RC Team of the Week: Drought broken
OPINION: South Africa won for the first time in New Zealand in almost a decade. They are duly rewarded in @rugby365com’s famous weekly selection.
It was raw guts, more than skill, but the Springboks showed the All Blacks are not invincible.
This week, the Boks are the flavour of the town.
Eight Boks made our starting XV, followed by four All Blacks.
Argentina (two) and Australia (one) make up the numbers.
There is further reward for Los Pumas, following their equally gutsy win over the Wallabies, in our back-up selection.
Seven Argentinean players are bubbling under – followed by four from South African three from New Zealand and one from Australia.
Only two players returns from the previous round – flyhalf Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina) and hooker Codie Taylor (New Zealand).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4THT4MJw2Q
Team of the Week – Round Four:
15 – Willie le Roux (South Africa):
Many will point to the yellow card. However, that try in the 24th-minute – when he ripped the ball out of Rieko Ioane’s hands, after a stray Jordie Barrett pass – was a big moment in the match.
Bubbling under: Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina)
14 Ben Smith (New Zealand):
Pure class. Even in a losing cause, he troubled the Springbok defensive lines.
Bubbling under: Bautista Delguy (Argentina)
13 – Reece Hodge (Australia):
He has so much more than just a big boot – although that helps.
Bubbling under: Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand)
12 – Ryan Crotty (New Zealand):
Another mainstay of the All Black team. The glue that keeps the Kiwi backline together.
Bubbling under: Damian de Allende (South Africa)
11 – Aphiwe Dyantyi (South Africa):
He has been erratic and weak on defence this year, but stepped up in a big way. That last play was a match-saving rush out of the line, plus he also won a turnover.
Bubbling under: Rieko Ioane (New Zealand)
10 – Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina):
A master tactician and the key to Argentina’s successes in this competition – especially at the weekend.
Bubbling under: Handre Pollard (South Africa)
9 – Francois de Klerk (South Africa):
He won two turnovers – not bad for a scrumhalf. But there is so much more to his game, energetic and unpredictable.
Bubbling under: Will Genia (Australia)
8 – Warren Whiteley (South Africa):
Contrary to popular perception, he is playing a lot tighter and more physical – making 20 tackles on top of his work around the park.
Bubbling under: Kieran Read (New Zealand)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa):
His emotional outburst at the end of the game epitomised the effort that went into the game – including an amazing 24 tackles.
Bubbling under: Marcos Kremer (Argentina)
6 – Pablo Matera (Argentina):
The spark that fires up the Los Pumas engine. Plenty of carries and tackles made, along with three crucial turnovers.
Bubbling under: Siya Kolisi (South Africa)
5 – Franco Mostert (South Africa):
Has been one of the unsung heroes for some time. His workrate is amazing and like teammate Du Toit made an astonishing 24 tackles.
Bubbling under: Tomas Lavanini (Argentina)
4 – Samuel Whitelock (New Zealand):
This was a tough call to make between two monsters of the second row. Whitelock’s workrate saw him just edge his Springbok rival.
Bubbling under: Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
3 – Frans Malherbe (South Africa):
He has been under fire all year, but finally came good. Solid in the scrums, some good carries and effective on defence.
Bubbling under: Santiago Medrano (Argentina)
2 – Codie Taylor (New Zealand):
Plenty of carries and made all his tackles. Also, no missed line-outs.
Bubbling under: Agustin Creevy (Argentina)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (South Africa):
It may well be the end of the Beast. He has been knocking on the door and finally bashed it down – relegating Tendai Mtawarira to perhaps a permanent bench role.
Bubbling under: Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Argentina)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EilFDbtkoEs
Our individual selections:
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Warren Fortune XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Will Genia, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Our previous selections:
Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina), 14 Bautista Delguy (Argentina), 13 Jack Goodhue (New Zealand), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Ramiro Moyano (Argentina), 10 Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina), 9 Thomas Perenara (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Ardie Savea (New Zealand), 6 Shannon Frizell (New Zealand), 5 Scott Barrett (New Zealand), 4 Guido Petti Pagadizaval (Argentina), 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Argentina), 2 Codie Taylor (New Zealand), 1 Santiago Garcia Botta (Argentina).
Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Jordie Barrett (New Zealand), 14 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 13 Matías Moroni (Argentina), 12 Ngani Laumape (New Zealand), 11 Waisake Naholo (New Zealand), 10 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Sam Cane (New Zealand), 6 Pablo Matera (Argentina), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Juan Figallo (Argentina), 2 Agustin Creevy (Argentina), 1 Joe Moody (New Zealand).
Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 14 Waisake Naholo (New Zealand), 13 Jack Goodhue (New Zealand), 12 Andre Esterhuizen (South Africa), 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi (South Africa), 10 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 David Pocock (Australia), 7 Sam Kane (New Zealand), 6 Pablo Matera (Argentina), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 3 Owen Franks (New Zealand), 2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa), 1 Joe Moody (New Zealand).
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