Team of the Week: Killer Crusade

 

The Crusaders put the Sharks to the sword as early as the third minute on Saturday, an early try setting the tone for the rest of the match.

 

It was not simply the score that impressed, but the manner in which the New Zealanders made the boys from Durban look like an Under-15 B-team.

 

Tries were easy to come by for the Kings Park visitors as the whole exercise quickly turned into a training ground session thanks to some silky rugby.

 

From the rest of the week's matches, the Chiefs ranging wings, James Lowe and Tom Marshall, continue to draw the eye, while a wing moved to the centres in Henry Speight, looked very much at home.

 

In the forwards, the defencive exploits of the Lions' tackling machines, Warren Whiteley and Warrick Tecklenburg, do not go unnoticed once again, with their efforts key to a famous victory at Loftus Versfeld.

 

Meanwhile, the old pairing of Luke Romano and Sam Whitelock impress once again.

 

And finally, two stalwarts for their respective teams this season, Scott Sio for the Brumbies and Reg Goodes for the Hurricanes, earn their deserved plaudits in the front row.

 

 

15 – Israel Dagg (Crusaders): When ever the Sharks kicked – aimlessly – he was ready and willing to tear them apart, with his silky running and brilliant option taking.

Bubbling under: Nehe Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes)

 

 

14 – Tom Marshall (Chiefs): It does not seem to matter who wears the No.11 and No.14 jerseys for the Chiefs, they always have huge firepower out there, and Marshall did not disappoint.

Bubbling under: David Havili (Crusaders)

 

 

13 – Henry Speight (Brumbies): An experiment in the centres, but a successful one! He has all the makings of a great centre, so it is not such a shock seeing him succeed there.

Bubbling under: Conrad Smith (Hurricanes)

 

 

12 – Ryan Crotty (Crusaders): A reliable and steady feature in the Crusaders backline, and showed he can turn on the class when his team turn it on!

Bubbling under: Damian de Allende (Stormers)

 

 

11 – Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders): The Giant Fijian is a pure war-machine. An absolute weapon on attack, the Crusaders just seem to know how to use his firepower.

Bubbling under: James Lowe (Chiefs)

 

 

10 – Colin Slade (Crusaders): Dan Carter who? There is a new general in town, and on current form, he is the man you want running the show for them

Bubbling under: Aaron Cruden (Chiefs)

 

 

9 – Andy Ellis (Crusaders): There is still life in the old dog yet. Ellis was a constant threat and used his multitude of running and attacking options splendidly.

Bubbling under: Cobus Reinach (Sharks)

 

 

8 – Warren Whiteley (Lions): The man is everything that is right with rugby. Whiteley defines the old cliche of putting your body on the line, and is a large part of the reason that the Lions are the darlings of South African rugby.

Bubbling under: Kieran Read (Crusaders)

 

 

7 – Warrick Tecklenburg (Lions): Tecklenburg was always a good backup to the rest of the Lions impressive loose trio, this season however, he has had enough of sitting on the bench it seems!

Bubbling under: Sam Cane (Chiefs)

 

 

6 – Brad Shields (Hurricanes): He has always been known as a solid grafter, this week however, he showed some incredible skill with ball in hand.

Bubbling under: Jordan Taufua (Crusaders)

 

 

5 – Sam Whitelock (Crusaders): Pure class and another player that is part of a deadly combination. Whitelock and Luke Romano look to be setting up a devastating All Black lock partnership.

Bubbling under: Franco Mostert (Lions)

 

 

4 – Luke Romano (Crusaders): Adds the force to Whitelock's finesse, and does so after returning from a horrific injury sustained last year.

Bubbling under: Luke Jones (Rebels)

 

 

3 – Scott Sio (Brumbies): Another player penciling his name into the World Cup squad. Sio is effective with ball in hand as well as on wither side of the scrum – a shoe-in for the Wallabies.

Bubbling under: Trevor Nyakane (Bulls)

 

 

2 – Adriaan Strauss (Bulls): The Cheetahs-import is really starting to show his worth with his bustling runs and solid defence – good acquisition for the Bulls.

Adriaan Strauss: Stephan Moore (Brumbies)

 

 

1 – Reg Goodes (Hurricanes): Has become a foundation for the hurricanes pack that has now become a real strength of theirs, shows what value and all-action prop can bring.

Bubbling under: Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

 

 

 

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Warren Whitely, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Jones, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

 

Warren Fortune XV: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Henry Speight, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Collin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Scott Sio, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Reg Goodes.

