A new year brings new possibilities and 2025 has the potential to be a truly stellar 12 months for the game of rugby union.
The British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia and the Women’s World Cup in England are some of the biggest moments to look forward to, and there is a surge of youngsters ready to make a name for themselves.
Mail Sport has named the world’s top 10 stars to watch this year.
Ireland coach Andy Farrell will lead the British and Irish Lions against Australia this year.
England will take their incredible form from the Women’s Six Nations to their home World Cup.
henry pollack
age: 19
club: Northampton Saints
nation: uk
location: back row forward
Pollock, who won the World Cup with England Under-20s last summer, is part of what the RFU says is a golden generation of young talent.
The 19-year-old is still young, but he impressed at senior level for Northampton last month. His try against Castres in the Champions Cup demonstrated the terrifying power he possesses.
If he continues his upward curve, an outright England call for the Six Nations is not out of the realm of possibility. Pollock has been carefully managed at Northampton and, despite his youth, is a very confident man on and off the field.
That self-belief has at times earned him criticism from his more experienced Saints teammates, but it is also a key trait to success at the highest level. Pollock’s already impressive physical abilities are sure to improve even further as he grows.
Henry Pollock is part of what the RFU feels is a golden generation of young talent.
Cortez Latima
age: 23
club: chieftain
nation: New Zealand
location: scrum half
With Aaron Smith retiring and TJ Perenara leaving the national team, New Zealand have lost the experience of number 213 and are looking for a new generation. And that call is being answered by Ratima and Ratima’s new kids. Cam Rogard.
The latter is on his way back from a serious injury, and instead Ratima’s progress over the last 12 months has been impressive.
One of the characteristics that defined Smith’s success as a scrum-half for the All Blacks for a long time was his service speed. His passing was excellent, as was his sniping running threat.
Ratima isn’t there yet, but she has the ability to do so in the next few years.
Cortez Ratima’s rise over the past 12 months for Chiefs and New Zealand has been impressive.
Afolabi Pasogbon
age: 20
club: Gloucester
nation: uk
location: props
It’s hard not to get excited for this guy! He’s a devastating scrummager for a monster 20-year-old.
Another Under-20 World Cup winner has been a standout in the Premier League this season with his set-piece work and waving goodbye to Ellis Genge after he got the better of him against Bristol. The incident showed not only Fasogbon’s immense talent, but also that he is not afraid to get into character and show what he is made of.
England need tight ends for the future and he will certainly be one of them. Unfortunately, Fasogbon will be ruled out for the first few months of the year due to an ankle injury he suffered in Gloucester’s win over Harlequins before Christmas, but he will be a box-office star when he returns.
Afolabi Pasogbon has stood out in the Premier League this season with his set-piece work.
Ellie Kildoon
age: 25
club: harlequin
nation: uk
location: fullback
Kildunne, the world’s best female player, technically ‘died’ a long time ago. But the reason she’s included on this list is because she will be one of the key figures for England hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2025.
England are considered favorites to win the tournament and frankly deserve a heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in the 2022 final. For that success to materialise, Kildunne will need to star.
And if she does, she is likely to become a truly global star and her profile will grow beyond the world of rugby. Kildunne is a great runner and attempts to machine the field from a fullback position. Aside from that, she’s a marketer’s dream with her own podcast, fashion label, and photography interests.
One potential concern about her development is the amount of rugby she has played over the past two seasons. But I definitely don’t think fatigue has set in. Not yet, anyway.
She ended 2024 with a standout performance in Harlequins’ ‘big game’ hammering of Leicester at Twickenham. Kildunne is just the kind of player English rugby needs to attract a new audience of female players and supporters. With her curly hair and electrifying speed, she’s hard to miss!
Ellie Kildunne will be one of England’s key figures as they host the Women’s World Cup.
Gus McCarthy
age: 21
club: leinster
nation: Ireland
location: hooker
McCarthy is the latest in a Leinster and Ireland production line, although he has benefited from Dan Sheehan’s injury.
Although he is still technically a sophomore at the Leinster academy, McCarthy was named a ‘training panelist’ for the Ireland senior team in the autumn, greatly impressing coach Andy Farrell and making his Test debut against Fiji. After coming off the bench, he scored two tries against Australia a week later.
Sheehan, Leinster and Ireland’s first choice hooker, will return from a lengthy break at some point this year in time for the Lions tour. But regardless, McCarthy will likely continue his development with regular action.
