Some try: Will Genia
Now that the dust has settled in the southern hemisphere, Planet Rugby looks at the players who stole the show in week one of the June Tests.
15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand) - Class, class, class. As is his way, Dagg glided across the turf and also combined well with Julian Savea on Saturday. It needs noting how well Adam Ashley-Cooper and Mike Brown did in the air but Dagg was a class above with ball in hand in Auckland.
14 Alex Cuthbert (Wales) - As we will mention when we get to jersey number 11, a certain Bok came close to squeezing his way into our side. Cuthbert's performance meant there was to be no positional switch to 14 for Habana though as the Welshman's try and general problem causing for the Wallabies in Brisbane helped him sneak in.
13 Jean de Villiers (South Africa) - Hats off to De Villiers for leading the Springboks to victory in Heyneke Meyer's first game in charge. The centre did find himself on the receiving end of Manu Tuilagi's power on a couple of occasions but then bounced back with the killer try in the second-half. A proud day for him for sure.
12 Felipe Contepomi (Argentina) - Those fortunate to catch the Pumas taking on Italy would have seen the influence Contepomi had on the game. He scored one try, kicked sixteen points and also showed a lovely touch to help Rodrigo Roncero on his way to five points.
11 Julian Savea (New Zealand) - PR found it mighty tough to leave out Bryan Habana as his season goes from strength to strength. But how can one snub a man who scores a hat-trick on his All Black debut? Savea finished nicely in Auckland. What price on a repeat this week?
10 Dan Carter (New Zealand) - It was a decent kicking return from Carter while he guided his backline well throughout. In truth no other fly-half came close to this jersey apart from maybe Greig Laidlaw. A bit of credit to Aaron Smith here as his service was flat and quick.
9 Will Genia (Australia) - You can either choose to believe that Genia saved Robbie Deans' job with his influential performance against Wales or not but what cannot be argued is his 10/10 rating in Brisbane. He was a magician, with these sorts of classy tries a joy to watch.
8 Kieran Read (New Zealand) - One of the nicest guys in rugby, Read showed yet again just how important he is to New Zealand. Todd Blackadder recently tagged him as the best player in the world and in our eyes he is definitely up there with the best of them. Quality.
7 David Pocock (Australia) - Some have this season talked of it being time for Michael Hooper and even Liam Gill to be given runs in the Wallaby jersey. They may have to wait a good while longer as Pocock was at his best against Wales. Mention for Chris Robshaw.
6 Willem Alberts (South Africa) - Our man-of-the-match from Durban and fully deserves his pick today. This season has seen the Sharks man on a seemingly endless road back from injury and on occasions has unbelievably struggled to make the XV. Saturday showed his worth though as he was a carrying beast who combined well with young Marcell Coetzee.
5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand) - He really has grown as a player since the exit of Brad Thorn. Whitelock has such a bright and long future in the Black jersey and was tireless, intelligent and skilful against the Irish. He was also New Zealand's chief line-out taker.
4 Richie Gray (Scotland) - Yes folks, we are including Tuesday's international between the Wallabies and Scotland in our selection. Terrible conditions for open rugby but that is when teams need grafters to come to the party. Juandre Kruger and Geoff Parling get back pats.
3 Jannie du Plessis (South Africa) - The Springboks needed a solid set-piece against the English and that is what they got thanks largely to Du Plessis. Dan Cole was good in the first-half while Martin Castrogiovanni did well for Italy but we could not overlook this Bok.
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau (Australia) - One moment stood out as in the first-half he broke down the blindside before giving a beautiful no-look pass to a supporting Will Genia five metres in his wake. He was pretty good throughout which sees him edge out Bismarck du Plessis.
1 Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina) - Fourteen tackles and a try from the almost-retired prop. He wants to play in the 2012 Rugby Championship and on this form, it will be hard for head coach Santiago Phelan to leave out the veteran. A mention must be extended to New Zealand's Tony Woodcock, who enjoyed his weekend off from the struggling Blues.
Compiled by Adam Kyriacou
Twitter: @PlanetRugbyAK
Comments
tuffnut says...
@mdunlop9 I couldn't agree more. Rory Best had an excellent game against very tough opposition. He'd be my choice of hooker for this week based on his work across the park and great tackle on a rampaging Juilan Savea.
