Northern invasion leaves its mark

The weekend’s dramatic quarterfinal matches – which produced plenty of cause for both celebration and controversy – means the northern hemisphere countries dominate our weekly selection.

France, who shocked England, top our starting XV with five members, followed  by three each from Wales (who beat Ireland), New Zealand (who accounted for Argentina) and South Africa (despite their loss to Australia).

The Wallabies do have one member in our starting XV.

The All Blacks have been further rewarded for their demolition of the Pumas with five players in our Bubbling Under selection and Wales got four players into our back-up squad – with Les Blues, the Pumas and Springboks two each.

Only two players are back from last week’s final pool action – flank Jerome Kaino (New Zealand) and hooker Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa).

Team of the Week – quarterfinals: 

15 – Leigh Halfpenny (Wales):
Produced a superb all-round game – solid under the high ball and pinned the Irish back in the second half with some booming kicks. Showed an eye for a gap and his long range goal-kicking is a major plus.
Bubbling under: Maxime Médard (France)

14 – Vincent Clerc (France):
He was very good under the high ball, threatened the English defence with ball in hand and was magnificent in cutting England apart for the opening try.
Bubbling under: Cory Jane (New Zealand)

13 – Aurelien Rougerie (France):
Our panel was willing to overlook his string of second-half penalties. They looked at his allround performance – where he won a penalty at the tackle when England looked to build momentum, was very strong with the ball in hand and huge on defence.
Bubbling under: Jonathan Davies (Wales)

12 – Jamie Roberts (Wales):
Another powerful performance from the big man. He terrorised the Irish midfield defence with his immense physicality, busting tackles and fending off tacklers all game.
Bubbling under: Jean de Villiers (South Africa)

11 – Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand):
He impressed some members of our panel with his performance on the wing. He was solid in the air and ran hard and straight. Strong on his feet and also popped up in midfield on a few occasions.
Bubbling under: Shane Williams (Wales)

10 – Rhys Priestland (Wales):
An accomplished display at pivot, he controlled the game well and was spot on with his kicking out of hand. Showed plenty of heart on defence and was the epitome of the youthful exuberance in the Welsh team.
Bubbling under: Morgan Parra (France)

9 – Dimitri Yachvili (France):
The general of the French backline, directing play – those kicks over the top were spot-on and his options were from the top shelve. Some good cover defence.
Bubbling under: Piri Weepu (New Zealand)

8 – Imanol Harinordoquy (France):
Strong throughout the match and a massive force in the French pack – often making easy metres off the back of the scrum. He also won some line-outs and attended a heap of rucks to help clean out.
Bubbling under: Toby Faletau (Wales)

7 – David Pocock (Australia):
Living up to his new moniker as the ‘Jewel of the Jackals’, Pocock literally stole the game from South Africa.
Bubbling under: Richie McCaw (New Zealand)

6 – Jerome Kaino (New Zealand):
An immense game, he was incredibly strong in contact and got over the gainline regularly, while he made his tackles count as well. The muscle the All Blacks needed against the physical Argentineans.
Bubbling under: Schalk Burger (South Africa)

5 – Victor Matfield (South Africa):
A towering presence in the line-outs – you can’t argue with five turnovers and eight on his own throw. He also got involved in open play, making plenty of tackles, attending rucks and even managing a few off-loads.
Bubbling under: Patricio Albacete (Argentina)

4 – Brad Thorn (New Zealand):
Made his considerable physicality count in the engine-room and worked hard throughout. Rewarded for his hunger with a late try.
Bubbling under: Luke Charteris (Wales)

3 – Nicolas Mas (France):
This cause considerable debate. Some panel members wanted the Hair Bear, if only for his looks, and others though Franks deserved it, perhaps because his brother was injured and had to withdraw shortly before kick-off. However, in the end we went for the Frenchman. He put the heat on Matt Stevens in the scrums and worked hard on defence. Was big in the set-piece in the second half.
Bubbling under: Owen Franks (New Zealand)

2 – Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa):
He needed just half-an-hour to reconfirm why he is now one of the premier hookers in world rugby. Made an immediate impact after coming on in the 50th minute, busting over the advantage line and charging down a 22 drop-out. He played with real intensity and hunger.
Bubbling under: Keven Mealamu (New Zealand)

1 – Gurthrö Steenkamp (South Africa):
Another huge game from the big loosehead, who will be sorely missed if he joins the Boks exodus overseas.
Bubbling under: Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina)

Our individual selections!

Tim Hancox XV: 15 Pat Lambie (South Africa), 14 Cory Jane (New Zealand), 13 Aurelien Rougerie (France), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 Shane Williams (Wales), 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales), 9 Dimitri Yachvili (France), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France), 7 David Pocock (Australia), 6 Schalk Burger (South Africa), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Adam Jones (Wales), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (South Africa).

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14 Vincent Clerc (France), 13 Aurelien Rougerie (France), 12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa), 11 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales), 9 Dimitri Yachvili (France), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France), 7 David Pocock (Australia), 6 Tom Croft (England), 5 Patricio Albacete (Argentina), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Owen Franks (New Zealand), 2 Huw Bennett (Wales), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (South Africa).

Howard Kahn XV: 15 Maxime Médard (France), 14 Vincent Clerc (France), 13 Manu Tuilagi (England), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 Shane Williams (Wales), 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales), 9 Piri Weepu (New Zealand), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France), 7 David Pocock (Australia), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Owen Franks (New Zealand), 2 Keven Mealamu (New Zealand), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (South Africa).

Len Kaplan XV: 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14 James O’Connor (Australia), 13 Aurelien Rougerie (France), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales), 9 Mike Phillips (Wales), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France), 7 David Pocock (Australia), 6 Rocky Elsom (Australia), 5 Lionel Nallet (France), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Adam Jones (Wales), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Tony Woodcock (New Zealand).

Michael de Vries XV: 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14 Corey Jane (New Zealand), 13 Aurelien Rougerie (France), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales), 9 Piri Weepu (New Zealand), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France), 7 David Pocock (Australia), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Nicolas Mas (France), 2 Keven Mealamu (New Zealand), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (South Africa).

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14 Vincent Clerc (France), 13 Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12 Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11 Alexis Palisson (France), 10 Rhys Priestland (Wales), 9 Dimitri Yachvili (France), 8 Imanol Harinordoquy (France), 7 David Pocock (Australia), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Nicolas Mas (France), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina).

Previous selections:

Team of the Week – Part Four: 15 Patrick Lambie (South Africa), 14 Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland), 12 Gordon D’Arcy (Ireland), 11 Zac Guildford (New Zealand), 10 Ronan O’Gara (Ireland), 9 Taniela Moa (Tonga), 8 Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), 7 Sean O’Brien (Ireland), 6- Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia), 4 Richie Gray (Scotland), 3 Euan Murray (Scotland), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Cian Healy (Ireland).

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).