TEAMS OF THE TOURNAMENT GERRY THORNLEY'S XV:15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand) 14 Vincent Clerc (France) 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand) 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales) 11 Cory Jane (New Zealand) 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales) 9 Dimitri Yachvili (France) 1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales) 2 Rory Best (Ireland) 3 Owen Franks (New Zealand) 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand) 5 Patricio Albacete (Argentina) 6 Thierry Dusautoir (France) 7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand) 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France)

MATT WILLIAMS XV

15 Kurtley Beale (Australia)

14 Cory Jane (New Zealand)

13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand)

12 Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand)

11 Vincent Clerc (France)

10 Dan Carter (New Zealand)

9 Will Genia (Australia)

1 Cian Healy (Ireland)

2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa)

3 Nicolas Mas (France)

4 Luke Charteris (Wales)

5 Victor Matfield (South Africa)

6 Thierry Dusautoir (France)

7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand)

8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France)

LIAM TOLAND'S XV (to play New Zealand)

15 Kurtley Beale (Australia)

14 James O’Connor (Australia)

13 Aurelien Rougerie (France)

12 Jamie Roberts (Wales)

11 Digby Ioane (Australia)

10 Rhys Priestland (Wales)

9 Will Genia (Australia)

1 Cian Healy (Ire)/ Rodrigo Roncero (Arg)

2 William Servat (France)

3 Adam Jones (Wales)

4 Victor Matfield (South Africa)

5 Paul O’Connell (Ire)/Patricio Albacete (Arg)

6 Seán O’Brien (Ireland)

7 David Pocock (Aus)/Sam Warburton (Wales)

8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France)

FIVE PLAYERS

1 Richie McCaw: Fractured his metatarsal. Got a screw put in his foot. It got infected. Crying off against Canada sent tremors (not literally) through New Zealand but his epic performance in the semi-final can be celebrated forever – it removes David Pocock and Sam Warburton from this list.

2 Israel Dagg: Superb natural talent, so good he displaced one of the All Blacks’ greatest ever fullbacks mid-tournament. Runner, kicker, catcher; he has it all (and so does Cory Jane).

3 Jamie Roberts: Even big Donncha O’Callaghan was stunned by the force of this man’s direct running. Became a flanker after Warburton’s red card against France and still found time to constantly breach the midfield gainline.

4 Stephen Ferris: Ulster would love to get a few uninterrupted years from their immense blindside. Nine months out with a gammy knee, he went to New Zealand and became the central figure in Ireland’s gameplan (as Wales clearly noticed). Just like his mate, Seán O’Brien.

5 Jerome Kaino: When New Zealand lost Dan Carter they needed others to win them the World Cup. Kaino and Owen Franks were these men. Denied Australia a certain try in the semi-final by scooping up Digby Ioane as he dived for the line.

FIVE TRIES

1 Tony Woodcock v France (final): The look of happiness on Graham Henry’s face as he patted Steve Hansen tells us everything. Kaino’s off the top ball to the charging prop, of all men, was a perfect lineout move.

2 Julio Farías Cabello v New Zealand (quarter-final): Felipe Contepomi produced countless moments of magic for Leinster over the years but his one-handed, two-touch pass to keep this thrilling move alive is guaranteed to become part of a fabulous career highlights reel. Leonardo Senatore rampaged past Richie McCaw to initiate the move.

3 Ma’a Nonu v Australia (semi-final): The definitive try of the World Cup. The All Blacks barrelled into the Wallabies via Keven Mealamu and McCaw before Dagg handed off Rocky Elsom and fed Nonu with a beautiful offload just before he was pushed into touch.

4 Vasily Artemiev v Ireland (pool match): The former Blackrock schoolboy entered the line at pace, stepped and accelerated to the whitewash. The Northampton Saints should see plenty of this.

5 Gethin Jenkins v Namibia (pool match): Was just going to rumble a few metres into enemy territory but a gaping hole appeared and the veteran prop dropped the head to bulldoze over from all of 40 metres.