Team of the Week: Walking Tall
For Round Eight, there are eight South Africans in our selection and most of them are from the Lions after their emphatic 52-31 win over the Stormers at Ellis Park.
The Sharks have two players in our team and there is also a spot for a Stormers player.
In the backline, we have Jordie Barrett, Manasa Mataele and Madosh Tambwe in the back three. In the midfield, we have Anton Lienert-Brown and Ryan Crotty.
Elton Jantjies is our flyhalf with Joe Powell at No.9.
In the pack, the loose trio consists of Isi Naisarani, Jean-Luc du Preez and Albertus Smith. Francois Mostert and Brodie Retallick fill our second-row spots.
Thomas du Toit and Steven Kitshoff are our two props and Malcolm Marx is our hooker.
Team of the Week – Round Eight:
15 – Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes)
He showcased his flair out wide on attack and his ability to use his big frame to bash through the Sharks' defence.
Bubbling under: Curwin Bosch (Sharks)
14 – Manasa Mataele (Crusaders)
He was a quite a force out on the wing against the Jaguares. He showed some nice stepping for a big man and crossed the whitewash twice as well.
Bubbling under: Ruan Combrinck (Lions)
13 – Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs)
He was integral in the Chiefs' defensive system. He marked the big Blues' centres well and was elusive on occasions with ball in hand.
Bubbling under: Rieko Ioane (Blues)
12 – Ryan Crotty (Crusaders)
It was another masterclass from the from the experienced centre. His all-round game against the Jaguares was top class.
Bubbling under: Michael Little (Sunwolves)
11 – Madosh Tambwe (Lions)
He took advantage of the Stormers lacklustre defensive display to score a record-equalling four tries in his team's 52-31 win.
Bubbling under: Ben Lam (Hurricanes)
10 – Elton Jantjies (Lions)
He has his critics, but he certainly schooled Stormers' star and opposite number Damian Willemse on Saturday.
Bubbling under: Robert du Preez (Sharks)
9 – Joe Powell (Brumbies)
He was one of the driving forces that turned things around for the Brumbies in their win against the Reds.
Bubbling under: Thomas Perenara (Hurricanes)
8 – Isi Naisarani (Brumbies)
He seemed to be unstoppable on occasions with ball in hand and he scored two tries in the win against the Reds.
Bubbling under: Kazuki Himeno (Sunwolves)
7 – Jean-Luc du Preez (Sharks)
He is currently one of the best players in Super Rugby. He got his side over the gain line on numerous occasions against the 'Canes and defensive work was out of this world.
Bubbling under: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers)
6 – Albertus Smith (Lions)
He lifted his performance remarkably against the Stormers. He won a few turnovers for his team and his work rate on defence and attack was hard to ignore.
Bubbling under: Lachlan Mccaffrey (Brumbies)
5 – Francois Mostert (Lions)
His exploits in open play was outstanding against the Stormers. He scored a great try as well.
Bubbling under: Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders)
4 – Brodie Retallick (Chiefs)
He produced another huge performance against the Blues. He carried the ball a number of times with great success and he was solid on defence as well.
Bubbling under: Rory Arnold (Brumbies)
3 – Thomas du Toit (Sharks)
Solid in the scrums, but he certainly caught the eye with his performance in open play. He racked up the running metres with a number of strong carries.
Bubbling under: Angus Ta'avao (Chiefs)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Lions)
He won his team a few turnover penalties against the Stormers and he was immense with ball in hand once again.
Bubbling under: Folau Fainga'a (Brumbies)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)
He didn't have the best of times in the scrums, but he was hard to contain with ball in hand in a losing cause at Ellis Park.
Bubbling under: Dylan Smith (Lions)
Our individual selections:
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Manasa Mataele, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Thomas Perenara, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Albertus Smith, 5 Francois Mostert, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Manasa Mataele, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Lachlan Mccaffrey, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – Round Seven: 15 Ben Smith (Highlanders), 14 Waisake Naholo (Highlanders), 13 Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs), 12 Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes), 11 Ben Lam (Hurricanes), 10 Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), 9 Thomas Perenara (Hurricanes), 8 Amanaki Mafi (Rebels), 7 Jean-Luc du Preez (Sharks), 6 Marco van Staden (Bulls), 5 Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders), 4 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 3 Michael Alaalatoa (Crusaders), 2 Malcolm Marx (Lions), 1 Pierre Schoeman (Bulls).
Team of the Week – Round Six: 15 Ben Smith (Highlanders), 14 Waisake Naholo (Highlanders), 13 Matt Proctor (Hurricanes), 12 Bill Meakes (Melbourne Rebels), 11 Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares), 10 Damian Willemse (Stormers), 9 Thomas Perenara (Hurricanes), 8 Luke Whitelock (Highlanders), 7 Jean-Luc du Preez (Sharks), 6 Pablo Matera (Jaguares), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), 4 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 3 Wilco Louw (Stormers), 2 Codie Taylor (Crusaders), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks).
Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), 13 Jesse Kriel (Bulls), 12 Samu Kerevi (Reds), 11 Hosea Saumaki (Sunwolves), 10 Damian Willemse (Stormers), 9 Dewald Duvenage (Stormers), 8 Amanaki Mafi (Melbourne Rebels), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (Stormers), 5 Scott Barrett (Crusaders), 4 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 3 Taniela Tupou (Reds), 2 Codie Taylor (Crusaders), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).
Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 Ben Smith (Highlanders), 14 Waisake Naholo (Highlanders), 13 Rieko Ioane (Blues), 12 Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), 11 Melani Nanai (Blues), 10 Damian Willemse (Stormers), 9 Aaron Smith (Highlanders), 8 Akira Ioane (Blues), 7 Ardie Savea (Hurricanes), 6 Pablo Matera (Jaguares), 5 Lodewyk de Jager (Bulls), 4 Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes), 3 Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Blues), 2 Armand van der Merwe (Sharks), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks).
Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 David Havili (Crusaders), 14 Julian Savea (Hurricanes), 13 Jack Goodhue (Crusaders), 12 Handré Pollard (Bulls), 11 George Bridge (Crusaders), 10 Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders), 9 Brad Weber (Chiefs), 8 Warren Whiteley (Lions), 7 Billy Harmon (Crusaders), 6 Brad Shields (Hurricanes), 5 Adam Coleman (Melbourne Rebels), 4 Ruan Botha (Sharks), 3 Wilco Louw (Stormers), 2 Malcolm Marx (Lions), 1 Jacques van Rooyen (Lions).
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).
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