Some finish: George Pisi
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Now that the dust has settled in the northern hemisphere, Planet Rugby looks at the guys who stole the show in week two of the November Tests.
Victories were picked up by Samoa, Australia, France, New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga and Canada in an entertaining round of action.
So without further ado, here comes our offering - be sure to send in your own 15-1 team line-ups.
15 Berrick Barnes (Australia) - Barnes spotted space in behind England's defence and made the hosts pay on more than one occasion. England were hoping Toby Flood and Alex Goode would outthink the Wallabies but in fact it was the Kurtley Beale/Barnes combination that stole the show.
14 Nick Cummins (Australia) - Cory Jane's Rome cameo was something out of the top drawer but for his all-action display at Twickenham, it had to be Cummins. Known as the 'Honey Badger', the Force man was a running machine on Saturday and fully deserves his selection here.
13 George Pisi (Samoa) - What about that finish in the corner? The Northampton Saint has been in top form in England and continued that in international colours with a top showing. He caused Wales all kinds of problems and is picked ahead of All Black Conrad Smith.
12 Ben Tapaui (Australia) - Not bad for his first go at inside centre in the absence of Pat McCabe. Tapuai was a cool customer for the Wallabies and easily gets in ahead of closest challenger Marcelo Bosch, who was slick for Argentina during the early exchanges in Lille.
11 Vincent Clerc (France) - Due to the Ireland XV playing a non-cap international, Craig Gilroy has been left in the cold. It's tough on the Ulsterman but rules are rules and we have instead gone for Clerc, whose brace saw him overtake Philippe Saint-Andre in the try charts.
10 Tusi Pisi (Samoa) - It was harsh to leave out Frederic Michalak and Kurtley Beale but the performance of Pisi couldn't be ignored. The Hurricanes man calmly put the Samoans in the right areas, kicked his goals and was exceptional outside of the man named below.
9 Kahn Fotuali'i (Samoa) - Ospreys training will be interesting in December. Fotuali'i was a leader for Samoa at the Millennium Stadium and played a crucial role in setting up George Pisi while his general play overshadowed Mike Phillips. Nick Phipps was busy for Australia.
8 Kieran Read (New Zealand) - The All Blacks stand-in skipper opened the scoring in Rome finishing a wonderful pass from Conrad Smith, as New Zealand toiled and then rampaged to another convincing victory. No other All Black player made more metres.
7 Michael Hooper (Australia) - Robbie Deans will have some serious thinking to do when David Pocock returns to full fitness. Hooper was everywhere at Twickenham, a nuisance at the breakdown and the Wallabies leading tackler, along with finding holes in the defence.
6 Yannick Nyanga (France) - Brilliant on both sides of the ball. France's top tackler with 14, the flanker capped his return to Test rugby with a well-taken try. Mention for Francois Louw.
5 Nathan Sharpe (Australia) - The Australia captain tweeted on game-day how excited he was ahead of facing England at Twickenham and he delivered. A brutal force going forward and in defence, the cut under his eye told you everything you needed to know about his day.
4 Pascal Pape (France) - France's new leader shone for the second week in a row after the demolition of Australia, piling on the tackles and carrying effectively to get his team moving.
3 Ben Alexander (Australia) - So much for the scrum being weak. As the game progressed, Alexander kept improving, giving first Joe Marler and then Mako Vunipola serious problems.
2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa) - Two tries including a brilliant interception score made Strauss a certainty for the hooker spot. A powerful, industrious afternoon for the Cheetahs star proved that South Africa can live without the presence of Bismarck du Plessis.
1 Sakaria Taulafo (Samoa) - On another famous night for Samoa in Cardiff their pack were outstanding, and no one more so than Wasps prop Taulafo. He gave Wales newbie Aaron Jarvis was given a torrid time at the scrum, winning Samoa some valuable possession.
By Ben Coles and Adam Kyriacou
@bencoles_ and @PlanetRugbyAK
Comments
Roger999 says...
The omission of Michalak is another farce from PR
Posted 10:10 21st November 2012
Trinats2 says...
Too many saffas
Posted 09:50 21st November 2012
paulynz says...
@ruckingkiwi
Have to agree. Immense game from Sharpe. Colossal on the carry. Young Australian locks like R Simmons would do well to take lessons from Sharpe's performance.
Posted 08:26 21st November 2012
Ripzy007 says...
@ georgesmith; come on georgie, the ABs will miss you not watching their games NOT...who cares if you don't watch the ABs...
Posted 20:53 20th November 2012
lacroix says...
3 french players...and 6 australians? were autralia really that good?
Posted 20:52 20th November 2012
ABlack says...
Woodcock made mincemeat of Castrogiavanni and the Ref actually reffed the game with no pre-conceptions about the scrum unlike the last time the AB's played Italy
Posted 20:42 20th November 2012
paulynz says...
