Team of the Week: Super Rugby

Editor

With the dust having settled on Round 9 of Super Rugby, we have gone through the action to pick out the best players last weekend.

The Crusaders dominate this week’s selection after their demolition of the Stormers in Christchurch, while we haven’t forgotten about the Kings either after their shock win over the Waratahs.

See who made the cut.

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round 9

15 David Havili (Crusaders): Full-back Havili made an exceptional 115 metres for the Crusaders even though he didn’t score a try. He was extremely involved on offence, making 16 carries, while beating 12 defenders. Chiefs star Damian McKenzie impressed as usual, running 93 metres with the ball in hand, making 11 carries and beating seven defenders.

14 Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs): Stevenson was a constant thorn in the Force’s defence. The winger ran 72 metres with the ball in hand, made 10 carries and beat four defenders, with two of those resulting in clean breaks. He was also not afraid to come off his wing at the right time to nullify any threats or help out on attack.

13 Vince Aso (Hurricanes): Aso just pips Matt Faddes to the award because of scoring one more try (a hat-trick in the win over the Brumbies). Aso regularly left attempted tacklers clutching thin air as he beat eight defenders in the contest. Faddes showed his red-hot pace and ability to run the perfect angle, scoring two tries in his side’s demolition of the Sunwolves. Meanwhile, Lions centre Lionel Mapoe was also in excellent form.

12 Ryan Crotty (Crusaders): Crotty shone as a playmaker in the Crusaders’ backline, displaying his wonderful passing ability and strong running with ball in hand. Never stops working and beat a couple of defenders, making two offloads and producing a try assist. Jaguares inside centre Jerónimo de la Fuente takes second position, having impressed against the Lions.

11 George Bridge (Crusaders): Bridge’s three tries against the Stormers broke the back of the Cape side and earned him the second hat-trick of Super Rugby Round 9, after Aso. Bridge made nine carries, beat three defenders and made two clean breaks. Jamba Ulengo impressed for the Bulls.

10 Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders): The young pivot has hit the ground running since returning from injury last week and he delivered another fine showing in his side’s triumph over the Stormers. Mo’unga’s running game was particularly impressive while his goalkicking was also superb. Kings captain Lionel Cronjé also caught the eye, as did Beauden Barrett.

9 Aaron Smith (Highlanders): Showed why he is the All Blacks first-choice in this position with a fine display against the Sunwolves in Dunedin. Smith’s service to his outside backs was superb and he also did well to bring his forwards into the game with clever offloads. Was rewarded with a deserved try for his efforts.

8 Kieran Read (Crusaders): The All Black captain delivered a superb all-round effort during a 40-minute spell in his side’s demolition of the Stormers in Christchurch. Read combined well with his back-line and his brilliant linking play saw him rewarded with a brace of tries. Lions captain Warren Whiteley also played well.

7 Chris Cloete (Kings): Put in a superb shift in the men from Port Elizabeth’s epic victory over the Waratahs in Sydney. Cloete epitomised the Kings’ fighting spirit especially at the breakdowns where he won two crucial turnovers – an impressive feat considering he went head-to-head with Michael Hooper who is one of the game’s best in that department. Cloete also did well on attack with 29 metres gained and edges out Ardie Savea of the Hurricanes.

6 Jordan Taufua (Crusaders): Delivered another excellent performance for the seven-time champions and was at the forefront of their forward onslaught against the Stormers. Taufua was his usual energetic self on attack, gaining 35 metres, but it was on defence where he made the bigger impact finishing with 15 hits. Lions tearaway Ruan Ackermann also impressed.

5 Franco Mostert (Lions)Best game of the season from the Springbok lock, who finished Friday’s entertaining win over the Jaguares with 11 tackles and also a turnover to his name. Mostert beat a couple of defenders in attack and also won four balls at the lineout in a tough battle at the set-piece. Mention for Stephan Lewies of the Sharks, who impressed with eight lineout takes and three steals.

4 Guido Petti (Jaguares)Crashed over out wide for the Jaguares to go ahead against the Lions but was much more productive than that all over the park, beating four defenders and making a couple of clean breaks while also making eight tackles. Petti was also a force at the lineout, winning five balls on the Jaguares throw and making a steal.

3 Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen (Hurricanes)Part of a solid Hurricanes scrum on an admittedly quiet weekend for tighthead props, with Toomaga-Allen putting in his share of carries and tackles too as the defending champions broke away from the Brumbies in the second half.

2 Ricky Riccitelli (Hurricanes)Has certainly made the Hurricanes losing Dane Coles to injury a lot easier over the last few weeks. Riccitelli carried ten times against the Brumbies, hit his man ten times at the lineout, and also made nine tackles in defence whilst also winning a turnover. Still just 22 and beginning to turn heads. Tatafu Polota-Nau worked his tail off for the Force.

1 Justin Forwood (Kings)Played a big part in the Kings’ momentous win in Sydney, with Forwood scoring one of the Kings’ three tries when crashed through Michael Hooper’s tackle. The 23-year-old loosehead prop from Pretoria also scored earlier on the Kings tour of Australia and made six carries.