Team of the Week: Roaring success
We have the biggest spread yet in our famous weekly Super Rugby selection. Ten teams have made our starting XV.
No side has more than two representatives – with the Highlanders, Waratahs, Brumbies, Lions and Western Force getting two each.
The Cheetahs, Reds, Stormers, Chiefs and Blues each get one call-up.
For our back-up squad we also cast the net wide – nine teams represented.
The Brumbies and Force have three each, with the Bulls and Lions two each.
The Waratahs, Sharks, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Blues have one each.
Only one player returns from last week – lock Brodie Retallick (Chiefs).
Team of the Week – Round Six:
15 – Ben Smith (Highlanders):
Was instrumental in the Highlanders' impressive comeback.
Bubbling under: Israel Folau (Waratahs)
14 – Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs):
The Sevens Springbok showed he can fit into the 15-man game without any trouble.
Bubbling under: Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
13 – Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders):
Had a few handy runs, but it was on defence where he made his biggest impact.
Bubbling under: Junior Rasolea (Western Force)
12 – Kurtley Beale (Waratahs):
He was the general that dictated terms in a dominant Waratahs team.
Bubbling under: Jan Serfontein (Bulls)
11 – Robbie Coleman (Brumbies):
He knows his way to a tryline and on defence he was flawless.
Bubbling under: Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks)
10 – Quade Cooper (Reds):
He was looking like superman, until his forwards started to be dominated. Was the big difference in the first half.
Bubbling under: Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes)
9 – Francois de Klerk (Lions):
One of the finds of the season.
Bubbling under: Aaron Smith (Highlanders)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (Stormers):
Provide the grunt the Stormers needed and could have done with some more support from his teammates.
Bubbling under: Warren Whiteley (Lions)
7 – Matt Hodgson (Western Force):
He has been one of the key players in the Perth team's resurgence, including a brilliant win over the Chiefs at the weekend.
Bubbling under: Jacques du Plessis (Bulls)
6 – Steven Luatua (Blues):
Carrying well, making a bucket-load of tackles and taking a number of line-outs – just allround quality.
Bubbling under: Jaco Kriel (Lions)
5 – Brodie Retallick (Chiefs):
He threw his considerable weight around with reckless abandon, but didn't get much help from some of his teammates.
Bubbling under: Wilhelm Steenkamp (Western Force)
4 – Franco Mostert (Lions):
The young man stood up in the absence of the injured veteran Franco van der Merwe,.
Bubbling under: Sam Wykes (Western Force)
3 – Kieran Longbottom (Western Force):
Not the most celebrated player, but had the game of his life.
Bubbling under: Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
2 – Tatafu Polota Nau (Waratahs):
It is amazing he doesn't get injured more often, given his reckless style. Still a valuable player.
Bubbling under: Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1 – Jean-Pierre Smith (Brumbies):
They breed them tough in South Africa and the Aussie teams are enjoying the benefits of the influx from the Republic.
Bubbling under: Tony Woodcock (Blues)
Our individual selections!
Michael de Vries XV: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Lodewyk de Jager, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Alofa Alofa, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Darryn Pollock XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Joe Tomane, 13 Junior Rasolea, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Franco Mostert, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Jean-Pierre Smith.
Matthew Riches XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Ben Franks.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Franco Mostert, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Jean-Pierre Smith.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Jesse Mogg (Brumbies), 14 JP Pietersen (Sharks), 13 Conrad Smith (Hurricanes), 12 Tom Marshall (Chiefs), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs), 8 Kieran Read (Crusaders), 7 Willem Alberts (Sharks), 6 Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), 5 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 4 Jeremy Thrush (Hurricanes), 3 Julian Redelinghuys (Lions), 2 Nathan Charles (Western Force), 1 Schalk van der Merwe (Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 Jesse Mogg (Brumbies), 14 Rod Davies (Reds), 13 Jean de Villiers (Stormers), 12 Par McCabe (Brumbies), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Frans Steyn (Sharks), 9 Cobus Reinach (Sharks), 8 Ben McCalman (Western Force), 7 Schalk Burger (Stormers), 6 Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp (Western Force), 4 Flip van der Merwe (Bulls), 3 Werner Kruger (Bulls), 2 Stephen Moore (Brumbies), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks).
Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Israel Folau (Waratahs), 14 Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs), 13 Conrad Smith (Hurricanes), 12 Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), 11 Bjorn Basson (Bulls), 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Bulls), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs), 8 Scott Higginbotham (Rebels), 7 Jacques du Plessis (Bulls), 6 Jaco Kriel (Lions), 5 Tom Donnelly (Blues), 4 Hugh Pyle (Rebels), 3 Charlie Faumuina (Blues), 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), 1 Benn Robinson (Waratahs).
Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Israel Folau (Waratahs), 14 Lachie Turner (Reds), 13 Robbie Fruean (Chiefs), 12 Frances Saili (Blues), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Marnitz Boshoff (Lions), 9 Aaron Smith (Highlanders), 8 Nasi Manu (Highlanders), 7 Pieter Labuschagne (Cheetahs), 6 Jaco Kriel (Lions), 5 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 4 Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks).
Team of the Week – Round One: 15 SP Marais (Sharks), 14 Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs), 13 Paul Jordaan (Sharks), 12 Frans Steyn (Sharks), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Marnitz Boshoff (Lions), 9 Cobus Reinach (Sharks), 8 Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), 7 Derick Minnie (Lions), 6 Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks), 4 Lodewyk de Jager (Cheetahs), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks).