@brands
Lol...
Posted 19:29 20th November 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
What will Australia do after Nathan Sharpe retires!
It's preferable that NZ has very few players in the team, and still win by 30.. looking forward to seeing them click, at some point, hopefully.
Posted 19:05 20th November 2012
philipjfry says...
@pikes: Not for much longer.
Posted 18:16 20th November 2012
Ricomic says...
I'm pretty surprised to see so many Aussies included in that team.. England vs Australia was a walk in the park compared to the intensity and quality of France Vs Argentina's first half (I admit the second one was less entertaining but watching les bleus go for a fourth try after the final whistle made up for the previous 40 minutes!). Also surprised not to see Michalak on the list, he had a perfect game in all areas (penalty kick, drop goal, pass, tackling, game orientation...). But that's my blue heart talking here..! Decent team anyways.
Posted 13:36 20th November 2012
pikes says...
Eben Etzebeth ? best lock by far in the world at the moment....
Posted 12:31 20th November 2012
georgesmith says...
How can N.Sharpe be there? It's utter bull.
15. L. Halfpenny, 14. D. Ioane, 13.N. Cumins, 12. B. Taupai, 11. V. Clerc, 10. T. Pisi, 9. K. Fotuali'i, 8. L. Picamoles, 7. M.Hooper, 6. JMF. Lobbe, 5. P.Pape, 4. S. Timani, 3. C. Johnston, 2. A. Strauss, 1. B. Robinson.
No ABs in the team! I know. I've stopped watching cheaters play.
Posted 09:19 20th November 2012
Manusamoa says...
Tusi Pisi!!!!!! lol, he missed how many kicks and gave away a intercept try! PR did u watch the game?
Posted 08:28 20th November 2012
colvin says...
Seems like no one from PR saw the ABs v Italy match.
Six WBs and no English when the English very nearly won.
Four Samoans.
What does this "team" represent. Those that had a good game on the day or the best player in each position on the day. A player can show out against lesser opposition but it's how they go against the best that counts.
I think anyone could pick a team that would beat the PR selection
Posted 05:07 20th November 2012
brands says...
no Dan Carter? whats up with that??
Posted 04:43 20th November 2012
missionary says...
First time I have to say this is rubiish. Italy's contribution to the game in Rome isn't recognised at all. Conrad Smith was outstanding and Woodcock to care of the hair bear - who is a world class TH. Tusi Pisi was the best No10 on display over the weekend? Big call. Australia gets more mentions because the played jolly old England. Who should have won the game. Nathan Sharpe...pffft.
Posted 02:25 20th November 2012
honetana says...
Hear, hear for Kahn Fotuali'i. IMO he has been close to the best halfback in the world for a couple of years now!
Posted 01:58 20th November 2012
dac247 says...
Tusi Pisi did not play great... which is even more damning on wales!!!!
Posted 01:32 20th November 2012
tompaton says...
Tusi Pisi was awful! Threw the intercept pass to Ashley Beck, missed several kicks got smashed by Jamie Roberts when he had players outside him and knocked on a couple of times. Did you guys watch that match seriously? Plus, Michalak was absolutely magnificent, kicked 8 from 8 and a drop goal and controlled the game outstandingly.
Taisina Tuifua should be at number 8, he and Fa'savalu were absolutely everywhere (although Hooper deserves his place, absolutely immense complete display, Pocock can only dream about having as good an all round game has him).
1. Tony Woodcock - Dominated the Italian scrum which is a mean feat.
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Census Johnston - he was the cog which got the Samoan scrum going forward.
4. Pascal Pape
5. Nathan Sharpe
6. Francois Louw - I'm going based on jersey number here. I know Nyanga was superb but man Louw just gets better and better. He mullered Scotland at the breakdown, was an absolute masterclass.
7. Michael Hooper
8. Taisina Tuifua - as stated above he carried, smash players and was very prominent.
9. Kahn Fotuali'i
10. Frederic Michalak - no questions at all...
11. Vincent Clerc
12. Alberto Sgarbi - he was very good, was the joint top tackler and scored his try very well. Not always a favourite of mine but credit is due for his display.
13. Conrad Smith - I'm sorry but he was siblime. Pisi was good but Smith is just an absolute class out.
14. Nick Cummins
15. Berrick Barnes
Posted 00:42 20th November 2012
ferdie says...
Would that team beat France?
Players from the Eng-Aust match? Honestly a second rate match from two second-rate teams, equally matched in ineptitude. If that is the criteria, why no one from Georgia v Japan sure they had fine match ups as well!
And not even a nearly for Tony Woodcock and his display v Martin Castrogiovanni?
Posted 23:51 19th November 2012