Emerald wave sweeps New Zealand

The emphatic and clinical way with which Ireland disposed of Italy in the final match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup pool stages means they naturally dominate the fourth edition of our Team of the Week.

Obviously there were other significant results that also impacted on our selection, but none like the Irish – which have seven members in our starting XV and two more in our back-up squad, the most dominant in all our weekly selections.

South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland provide two members each to the starting XV, with Tonga and Australia making up the numbers.

In the Bubbling Under selection Wales have the highest number, with four team members, followed by Scotland, South Africa and Ireland (two each) – while Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada and Russia make up the numbers.

Four players are back from last week – flanks Sean O’Brien (Ireland) and Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), as well as locks Nathan Sharpe (Australia) and Richie Gray (Scotland).

Team of the Week – Part Four:

15 – Patrick Lambie (South Africa):
Showed great heart and an abundance of skill, not to mention a maturity well beyond his 20 years. In the absence of Frans Steyn he would not let the team down at inside centre either.
Bubbling under: James O’Connor (Australia)

14 – Tommy Bowe (Ireland):
Looked dangerous taking the ball up, then produced an exquisite break early in the second half – coming off his wing – to set up O’Driscoll for the opening try.
Bubbling under: Israel Dagg (New Zealand)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland):
He played the percentages very well when things were tight in the opening exchange and scored a crucial try. The rock in a vastly improved Irish backline.
Bubbling under: Manu Tuilagi (England)

12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Ireland):
Given the quality of the opposition, and despite some heated debate, our vote eventually went to D’Arcy.
Bubbling under: Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand)

11 – Zac Guildford (New Zealand):
Hard to argue with four tries – no matter who you are playing against.
Bubbling under: George North (Wales)

10 – Ronan O’Gara (Ireland):
He may have been under considerable less pressure than Dan Parks and was given plenty of room to move in, getting his backline away almost at will. And his goalkicking, just one miss in seven attempts, was also spot on.
Bubbling under: Dan Parks (Scotland)

9 – Taniela Moa (Tonga):
He may look like a prop, but he still has the skills of a scrumhalf.
Bubbling under: Mike Blair (Scotland)

8 – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland):
We had a real problem deciding this one and eventually went for the Irishman, because Jerome Kaino got more votes on the flank than he did at No.8.
Bubbling under: Victor Gresev (Russia)

7 – Sean O’Brien (Ireland):
Very little debate about this one.
Bubbling under: Sam Warburton (Wales)

6- Jerome Kaino (New Zealand):
Some of our selectors were so desperate to get Kaino into the team that they were prepared to name him at No.8, even though he started at No.6 – which is where we eventually named him after some heated debate.
Bubbling under: Schalk Burger (South Africa)

5 – Nathan Sharpe (Australia):
Brilliant work-rate across the board, showing up well with ball in hand. How was that handling in the lead-up to McCalman’s try? He was also his team’s top tackler with 18.
Bubbling under: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)

4 – Richie Gray (Scotland):
Carried the ball up with gusto and was very eager to make an impact. He was a towering presence in the line-outs and almost scored an unlikely try out on the wing.
Bubbling under: Danie Rossouw (South Africa)

3 – Euan Murray (Scotland):
A big performance from the massive tighthead. Relished the contest at scrum-time, and showed his value by shoving Matt Stevens’s head where the sun doesn’t shine.
Bubbling under: Mike Ross (Ireland)

2 – Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa):
He worked really hard at the breakdown and won two great turnovers, as well as having worked hard with ball in hand. Another strong statement for a starting spot.
Bubbling under: Rory Best (Ireland)

1 – Cian Healy (Ireland):
He was under pressure from Martin Castrogiovanni in early scrums, but got the better of Salvatore Perugini when the latter moved across after Castro left the field. He even managed a clearance kick.
Bubbling under: Gethin Jenkins (Wales)

Our individual selections:

Tim Hancox XV: 15 James O’Connor (Australia), 14 Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 George North (Wales), 10 Dan Parks (Scotland), 9 Fabio Semenzato (Italy), 8 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Schalk Burger (South Africa), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Euan Murray (Scotland), 2 Rory Best (Ireland), 1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales).

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Vungakoto Lilo (Tonga), 14 George North (Wales), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 11 Zac Guildford (New Zealand), 10 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland), 9 Taniela Moa (Tonga), 8 Victor Gresev (Russia), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Schalk Burger (South Africa), 5 Paul O’ Connell (Ireland), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Euan Murray (Scotland), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Cian Healy (Ireland).

Howard Kahn XV: 15 Patrick Lambie (South Africa), 14 George North (Wales), 13 Manu Tuilagi (England), 12 Gordon D’Arcy (Ireland), 11 Zac Guildford (New Zealand), 10 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland), 9 Mike Blair (Scotland), 8 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Tom Croft (England), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia), 4 Danie Rossouw (South Africa), 3 Euan Murray (Scotland), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Cian Healy (Ireland).

Len Kaplan XV: 15 Patrick Lambie (South Africa), 14 Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 13 Siale Piutau (Tonga), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 11 Zac Guildford (New Zealand), 10 Dan Parks (Scotland), 9 Taniela Moa (Tonga), 8 Viliami Ma’afu (Tonga), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia), 4 Danie Rossouw (South Africa), 3 Adam Jones (Wales), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Cian Healy (Ireland).

Michael de Vries XV: 15 James O’Connor (Australia), 14 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 13 Manu Tuilagi (England), 12 Berrick Barnes (Australia), 11 Zac Guildford (New Zealand), 10 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland), 9 Luke Burgess (Australia), 8 Sergio Parisse (Italy), 7 Sam Warburton (Wales), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 4 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales).

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Patrick Lambie (South Africa), 14 Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland), 12 Gordon D’Arcy (Ireland), 11 George North (Wales), 10 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland), 9 Kahn Fotuali’i (Samoa), 8 Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Mike Ross (Ireland), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Allan Jacobsen (Scotland).

Previous selections:

Team of the Week – Part Three: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia), 13 Manu Tuilagi (England), 12 Felipe Contepomi (Argentina), 11 Mark Cueto (England), 10 Dan Carter (New Zealand), 9 Francois Hougaard (South Africa), 8 Sergio Parisse (Italy), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Owen Franks (New Zealand), 2 Keven Mealamu (New Zealand), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (South Africa).

Team of the Week – Part Two: 15 Lucas González Amorosino (Argentina), 14 Shane Williams (Wales), 13 Jaque Fourie (South Africa), 12 Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand), 11 Richard Kahui (New Zealand), 10 Santiago Fernández (Argentina), 9 Morgan Parra (France), 8 Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (South Africa), 5 Paul O’Connell (Ireland), 4 Danie Rossouw (South Africa), 3 Mike Ross (Ireland), 2 Mahonri Schwalger (Samoa), 1 Cian Healy (Ireland).

Team of the Week – Part One: 15 Kurtley Beale (Australia), 14 Richard Kahui (New Zealand), 13 Aurelien Rougerie (France), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 11 Digby Ioane (Australia), 10 James Arlidge (Japan), 9 Ben Youngs (England), 8 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Argentina), 7 Sam Warburton (Wales), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 James Horwill (Australia), 4 Leone Nakarawa (Fiji), 3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Alisona Taumalolo (Tonga).