Another young Leinster and Ireland player at flyhalf, Sam Prendergast, was unlucky not to be included in this list, and also graduated to international honors, beating Jack Crowley into Ireland’s 10th place.
Gus McCarthy impressed Farrell and made his Ireland Test debut against Fiji.
mac page
age: 20
club: Scarlett
nation: wales
location: center
There won’t be much for Welsh rugby supporters to cheer about in 2024. In 2025, the national team will need to win one, if not two or three games, of the Six Nations campaign for Warren Gatland to remain in charge as manager after he takes over as chairman. They broke the national record of 12 consecutive losses.
The Scarlets backpage is one of Wales’ brightest talents. He is already a local regular and showed exactly what he can do in this season’s game against Zebre.
He trained with Wales’ senior team in the autumn and will be aiming for a Six Nations place with his searing pace and play in a position that has been a problem for Wales.
Gatland have struggled to find consistent center combinations and while throwing Page in for the Six Nations will no doubt be a gamble, it could prove to be one worth taking.
Macs Page is one of Wales’ brightest talents and a regular Scarlets customer.
Freddie Douglas
age: 19
club: Edinburgh
nation: The Granite City
location: flanker
Scotland head coach John Dalziel called Douglas world-class before he had ever played for club or country, with the flanker making his international debut before playing a club game for Edinburgh, at the time making him the youngest Scotland cap in more than 60 years. He was a debut player. Came off the bench against Portugal in November.
Douglas followed suit with an Edinburgh bow later the same month, signing a two-year contract with them. This denied Bristol progress.
For too long, Scotland’s development pathway system has struggled to produce enough top-level players, leading Scotland’s chief manager, Gregor Townsend, to withdraw players of Scottish caliber such as Duhan van der Merwe or Sione Tuipulotu from overseas. They forced me to bring them. It’s great to see someone like Douglas coming out for this. Look forward to seeing him involved in the Six Nations.
Freddie Douglas was considered world class even before he played for club or country.
Joseph Sualii
age: 21
club: Waratas
nation: australia
location: center
Sua’ali’i is one of the hottest prospects in the game after making a big-money cross-code switch in the Southern Hemisphere, taking the roof off Twickenham in his first rugby union match since his schooldays when Australia took England by storm. Fortress in November.
While his aerial ability stands out, his league-honed handling will be a frequent focus of highlight packages in the coming years.
Sua’ali’i will be a big part of the Lions’ series next summer and is a player Farrell’s tourists should watch out for.
Outside of rugby, Sua’ali’i is a great guy. He has a large social media following and his own YouTube channel where he posts VODcasts about life on tour.
Joseph Sua’ali’i is one of the hottest prospects in the game after making a big-money cross-code switch from the Southern Hemisphere.
Sasha Feinberg-Mgomezulu
age: 22
club: Stormer
nation: south africa
location: utility bag
Rugby needs him to put his injury problems behind him in 2025.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a senior Springbok who has already featured in eight games, but he could go one step further this year.
His appearance in the 2024 Rugby Championship shows just how much he has to offer the back-to-back world champions and is one of the promising young talents to join Rassie Erasmus’ formidable squad.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu is also likely to benefit from the fact that he can play a variety of backline positions, including flyhalf and fullback. With concerns still lingering over incumbent No. 10 Manie Libbok’s place-kicking, players such as Willie le Roux, Damian Willemse and Aphelele Fassi have been particularly concerned. With him competing for the number 15 shirt, that could be his path.
He was born in Cape Town but played junior rugby for Wales on an exchange placement at Llandovery College, a renowned Welsh institution that produced players such as Alun Wyn Jones and George North.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a coming force. He just has to run away from the treatment table.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s appearance in the 2024 Rugby Championship shows just how much he has to offer the back-to-back world champions.
leo barre
age: 22
club: French Stadium
nation: france
location: fullback
Leo Barre is a different type of operator who poses a much greater counter-attack threat to France.
Barre broke into the French Test squad in 2024, earning his first five caps, including a crucial try in the 33-31 win over England to conclude the Six Nations.
His difference is his electric running game. France have tended to play Thomas Ramos as a number 15, and while Ramos is a reliable and top kicker, Barre is a different kind of operator with a much greater counter-attacking threat.
Look for him to perform well in the Six Nations with a talent-filled France team. Les Bleus manager Fabien Galthie may be tempted to move Ramos to number 10 and select Barre at full-back.
Who France choose for the playmaker position will largely depend on the fitness of their starting flyhalf Romain Ntamack, who has been hampered by injuries.
