Super Rugby: Team of the Week

Editor

Now that the dust has settled after Round Ten of Super Rugby, we select the players that stood out over the weekend.

Big wins for the Hurricanes and Jaguares dominated the headlines over the weekend and as a result they feature heavily in our selection.

Let's see who made the cut.

Super Rugby Team of the Week: Round 10

15 Lolagi Visinia (Blues)Constant threat to the Rebels defence and the speedster made three lines breaks and provided an assist with quick hands for Tevita Li. Scored a try of his own with some fine footwork before spinning his way to the line. 

14 Cory Jane (Hurricanes): He won't get an easier finish then that inside ball from Beauden Barrett, then did well to control a high ball when he pounced for an interception score. Gets the spot ahead of Santiago Cordero, whose only needed 20 minutes to kill off the Kings in Buenos Aires.

13 Vince Aso (Hurricanes)Moved from inside centre after an outstanding game at Ellis Park. Aso crossed the gain line ten times and finished with a try and an assist, firing out a superb pass for Julian Savea's first try and then latching on to a superb pass from Dane Coles for his own score. Aso also made eight tackles.

12 Jan Serfontein (Bulls)Stole the show in Melbourne by scoring two tries, the first by finishing off a long-range move before powering his way through three tackles on a smart line to score by the posts. Serfontein made three line breaks to go with three turnovers and seven tackles. Edges out Kurtley Beale.

11 Julian Savea (Hurricanes)Showed plenty of speed for his second try on an afternoon where the Hurricanes' backline tore the Lions to shreds. Made two clean breaks from eight carries and rarely failed to cross the gain line.

10 Nicolás Sánchez (Jaguares)Credit must go to Garth April for his mature performance against the Chiefs, but it's hard to ignore those Sánchez stats. Nine out of eleven kicks off the tee were an afterthrough when you consider the try he scored and this three assists.

9 Nick Frisby (Reds)Good support line to finish off Samu Kerevi and Eto Nabuli's break for the Reds' first try, but his second was the better score, selling the whole Cheetahs defence with an outrageous dummy. Now a key leadership figure for the side who now seems to relish not being shifted about by Genia and Cooper.

8 Leonardo Senatore (Jaguares): The loose forward was a prominent figure on defence but it was his atacking finesse that helped the Argentinian franchise to a thrilling eleven-try victory over the Kings. The bulky number eight made 14 carries, gained 66 metres along with his five clean breaks which enabled him to score a hat-trick of tries. Chiefs' back-rower Michael Leitch misses out on selection. 

7 Michael Hooper (Waratahs)Had one of his best games this season. The 24-year-old openside flanker's defensive prowess restricted the Cape side from gaining any momentum. He also made a whopping 15 tackles but importantly Hooper got on the scoresheet too with the winning try. Hurricanes' Ardie Savea gets a special mention for his contribution in their thumping of the Lions.

6 Jerome Kaino (Blues)The All Blacks back-row was instrumental in the Auckland side's much needed victory over the number one team in Austalian Conference table, the Rebels. Kaino was vital both on defence and attack ensuring quality ball was delivered to the potent Blues' backline, he even crashed over for a try of his own in the 19th minute. 

5 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers)Despite being on the losing side, the former Sharks second-row is in superb form. His decision making skills have shone through and the 23-year-old Springbok was rewarded with a brace of tries for his outstanding work at the breakdown. He kept the 2014 champions' defence very busy by gaining 38 metres which included nine carries and beating three defenders. He was also effective on defence making a total of ten tackles.

4 RG Snyman (Bulls)The Junior Springbok made nine tackles, missing none, but his most clinical display of talent and skill is not the seven lineouts that he took on his own throw or even the one that he stole – it has to be his brilliantly executed offload which enabled Hanro Liebenberg to crash over for the visitors' first try. Rebels lock Luke Jones narrowly misses the team.

3 Ramiro Herrera (Jaguares)A key contributor in the Jaguares' overpowering scrum against the Kings. Carries hard, with seven runs, and showed off his handling skills when his offload allowed lock Matías Alemanno to crash over for a try. 

2 Dane Coles (Hurricanes): Coming up against an in-form Lions side in Johannesburg was not meant to be an easy task but Coles made the home side look poor with some great skill for Vince Aso's try. The hooker not only got his basics right but he also embarrassed a few of the Lions backs with his fancy footwork. Bulls talisman Adriaan Strauss misses out.

1 James Slipper (Reds)Slipper's experience enabled the Reds' front row to get the upper-hand in an overpowering display against the Cheetahs' scrum. The Wallaby crossed the gain line five times and chipped in with a couple of turnovers and seven tackles. Hurricanes prop Reg Goodes gets a special mention for his try.