Other than that, the remainder of the above selection would make a formidable team. Imagine the devastation the combination of Will Genia and Daniel Carter would bring to a game. Especially with great front foot ball secured by Reid and Alberts.
@Wallaroo - agree with your post about (some of) my fellow NZ countrymen, and also with your comment to @IvanNel, only foolish people will judge a nation based on one (or a few) persons' ramblings.
Posted 16:53 14th June 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Wallaroo and co, try and keep the comments to the game eh, no need to be so critical and negative all the time.
Posted 10:00 14th June 2012
trippa says...
@Wallaroo ... maybe you should read my post again. 'Inane' not 'Insane' and I also never said simply New Zealand, I also included other nations its simply that they most often lambaste New Zealand and their percieved Paddy favouritism which is why I said in particular New Zealand and used New Zealand examples.
I also know that trinat2 is often 'taking the mick' but like the constant sheep jokes that so many dull Aussies roll out time and time again it really isn't clever, funny or cutting edge the 400th time you hear it and so instead of people being good natured about some general ribbing it becomes boring and people snap back because they get sick and tired of dull repeated comments and so called jokes.
As for bokAvenger if I didn't know any better I would say he is probably PDV incognito with his repeated off the wall conspiracy theories ... except PDV was mildly amusing sometimes
I enjoy light humoured and harmless banter as much as the next person but their is clever and funny and then there is bokavenger and trinats2
Posted 02:56 14th June 2012
Wallaroo says...
Not too bad, but agree with most sound minded that 13 belongs to Conrad Smith and 2 to Bismark.
@trippa - mate so it's only people that criticize NZ that should be banned LOL. You realise that by explicitly implying this you sound equally "insane". BTW there are a lot of Kiwi's that criticize and discredit either or both Aus and RSA. While we at it lets call for their exclusion too.
FYI 99.999999.....% of the time Trinats is taking the mick. The reason he baits Kiwis, well they're easy pickings for the most part.
@IvanNel - Only foolish people or those looking for an excuse anyway criticize a nation based on one persons ramblings. BokAvenger is sometimes a pleasure to follow because so many people react to what he says, which is often even more pathetic than his ironic and uncalculated verbal trash.
Regarding RSA & NZ dominating, not too sure about RSA but certainly think NZ will. No 2 spot will definitely be contested between the Wallabies and the Boks though.
Posted 16:46 13th June 2012
stag says...
re the selection equation of Pocock, Hooper and Gill, if that was in Ireland we'd be calling for George Smith's return.
Posted 15:04 13th June 2012
IvanNel says...
BokAvenger - you make us sound like bleating idiots. Jean had an okay game, i dont think he was nearly in his stride as Smith was. Overall Springboks had an okay first outing, but on that performance wouldnt have challenged NZ.
Australia looked ok, but its also their second outing - and their backs were given the freedom to run all day - i imagine with the kind of pressure NZ and SA forwards will give them, they're going to fall apart and remember that Scotland werent lucky - they're just not that great.
I thought that guys like Coetzee, Alberts, Habana had excellent games, But much improvement is needed to challenge NZ.
I do believe though that SA and NZ will dominate all other teams this year - and challenge eachother for #1 ranking.
Posted 06:47 13th June 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Trinats, I'll take your word on the missus, not sure I trust opening your link in the office, you Aussies know how to pull a fast one. Hard to argue with a man who admits he's wrong so I will go in peace.
Posted 01:08 13th June 2012
Sharkyzulu says...
Generally a good group of selections. It'll be interesting to see how many of these names feature again in a week's time!
As with many prior posters, not sure about Cuthbert's selection - sure he had a decent game but better than Habana or even Ioane?
I think Jannie DP and Polota-Nau are marginal too. I thought the Irish props did a decent job before going off injured, given the pressure their scrum was under. And Bismarck was much more influential at hooker. Just my 2c.
Posted 12:48 12th June 2012
Trinats2 says...
ruckingkiwi:
I stand corrected not for the first time !!! apologies. Great steal. I must have had the beer googles on !! I watched at a packed bar (no sound) just before heading to suncorp.
And for the record I do rate Read.
PS The missus is a good sort !! http://paxarcana.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/donkey.jpg
Posted 11:46 12th June 2012
Tyler_Durden says...
Bokavenger - you have a blinkered, obsessive, almost homoerotic, love for all things Bok, Anyone that has even remotely glanced at this site knows that, do you really need to keep highlighting it day after day? It's making you come across as a giant loon.
