The 2025 season has finally come to an end with the Kangaroos taming the English Lions to hold on to the Ashes with a 3-0 whitewash, while the star-studded Kiwis overcame the pride and passion of Toa Samoa, who are still chasing their first trophy.
There’s no better way to end the year than watching the best of the best represent their countries and heritage, and both the Ashes series and the Pacific Championships featured some outstanding individual performances and given many players the opportunity to prove themselves at the top level.
So who were the absolute best of the best on the international stage this year, and which players deserve selection in the 2025 International Team of the Year.
At the risk of starting arguments, here’s my team, and be prepared for some shocks and disappointment, as my selections are based solely on how players performed in the end of season internationals, with both NRL premiership and State of Origin form totally ignored.
1. Reece Walsh (Australia) – He had a dream international debut in the first Ashes Test, crossing for a try double and taking out the player of the match award. He came back to earth somewhat in the next two games but still managed to finish with another couple of tries in the third Test, and he just edges out NZ’s Keano Kini, who had a blinder in the Pacific Championship final and showed what he could do playing at fullback in a strong team. Someone please get him out of the Titans ASAP!.
2. Casey McLean (NZ) – McLean was a strong performer for NZ every time he took the field in the Pacific Championships, whether playing on the wing or in his preferred position at centre, finished the series with four tries, and was the Kiwis’ best outside back.
3. Herbie Farnworth (England) – Despite being never given the room to fully unleash his attacking powers against Australia, Farnworth was a difficult proposition for the defence in each of the three Ashes Tests, and he never stopped trying to lift his side. How much better would the English team be with a few more like Herbie.
4. Matt Timoko (NZ) – Timoko had some great moments during the Championship, and his performances were characterised by hard and straight running, and solid defence. He was certainly back to his best, and when he puts his mind to it, Timoko is a defender’s nightmare.
5. Brian To’o (Samoa) – He has never been described as a spectacular winger, being more at home doing the hard graft for his team and powering over for a try when the opportunity comes along, and so it was in the Pacific Championship. To’o’s strong carries off his own line and were critical to getting Samoa’s sets rolling and he once again confirmed his standing as one of the best wingers in the business.
6. Dylan Brown (NZ) – His form in the Pacific Championships was off the scale, and he was the best player one the field in each of NZ’s victories. The strength of his performances is underlined by the fact that he takes the five-eighth position ahead of Cameron Munster, who was arguably the Kangaroos’ best in the Ashes series. Long-suffering Knights fans will be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of Brown bringing his best form to Newcastle in 2026.
7. Kieran Foran (NZ) – At 35 years of age and with one foot already on the retirement bus, nobody, except for NZ coach Stacey Jones, expected Foran to get the job done for the Kiwis, but he showed what a threat he still is when playing behind a strong pack of forwards. He led the star-studded team around the park to perfection and brought out the best in Brown and Kini, particularly in the all-important final.
8. Payne Haas (Samoa) – The fervent Samoan supporters have been looking forward to Haas joining the Pacific warriors for some time and he certainly disappoint them, with strong all-round performances in the blue jersey right across the Championship. In a very strong field, Haas remains one of the best middle forwards in the game.
9. Harry Grant (Australia) – He was one of Australia’s best performed across the Ashes series and has no peer as a dummy half at the moment. He stepped up as leader to cover for the injured captain Isaah Yeo in the first two games and was not only a constant threat in attack for Australia in all three Tests but also one of their best defenders.
10. James Fisher-Harris (NZ) – JFH always seems to step up to another level when leading his country and this series was no exception. His passionate leadership and unrelenting work in the middle third were huge factors in his side going through the Pacific Championships undefeated.
11. Angus Crichton (Australia) – Grant aside, Crichton was Australia’s best forward during the Ashes series and his no-nonsense style of play and hard graft in both defence and attack proved too good for the opposition. Crichton’s a player who just loves getting down into the trenches.
12. Isaiah Papali’i (NZ) – The big back rower was a relentless presence in the Kiwi pack whether running the ball wide, taking the hard carries down the middle or bringing down his opponents in defence.
13. Joseph Tapine (NZ) – Clearly the best lock on the world stage by some margin, Tapine was the icing on the cake for a very dominant Kiwi pack, proving almost impossible to put to ground at times when running the ball, coming up with some great offloads, and leading the NZ defence.
14. Tom Dearden (Australia) – Despite perhaps being frustrated at not earning a starting spot in the halves, Dearden proved his value to the Australian side in the No.14 jersey, making a difference whenever called upon, and took a lot of pressure off the likes of Grant, Cleary and Munster.
15. Moses Leota (NZ) – He is a ferocious proposition at any time, but he manages to go up another gear whenever playing alongside his long time former Penrith teammate in Fisher-Harris. No one enjoys playing against Leota and he didn’t leave anything on the park for the Kiwis in this series.
16. Junior Paulo (Samoa) – The big man looked the fittest he’s been in some time, and he was really ready to rumble, with his man of the match performance against arch-rivals Tonga a personal series highlight. This was vintage Junior Paulo, a wrecking ball with deft passing skills and someone you don’t want to encounter in defence.
17. Reuben Cotter (Australia) – Cotter once again proved himself as one of Australia’s most valuable assets in his three appearances off the bench in the Ashes series, and it seems that the longer minutes he plays, the better the Australian pack goes.
So there’s my 2025 international team of the year, and some very well-performed players were unlucky to miss out. Who makes your team?
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