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Five All Blacks make top rugby magazine's team of the year, Beauden Barrett pushed to fullback by Johnny Sexton

December 7, 2018
The AIG Rugby Weekend, Solider Field, Chicago, USA 5/11/2016
Ireland vs New Zealand All Blacks
Ireland's Jonathan Sexton is tackled by All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett and New Zealand flanker Sam Cane during a Test match at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Five All Blacks have made the cut for a top rugby magazine's team of 2018 - but there was no room for star playmaker Beauden Barrett at number 10.

Instead, Rugby World named Barrett at fullback in their team of the year, with Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane joining him on the right and left wings respectively while skipper Kieran Read took No 8 and Brodie Retallick one of the two locking spots.

Barrett has been critiqued this season for his ability to lead a team around the park and his goal-kicking capabilities - areas men's player of the year and No.10 selection Johnny Sexton excelled at in 2018.

Still, his natural talent saw him earn fullback despite the fact he didn't start in the position once in 2018 - he did move to it in some games though.

Despite an inconsistent season, the All Blacks were still the most represented team in the selected XV with World Rugby's Team of the Year Ireland coming in second with four selections.

Joining Sexton was halfback Conor Murray, blindside Peter O'Mahony and prop Tadgh Furlong.

England were next best with two selections and Australia, Wales, South Africa and Fiji rounded out the team with one apiece.

Rugby World selected the team from a panel of experts that had 12 countries represented on it.

Rugby World's 2018 team of the year  

Beauden Barrett (All Blacks), Ben Smith (All Blacks), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Rieko Ioane (All Blacks), Johnny Sexton (Ireland), Conor Murray (Ireland); Kieran Read (All Blacks), David Pocock (Australia), Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), Leone Nakarawa (Fiji), Brodie Retallick (All Blacks), Tadgh Furlong (Ireland), Malcolm Marx (South Africa), Mako Vunipola (England)

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