The Emerging Nations XV of 2023 as voted by the fans

Francisco Isaac
Fiji centre Waisea Nayacalevu, Portugal hooker Mike Tadjer and Uruguay scrum-half Santiago Arata.

Fiji centre Waisea Nayacalevu, Portugal hooker Mike Tadjer and Uruguay scrum-half Santiago Arata.

For the past 15 days, we’ve conducted polls to determine who were the best Emerging Nations players (and head coach) and picked an impressive Team of the Year.

An average of 700 fans voted in each contest on X, selecting 15 players out of a shortlist of 60 names so let’s see who won the right to finish 2023 on a high!

Emerging XV of 2023

15 Davit Niniashvili (Georgia and Lyon)

One of the most exciting backs to watch, Niniashvili was the full-back chosen by the fans, winning 70% of the public vote. The thrilling outside back is one of the most outstanding players in world rugby and his exquisite footwork and handling skills made a significant impact for Georgia and Lyon.

He earned his place amongst the best and let us remind you that he was the player with most metres ran in the World Cup. Honourable mention goes to Nuno Sousa Guedes, Portugal’s full-back, who was the step master of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

14 Raffaele Storti (Portugal and AS Béziers-Hérault)

Storti has turned the world upside down in 2023, scoring galloping tries and dashing through defences with ease, picking up 93% of the fans’ votes and earning a place in the XV of the season.

The Portuguese youngster has also impressed for Béziers, continuing his great World Cup form by scoring nine tries in the 2023/24 season so far.

13 Waisea Nayacalevu (Fiji and Toulon)

Nayacalevu took a strong lead from the beginning of the poll and never let it go, pairing perfectly with his Fiji teammate, Tuiosva. Nayacalevu is one of the most elegant backs in the modern game, combining top agility with relentless physicality and velvety offloading skills.

And let us not forget his leadership, a quality that played a massive factor in Fiji’s quarter-final finish.

12 Josua Tuisova (Fiji and Lyon)

A wrecking ball with a V8 engine, that’s the best way to describe Tuisova, who had another top season for Lyon in the Top 14, as well as for Fiji. No one will ever forget his games against Wales, Australia, and England in the World Cup, running up and down, crashing and shrugging tacklers, and making a couple of breathtaking tackles.

Honourable mention to Tomás Appleton, as the Portuguese captain finished as the runner-up. His leadership and passing prowess helped Portugal deliver an astonishing 2023 to their fans.

11 Rodrigo Marta (Portugal, Dax Rugby and Colomiers)

Marta out-mastered the efforts of Solomone Kata, Vinaya Habosi, and Nicolás Freitas to hold a spot in the XV, and it was expected as the winger scored 22 tries across clubs and nation.

That last try against Fiji will forever live among the greatest moments in a World Cup, and Marta got the chance to finish it.

10 Jerónimo Portela (Portugal and GD Direito)

One of the most promising players in the Portuguese camp, Portela created some special rugby magic tricks to help Os Lobos finish the World Cup in style. That overhead kick against Georgia would prove vital and it was due to these moments that he earned 43% of the final vote.

9 Santiago Arata (Uruguay and Castres)

The elusive Uruguayan scrum-half got 63% of the votes cast, toppling names like Samuel Marques and Frank Lomani, and all thanks to another monumental season for Castres and Uruguay.

His refined passing skills and dynamic mindset cracked open opposing defences, driving insane whoever has to tail him.

Honourable mention to Marques, one of Portugal’s most legendary players who slotted two crucial points to defeat Fiji in the World Cup.

8 Beka Gorgadze (Georgia and Pau)

Gorgadze was the victor in the number eight contest, but only by a difference of 24 votes, in what was the most contested poll. He had some injuries throughout 2023, but every time he was able to step onto the pitch, the number eight was a heavyweight for Pau and Georgia, making some super carries and marching powerfully forward.

Honourable mention to Viliame Mata, as the Fijian bulldozer also deserved a spot in the XV.

