Team of the Week: In a deep hole
Griquas retained their place in the Currie Cup play-off race by toppling the defending champions and they were richly rewarded in our weekly selection.
Not only did six Griquas players make it into the starting XV of our famous Team of the Week, but another four are bubbling under.
The Sharks, who now top the standings, are next best with three players starting – while the Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions and Blue Bulls (two each) make up the numbers.
The Bulls, who got revenge by beating arch rivals Western Province after a hammering at Newlands earlier in the season, have five players in our back-up squad.
They are joined by the four from Griquas, Lions, Cheetahs (two each), Sharks and WP (one each).
Five players return this week – wing Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs), flyhalf Andrew James (Golden Lions), locks Martin Muller (Griquas) and Michael Rhodes (Golden Lions), as well as prop Marcel van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs).
Team of the Week – Round Nine:
15 – Willie le Roux (Griquas):
He is truly something special and deserves a shot at higher honours.
Bubbling under: Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions)
14 – Odwa Ndungane (Sharks):
His workrate is phenomenal. He knows all the shortcuts!
Bubbling under: Akona Ndungane (Blue Bulls)
13 – Paul Jordaan (Sharks):
Another player that may be worth a shot on the Springboks' year-end tour.
Bubbling under: Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs)
12 – Tim Whitehead (Sharks):
He is living up to the promise he showed early in his career.
Bubbling under: Francois Venter (Blue Bulls)
11 – Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs):
Such an instinctive player that he often found gaps where there appeared to be none. He may well be more effective at outside centre, as he always looks to get ball in hand and know how to keep it alive.
Bubbling under: Rocco Jansen (Griquas)
10 – Andrew James (Golden Lions):
The veteran still has plenty of left in those old legs, not to mention his obvious class.
Bubbling under: Francois Brummer (Griquas)
9 – Jano Vermaak (Blue Bulls):
Getting better with every game – holding Bok tackle bags did make him rusty in the first outing back.
Bubbling under: Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs)
8 – Leon Karemaker (Griquas):
He is like a good diesel engine … slow to get going, but once in motion there is no stopping him.
Bubbling under: Keegan Daniel (Sharks)
7 – Justin Downey (Griquas):
If he was just a bit more consistent, he could have challenged for national honours.
Bubbling under: Jean Cook (Blue Bulls)
6 – Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls):
He probably had his best game of the season and it couldn't have come at a more crucial time.
Bubbling under: Marnus Schoeman (Griquas)
5 – Martin Muller (Griquas):
He must be one of the most consistent locks on the domestic scene this year.
Bubbling under: Franco Mostert (Blue Bulls)
4 – Michael Rhodes (Golden Lions):
Probably one of the best buys by Western Province/Stormers in a long time.
Bubbling under: Rynhardt Landman (Griquas)
3 – Lourens Adriaanse (Griquas):
He outplayed elder brother Jacobie in what was a truly entertaining contest.
Bubbling under: Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions)
2 – Ryno Barnes (Griquas):
Went through a bad patch mid-season, but is back to his best.
Bubbling under: Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province)
1 – Marcel van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs):
There must be something in the breakfast cereal in Bloemfontein that makes their props so energetic.
Bubbling under: Morné Mellett (Blue Bulls)
Our individual selections!
Michael de Vries XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Andrew James, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Rynhardt Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Quintin van Jaarsveld XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Louis Fouché, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Morné Mellett.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Pieter Labuschagne, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Leonard Kaplan XV: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Andrew James, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Jean Cook, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Andrew James, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Jean Cook, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Morné Mellett.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – Round Eight: 15 Louis Ludik (Sharks), 14 Nico Scheepers (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions), 12 Meyer Bosman (Sharks), 11 Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs), 10 Andrew James (Golden Lions), 9 Cobus Reinach (Sharks), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Griquas), 5 Martin Muller (Griquas), 4 Michael Rhodes (Golden Lions), 3 Frans Malherbe (Western Province),
2 Callie Visagie (Golden Lions), 1 Marcel van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs).
Team of the Week – Round Seven: 15 Louis Ludik (Sharks), 14 Gerhard van den Heever (Western Province), 13 Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs), 12 Jaco Taute (Golden Lions), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions), 9 Jano Vermaak (Blue Bulls), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Jacques Potgieter (Blue Bulls), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Griquas), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Michael Rhodes (Golden Lions), 3 Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Six: 15 Louis Ludik (Sharks), 14 Akona Ndungane (Blue Bulls), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions), 12 Meyer Bosman (Sharks), 11 Rocco Jansen (Griquas), 10 Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions), 9 Cobus Reinach (Sharks), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Wesley Wilkins (Griquas), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Griquas), 5 Martin Muller (Griquas), 4 Rynhardt Landman (Griquas), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Callie Visagie (Golden Lions), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Clayton Blommetjies (Blue Bulls), 14 Deon Helberg (Golden Lions), 13 Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions), 12 Marcel Brache (Western Province), 11 Damian de Allende (Western Province), 10 Demetri Catrakilis (Western Province), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Warren Whiteley (Golden Lions), 7 Pieter Labuschagne (Free State Cheetahs), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Free State Cheetahs), 5 Martin Muller (Griquas), 4 Don Armand (Western Province), 3 Lourens Adriaanse (Griquas), 2 Ryno Barnes (Griquas), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 Willie le Roux (Griquas), 14 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), 13 JP du Plessis (Western Province), 12 Marcel Brache (Western Province), 11 Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs), 10 Demetri Catrakilis (Western Province), 9 Nic Groom (Western Province), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Rynhard Elstadt (Western Province), 6 Deon Fourie (Western Province), 5 Martin Muller (Griquas), 4 Don Armand (Western Province), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Three: 15 Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions), 14 Akona Ndungane (Blue Bulls), 13 Johann Sadie (Blue Bulls), 12 Butch James (Golden Lions), 11 Clayton Blommetjies (Blue Bulls), 10 Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Duane Vermeulen (Western Province), 7 CJ Stander (Blue Bulls), 6 Frans Viljoen (Free State Cheetahs), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Rynhard Landman (Griquas), 3 Marcel van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Willie Wepener (Blue Bulls), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Two: 15 Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions), 14 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), 13 Paul Jordaan (Sharks), 12 Marcel Brache (Western Province), 11 S'bura Sithole (Sharks), 10 Riaan Viljoen (Sharks), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 CJ Stander (Blue Bulls), 7 Jean Deysel (Sharks), 6 Wesley Wilkins (Griquas), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Andries Ferreira (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round One: 15 Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions), 14 Akona Ndungane (Blue Bulls), 13 Paul Jordaan (Sharks), 12 Waylon Murray (Golden Lions), 11 Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs), 10 Butch James (Golden Lions), 9 Cobus Reinach (Sharks), 8 Derick Minnie (Golden Lions), 7 Arno Botha (Blue Bulls), 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (Golden Lions), 5 Martin Muller (Griquas), 4 Hendrik Roodt (Golden Lions), 3 Lourens Adriaanse (Griquas), 2 Willie Wepener (Blue Bulls), 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
