Team of the Week: In the jungle
The Golden Lions roared back into life and Western Province marched to the top of the standings.
Those two teams, along with Griquas, were the big winners as the Currie Cup competition reached the halfway mark – and it reflects in our famous Team of the Week.
The Lions and WP both have four players in our starting XV, with another five lions and four from WP bubbling under.
Griquas and the Free State Cheetahs provide three members each to our starting team, which is completed with a solitary Blue Bull.
Apart from the nine members of the WP and Lions squads, our Bubbling Under selection features three from Griquas, two Sharks and one Cheetah.
Five players return this week – centre Marcel Brache (Western Province), flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis (Western Province), locks Martin Muller (Griquas) and Don Armand (Western Province), as well as prop JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions).
Team of the Week – Round Five:
15 – Clayton Blommetjies (Blue Bulls):
Playing with the freedom of youthful exuberance has its advantages.
Bubbling under: Willie le Roux (Griquas)
14 – Deon Helberg (Golden Lions):
He has found a new home and a new lease on life in Johannesburg.
Bubbling under: Nico Scheepers (Free State Cheetahs)
13 – Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions):
He has now firmly established himself as the Lions' first-choice at outside centre.
Bubbling under: Paul Jordaan (Sharks)
12 – Marcel Brache (Western Province):
He has matured beyond recognition this season – a true leader and playmaker.
Bubbling under: Walter Venter (Griquas)
11 – Damian de Allende (Western Province):
Die Kaap is weer Hollands! (For those who needs a translation, all is well in the Cape)
Bubbling under: Ruan Combrinck (Golden Lions)
10 – Demetri Catrakilis (Western Province):
He again showed why he probably deserved a shot at Super Rugby this year.
Bubbling under: Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions)
9 – Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs):
The Cheetahs got him on a bargain from the Waratahs, who clearly don't know a match-winner if they see one.
Bubbling under: Nic Groom (Western Province)
8 – Warren Whiteley (Golden Lions):
The intent with which he plays the game says all about the Lions – sheer exhilaration and enthusiasm!
Bubbling under: Keegan Daniel (Sharks)
7 – Pieter Labuschagne (Free State Cheetahs):
And to think the Cheetahs had such an injury crisis before the game they called a player out of retirement. Where do they find all those loose forwards?
Bubbling under: Rynhardt Elstadt (Western Province)
6 – Heinrich Brüssow (Free State Cheetahs):
His Springbok recall can't be too far off.
Bubbling under: Deon Fourie (Western Province)
5 – Martin Muller (Griquas):
The Cheetahs will some handy depth in the second row for next year's Super Rugby competition.
Bubbling under: Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions)
4 – Don Armand (Western Province):
And to think earlier this year he was struggling just to get a look-in at Super Rugby level. But this is what the Currie Cup is all about – getting and taking opportunities.
Bubbling under: Rynhard Landman (Griquas)
3 – Lourens Adriaanse (Griquas):
The meat bill in the Adriaanse family must have been huge.
Bubbling under: Jacobie Adriaanse (Golden Lions)
2 – Ryno Barnes (Griquas):
Like a true leader … always at the forefront of the battle.
Bubbling under: Callie Visagie (Golden Lions)
1 – JC Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions):
That smile at the end of the game said as much about the result as the manner in which he plays.
Bubbling under: Steven Kitshoff (Western Province)
Our individual selections!
Michael de Vries XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Quintin van Jaarsveld XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Damian de Allende, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Rynhard Landman, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Leonard Kaplan XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Deon Helberg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Ruan Combrinck, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Don Armand, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Damian de Allende, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Don Armand, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Previous selections:
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).
