As the dust settles on another Rugby World Cup, Paul Radley selects his team of the tournament.
15 Ayumu Goromaru (Japan)
For that try against South Africa, that tackle against Scotland, and for that boot in general. And for helping a whole continent believe.
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia)
A semi-final hat-trick in the win over Argentina, and one of the best sledges of the tournament. “I enjoy his selfies a lot,” he said. Get back in your box, Danny Cipriani.
13 Matt Giteau (Australia)
Did not know what day it was after running in to Brodie Retallick’s shoulder in the final. That concussion was a sad way for one of the finest Wallaby careers to end.
12 Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand)
His Twitter handle says it all. The All Blacks inside centre is simpy “Maavelous”. A century of New Zealand caps, and a try in the final win. Not a bad few weeks work.
11 Julian Savea (New Zealand)
Try-shy and out of sorts when he arrived in the UK. A World Cup winner and the leading scorer in the competition when he leaves.
10 Dan Carter (New Zealand)
Mr Perfect. The Greatest Of All Time? After his performance in the final against Australia, he has a fair claim. That dropped goal ... wow.
9 Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
On the shortlist for the world player of the year, Scotland’s captain nearly carried his side through to the last four on his little shoulders.
1 Scott Sio (Australia)
An Australian front-rower! In the team of the tournament! We know, crazy, hey? Sio was the central cog in Australia’s turnaround this year. An early scrum penalty won in the final was the exclamation mark.
2 Agustin Creevy (Argentina, captain)
Argentina were more than just a scrum at this World Cup, but they did still excel at what they are famous for. Creevy led with power and passion.
3 Ramiro Herrera (Argentina)
A man mountain. He rag-dolled James Slipper, his opposite number, in the semi-final final, to the tune of three scrum penalties. It still wasn’t enough.
4 Lood de Jager (South Africa)
A baby-faced blunderbuss. South Africa may have plumbed the depths in this competition, but the likes of De Jager, Eben Etzebeth and Handre Pollard show the future is bright.
5 Leone Nakarawa (Fiji)
There are probably better line-out technicians and scrummagers around. But there is no more exciting second-row forward to watch than this Flying Fijian.
6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)
Might have blotted his copybook with a semi-final yellow card against South Africa. It counted for little in the final reckoning, though, and he was outstanding the rest of the time.
7 David Pocock (Australia)
Wore the No 8 on his back for most of this tournament, but he is the prototype for a No 7. Pocock’s colossal feats were just not quite enough for gold for Australia.
8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa)
Granite hard, but with a silken touch. The out-the-back offload for Fourie du Preez’s quarter-final winner over Wales was majestic.