Jasper Wiese ranked among rugby’s world elite by Ben Youngs and Anthony Watson

Former England internationals Ben Youngs and Anthony Watson have placed South Africa’s Jasper Wiese second in their ranking of the world’s best rugby players, with Wiese initially considered the leading candidate by Youngs.

The pair’s list, discussed on the For the Love of Rugby podcast, features four South Africans among its top 10. The highest-ranked Springbok is Wiese, despite the Leicester Tigers number eight having played only about 120 minutes during the recently completed Nations Championship.

Youngs initially selected Wiese as the best player in the world before being persuaded to move him down one place. Even after changing his ranking, however, the former England scrum-half made clear how highly he rates the South African.

“I think he’s honestly, he’s the best player in the world right now,” said Youngs before eventually changing his mind while discussing the list on the For the Love of Rugby podcast.

“He’s just been that good. He is just, his ball carrying, his post contact meters, his physicality around the tackle, his breakdown work. He just, he’s a freak, mate.”

Wiese’s limited involvement in the Nations Championship was the main reason behind the revision. Youngs and Watson based their selections on performances in the competition, meaning Wiese’s place near the top of the list came after only a game and a half.

That level of recognition after such a short period on the field underlines the impression Wiese made. His carrying ability, work after contact, physical presence in the tackle and effectiveness at the breakdown were all highlighted by Youngs as evidence of his standing among the game’s leading players.

The final ranking contains four South Africans, although the source does not provide the full order of all 10 players. For KickOff Rugby, one notable omission is Pieter-Steph du Toit.

The Springbok flanker was described as an “unbelievable player” and a key part of Rassie Erasmus’s team. His absence from the top 10 was presented as a significant talking point, given his importance to South Africa.

The debate comes as attention continues to focus on the influence of Erasmus, whose tactics and mind games have also attracted criticism. A related discussion referenced a former All Black coach dismissing what was described as Rassie’s “master of sabotage” approach.

Youngs and Watson’s selections nevertheless place the spotlight on the strength of South African rugby, with Wiese leading the Springbok contingent in their view and three further South Africans also included in the elite group.

The ranking leaves an open question for supporters: who is currently the best rugby player in the world?