I think, at this point, the Russell T Davies era is just one among many. Rose is no more vital to The Eleventh Hour than the An Unearthly Child is to, say, Spearhead from Space.
If I'm recommending Doctor Who, I'm generally going to recommend the most modern incarnation of the programme. There's 50 years of the stuff. I prefer to minimise the required reading to make it less intimidating, and more user-friendly. "You have to watch seven series before you can join in" is a little daunting. Three, with the option to catch up on the other four, I think feels more manageable. It does help, though, that I think The Eleventh Hour is a better ep and a better intro than Rose, and that I think S5 is a better series.
Doesn't mean I think Rose is a bad call - quite the opposite, it's brilliant. It's where I started, and hey - I'm still here! Chris Eccleston is superb, and series one is thrilling in so many different ways. Plus, you get to see the Doctors cycle, which you don't get in the same way if you start with Matt Smith. (Not 'til Christmas, anyway!) Of all the bygone eras, Russell T Davies' is the best to start with, but I tend to think, modern Doctor for a modern audience. One of the most enticing things about Doctor Who is that there's no obligation to "start from the top." You can join the ride at S6E5 and still "get" the show in seconds.