 

Andrew Duncan XV: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Henry Speight, 12 Ryan Crotty,11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 David Pocock, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Reg Goodes.

 

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 David Havili, 13 Henry Speight, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jordan Taufua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Scott Sio, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Reg Goodes.

 

Darryn Pollock XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Scott Sio, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Reg Goodes.

 

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Seven: 15 – Israel Folau (Waratahs), 14 – Waisake Naholo (Highlanders), 13 – Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders), 12 – Sonny Bill Williams (Chiefs), 11 – Patrick Osborne (Highlanders), 10 – Handre Pollard (Bulls), 9 – Aaron Smith (Highlanders), 8 – Warren Whiteley (Lions), 7 – Warrick Tecklenburg (Lions), 6 – Renaldo Bothma (Sharks), 5 – Franco Mostert (Lions), 4 – Jeremy Thrush (Hurricanes), 3 – Trevor Nyakane (Bulls), 2 –  Adriaan Strauss (Bulls), 1 – Pauliasi Manu (Chiefs).

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Six: 15 – Israel Folau (Waratahs), 14 – Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs), 13 – Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders), 12 – Dan Carter (Crusaders), 11 – Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders), 10 – Pat Lambie (Sharks), 9 – Cobus Reinach (Sharks), 8 – Warren Whiteley (Lions), 7 – Sam Cane (Chiefs), 6 – Jordan Taufua (Crusaders), 5 – Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), 4 – Luke Romano (Crusaders), 3 – Scott Sio (Brumbies), 2 – Adriaan Strauss (Bulls), 1 – Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes).  

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Five: 15 – Ben Smith (Highlanders), 14 – Bryce Heem (Chiefs), 13 – Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders), 12 – Damien de Allende (Stormers), 11 – Patrick Osborne (Highlanders), 10 – Aaron Cruden (Chiefs), 9 – Aaron Smith (Highlanders), 8 – Ita Vaea (Brumbies), 7 – Sam Cane (Chiefs), 6 – Elliot Dixon (Highlanders), 5 – Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), 4 – Luke Romano (Crusaders), 3 – Ben Alexander (Brumbies), 2 – Dane Coles (Hurricanes), 1 – Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders).

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Four: 15 – Cheslin Kolbe (Stormers), 14 – Henry Speight (Brumbies), 13 – Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders), 12 – Damien de Allende (Stormers), 11 – Joe Tomane (Brumbies), 10 – Handre Pollard (Bulls), 9 – Nic White (Brumbies), 8 – Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), 7 – Warrick Tecklenburg (Lions), 6 – Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), 5 – Steve Mafi (Western Force), 4 – Franco Mostert (Lions), 3 – Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs), 2 – Siyabonga Ntubeni (Stormers), 1 – Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Three: 15 – Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), 14 – Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs), 13 – Charlie Ngatai (Chiefs), 12 – Sonny Bill Williams (Chiefs), 11 – Julian Savea (Hurricanes), 10 – Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), 9 – Will Genia (Reds), 8 – Jerome Kaino (Blues), 7 – Brad Shields (Hurricanes), 6 – Adam Thomson (Reds), 5 – Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues), 4 – Matt Symons (Chiefs), 3 – Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), 2 – Dane Coles (Hurricanes), 1 – Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).      

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Two: 15 – Andries Coetzee (Lions), 14 – Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs), 13 – Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders), 12 – Charlie Ngatai (Chiefs), 11 – Dillyn Leyds (Stormers), 10 – Pat Lambie (Sharks), 9 – Will Genia (Reds), 8 – Jerome Kaino (Blues), 7 – Renaldo Bothma (Sharks), 6 – Adam Thomson (Reds), 5 – Lopeti Timani (Rebels), 4 – Luke Romano (Crusaders), 3 – Vincent Koch (Stormers), 2 – Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 – Scott Sio (Brumbies).

 

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round One: 15 – Mike Harris (Rebels), 14 – Luke Morahan (Western Force), 13 – Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies), 12 – Damian de Allende (Stormers), 11 – Rob Horne (Waratahs), 10 – Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), 9 – Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs), 8 – Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), 7 – David Pocock (Brumbies), 6 – Scott Fardy (Brumbies), 5 – Lopeti Timani (Rebels), 4 – Sam Wykes (Western Force), 3 – Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), 2 – Dane Coles (Hurricanes), 1 – Scott Sio (Brumbies).