Apologies if, in fact, you are a giant loon, then I guess it's not actually your fault but societies for letting you slip though the cracks.
Posted 10:11 12th June 2012
dannyc28 says...
Robshaw should be in. He deserves far more than just a minor mention. Everyone talked about the Boks power game but if everyone in an England shirt had put the shift in Robshaw did we would have won easily. Fair enough all the players where on the winning side apart from Cuthbert. mmm not sure about that. Wales went in with the best change of all of the NH teams and choked. Hopefully they will step up next week
Posted 07:17 12th June 2012
jonesy2 says...
pretty sound. didnt see the pumas play but you could have easily gone with smith and SBW at centre and not one AB front rower, thought owen franks deserved a place. but this really is a whose who of the worlds greatest players, right now its a toss up between genia and read.
Posted 06:20 12th June 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Oi knob jockey, yeah Trinats.. pause this link at 9:02 and you'll quite clearly see Read is behind the line after the ball has been kicked http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OR2WXJ9RyA
And you reckon that's before you had your beer goggles on? Is that your excuse for having an ugly missus too.. maybe one day when you're not such a tit you'll actually understand when to recognise outstanding play.
I didn't see all the matches so will take your word (PR) on the team of the week, although did hear Alberts and also Genia were awesome. Barely an AB on that list and managed to post 40 on the Irish, it should be good to watch when we get the rest firing too.
Posted 05:45 12th June 2012
curlymac says...
Is anyone surprised that there were only 2 northern hemisphere players, they are woefully under skilled. In a few years of the rugby championship i expect the argies to become unbeatable form northern teams, so get your wins while you can.
Posted 05:33 12th June 2012
Jmanngod says...
meh.... Aaron Smith, Tony Woodcock - then all goods
Posted 04:07 12th June 2012
Fitzy says...
Is this a piss take? Ioane played head and shoulders above Cuthbert.You lads must have been watching another game.Should have gone to specsavers.........
Posted 01:08 12th June 2012
kpe12 says...
BokAvenger, just wait till later in the season when the ABs play the Boks, I'm going to head down to the Canterbury NZ factory and set the machines to remove stitches in the Bok uniform so that they can't outstretch their arms 100% without extra effort. There will be extra knock ons and it will be tougher to catch high balls.
Add it to your conspiracy list.
Conrad > Jean de Villiers on the weekend.
Posted 23:30 11th June 2012
J_HDK says...
@ bokavenger
Yep ;)
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,14793_7795507,00.html
Posted 23:08 11th June 2012
kennyisgay says...
Didn't JVD warm the bench for Munster for 2 years? Clearly not hard to make the boks then. Perhaps JVD shoud've played in the JWC, you might've beaten the irish... at home
Posted 23:03 11th June 2012
trippa says...
Is it possible to ban members from posting here on account of their foolish and constant inane dribble??? Trinats2 and Bokavenger are often called trolls ... I can think of a 2 syllable word starting with F which seems much more appropriate.
The day those two decide to contribute some positive banter instead of deriding other nations and New Zealand in particular will obviously be the day the All Blacks are no longer ranked No.1 and there own insecurity in there favored teams have been put to bed. However I really can't see that ever happening.
@Trinats2 Higginbotham was good on Saturday but he constantly goes missing when the pressure goes on but you compared him with Read who is great game after game and stands up to be counted when the pressure goes on.
Alberts was immense in a physical battle as well so no Higgenbotham (sorry bro but this isn't the super rugby comp now this is where the wheat is sorted from the chaff and most wallabies are chaff its unfortunate for you but true)
@BokAvenger you actually must have one of the saddest rugby lives ever if all you can come up with is the reasons why South Africa is constantly robbed and New Zealand are always favoured. Tell us why then that the All Blacks haven't won every World cup wince 1987?? Why South Africa won in 1995?? How the All Blacks lost the tri-nations decider last year?? How the TMO went outside his powers and disallowed (he had a point mind you as it wasn't a try) an All Black try in South Africa last year?? Oh thats right you win some and you lose some, its how you act after you win and lose thats important.
Enjoy the games this Saturday trinats2 and BokAvenger ...open both eyes ... get your heads out of wherever they are and stay positive.
Posted 22:52 11th June 2012