Captaincy Conundrum: Who Has Been The Best Captain During Rugby World Cup?

12/10/2023 16:54

It has been a thrilling edition of the Rugby World Cup so far, and the drama continues as the knockout stages get underway this weekend. There have been some excellent performances from some of the top players involved in the tournament, making the Fantasy World Cup games a very enjoyable experience for all players who have been involved.

The start of the next round of the competition will pit new dilemmas for users, as they will need to determine the players that could stand the best chance of scoring high points in high-quality showdowns. But, who has been among the best captains to use throughout the Rugby World Cup to this point?

Thomas Ramos

It has been an excellent World Cup to this point for France, and there is an expectancy that they could go all the way through to the final, despite the fact that they will clash with South Africa in the quarterfinals. Due to the injury suffered by Antoine Dupont, France has needed another player to step up and deliver at key moments, and that burden has fallen onto the shoulders of Thomas Ramos.

The number 15 has played 30 matches at international level, scoring a remarkable 261 points. If you selected Ramos as your captain in OVAL3 fantasy rugby, you probably do not regret it.

His ability to score big points has been evident throughout the World Cup to this point, as he has already scored a career-high 61 across his three appearances. Furthermore, he has added one try. Ramos will continue to be a key player as the knockout stage gets underway, and he may prove to be the difference in close encounters.

Damien Penaud

Many rugby fantasy players will continue to side with players from teams that they expect to go far in the competition, meaning that French star Damian Penaud remains a key captain selection for the next round of matches. The winger has excelled throughout his international career, as the 27-year-old has scored 35 tries to accumulate 175 points across his 47 matches for France.

That excellent form has continued throughout the World Cup to this point, as he leads the competition in terms of tries scored. Penaud made his World Cup debut against New Zealand on matchday one, but he has scored six tries across his appearances in the competition to build up 30 points for his nation. He has been the main outlet for France throughout the tournament so far, and that looks set to continue when the knockout round gets started, beginning with a showdown against South Africa.

Henry Arundell

England have defied many expectations to this point, as they easily booked their spot in the knockout round by topping their group. The Red Roses will be the clear favourites in the betting to reach at least the semi-final stage this year, based on the fact that they will be coming up against Fiji in the last eight of the competition.

A star player that could be worth considering for captaincy is Henry Arundell, who has scored seven tries in nine appearances for his national side. The 20-year-old has quickly taken the world by storm at the competition this year, as he scored a staggering five tries on his World Cup debut.

The back is a likely option that Steve Borthwick will consider ahead of naming his side to face Fiji over the weekend, as his form is incredibly challenging to overlook. But, the 20-year-old could also be a player to consider when making selections for future editions of the World Cup, and domestic matches throughout the season at Oval3.

Johnny Sexton

There are few bigger legends in the history of Irish rugby than Johnny Sexton. However, time for the 38-year-old to get his hands on the one international honour that has evaded him throughout his career is quickly running out, as this will likely be his final attempt to win the World Cup with Ireland. The Dublin-born player has been the superstar in this Irish team throughout his career, and he likely hasn’t been in better form at any stage during his career than he has been in 2023. Overall, he has played a staggering 123 times for Ireland throughout his career, accumulated a huge 1106 points from the 19 tries and 180 conversions that he has scored.

At the World Cup, he has played 16 times throughout his career, scoring an impressive 129 points, including six tries. That form has carried through to the 2023 edition of the tournament, as he has played in four of Ireland’s matches to this point. Sexton has already scored three tries across his appearances and has scored 51 points.

That sees him rank as the second-highest point scorer at the tournament this year, and if Ireland are to win the World Cup in 2023, Sexton will be at the forefront of their charge toward a first major honour.