Currie Cup Team of the Week: Round Seven

OPINION: And then there were four.

The round-robin phase of the Currie Cup is over with the Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions, Griquas and the Sharks qualifying for the semifinals.

The Cheetahs lead the way in terms of selection for our Team of the Week for Round Seven. They have five players in our XV this week after their come-from-behind-win over Western Province in Bloemfontein.

The Sharks are the next best-represented team with four players in our team, while the Golden Lions have three players in our selection after their tense win over Griquas.

There are also two players from Griquas and one from Western Province in our selection.

CONFIRMED: Currie Cup semi-final kick-off times on Saturday, 31 August:

14h00: @LionsRugbyCo v @GriquasRugby in Johannesburg

17h00: @CheetahsRugby v @TheSharksZA in Bloemfontein@DirectAxis #CurrieCupReloaded pic.twitter.com/Ysh8ZMflca

— Springboks (@Springboks) August 25, 2019

Team of the Week – Round Seven:

15 – Aphelele Fassi (Sharks)
A constant threat with the ball at Loftus Versfeld. He has a good eye for the gap – he setup Kobus van Wyk’s try in the win.
Bubbling under: Tyrone Green (Golden Lions)

14 – Kobus van Wyk (Sharks)
The wing was a monster out wide knocking down defenders and racking up the running metres.
Bubbling under: Cornal Hendricks (Blue Bulls)

13 – Jeremy Ward (Sharks)
Another strong performance in the midfield from the co-captain. He also scored one of his team’s six tries.
Bubbling under: Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions)

12 – Andre Swarts (Griquas)
Made good decisions with ball in hand and he ran great running lines to put his outside backs into space.
Bubbling under: Dylan Sage (Blue Bulls)

11 – Eduan Keyter (Griquas)
He was a real threat out wide. He made several excellent runs against the Golden Lions.
Bubbling under: Stean Pienaar (Golden Lions)

10 – Tiaan Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs)
His distribution was good on attack, especially in the second half when he controlled play well from the No.10 position.
Bubbling under: George Whitehead (Griquas)

9 – Ruan Pienaar (Free State Cheetahs)
His experience and his ability to control play helped the Cheetahs a lot in their win over Western Province.
Bubbling under: Ross Cronje (Golden Lions)

8 – Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs)
He was a powerful runner with ball in hand against Western Province. He always got his team over the gain-line.
Bubbling under: Tim Agaba (Blue Bulls)

7 – Cyle Brink (Golden Lions)
He had a high work rate around the park for the Golden Lions in Kimberley.
Bubbling under: Sias Koen (Griquas)

6 – Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions)
He worked tirelessly at the breakdowns against Griquas and he put in another energetic display with ball in hand.
Bubbling Under: Gideon van der Merwe (Griquas)

5 – Hyron Andrews (Sharks)
Did a lot of good work in the set-pieces and around the rucks in Pretoria. He was a prominent figure on defence as well.
Bubbling under: Victor Sekekete (Griquas)

4 – Ruben Schoeman (Golden Lions)
He brought a physical edge in open play and he was an important cog in the set-pieces.
Bubbling under: Ruben van Heerden (Sharks)

3 – Wilco Louw (Western Province)
He was solid in the scrums and he did some good work in open player. He showed off with some neat footwork to score his team’s opening try in Bloemfontein.
Bubbling under: Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions)

2 – Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs)
The hooker was outstanding in open play against Western Province. He was aggressive with ball in hand and he put in some big hits on defence.
Bubbling under: Johan Grobbelaar (Blue Bulls)

1 – Ox Nche (Free State Cheetahs)
He played a big role off the bench in the Free State Cheetahs fightback against Western Province. He was like a man possesses in open play and scored oné of his team’s six tries.
Bubbling under: Dylan Smith (Golden Lions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67mQ7mZ1Lp0

Our individual selections:

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Dylan Sage, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 William Small-Smith, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 Tiaan Schoeman, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Dylan Smith.

Warren Fortune XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Andre Swarts, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VflYidFY-s

Previous selections:

Team of the Week – Round Six: 15 Devon Williams (Pumas), 14 Ederies Arendse (Griquas), 13 Alwayno Visagie (Pumas), 12 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 George Whitehead (Griquas), 9 Sanele Nohamba (Sharks), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani (Golden Lions), 7 Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks), 6 Jeandre Rudolph (Pumas), 5 Stefan Willemse (Pumas), 4 Salmaan Moerat (Western Province), 3 John-Hubert Meyer (Sharks), 2 AJ Le Roux (Griquas), 1 Khwezi Mona (Griquas).

Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Dillyn Leyds (Western Province), 14 Cornal Hendricks (Blue Bulls), 13 Ruhan Nel (Western Province), 12 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 11 Seabelo Senatla (Western Province), 10 Manie Libbok (Blue Bulls), 9 Ivan Van Zyl (Blue Bulls), 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Western Province), 7 Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 John Schickerling (Western Province), 4 Ruben van Heerden (Sharks), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Corné Fourie (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 14 Madosh Tambwe (Golden Lions), 13 Dylan Sage (Blue Bulls), 12 Dries Swanepoel (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Stean Pienaar (Golden Lions), 10 Chris Smith (Pumas), 9 Zak Burger (Griquas), 8 Jeandre Rudolph (Pumas), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 Victor Sekekete (Griquas), 4 Le Roux Roets (Pumas), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks), 2 Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Andrew Beerwinkel (Pumas).

Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 14 William Small-smith (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Ruhan Nel (Western Province), 12 Dries Swanepoel (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Rosko Specman (Blue Bulls), 10 Tiaan Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs), 9 Tian Meyer (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Marco Van Staden (Blue Bulls), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Golden Lions), 5 Marvin Orie (Golden Lions), 4 Sintu Manjezi (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Carlu Sadie (Western Province), 2 Joseph Dweba (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Corne Fourie (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Anthony Volmink (Griquas), 14 Kobus van Wyk (Sharks), 13 Bernhard Janse Van Rensburg (Free State Cheetahs), 12 Jeremy Ward (Sharks), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Tian Schoeman (Free State Cheetahs), 9 Tian Meyer (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Henco Venter (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Ruan Steenkamp (Blue Bulls), 5 Victor Sekekete (Griquas), 4 Le Roux Roets (Pumas), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks), 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg (Pumas), 1 Ox Nche (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 14 Madosh Tambwe (Golden Lions), 13 Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions), 12 Burger Odendaal (Blue Bulls), 11 Rosko Specman (Blue Bulls), 10 George Whitehead (Griquas), 9 Embrose Papier (Blue Bulls), 8 Niell Jordaan (Griquas), 7 Sias Koen (Griquas), 6 Gideon van der Merwe (Griquas), 5 Victor Sekekete (Griquas), 4 Le Roux Roets (Pumas), 3 Wilco Louw (Western Province), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Corné Fourie (Western Province).

@rugby365com