Team of the Week: Blue and white hoops everywhere

Following their emphatic 39-3 demolition of the Golden Lions at the weekend, there are nine WP players in our starting XV.

The Free State Cheetahs, with three players, are next best. The Pumas (two) and Griquas (one) make up the numbers.

There is plenty of rewards for the table-topping Cheetahs in our back-up squad – six of their players bubbling under.

The Blue Bulls, despite their heartbreaking last-minute loss, have four players in our back-up squad – followed by the Pumas (three).

WP and the Golden Lions (one each) make up the numbers.

Just two players returns from last week – wing Seabelo Senatla (Western Province) and lock Chris van Zyl (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Rounds Six:

15 – Eric Zana (Griquas):

Playing for one of the less fashionable teams means you have to do so much more to get noticed and he did … plenty more!

Bubbling under: Clayton Blommetjies (Free State Cheetahs)

14 – Seabelo Senatla (Western Province):

Still making some mistakes, but is growing at a rapid rate in the 15-man game.

Bubbling under: Sergeal Petersen (Free State Cheetahs)

13 – Francois Venter (Free State Cheetahs):

Some will say he should be a permanent fixture in the Springbok starting XV.

Bubbling under: Jerome Pretorius (Pumas)

12 – Huw Jones (Western Province):

The ease with which he outplayed Springbok Rohan Janse van Rensburg mist have caused alarm in the Lions camp.

Bubbling under: Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls)

11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Free State Cheetahs):

Yes, he scored a hat-trick. But there is so much more to him than just being a finisher.

Bubbling under: Dillyn Leyds (Western Province)

10 – Damian Willemse (Western Province):

Not flawless, but the raw talent on display makes him one of the most exciting prospects around.

Bubbling under: Justin Van Staden (Pumas)

9 – Jano Vermaak (Western Province):

There is a very good reason why he was called up to the Springbok team.

Bubbling under: Stefan Ungerer (Pumas)

8 – Nizaam Carr (Western Province):

Cynics will say it is only the Currie Cup, but he is ion dominant form.

Bubbling under: Jasper Wiese (Free State Cheetahs)

7 – Cobus Wiese (Western Province):

Another young player making great strides on the domestic scene.

Bubbling under: Abongile Nonkontwana (Blue Bulls)

6 – Chris Cloete (Pumas):

It is still a surprise one of the big franchises – perhaps even the Springboks – have not picked him up.

Bubbling under: Shaun Adendorff (Blue Bulls)

5 – John Schickerling (Western Province):

Beginning to live up to the promise he showed as a junior – before his serious neck injury.

Bubbling under: Rynier Bernardo (Free State Cheetahs)

4 – Chris van Zyl (Western Province):

Lead from the front in a dominant display of physicality.

Bubbling under: Armand Koster (Free State Cheetahs)

3 – Tom Botha (Free State Cheetahs):

An unassuming front row forward who does the basics with consummate ease.

Bubbling under: Jacques van Rooyen (Golden Lions)

2 – Ramone Samuels (Western Province):

He played only 35 minutes, but had a bigger impact than some players did in an entire 80 minutes.

Bubbling under: Jacques du Toit (Free State Cheetahs)

1 – Khwezi Mona (Pumas):

Coming along in leaps and bounds. Likely to be picked up by one of the big franchises soon.

Bubbling under: Pierre Schoeman (Blue Bulls)

Our individual selections:

Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Eric Zana, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Rynier Bernardo, 4 Chris van Zyl, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Khwezi Mona.

Jan de Koning XV:  15 Eric Zana, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 John Schickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Khwezi Mona.

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Jamba Ulenga, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 John Schickerling, 4 Armand Koster, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Pierre Schoeman.

Previous selections:

Team of the Week – Rounds Four and Five: 15 Clayton Blommetjies (Free State Cheetahs), 14 Seabelo Senatla (Western Province), 13 Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), 12 Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls), 11 Sibusiso Nkosi (Sharks), 10 Andre Swarts (Griquas), 9 Christiaan Meyer (Griquas), 8 Jasper Wiese (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks), 6 De Wet Kruger (Griquas), 5 Ruan Botha (Sharks), 4 Chris van Zyl (Western Province), 3 Wilco Louw (Western Province), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Jacobus Janse van Rensburg (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Warrick Gelant (Blue Bulls), 14 Travis Ismaiel (Blue Bulls), 13 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 12 Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls), 11 Sibusiso Nkosi (Sharks), 10 Curwin Bosch (Sharks), 9 Piet van Zyl (Blue Bulls), 8 Daniel du Preez (Sharks), 7 Kobus van Dyk (Western Province), 6 Johannes Prinsloo (Blue Bulls), 5 Ruben van Heerden (Blue Bulls), 4 Tyler Paul (Sharks), 3 Michael Kumbirai (Western Province), 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi (Western Province), 1 Pierre Schoeman (Blue Bulls).

Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Clayton Blommetjies (Free State Cheetahs), 14 Rosco Specman (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Francois Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 12 Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), 11 Enver Brandt (Griquas), 10 George Whitehead (Griquas), 9 Dillon Smit (Golden Lions), 8 Uzair Cassiem (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Kobus van Dyk (Western Province),5 Marvin Orie (Golden Lions), 4 Jeremy Jordaan (Pumas), 3 Justin Ackerman (Golden Lions), 2 Pieter Jansen (Golden Lions), 1 Thomas du Toit (Sharks).

Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Warrick Gelant (Blue Bulls), 14 Travis Ismaiel (Blue Bulls), 13 Hennie Skorbinski (Pumas), 12 Clinton Swart (Griquas), 11 Duncan Matthews (Blue Bulls), 10 Shaun Reynolds (Golden Lions), 9 Stefan Ungerer (Pumas), 8 Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks), 6 Johannes Prinsloo (Blue Bulls), 5 Abongile Nonkontwana (Blue Bulls), 4 Carl Wegner (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Johannes Coetzee (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Jaco Visagie (Blue Bulls), 1 Charles Marais (Free State Cheetahs).

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