With the Quilter Nations Series complete and the domestic season back in full swing, the picture at the top of world rugby has sharpened.
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The autumn window brought breakout performances, reaffirmed old hierarchies and reignited the debate over who truly sits among the game’s elite.
From artists who dictate matches with imagination to relentless enforcers who win them through sheer will, here are the best ten players in the world right now.
10 Finn Russell (Scotland)
Few players see the game quite like Finn Russell. This summer, Scotland’s talisman was the creative heartbeat of the Lions, pulling strings and injecting daring into their most dangerous attacking moments. Long labelled a maverick, Russell has evolved — still inventive, but now commanding games with authority and control.
Whether orchestrating for Bath or guiding Scotland through tight Test matches, he has an unmatched ability to change momentum with a single decision. At his best, Russell isn’t just a fly-half — he’s a storyteller, shaping the flow of the match with every touch.
9 Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
Fresh from being crowned World Rugby Player of the Year, Malcolm Marx has elevated the hooker role to new heights. Tireless, explosive and omnipresent, he sets the global benchmark for his position.
Marx made history by becoming only the second hooker — after Keith Wood — to win the men’s 15s Player of the Year award, and the first since 2001. Starting 11 of South Africa’s 14 Tests this season and scoring five tries, he has been central to a campaign that saw the Springboks retain the Rugby Championship and lose just twice all year.
8 Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)
Cheslin Kolbe continues to split opinion — but he also continues to deliver when it counts. While questions are occasionally raised about his club form in Japan, his international résumé is beyond reproach.
A double World Cup winner, Kolbe has scored in finals, tormented the British & Irish Lions and produced countless moments of brilliance in green and gold. Give him space, give him pressure — it doesn’t matter. When the stakes rise, Kolbe invariably rises with them.
7 Ben Earl (England)
Ben Earl is the modern back-rower in its purest form. Relentless energy, explosive power and a skill set that allows him to influence every phase — he brings it all. Equally effective across the back row, his pace and physicality make him a constant problem, whether he’s carrying in tight or tearing through space wider out.
At Saracens, Earl has become the heartbeat of the side. His work rate sets the standard, his ability over the ball turns momentum, and his ball-carrying regularly bends the gainline against the best defences in Europe. He combines the edge of a traditional flanker with the athleticism of a modern No 8, and few players marry those traits as seamlessly.
That influence has translated seamlessly to the international stage. During the autumn, Earl was one of England’s standout performers, repeatedly setting the tempo with his intensity and dynamism. In matches that demanded control and physical edge, he delivered both, underlining his importance to Steve Borthwick’s plans and reinforcing his status as one of the most complete back-rowers in the game.
6 Damian Penaud (France)
Damian Penaud’s Champions Cup campaign was one for the ages. Fourteen tries, including six in a single match, propelled Bordeaux to their first European title and earned him a deserved Player of the Year award.
Yet Penaud is far more than a finisher. Powerful, elusive and blessed with impeccable timing, he combines physicality with flair in a way few wings can. While his autumn with France was quieter by his lofty standards, his body of work across the year secures his place comfortably inside the top six.
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