade, first with Connacht and more recently Leinster. Still a top carrier but it’s his defensive work these days, aided by having over 60 caps for Ireland and four for the British and Irish Lions in his back pocket, where Henshaw’s now so impressive. A try-scoring return against England to help Ireland clinch the Grand Slam was a welcome sight.

44. Marika Koroibete (Australia)

Averages a try every three games for the Wallabies which is a good strike rate but it’s the damage Koroibete can cause by sucking in defenders which makes him a key asset for Eddie Jones. Like Samu Kerevi, Koroibete is a key line breaker who can wreck defensive game plans if given space, as England know well from Koroibete’s player-of-the-series performances for Australia last summer.

43. Charles Ollivon (France)

It is easy to forget – given a knee injury suffered in 2021 ruled him out for almost a season – that Ollivon was the catalyst for the French nouvelle vague; its leader back in 2019. The Basque beacon might have relinquished the captaincy to Dupont, but his general play is back to his best. Athletic and intelligent - two attributes that come to the fore at the line-out and broken play. 

42. Cyril Baille (France)

Last autumn, France missed him. For the World Cup, they will hope that his calf recovers quickly. Baille has had the scrummaging wobbles when out of form but when he is on it there is no better all-round loosehead in the world. His loose carrying is thunderously dynamic – with that trademark upright bustle – but it is his ability and willingness to offload, too, that is notable.

41. Gabin Villière (France)

How many backs, let alone wings, can alter the course of a match with their breakdown defence? Villière is capable of such destruction, so much so that one can follow his scrum-cap around the field while opponents are attacking, waiting for him to swoop and steal. Having climbed through the divisions of the club scene in France, starting at Rouen before moving to Toulon, the 27-year-old is an electric, evasive runner.