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Best of the best: Fans leave Maro Itoje, Eben Etzebeth as last players standing in vote for world's best lock
By Online Editors
The fans have voted and only two locks are left standing in the race to become the world's best lock.
Punters worldwide hit the polls on RugbyPass' Facebook and Instagram accounts as part of the Straight 8 Fan Vote campaign to decide the planet's best players in each position, as voted by the fans.
After the first round of voting held earlier this week, only four second rowers remained, as England and British and Irish Lions representative Maro Itoje faced off against Irish powerhouse James Ryan.
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The all-European clash ended in a landslide victory for Itoje, whose efforts internationally and at club level with Saracens won him 73 percent of the votes across all platforms.
With two Six Nations, two Grand Slams, four Premierships, three European Champions Cups, 38 England tests, three British and Irish Lions tests and a World Rugby breakthrough player of the year accolade to his name, it will take plenty to stop Itoje from running away with the crown.
"https://www.facebook.com/rugbypass/?ref=bookmarks">here) or the RugbyPass Instagram page (here).
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Latest Comments
I didn't mean to sound down on Dmac. Just looking hard at the bench sub's role of providing impact. I don't think he can do that at 15, and the bench is not really about injury cover anymore (you need to maximise it's use more than that).
He's my first choice of any New Zealander for the 10 jersey with the All Blacks.
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
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