Team of the Week: On cloud nine

Western Province powered to their first bonus-point win of the season and are duly rewarded in our famous weekly Currie Cup selection.

The Cape side claimed a 36-23 victory over the Golden Lions to move to the top of the table and boast seven players in the starting XV.  

The free-running Free State Cheetahs have four players in the run-on side after they put 50 points past Griquas, while two Sharks and a pair of Golden Lions complete the team.

Griquas and the Blue Bulls missed out and have to be content with just two players and one representative respectively in our back-up squad.

Six players – Gerhard van den Heever (Western Province), Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs), Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), Derick Minnie (Golden Lions), Deon Fourie (Western Province) and Pat Cilliers (Western Province) – return from last week.

Team of the Week – Round Nine:

15 – SP Marais (Sharks)

He’s taken to his move from the Kings to the Sharks like a fish to water.

Bubbling under: Gio Aplon (Western Province)

14 – Gerhard van den Heever (Western Province)

Showed why he will be missed when he joins Munster at the end of the season.

Bubbling under: Odwa Ndungane (Sharks)

13 – Lionel Mapoe (Golden Lions)

An attacking threat and solid defender.

Bubbling under: Johann Sadie (Free State Cheetahs)

12 – Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs)

So consistent and reliable. He will be missed dearly next year.

Bubbling under: Francois Venter (Blue Bulls)

11 – Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs)

Ripped Griquas’ defence to shreds en route to scoring four tries.

Bubbling under: Cheslin Kolbe (Western Province)

10 – Demetri Catrakilis (Western Province)

Slotted back into the starting line-up seamlessly.

Bubbling under: Fred Zeilinga (Sharks)

9 – Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs)

Hitting his stride at the perfect time.

Bubbling under: Cobus Reinach (Sharks)

8 – Keegan Daniel (Sharks)

Capped his 100th appearance with a fine individual performance.

Bubbling under: Nizaam Carr (Western Province)

7 – Derick Minnie (Golden Lions)

Captain courageous once again embodies the grit of the Golden Lions with his two-try effort.

Bubbling under: Jean Deysel (Sharks)

6 – Deon Fourie (Western Province)

Locked in on the ball like a heat-seeking missile and got on to the score sheet.

Bubbling under: Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions)

5 – Lodewyk de Jager (Free State Cheetahs)

Advanced his push for a Springbok call-up for the end-of-year-tour.

Bubbling under: Jaco Nepgen (Griquas)

4 – Michael Rhodes (Western Province)

Abrasive, mobile and scored the bonus-point try.

Bubbling under: Dalton Davis (Griquas)

3 – Pat Cilliers (Western Province)

A rock at scrum time.

Bubbling under: Wiehahn Herbst (Sharks)

2 – Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province)

Unrivalled workrate at hooker.

Bubbling under: Kyle Cooper (Sharks)

1 – Steven Kitshoff (Western Province)

For a prop to be named man of the match in a six-try affair speaks volumes of his performance.  

Bubbling under: Schalk van der Merwe (Free State Cheetahs)

Our individual selections:

Paul Dobson XV: 15 SP Marais, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Michael de Vries XV: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Robert Ebersohn, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.

Previous selections:

Team of the Week – Round Eight: 15 Hennie Daniller (Free State Cheetahs), 14 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), 13 William Small-Smith (Blue Bulls), 12 Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Cheslin Kolbe (Western Province), 10 Fred Zeilinga (Sharks), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Derick Minnie (Golden Lions), 6 Deon Fourie (Western Province), 5 Lodewyk de Jager (Free State Cheetahs), 4 Michael Rhodes (Western Province), 3 Pat Cilliers (Western Province), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Seven: 15 Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions), 14 Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions), 13 Deon Helberg (Golden Lions), 12 Heimar Williams (Sharks), 11 Bjorn Basson (Blue Bulls), 10 Fred Zeilinga (Sharks), 9 Nic Groom (Western Province), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Pieter Labuschagne (Free State Cheetahs), 6 Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Lodewyk de Jager (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Ruan Dreyer (Golden Lions), 2 Kyle Cooper (Sharks), 1 Trevor Nyakane (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week – Round Six: 15 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 14 Andries Coetzee (Golden Lions), 13 Robert de Bruyn (Golden Lions), 12 Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Raymond Rhule (Free State Cheetahs), 10 Handré Pollard (Blue Bulls), 9 Charl McLeod (Sharks), 8 Jacques Botes (Sharks), 7 Pieter Labuschagne (Free State Cheetahs), 6 Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks), 4 Paul Willemse (Blue Bulls), 3 Wiehahn Herbst (Sharks), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Western Province).

Team of the Week – Round Five: 15 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 14 Gerhard van den Heever (Western Province), 13 Johann Sadie (Free State Cheetahs), 12 Howard Mnisi (Griquas), 11 Cheslin Kolbe (Western Province), 10 Handré Pollard (Blue Bulls), 9 Tiaan Meyer (Golden Lions), 8 Willie Britz (Golden Lions), 7 Rynhardt Elstadt (Western Province), 6 Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Paul Willemse (Blue Bulls), 3 Frik Kirsten (Blue Bulls), 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni (Western Province), 1 Trevor Nyakane (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week – Round Four: 15 SP Marais (Sharks), 14 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), 13 Johann Sadie (Free State Cheetahs), 12 Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Cheslin Kolbe (Western Province), 10 Fred Zeilinga (Sharks), 9 Charl McLeod (Sharks), 8 Jacques Botes (Sharks), 7 Derick Minnie (Golden Lions), 6 Johannes Prinsloo (Free State Cheetahs), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Michael Rhodes (Western Province), 3 Pat Cilliers (Western Province), 2 Kyle Cooper (Sharks), 1 Trevor Nyakane (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the week – Round Three: 15 SP Marais (Sharks), 14 Deon Helberg (Golden Lions), 13 Louis Ludik (Sharks), 12 Howard Mnisi (Griquas), 11 Anthony Volmink (Golden Lions), 10 Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Willie Britz (Golden Lions), 7 Derick Minnie (Golden Lions), 6 Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 4 Teboho Mohoje (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Trevor Nyakane (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Kyle Cooper (Sharks), 1 Steph Roberts (Griquas).

Team of the week – Round Two: 15 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 14 SP Marais (Sharks), 13 Ulrich Beyers (Blue Bulls), 12 Damian de Allende (Western Province), 11 Anthony Volmink (Golden Lions), 10 Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Willie Britz (Golden Lions), 7 Jean Deysel (Sharks), 6 Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions), 5 Grant Hattingh (Blue Bulls), 4 Michael Rhodes (Western Province), 3 Lourens Adriaanse (Griquas), 2 Kyle Cooper (Sharks), 1 CJ van der Linde (Golden Lions).

Team of the week – Round One: 15 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 14 Nico Scheepers (Griquas), 13 Nicolaas Hanekom (Golden Lions), 12 Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Free State Cheetahs), 8 Philip van der Walt (Free State Cheetahs), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg (Golden Lions), 6 Johannes Prinsloo (Free State Cheetahs), 5 Hugo Kloppers (Golden Lions), 4 Lodewyk de Jager (Free State Cheetahs), 3 Lourens Adriaanse (Griquas), 2 Willie Wepener (Blue Bulls), 1 Morné Mellett (Blue Bulls).