Our team is almost All Black

The rugby365.com Team of the Week is dominated by the All Blacks this week, after they once again showed why they are ranked the best team in the world against a spirited Irish side.

New Zealand’s impressive 38-18 victory was capped off with wonderful teamwork and a support runner always on the ball carriers’ shoulder earns them a staggering seven places in our team.

Fiji will be delighted with their 16-all draw against Wales, while Samoa gave England a fright with some staunch defensive work before running out of steam late in the second half to go down 26-13.

The rest of this weeks teams sees a mixture right across the board with a couple of Pacific Islanders putting up their hands for selection as Samoa (one) and Fiji (one) are both represented.

Ireland had their best performance in their new stadium despite losing to the All Blacks which grants them two places in the team, while England (one), Scotland (one), France (one) and Italy (one) make up the numbers.

Scotland are the big winners in the Bubbling Under XV following a historic 21-17 triumph over the world champion Springboks and earn themselves five places in the side, while England (three), Australia (two), New Zealand (one), Ireland (one), Fiji (one), Wales (one) and France (one) make up the numbers.

The awful display by South Africa means that they go without a single player in this week’s team and couldn’t even edge a place in the Bubbling Under select.

Here is rugby365.com’s Team of the Week:

15 – Mils Muliaina (New Zealand):
A record breaking afternoon for the veteran fullback where he was his usual potent self running from deep linking up with the backline at the right moment to attack.
Bubbling under: Hugo Southwell (Scotland)

14 – Corey Jane (New Zealand):
Still an underrated member of an astonishingly talented backline his experience at fullback means his positional play is immaculate.
Bubbling under: Tommy Bowe (Ireland)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland):
Returned to form with a bang and swooped on a loose ball at full tilt to score a fantastic try that won’t soon be forgotten.
Bubbling under: Albert Vulivuli (Fiji)

12 – Seilala Mapusua (Samoa):
The main catalyst in a superb defensive effort against England and put in some thumping tackles on anyone who dared to run into the Samoan midfield channel.
Bubbling under: Berrick Barnes (Australia)

11 – Hosea Gear (New Zealand):
Agile, fast and with his ability to suddenly accelerate he made life difficult for even the vastly talented Tommy Bowe to mark him.
Bubbling under: Mark Cueto (England)

10 – Dan Carter (New Zealand):
Um… WOW he was flawless. Long live the king!
Bubbling under: Dan Parks (Scotland)

9 – Ben Youngs (England):
A real superstar in the making, oozing confidence, providing quick ball and provided the spark the English backline so desperately needed.
Bubbling under: Rory Lawson (Scotland)

8 – Kieran Read (New Zealand):
Fast becoming yet another Mr. Dependable in the All Black set-up and is magically always on the ball carrier’s shoulder.
Bubbling under: Sebastien Chabal (France)

7 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand):
A menace at the breakdown as one would expect and still the best openside flank in the world (Seems unfair that McCaw and Carter be allowed in the same team).
Bubbling under: John Barclay (Scotland)

6 – Stephen Ferris (Ireland):
Not the universal choice, but he just pips Jerome Kaino after standing up to a rampant All Blacks loose trio and giving them a taste of their own medicine here and there.
Bubbling under: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)

5 – Richie Gray (Scotland):
The best lock on the field against the Boks and completely outplayed the premier line-out jumper in the world
Bubbling under: Nathan Sharpe (Australia)

4 – Ifereimi Rawaqa (Fiji):
It’s rare to sing the praises of a Fijian tight forward, but he was excellent and made an enormous contribution to the team’s memorable performance.
Bubbling under: Courtney Lawes (England)

3 – Martin Castrogiovanni (Italy):
Terrifying at scrum time and hammered James Slipper into the ground as Goliath took David apart in this scenario.
Bubbling under: Adam Jones (Wales)

2 – William Servat (France):
The hard-working ball-carrier led from the front and battered into the Argentinean defence from start to finish.
Bubbling under: Ross Ford (Scotland)

1 – Tony Woodcock (New Zealand):
Had the better of Tom Court throughout the game and moved his big frame around the park in open play.
Bubbling under: Andrew Sheridan (England)

Our individual selections:

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Ifereimi Rawaqa, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Andrew Sheridan.

Len Kaplan XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Kieran Read, 7 John Barclay, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Courtney Lawes, 3 Adam Jones, 2 William Servat, 1 Tony Woodcock.
 
Grant Ball XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Gabirieli Lovobalavu, 11, Nikki Walker, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Ifereime Rawaqa, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Beast Mtawarira.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Hugo Southwell, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Albert Vulivuli, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Richie Gray, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Timmy Hancox XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Dan Carter 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Sebastien Chabal, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Richie Gray, 4 Ifereimi Rawaqa, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 William Servat, 1 Andrew Sheridan.

Previous selections:

Week Two (Monday, Nov. 15): 15 Kurtley Beale (Australia), 14 Chris Ashton (England), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 11 Hosea Gear (New Zealand), 10 Toby Flood (England), 9 Ben Youngs (England), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand), 6 Tom Croft (England), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Courtney Lawes (England), 3 Dan Cole (England), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa).

Week One (Monday, Nov. 8): 15 Kurtley Beale (Australia), 14 James O’Connor (Australia), 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Australia), 12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa), 11 Hosea Gear (New Zealand), 10 Dan Carter (New Zealand), 9 Ruan Pienaar (South Africa), 8 Pierre Spies (South Africa), 7 Juan Smith (South Africa), 6 David Pocock (Australia), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brad Thorn (New Zealand), 3 Adam Jones (Wales), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), 1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales).