Team of the week: Emerald gems
It is not a surprise the men from the Emerald Isle dominate rugby365's famous weekly selection.
There are six Irishmen in our starting XV.
This is double the next best – with Australia and England both producing three starters.
New Zealand (two) and Scotland (one) make up the numbers.
There is plenty of reward for the All Blacks in our back-up squad. Four Kiwis are bubbling under, followed by Australia (three), Ireland and Scotland (two each).
Wales, Italy, Samoa and Georgia (one each) make up the numbers.
Team of the week – November, Week One:
15 – Kurtley Beale (Australia):
He is everything that is good about the Wallaby attack. And they thought the Wallabies would struggle without Israel Folau.
Bubbling under: Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
14 – Andrew Conway (Ireland):
Showed South Africa what a world-class wing should be able to do.
Bubbling under: Waisake Naholo (New Zealand)
13 – Huw Jones (Scotland):
No sure if his constant commuting this past year – between South Africa and Scotland – will catch up with him, but he remains world class and a form centre.
Bubbling under: Tevita Kuridrani (Australia)
12 – Bundee Aki (Ireland):
The Springbok midfielders' reputations lie in tatters in Dublin.
Bubbling under: Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand)
11 – Rieko Ioane (New Zealand):
It was to be expected – a dominant forced against quality opposition.
Bubbling under: Halom Amos (Wales)
10 – Johnny Sexton (Ireland):
It was a tough call, but the way he dictated terms against the Springboks saw him edge a good collection of flyhalves.
Bubbling under: Ian McKinley (Italy)
9 – Conor Murray (Ireland):
The avalanche if aerial bombs cause the Springbok backs plenty of problems. They will have nightmares about it for some time to come.
Bubbling under: Will Genia (Australia)
8 – Nathan Hughes (England):
The powerful loose forward is settling in nicely as a regular in the England squad.
Bubbling under: Christiaan Stander (Ireland)
7 – Sam Underhill (England):
Not flash, but does all the hard work that allows other players to be flash.
Bubbling under: Michael Hooper (Australia)
6 – Peter O'Mahony (Ireland):
He made it looks as if the Irish had an extra loose forward on the field.
Bubbling under: Piaula Fa'asalele (Samoa)
5 – Samuel Whitelock (New Zealand):
He is another player who is not flash, but gets through a tremendous amount of work.
Bubbling under: Iain Henderson (Ireland)
4 – Adam Coleman (Australia):
Powerful carries and made a mountain of tackles.
Bubbling under: Luke Romano (New Zealand)
3 – Tadhg Furlong (Ireland):
His meteoric rise in the international game is continuing.
Bubbling under: Levan Chilachava (Georgia)
2 – Tatafu Polota-Nau (Australia):
There is life left in them old legs.
Bubbling under: Stuart McInally (Scotland)
1 – Mako Vunipola (England):
He does so much more than just scrumming.
Bubbling under: Kane Hames (New Zealand)
Our individual selections:
Leezil Hendricks XV: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Will Genia, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 George Kruis, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Warren Fortune XV: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Kane Hames.
Ian Cameron XV: 15 Kurtley Beale , 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Halom Amos, 10 Ian McKinley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Piaula Fa'asalele, 5 Iain Henderson, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Levan Chilachava, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Iain Henderson, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Mako Vunipola.
@rugby365com
