Team of the Week: Champions Cup

Editor

Following the second round of action in the Champions Cup we sat down to select our Team of the Week.

Nine matches were played from Friday to Sunday, with Stade Français-Munster postponed and English sides dominating as all six teams won their respective matches.

Let's see who made the cut.

Team of the Week: Champions Cup

15 Alex Goode (Saracens): Plenty of competition at the full-back slot again this week after good outings from Nick Abendanon and Leicester's Telusa Veainu (two tries), but we'll give it to Goode. A clever chip set up his key try against Ulster and he looked classy throughout, with 13 carries and two clean breaks.

14 David Strettle (Clermont): Continued with his fine start to his Clermont career by scoring two superb tries against the Ospreys. The former England flyer always looked dangerous on attack, breaching the Welsh region's defence at will and gained 120 metres with four clean breaks and eight defenders beaten. Beats out Exeter's Jack Nowell.

13 Duncan Taylor (Saracens): Clermont's Aurélien Rougerie rolled back the years against the Ospreys but we've gone with the underrated Scot in Saracens' backline. A beautiful offload set up Goode's try and then he ran the right support line off Owen Farrell to score Saracens' third try in Belfast.

12 Wesley Fofana (Clermont): Another assured performance in midfield from the France number 12, who constantly kept his Welsh opponents guessing with his playmaking abilities. Knew when to take on the defence and when to offload or kick and crossed for a crucial try.

11 Olly Woodburn (Exeter)A first start for the Chiefs winger against UBB and he did exceptionally well. Woodburn finished with a try in each and caught the eye with an excellent try-saving tackle. Gets the nod over Wasps' Frank Halai who scored against Toulon and Eli Walker.

10 Owen Farrell (Saracens): Tough call between the two England fly-halves given that George Ford showed nerves of steel to land the winning kick against Leinster. But Farrell was brilliant against Ulster, his sharp miss-pass creating Chris Wyles opening try before Ruaridh Jackson

9 Joe Simpson (Wasps): One of several Wasps players who impressed against Toulon at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday. Simpson kept his opponents guessing with sniping breaks around the fringes of the rucks and mauls and proved the perfect link between his forwards and outside backs.

8 Nathan Hughes(Wasps): Was phenomenal with ball in hand against the defending champions and was rewarded with two tries for his efforts. Apart from his try-scoring heroics, Hughes also did his bit in defence with eight tackles made. In ahead of Billy Vunipola and Fritz Lee.

7 George Smith (Wasps): The Wallaby great continues to impress and proved a thorn in Toulon's flesh. As expected he made a menace of himself at the breakdown and slowed Toulon's ball down on numerous occasions but made his biggest impact defensively with 17 hits.

6 Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92): Even though he's an openside flank, Lauret makes our team after delivering a busy shift in Racing's victory at the Scarlets. Lauret particularly caught the eye when his fellow flanker Bernard le Roux was red carded for stamping, especially on defence making 16 tackles and also impressed in the line-outs with two stolen balls. Wasps' James Haskell also did well.

5 James Gaskell (Wasps): Came in to Wasps' starting XV, after Bradley Davies withdrew through illness on matchday, and was named the official Man of the Match. Gaskell was a willing ball-carrier and gained 32 metres and also impressed on defence with 13 tackles.

4 Luke Charteris (Racing 92): Another Racing player who couldn't be ignored. Charteris was one of his side's unsung heroes and impressed at the coalface of the Parisian side's forward effort. Made 17 tackles and also poached a couple of Scarlets balls in the lineouts.

3 Kieran Brookes (Northampton): Nearly a complete set for Bath in the front row given Henry Thomas went well against Leinster, but Brookes was Man of the Match for Saints as the Premiership side produced a demolition job on Glasgow's scrum, laying the base for an important away win.

2 Rob Webber (Bath)His best game for some time. Webber caught the eye with nine carries against Leinster as Bath dominated the scrum and did enough to win the game at the lineout.

1 Nick Auterac (Bath)Bubbling under the radar for some time at The Rec, Auterac was Man of the Match for his great work in a Bath scrum that punished Leinster time and again. Seven carries past a couple of defenders too for the 23-year-old.