Team of the Week: Building momentum
The Crusaders have five players in our XV, while the Lions are second best with three players after their win in Pretoria against the Bulls.
Other teams represented in our XV include the Hurricanes, Bulls, Chiefs, Melbourne Rebels, Sharks and Stormers.
David Havili, Julian Savea and George Bridge make up our back three. In the midfield, we have Jack Goodhue at No,13 and Handré Pollard at No.12.
Richie Mo'unga is our flyhalf and Brad Weber is our No.9.
In the pack, we have Warren Whiteley, Billy Harmon and Brad Shields in the back row. Our second row consists of Adam Coleman and Ruan Botha.
Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx and Jacques van Rooyen fill our front row spots.
Team of the Week – Round Three:
15 – David Havili (Crusaders)
The Stormers made the mistake of kicking the ball to him a few times and he was a serious threat on attack with his strong and sniping runs.
Bubbling under: Israel Folau (Waratahs)
14 – Julian Savea (Hurricanes)
His powerful frame gave the Jaguares a few problems out wide. He also had a hand in one or two of his side's tries.
Bubbling under: Jack Maddocks (Melbourne Rebels)
13 – Jack Goodhue (Crusaders)
He made plenty of tackles in a good defensive performance and he exposed the Stormers' porous defence out wide.
Bubbling under: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks)
12 – Handré Pollard (Bulls)
The flyhalf was quite effective in the No.12 channel against the Lions. His running lines and distribution was good and he scored a try as well.
Bubbling under: Damian de Allende (Stormers)
11 – George Bridge (Crusaders)
He was enjoying himself on attack against the Stormers. He scored two tries in the match and he just looked dangerous whenever he got near the ball.
Bubbling under: Solomon Alaimalo (Chiefs)
10 – Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders)
His excellent vision and awareness was once again on display against the Stormers. He terrorised the Cape side out wide and he evaded three Stormers' defenders to score a five-pointer.
Bubbling under: Elton Jantjies (Lions)
9 – Brad Weber (Chiefs)
Weber was influential in his side's win over the Blues in Auckland. He made a number of clean breaks and his runaway try proved to be the difference in the end.
Bubbling under: Ross Cronje (Lions)
8 – Warren Whiteley (Lions)
It was another good all-round performance from the captain. He was energetic on attack and he never missed a tackle on defence.
Bubbling under: Akira Ioane (Blues)
7 – Billy Harmon (Crusaders)
He made a staggering amount of tackles against the Stormers and he was just as effective on attack where he broke through the Cape side's on a few occasions. He scored a try as well.
Bubbling under: Sam Cane (Chiefs)
6 – Brad Shields (Hurricanes)
He epitomised the Hurricanes' strong defensive display against the Jaguares on Saturday.
Bubbling under: Liam Messam (Chiefs)
5 – Adam Coleman (Melbourne Rebels)
He terrorised the Sunwolves' line-out by stealing a number of balls. Coleman put in some big hits on defence.
Bubbling under: Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders)
4 – Ruan Botha (Sharks)
Once again he was prominent in the tight loose for his team.
Bubbling under: Scott Barrett (Crusaders)
3 – Wilco Louw (Stormers)
The Springbok prop was solid in the scrums and a force with ball in hand against the Crusaders. He scored one of his team's four tries.
Bubbling under: Jermaine Ainsley (Melbourne Rebels)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Lions)
It was another powerful performance in open play from the Bok hooker.
Bubbling under: Codie Taylor (Crusaders)
1 – Jacques van Rooyen (Lions)
He put his opposite number under pressure in the scrums at Loftus Versfeld and he did his fair share of work around the park as well.
Bubbling under: Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks)
Our individual selections:
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Handré Pollard, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Francois Mostert, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Ruan Botha, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Handré Pollard, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Will Genia, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Ruan Botha, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Alex McLeod XV: 15 David Havili, 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Previous selections:
Teams of the Week – Round Two: 15 Ben Smith (Highlanders), 14 Sylvian Mahuza (Lions), 13 Rob Thompson (Highlanders), 12 Ryan Crotty (Crusaders), 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi (Lions), 10 Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders), 9 Aaron Smith (Highlanders), 8 Jordan Taufua (Crusaders), 7 Pieter Labuschagne (Sunwolves), 6 Roelof Smit (Bulls), 5 Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders), 4 Rudolph Snyman (Bulls), 3 Ruan Dreyer (Lions), 2 James Parsons (Blues), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).
Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Dillyn Leyds (Stormers), 14 Seabelo Senatla (Stormers), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Lions), 12 Damian de Allende (Stormers), 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi (Lions), 10 Robert du Preez (Sharks), 9 Ross Cronje (Lions), 8 Nizaam Carr (Stormers), 7 Cyle Brink (Lions), 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (Stormers), 5 John Schickerling (Stormers), 4 Ruan Botha (Sharks), 3 Nahuel Tétaz Chaparro (Jaguares), 2 Malcolm Marx (Lions), 1 Jacques van Rooyen (Lions).
@rugby365com
