Another rugby season is behind us. We can be very satisfied with what was shown, unless we exclude the Cup Final match, which unfortunately was not even held. But we won an interesting championship where it was not known until the very end who would be the champion of Serbia. The Serbian national team is currently in a series of victories, all four victories have been achieved this year alone. Rugby 7s conference 1 in rugby was held in Belgrade. We had a series of two tournaments of the Serbian Rugby 7s Championship. We had plenty of material to choose the best 15 by position. Below is the first part of the article on the best scrum players, sorted by position.
8. Stefan Đorđević
YOB: 1995.
Position: Number 8
Height: 184цм
Weight: 118kg
When we started compiling the list of the best players, we first put the players on the list that we were 100% sure about. One of them is Stefan, who had a great season. Although Partizan’s dominance was ended, Đorđević was at an extremely high level throughout the year. His specialty is playing in and around ruck. And there he was more than brilliant. No one came close to winning the ball in the ruck than him. The lord of breakdowns. The game in defense, especially as an assistant tackler, was at the level of top rugby. Opponents were simply frustrated, but if you play against Stefan, you must not be late for even a second. His quick feet and timely placement makes a huge difference on the court. In the attack, he is very penetrating and always looks for space, always offers the option of an offload, in the ruck he makes a quick presentation of the ball. Uses a hand skills, quick changes of direction, attacks from angles, hard to bring down. This year, he played only one match for Serbia, against Montenegro. In his career, he played 12 games for the national team and scored one try. In the Serbian championship, he scored 7 tries with one conversion, which earned him a place in the TOP 10 list of scorers in the 2022 season.
7. Aleksandar Mađanovic
YOB: 1993.
Position: Flanker
Heigh: 183cm
Weight: 94kg
Although BRK Crvena Zvezda withdrew from the competition in the autumn part of the Serbian Championship, we cannot leave Aleksandar out of this list for the simple reason that, in our opinion, he is among the best players this season in Serbia. He started as a winger in the third line in all four matches of the Serbian national team. He is one of the most deserving players for a positive result this year. If we had to choose its strong points, we would have to imagine very well, because everything works at a high level. We still pick fantastic support and timing when supporting, where he can anticipate in a second if he’s going to go into a ruck or take advantage of a good offload. He is at his most lethal when he gets an offload in a full run, then he seems to get an extra boost where he breaks through the opponent’s defensive line. A player who runs a lot during the game and is extremely combative on both sides of the field. A high pace player that every coach loves to have in their ranks. Aleksandar made a total of 16 caps for the national team and scored three tries.
6. Alen Ćosović
YOB: 1988.
Position: Flanker
Height: 182cm
Weight: 95kg
A player who definitely marked the 2022 season with his form. There is no match where he did not give his best. In the match against Partizan, which decided who would win the title, he was outstanding, scoring as many as four tries. Please note that in that match he played in the center position, although he plays on the third line. Definitely the most penetrating player of the Championship, who eventually won the title of the best scorer of both the Serbian Championship and the Serbian Cup. In the Serbian Championship, he scored as many as 20 tries. As we said, Alen is a dominant ball carrier, who is always looking for space, which is why he is difficult to stop. He uses every opportunity to take advantage of the space when the defense sets up badly. Physically, he is extremely strong, so we had the opportunity to see tries when even three opposing players could not stop him. This year, he appeared in three matches of the Serbian national team. Alen Ćosović has so far made 9 appearances for the national team and scored three goals.
5. Đorđe Preradojević
YOB: 1995.
Position: Lock
Height: 190cm
Height: 123kg
For us, definitely one of the best players of the Serbian Championship. Although he missed almost the entire fall half-season due to suspension, he absolutely deserved to be on this list based on his performances. This season, he was often able to find himself in the position of the right column, but it is definitely the second line where he can provide the maximum. In statics, he is at a high level, good footwork makes him one of the better jumpers in the country. But his stamp this season is definitely defense. Special attention should be paid to the chop shot, where it totally destabilizes the opponent’s attack and gives the tackle assistant the opportunity to make a slight turnover, that is, to steal the ball from the ruck. In defense, he very often pulls back anticipating the opponent’s shot, where he is extremely effective later in the counter attack. Very strong ball carrier, very quality support player who is excellent in securing the ruck. A player who likes to play at a high tempo. Finally, we must add that he has a good foot and that he converted three penalties during the season, and that in the first game against Rad. This season, he appeared for the national team only in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Đorđe has 13 caps for the national team, where he scored three tries.
