Team of the Tournament: The best
New Zealand may have lost their unbeaten run against a motivated South Africa, but they were the best team in the third edition of the Rugby Championship.
And to go with their hat-trick of Southern Hemisphere titles, the All Blacks also dominate rugby365's famous Team of the Tournament.
The All Blacks have 10 players in our squad – seven of them starting and another three in our back-up selection.
The Springboks, who lowered the Kiwis' colours in an entertaining encounter in Johannesburg at the weekend, are next best in our first-choice selection – with four players starting.
They also have three of their squad members 'bubbling under' – for a total of seven.
However, Argentina actually have more players in the combined squad.
While the Pumas have just two starting, there are another seven in the back-up selection.
Australia trail well behind – two starting and two bubbling under.
Team of the Tournament:
15 – Israel Dagg (New Zealand):
After a slow start he raced clear in a tough race that also featured Israel Folau and Willie le Roux.
Bubbling under: Israel Folau (Australia)
14 – Ben Smith (New Zealand):
Where will we see him featured next? Perhaps prop? Maybe not, but anywhere in the backline and he'll do a great job.
Bubbling under: Cornal Hendricks (South Africa)
13 – Tevita Kuridrani (Australia):
One of the few Wallabies that enhanced his reputation in a shocking season.
Bubbling under: Conrad Smith (New Zealand)
12 – Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand):
Grabbed his opportunity in the absence of Ma'a Nonu.
Bubbling under: Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina)
11 – Julian Savea (New Zealand):
This was a one-horse race! Not surprising some 'pundits' are beginning to compare him to the legend Jonah Lomu.
Bubbling under: Manuel Montero (Argentina)
10 – Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina):
A position of major fluctuations, with Sánchez and Handré Pollard coming good in the end.
Bubbling under: Handré Pollard (South Africa)
9 – Aaron Smith (New Zealand):
Also a position where the rivals were left trailing in his wake.
Bubbling under: Martín Landajo (Argentina)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (South Africa):
THORmeulen has surpassed Kieran Read as the world's premier No.8.
Bubbling under: Kieran Read (New Zealand)
7 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand):
Still a class act. Michael Hooper gave him a good run, before his horror show this past weekend.
Bubbling under: Michael Hooper (Australia)
6 – Francois Louw (South Africa):
His injury robbed the Springboks of more than just his experience, although Marcel Coetzee was a very good stand-in. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe was also very consistent.
Bubbling under: Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina)
5 – Victor Matfield (South Africa):
And there were many so-called 'pundits' who suggested he would just be a passenger.
Bubbling under: Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)
4 – Brodie Retallick (New Zealand):
His presence was sorely missed in the final round.
Bubbling under: Mariano Galarza (Argentina)
3 – Sekope Kepu (Australia):
Yes, the resources on the tighthead side are very thin indeed when even a wobbly Wallaby makes it.
Bubbling under: Ramiro Herrera (Argentina)
2 – Adriaan Strauss (South Africa):
There are a large portion of the population in KwaZulu-Natal that will disagree, but Strauss may well be South Africa's premier hooker now.
Bubbling under: Agustín Creevy (Argentina)
1 – Marcos Ayerza (Argentina):
He did so much more than just scrum, but he was pretty impressive in the set pieces.
Bubbling under: Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa)
Our individual selections:
Darryn Pollock XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Michael de Vries XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Juan Martin Hernández, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – Week Five: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Cornal Hendriks (South Africa), 13 Tevita Kuridrani (Australia), 12 Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Patrick Lambie (South Africa), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa), 7 Schalk Burger (South Africa), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa).
Team of the Week – Week Four: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 13 Marcelo Bosch (Argentina), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Handré Pollard (South Africa), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa), 7 Michael Hooper (Australia), 6 Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).
Team of the Week – Week Three: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Cornal Hendricks (South Africa), 13 Tevita Kuridrani (Australia), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón (Argentina), 6 Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina), 5 Jeremy Thrush (New Zealand), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Jannie du Plessis (South Africa), 2 Agustín Creevy (Argentina), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).
Team of the Week – Week Two: 15 Israel Folau (Australia), 14 Cory Jane (New Zealand), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Marcel Coetzee (South Africa), 6 Francois Louw (South Africa), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Ramiro Herrera (Argentina), 2 Agustín Creevy (Argentina), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).
Team of the Week – Week One: 15 Joaquín Tuculet (Argentina), 14 Cory Jane (New Zealand), 13 Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand), 6 Francois Louw (South Africa), 5 Rob Simmons (Australia), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Nathan Charles (Australia), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).
