CC TEAM OF THE WEEK: Rising to the occasion

OPINION: A number of players rose to the occasion in last weekend’s Currie Cup semifinals in Durban and Cape Town.

The Sharks lead the way with seven players in our Team of the Week after their 33-24 victory over the Golden Lions at Kings Park.

Despite falling short in Cape Town against Western Province, the Blue Bulls are the next best represented with four players in our team.

In the backline, Divan Rossouw is our fullback with Sibusiso Nkosi and SP Marais completing our back three.

We have an all-Sharks midfield in the form of Jeremy Ward and Marius Louw.

Elton Jantjies is our choice for flyhalf and his halfback partner Nic Groom is our choice for No.9.

In the forwards, the back row consists of Dan du Preez, Marco van Staden and Ruan Steenkamp. In the second row we have Eli Snyman and Gideon Koegelenberg.

Wilco Louw, Akker van der Merwe and Juan Schoeman are our choices for the front row.

Team of the Week – Semifinals:

15 – Divan Rossouw (Blue Bulls)
His decision making and kicking game from the back was excellent against Western Province.
Bubbling under: Dillyn Leyds (Western Province)

14 – Sibusiso Nkosi (Sharks)
The Golden Lions struggled to deal with his pace and power out wide. He scored two tries in his team’s win.
Bubbling under: Courtnall Skosan (Golden Lions)

13 – Jeremy Ward (Sharks)
Played a key role on defence against the Golden Lions. He was aggressive when making tackles and he had few good runs as well.
Bubbling under: Dylan Sage (Blue Bulls)

12 – Marius Louw (Sharks)
He had another great all-round game for the Sharks. He smashed into the Lions on defence and he carried the ball well.
Bubbling under: Howard Mnisi (Golden Lions)

11 – SP Marais (Western Province)
He scored 30 of Western Province’s 35 points at Newlands. He looked cool, calm, collected in pressure situations.
Bubbling under: Jade Stighling (Blue Bulls)

10 – Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions)
He put in a strong showing during his team’s second-half fightback against the Sharks in Durban.
Bubbling under: Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls)

9 – Nic Groom (Golden Lions)
He is a great distributor of the ball and he showed it against the Sharks. He made some good decisions on the field.
Bubbling under: Louis Schreuder (Sharks)

8 – Dan du Preez (Sharks)
Another powerful performance with ball in hand from the Springbok and he scored two of his team’s four tries.
Bubbling under: Hanro Liebenberg (Blue Bulls)

7 – Marco van Staden (Blue Bulls)
He made a big impact on defence and with ball in hand before he left the field.
Bubbling under: Tyler Paul (Sharks)

6 – Ruan Steenkamp (Blue Bulls)
He put in a big shift on defence and always got over the gain line when he ran at Province. He also scored his team’s first try.
Bubbling under: Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks)

5 – Eli Snyman (Blue Bulls)
He played out of skin against Western Province. He put in a few big hits on defence and was a hard man to bring down on attack.
Bubbling under: Marvin Orie (Golden Lions)

4 – Gideon Koegelenberg (Sharks)
He was an effective ball carrier for the Sharks and he did his part in the line-outs as well.
Bubbling under: Rhyno Herbst (Golden Lions)

3 – Wilco Louw (Western Province)
A solid performance in the scrums and he did a lot of work around the park as well against the Blue Bulls.
Bubbling under: Thomas du Toit (Sharks)

2 – Akker van der Merwe (Sharks)
He was part of a powerful front row against the Golden Lions. His physicality in open play kept the Lions busy.
Bubbling under: Jaco Visagie (Blue Bulls)

1 – Juan Schoeman (Sharks)
He hardly put a foot wrong against the Golden Lions. He was powerful in the scrums and he was a force with ball in hand as well.
Bubbling under: Trevor Nyakane (Blue Bulls)

Our individual selections:

Warren Fortune XV: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Marius Louw, 11 SP Marais, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Juan Schoeman.

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Marius Louw, 11 SP Marais, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Marco van Staden, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Marvin Orrie, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Trevor Nyakane.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Sarel Marais, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Marco van Staden, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 John Schickerling, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Juan Schoeman.