4. Relja Pećanac
YOB: 2001.
Position: Lock
Height 194cm
Weight: 102kg
A young player who has developed incredibly in the last year and a half. During that time, he became one of the leaders of the Rad and a standard representative of Serbia. Given that he is only 21 years old, we cannot imagine what his limits are. Last season, he played in the second and third line positions, but his primary position is the second line. He especially stood out in defensive tasks, where he was ideal. Great tackler, great positioning in the ruck and open play. In the attack, he grew into a safe ball carrier, who has an enviable technique in contact. In statics he was masterful, he proved to be an excellent jumper in the lineout, while in the scrum his physical predispositions come to the fore. He scored two tries in the Serbian Championship, but he was always one of the best players on the field. In this season, he appeared in all four games, where he was the starter. A player for the future.
3. Predrag Vranes
YOB: 1986.
Position: Prop
Height: 182cm
Weight: 155kg
Another good, excellent one for a veteran who is now in his late playing years. When we say excellent, we mean both club and national team competitions. As we have already said, RK Rad won the double crown, that is, the triple crown if we count rugby 7’s as well. If you want to have a team that will win trophies, you have to have a good scrum and a strong first line. Without safe flow of the ball, there is no game. With his experience, especially in the job of stabilizing the scrum, Predrag is very much responsible for the titles and for all the victories of the national team this season. In all four games of the national team, he started in the pole position. He played a total of 30 games for Serbia and scored one try. In addition to excellent statics, he is a reliable ball carrier, excellent in playing in and around the ruck. A very grateful player who can complete the given challenge at a high level. That’s why he provides excellent games even if he is 36 years old .
2. Uroš Jončić
YOB: 1991.
Position: Hooker
Height 178cm
Weight: 96kg
Even though he switched to the position of hooker relatively late in his career, even though he has only been playing in that position continuously for a year and a half, we can safely say that he showed the most in the last season. He was part of Rada’s first scrum line, which was at an extremely high level throughout the season. Uros was part of the national team this season in the matches against Turkey and Andorra. But his style of play in the scrum was significantly influenced by the fact that throughout his career he was an option in the line. As a result, he is extremely mobile in the open game, very dangerous in the game around the ruck, where he very easily spots a bad setup and takes advantage of the moment of a bad defensive setup. He always attacks space, making him very hard to knock down. In the presentation of the ball, he is extremely fast, which is a good basis for a fast ruck and a fast ball, that is, a strong pace. Always offer oflfoad. The ability to play at a high pace has revived Rada’s scrum, especially the first line which has become extremely effective this season. Only in the Serbian Championship, the trio Đukić, Jončić, Vraneš scored 13 essays, or 65 points for Rad. Which is about 13% of the total points scored by Rad this season in the Championship. Uroš scored 8 tries and is on the 8th place on the scorers’ list for the 2022 season.
1. Vladimir Đukic
YOB: 1988.
Position: Prop
Heigh: 183cm
Weight: 118kg
Vladimir definitely enjoys the physically very demanding part of rugby, i.e. the scrum, where his experience, strength, technique and skill come to the fore. Which led to Rad having a dominant season in the scrum, which ultimately resulted in a double crown. One of the most responsible for the excellent outing of Građevinar this season as well as for the killer goal. A player who is equally good in attack and defense. This year, he made four appearances for Serbia, where he also scored a try against Montenegro. It is interesting that these are Đukic’s first points for the national team, where he played 45 matches. Although he has been in club and representative rugby for many years, we have the impression that the thirty-four-year-old has several more fruitful seasons ahead of him.
