Team of the Week: Red mist lifts

It was a weekend of emotional outbursts, and for good reason. Not surprising then it took some doing for us to calmly sit down and objectively decide on our famous weekly selection.

We tried, as best we could, to look at the quality of the individuals in their respective positions when the playing field was still level.

New Zealand's win over the 14-man South African team was duly rewarded with eight members in our starting XV and another three bubbling under.

The other members of our starting XV come from Argentina (four) and South Africa (three).

Australia had to be content with places in our back-up squad, given the fortuitous nature of their win over the Pumas, another game where the referee's influence may have been more prominent than it should have been.

There are five Wallabies bubbling under, dour Springboks, along with three each form the All Blacks and Pumas.

Eight players return from last week – centres Conrad Smith (New Zealand) and 12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa), scrumhalf Aaron Smith (New Zealand), No.8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), locks Sam Whitelock (New Zealand) and Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), prop Juan Figallo (Argentina) and Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa).

Team of the Week – Round Four:

15 – Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina):

This was an interesting debate, but the Puma No.15 eventually won the vote because most of his six runs were forward, while more than half of Israel Folau's metres from his six runs were sideways.

Bubbling under: Israel Folau (Australia)

14 – Ben Smith (New Zealand):

Not much competition for the All Black flyer.

Bubbling under: James O'Connor (Australia)

13 – Conrad Smith (New Zealand):

If you can't remember not seeing much of him, go study the game again. It may not be flash, but the little things he does so well makes his overall role in the All Black game so important.

Bubbling under: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia)

12 – Jean de Villiers (South Africa):

He stood firm and remained calm when his team needed him most.

Bubbling under: Felipe Contepomi (Argentina)

11 – Julian Savea (New Zealand):

It may have been against a tiring defence that was a man short, but he still managed to beat a number of defenders in one-on-one contests.

Bubbling under: Bryan Habana (South Africa)

10 – Beauden Barrett (New Zealand):

Stepped in seamlessly when Dan Carter left the field. Hardly knew the veteran wasn't there.

Bubbing under: Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina)

9 – Aaron Smith (New Zealand):

Did the basics well and made all his tackles, where as Nic White perhaps lobbed too many kicks directly into touch.

Bubbling under: Nic White (Australia)

8 – Kieran Read (New Zealand):

No explanation needed.

Bubbling under: Ben Mowen (Australia)

7 – Sam Cane (New Zealand):

He may have missed one tackle, but pretty much had a free rein after the Boks were reduced to 14 men after the break.

Bubbling under: Pablo Matera (Argentina)

6 – Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Argentina):

He tried so desperately to drag his team over the line. Just needed a bit more support from some of his teammates.

Bubbling under: Liam Messam (New Zealand)

5 – Sam Whitelock (New Zealand):

It is on defence and the line-outs where his real value was to be seen.

Bubbling under: Flip van der Merwe (South Africa)

4 – Eben Etzebeth (South Africa):

The Springbok bruiser tried gamely, but without his fellow enforcer the Boks were always a step behind.

Bubbling under: Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)

3 – Juan Figallo (Argentina):

Again showed up the Australians' weaknesses in the set pieces. Nobody from the other game really challenge his superiority.

Bubbling under: Owen Franks (New Zealand)

2 – Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa):

He has to be judged on the time he was on the field, when he was a destructive force without stepping over the line, given that both the IRB and SANZAR said he should not have been yellow carded in the first place. We have to point out, this is NOT a sympathy vote.

Bubbling under: Adriaan Strauss (South Africa)

1 – Marcos Ayerza (Argentina):

It remains a mystery how Australia managed to keep all their front row forwards on the field?

Bubbling under: Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa)

Our individual selections!

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Juan Martín Hernández, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Quintin van Jaarsveld XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Nic White, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Marcos Ayerza.

Michael de Vries XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Nic White, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Juan Martín Hernández, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Marcos Ayerza.

Previous selections!

Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Willie le Roux (South Africa), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa), 11 Bryan Habana (South Africa), 10 Morné Steyn (South Africa), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Willem Alberts (South Africa), 6 Steven Luatua (New Zealand), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 3 Juan Figallo (Argentina), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa).

Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Christian Leali'ifano (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Morné Steyn (South Africa), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Michael Hooper (Australia), 6 Steven Luatua (New Zealand), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Owen Franks (New Zealand), 2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), 1 Tony Woodcock (New Zealand).

Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Willie le Roux (South Africa), 14 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa), 11 Bryan Habana (South Africa), 10 Aaron Cruden (New Zealand), 9 Fourie du Preez (South Africa), 8 Kieran read (New Zealand), 7 Willem Alberts (South Africa), 6 Francois Louw (South Africa), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 3 Jannie du Plessis (South Africa), 2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), 1 James Slipper (Australia).