7 Levani Botia (Fiji and La Rochelle)

It was the second most contested poll out of the 15 we ran, and Botia was able to edge out Nicolás Martins by a mere 30 votes. The Portuguese won the X/Substack polls, but the Fijian was able to get the final say thanks to the Fijian army on Instagram and Facebook.

Botia had a superb year, winning the Champions Cup, helping Fiji to bag the Pacific Nations Cup, and qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals. A player built to rise to the occasion, Botia’s run against Georgia was a make-or-break moment for Fiji, showcasing his talent as a ball carrier.

Honourable mention to Martins, as the Portuguese flanker finished in second place. The loose forward only missed two tackles out of 65 attempts and was instrumental in Portugal’s great 2023 season.

6 Manuel Ardao (Uruguay, Peñarol Rugby and Miami Sharks)

300 votes were cast for Ardao, as the Uruguayan loose forward was a sensation in Pool A of the 2023 World Cup. Those miraculous turnovers at the breakdown were quite impactful for his nation, especially against Namibia and Italy, winning the crowd’s favour.

He was vital for Peñarol in 2023 but has moved on to the MLR side Miami Sharks, where he will certainly be one of the main standouts of the Florida-based franchise.

5 Theo McFarland (Samoa and Saracens)

McFarland was polled in the blindside group, but after finishing as a runner-up, we couldn’t just leave him out of the Emerging Nation XV. So, we just moved him from blindside flanker to lock and that’s that.

The utility forward deserves this bending of the rules, as he was incredible for Samoa and the Saracens, be it for his poaching skills, lineout expertise, or ingenious handling tricks.

Honourable mention to Isoa Nasilasila, as the Fijian was quite remarkable for his country, playing well for the Fijian Drua during the 2023 season.

4 José Madeira (Portugal and Grenoble)

The young Portuguese lock came out as the winner of this poll, successfully getting 49%, edging out Nasilasila, Tyler Ardon, and Brian Alainu’u’ese. Madeira was simply dominant in the lineout and produced some of the best tackling displays in the World Cup, making 52 tackles and not missing a single one.

3 Ben Tameifuna (Tonga and Bordeaux-Bègles)

Brutal, mean, bully, and wreaker are some of the adjectives that you can safely apply to Tongan Tameifuna, the most-voted tighthead prop. The Bordeaux-Bègles front-rower landed 65% of the voting share, winning a spot in our XV of the year.

His games against Ireland and Romania were superb, and his form in the Top 14 has been applauded by fans, pundits, and fellow players.

Honourable mention to Toulon and Georgia’s Beka Gigashvili, who had also an incredible season.

2 Mike Tadjer (Portugal, Perpignan and Massy)

Tadjer received 423 votes out of 600 for the hooker contest, which shows how impactful he was in 2023. Be it because of that kick or his dominant presence in the Lobos pack, he was an incredible servant, showcasing some of the most unexpected skills throughout 2023.

Honourable mention to German Kessler, the vibrant mullet-wearer hooker from Uruguay.

1 Eroni Mawi (Fiji and Saracens)

With 37% of the vote, the Fijian loosehead prop topped his poll and deservedly so after helping Fiji qualify for the World Cup quarter-final and winning a Premiership with the Saracens.

Mawi was astonishing come scrum time, working tirelessly to break down the opposite tighthead like he did with James Slipper in September. Didn’t miss one game for Fiji in 2023 and started in the Premiership final in what was an incredible year for the loose forward.

Honourable mention to Francisco Fernandes, as the 38-year-old was the second most voted out of the four.

Head coach – Patrice Lagisquet (Portugal)

600 votes were cast and, in the end, Lagisquet came out on top. Portugal’s former head coach had a great year, helping Os Lobos win a match in a World Cup pool stage and finishing as runners-up in the Rugby Europe Championship.

Six wins out of 11 games and a vibrant game plan, Lagisquet (and his staff) entertained fans and made everyone fell in love with Portugal.

READ MORE: The 50 best rugby players of the year, part five: 10-1

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