Previous selections:

Team of the Week – Round Eight: 15 Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), 14 Sergeal Petersen (Western Province), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions), 12 Robert du Preez (Sharks), 11 SP Marais (Western Province), 10 Josh Stander (Western Province), 9 Louis Schreuder (Sharks), 8 Tyler Paul (Sharks), 7 Ernst van Rhyn (Western Province), 6 James Venter (Golden Lions), 5 JD Schickerling (Western Province), 4 Rhyno Herbst (Golden Lions), 3 Wilco Louw (Western Province), 2 Corné Fourie (Golden Lions), 1 Juan Schoeman (Sharks).

Team of the Week – Round Six: 15 Devon Williams (Pumas), 14 Sergeal Petersen (Western Province), 13 Neil Maritz (Pumas), 12 André Swarts (Griquas), 11 JJ Engelbrecht (Western Province), 10 Robert du Preez (Sharks), 9 Louis Schreuder (Sharks), 8 Dan du Preez (Sharks), 7 Jannes Snyman (Free State Cheetahs), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Pumas), 5 Chris van Zyl (Western Province), 4 Salmaan Moerat (Western Province), 3 Thomas du Toit (Sharks), 2 Bongi Mbonambi (Western Province), 1 Juan Schoeman (Sharks).

Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Dillyn Leyds (Western Province), 14 Sergeal Petersen (Western Province), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions), 12 Dan Kriel (Western Province), 11 Ruwellyn Isbel (Pumas), 10 Joshua Stander (Western Province), 9 Jano Vermaak (Western Province), 8 Juarno Augustus (Western Province), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Kobus van Dyk (Western Province), 5 John Schickerling (Western Province), 4 Rhyno Herbst (Golden Lions), 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen (Blue Bulls), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Sithembiso Sithole (Golden Lions).

Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 Sylvian Mahuza (Golden Lions), 14 Jade Stighling (Blue Bulls), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions), 12 Andre Swarts (Griquas), 11 Duncan Matthews (Blue Bulls), 10 Shaun Reynolds (Golden Lions), 9 Christiaan Meyer (Griquas), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani (Golden Lions), 7 Jano Venter (Blue Bulls), 6 James Venter (Golden Lions), 5 Marvin Orie (Golden Lions), 4 Rhyno Herbst (Golden Lions), 3 Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions), 2 Reinach Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Juan Schoeman (Sharks).

Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions), 14 Sergeal Petersen (Western Province), 13 Ruhan Nel (Western Province), 12 Damian de Allende (Western Province), 11 Courtnall Skosan (Golden Lions), 10 Louis Fouché (Free State Cheetahs), 9 Dillon Smit (Golden Lions), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani (Golden Lions), 7 Kobus van Dyk (Western Province), 6 James Venter (Golden Lions), 5 John Schickerling (Western Province), 4 Rhyno Herbst (Golden Lions), 3 Wilco Louw (Western Province), 2 Corné Fourie (Golden Lions), 1 Juan Schoeman (Sharks).

Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Curwin Bosch (Sharks), 14 Kobus van Wyk (Sharks), 13 Kyle Steyn (Griquas), 12 Johnny Kotze (Blue Bulls), 11 Courtnall Skosan (Golden Lions), 10 Joshua Stander (Western Province), 9 Ross Cronje (Golden Lions), 8 Juarno Augustus (Western Province), 7 Len Massyn (Golden Lions), 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Western Province), 5 John Schickerling (Western Province), 4 Ernst van Rhyn (Western Province), 3 Michael Kumbirai (Western Province), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Retshegofaditswe Nche (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Gerrit Smith (Pumas), 14 Jade Stighling (Blue Bulls), 13 Johnny Kotze (Blue Bulls), 12 Nico Lee (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Neil Maritz (Pumas), 10 Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls), 9 Stefan Ungerer (Pumas), 8 Willie Engelbrecht (Pumas), 7 Thembelani Bholi (Blue Bulls), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Pumas), 5 Ruan Nortje (Blue Bulls), 4 Ruben van Heerden (Blue Bulls), 3 Marne Coetzee (Pumas), 2 Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Retshegofaditswe Nche (Free State Cheetahs).

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