Brodie Retallick, Maro Itoje leading charge to be named world's best lock by fans

Fans worldwide have hit the polls on RugbyPass social media accounts to determine who are the best players on the planet as part of a new campaign called the Straight 8 Fan Vote.

The campaign is a fan-voted, three-round knockout tournament on RugbyPass' Facebook and Instagram accounts to decide who the best players on the globe are per position, which will ultimately culminate in a fan-picked World XV.

The first instalment of the series features eight of the world's top locks, who already have gone head-to-head in the quarter-final stage of the bracket.

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Headlining the first match-up was England and British and Irish Lions star Maro Itoje, who dominated proceedings against Springboks second rower RG Snyman.

The new Honda Heat recruit, who moved to Japan's Top League after playing a key role in South Africa's World Cup-winning campaign last year, attained just 27 percent of the votes across both Facebook and Instagram.

Itoje's trophy-laden exploits with Saracens, England and the Lions have pitted him in a semi-final match-up with Irish powerhouse James Ryan, who dispatched New Zealand's Scott Barrett.