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World Cup: Five players who left their mark

DTH van der Merwe (Canada)

 

Canada's back play was stunning at times and in the South Africa-born wing, Van der Merwe, they had a clinical finisher.

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The 29-year-old scored one of the tries of the tournament against Italy, starting the move himself well inside his own half and then finishing it off.

In scoring a try against all four pool opponents he also joined an elite group to have achieved this feat, among them All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu and England World Cup winning centre Will Greenwood.

Welsh side Scarlets will be only too happy to have him in their squad for the seasons to come.

 

Nemani Nadolo (Fiji)

 

For a man of his size, Nadolo is a hugely impressive athlete (1.95 metres and 130 kilos), a lithe powerhouse.

He deployed his statuesque physique to good effect against England leaping high above Anthony Watson to take a crossfield kick and touch down for the try.

A one match suspension ruled him out of the game with Wales – where he was perhaps the crucial missing factor as the Fijians rattled the Welsh – but returned to devastating effect in the final game against Uruguay, scoring 17 points including a try.

"I let my nation down, I let myself down," said the 27-year-old of the suspension.

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"I came out wanting to make amends."

 

Michael Leitch (Japan)

 

New Zealand-born and of Fijian descent, the 27-year-old flank and captain has lived in Japan since he went as a teenager to study and indeed he claims he speaks better Japanese than English.

His performances could be said to have put the Brave into the 'Brave Blossoms', from his opening gambit of a thunderous tackle on South African skipper Jean de Villiers to scoring a try against them and then his courageous decision to go for the winning try not a penalty for a draw.

"I could tell they were panicking," said Leitch.

"We wanted to scrum rather than take the kick because they were down a man and I personally wanted to go for a win rather than a draw.

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"I didn't want to let the boys down."

He also showed he could be pragmatic as he displayed against Samoa in the second-half when he shut up shop effectively so as to secure the win.    

 

Ayumu Goromaru (Japan)

 

The dynamic fullback popped up regularly to test the opposition defences scoring a memorable try against South Africa in a total haul of 24 points in the game.

Added another 16 points in the win against Samoa.

The 29-year-old – known fondly as 'Goro' – has more than made up for years spent in the international wilderness.

He was recalled by coach Eddie Jones and rewarded big time.

"He is the cornerstone of our team," said prop Hiroshi Yamashita.

He will hope not only that Jones's successor retains the faith but that he makes the cut in four years time when he will be 33.    

 

AJ MacGinty (United States)

 

America's Brian O'Driscoll? One might laugh, but while he is a flyhalf and O'Driscoll was a centre they both hail from one of the cradles of top Irish rugby players Blackrock College.

His displays showed he has plenty of the creative skills of the great man, his superb run from deep inside his own half setting up their first try in the opening defeat to Samoa.

At 25-years-old his entrance onto the international scene might be relatively tardy but the Americans for whom centre Seamus Kelly has also stood out could build an interesting backline round MacGinty.

 

Agence France-Presse

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