Team of the Week: Highveld rules
No less than seven Bulls players claim honours in the Round Three selection and their Gauteng compatriots the Golden Lions occupy five spots – leaving just three places open for remaining unions.
The Sharks, Free-State and the Pumas grabbed one each.
The Highveld dominance began when the Free State Cheetahs trumped their rivals Griquas in Kimberly. Cheetahs flyhalf Fred Zeilinga proved his transfer to Bloemfontein worthy with an epic display.
The Pumas sunk the Kings and flyhalf Juan-Claude Roos's match-winning performance with his boot earns him a place on the pine, while hooker Frank Herne dons the No.2 jersey.
The Bulls and Golden Lions finished off the Highveld superiority in style as they outclassed Western Province and the Sharks respectively.
Huge performances from Warrick Gelant, Dries Swanepoel, Jacques du Plessis and Jamba Ulengo were acknowledged and they were selected. Ross Cronje and Howard Mnisi were king-pins for the Lions while Courtnall Skosan was unlucky to miss out.
Team of the Week: Currie Cup, Round Three:
15 – Warrick Gelant (Blue Bulls):
He has Springbok written all over him – just a matter of time.
Bubbling under: Joe Pietersen (Sharks)
14 – Travis Ismaiel (Blue Bulls):
Another youngster with a bright future in the senior game.
Bubbling under: Odwa Ndungane (Sharks)
13 – Dries Swanepoel (Blue Bulls):
The pedigree is there – South African Schools, SA Under-20, now beginning to make his mark at senior level.
Bubbling under: Nicolaas Hanekom (Golden Lions)
12 – Howard Mnisi (Golden Lions):
He is relishing the many opportunities to start at the Lions and is in some of the best form of his career.
Bubbling under: Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls)
11 – Jamba Ulengo (Blue Bulls):
With such pace and power he will be a key player in the Bulls' newfound expansive game.
Bubbling under: Courtnall Skosan (Golden Lions)
10 – Fred Zeilinga (Free State Cheetahs):
Best move he made was to leave Durban for Bloemfontein. Beginning to fulfil the promise he showed as a junior.
Bubbling under: Juan-Claude Roos (Pumas)
9 – Ross Cronje (Golden Lions):
Perhaps not the most consistent play, but when he is on form he is lethal.
Bubbling under: Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls)
8 – Phillip van der Walt (Sharks):
He was the spark the kept the Sharks engine going if a game of small margins.
Bubbling under: Jason-Colin Fraser (Pumas)
7 – Albertus Smith (Golden Lions):
The Sevens Springbok showed he can function just as effectively in the narrow confines of the 15-man game.
Bubbling under: Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Western Province)
6 – Pieter Labuschagne (Blue Bulls):
Growing nicely into the captaincy role in Pretoria.
Bubbling under: Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions)
5 – Marvin Orie (Blue Bulls):
Is this his breakout season, after hovering around the fringes for the last few seasons?
Bubbling under: Francois Uys (Free State Cheetahs)
4 – Jacques du Plessis (Blue Bulls):
Seems to be more suited to the second row than the back row.
Bubbling under: Luvuyiso Lusaseni (Golden Lions)
3 – Julian Redelinghuys (Golden Lions):
Again showed why he became a Springbok in 2014.
Bubbling under: Tom Botha (Eastern Province Kings)
2 – Frank Herne (Pumas):
One of the unsung heroes in a hard-working Nelspruit-based team.
Bubbling under: Bandise Maku (Blue Bulls)
1 – Ruan Dreyer (Golden Lions):
It has taken him a year or two, but the former South African Under-20 player is beginning to fulfil his earlier promise.
Bubbling under: Schalk Ferreira (Eastern Province Kings)
Our individual selections!
Andrew Duncan XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Phillip Van Der Walt, 7 Albertus Smith, 6 Pieter Labuschagne, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Jason-Colin Fraser, 7 Albertus Smith, 6 Pieter Labuschagne, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Warren Fortune XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Nicolaas Hanekom, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jacques du Plessis, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Ruan Dreyer.
Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Nicolaas Hanekom, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Juan-Claude Roos, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Albertus Smith, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Ruan Dreyer.
Michael de Vries XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Juan-Claude Roos, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Oliver Kebble.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – Currie Cup, Round Two: 15 Warrick Gelant (Blue Bulls), 14 Ruhan Nel (Griquas), 13 Harold Vorster (Golden Lions), 12 Howard Mnisi (Golden Lions), 11 Jamba Ulengo (Blue Bulls), 10 Tian Schoeman (Blue Bulls), 9 Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls), 8 Tim Agaba (Eastern Province), 7 Daniel du Preez (Sharks), 6 Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions), 5 Marvin Orie (Blue Bulls), 4 Franco Mostert (Golden Lions), 3 Julian Redelinghuys (Golden Lions), 2 Malcolm Marx (Golden Lions), 1 Oliver Kebble (Western Province).
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