Mixed it up: Ma'a Nonu
Related links
Teams
Also see
Now that the dust has settled in the southern hemisphere, Planet Rugby looks at the players who stole the show in the Rugby Championship.
15 Mike Harris (Australia): In for the injured Berrick Barnes, Harris played a telling role for the Wallabies. Not even red and green lasers could stop the full-back from slotting seven out of his eight kicks at goal for a personal haul of 20 points.
14 Gonzalo Camacho (Argentina): By far Argentina's best back on show in Rosario, Camacho was full of running and gained a whopping 44m for his team in attack whilst he was also responsible for several turnovers for the Pumas.
13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand): Gave the Springbok tacklers a torrid time as the veteran centre continually sucked in defenders. Led a defensive line that barely faltered, whilst also ran in for New Zealand's bonus-point try. Reliable as ever.
12 Ma'a Nonu (New Zealand): Using his considerable mass to great effect in both defence and attack, Nonu turned the match on its head with his early second-half try that both side's described as the turning point of the Test. Mention too for Pat McCabe who was a demon on defence.
11 Hosea Gear (New Zealand): Needed a big performance and delivered. A constant threat out wide with ball in hand and helped set up Aaron Smith's well-worked try. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen won't be having sleepless nights with the number of destructive wings at his disposal, that's for sure!
10 Dan Carter (New Zealand): It's becoming quite a tricky task finding new descriptions for the All Blacks playmaker after silencing a crowd of 85,000 by piloting the world champions to success at altitude.
9 Nick Phipps (Australia): Tough one this. Aaron Smith hardly put a foot wrong, but neither did Phipps who controlled the wet ball well in slippery conditions and came oh so close to scoring.
8 Kieran Read (New Zealand): A staggering work-rate once again from the number eight. Had Bok defenders frantically back-pedalling whenever he got his safe hands on the pigskin.
7 Michael Hooper (Australia): The Wallabies' young gun was a standout in Rosario - not only did he produce one of the few Test highlights by racing 60 metres downfield after grabbing an opposition line-out throw, but was also Australia's leading defender with 10 tackles.
6 Liam Messam (New Zealand): Has very quickly implanted himself as an important member of this All Blacks team, stepping up his consistency and impact. The loss of Jerome Kaino doesn't look to be a massive train smash after all.
5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand): An accomplished Test performance from the big man in the second row for NZ. Landed the first uppercut for the All Blacks when he charged in for his team's opening try and was a leading line-out taker.
4 Nathan Sharpe (Australia): Australia's fourth stand-in skipper led from the front superbly, kept his ill-discipline in check and gave as good he received against a strong Pumas pack.
3 Jannie du Plessis (South Africa): His work-rate wasn't overly visible which isn't always a bad thing. But what we did see from Doctor du Plessis in his 50-odd minutes on the field was an injection of power at scrum-time.
2 Andrew Hore (New Zealand): Played with intensity and urgency. Was almost mistaken for a loose forward at times!
1 Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa) Another tough position to fill. It's never easy going head to head against the All Blacks front-row, but the Beast did his reputation little harm.
Comments
Carpelone says...
7ton
In any case, AR did not influence the final outcomes of the match. Leebok was pointing out an episode, but no major harm done, I think.
I find the Celtic League not very competitive and some franchises can field 2nd string teams and still win games comfortably. I don't like interIrish clashes, look like you may well say in advance what the score will be. But, apart from that, I am always hopeful to pick some good games.
Have a great week end, H Cup is a better stuff (curious to see what the well rested Irish team will produce).
Posted 15:01 12th October 2012
7ton says...
Sorry please correct I mean't Whingers not Whnigers
Posted 12:44 12th October 2012
7ton says...
Carpelone
Sorry but you may have got the wrong end of the stick as my last post was mean't for Leebok and not you. It is my fault as I forgot to put @Leebok at the beginning of the post. It was quite late at night.
There certainly has been many very fairminded and gracious Saffa Posters in the various articles following the game including you - although you may have been a bit too concerned with how the AB's infringe and not SA in the past. Also while it may not be that exciting I don't quite share your hatred for the Celtic league.
Saying all that I am sure we could enjoy not just a virtual but a real beer together and have a good chat and laugh about things.
I certainly do take up your challenge re the single post from saffas and refer you to page 4 of 7 in the match report where you can see what our friend Leebok and also forward_pass has to say.
Also take a look at Leebok and Gazzabok in the Retallick yellow card article.
I hope you can now understand what I was on about and yes of course there are certain kiwi whnigers as well.
Posted 12:41 12th October 2012
Carpelone says...
7ton
My virtual friend of many virtual beers, please do not go that way. Nobody here is whinging, we are just commenting an episode. I challenge you to find any single post from saffas on the post match thread which did not pay tribute to New Zealand and to McCaw.
Please do not give us the argument that it is easier to build a fantastic rugby team (which I enjoy to watch when they play as they did on Saturday or against Argentina) than an educated and gracious supporter community.
Unfortunately, quite some of your fellow countrymen do not know how to acknoledge opposition and be a gracious and superior winner.
On my side, I was quite happy with the first 25 minutes the Baby Boks played against the mighty New Zealand and I was really impressed how All Blacks turned around a very difficult game, in style. Again, very deserved Championship and good luck on your chase of Lithuania.
Posted 07:43 12th October 2012
jonesy2 says...
for once a sound side not sure how you left out mccabe though should have had him at 13 he was there was well as at 12 for most of the night anyway
Posted 07:12 12th October 2012
7ton says...
Don't just imagine if a Saffa had done it. They actually do things as well which they get away with.
Yes there is a case where the ref may have blown Reid but his perception may have been influenced by the SA no. 6 pushing read to the ground which he may have wrongly or rightly felt contributed to the collapse of the maul as his eyes would be on quite a few things at the same time. He could have also noticed a bit of excessive and dangerous rucking by the SA no 6 (by todays standards not mine).
Whatever!. You can't say that overall Allain Rolland favoured the All Blacks but then it's not just all about this game as time and time again you come on this site and whine about how the ref let the opposition get away with this and that and how the other team cheats but then completely ignore what SA may have done or got away with. Then you cry on and on about how the refs deliberately pick on SA.
Referees do miss things they don't always have the benefit of TV replays and they only have 2 eyes of which they have to keep on 30 players making up 2 teams.
Not just on one team like you do.
Posted 00:41 12th October 2012
Carpelone says...
Leebok
Spot on. Kieran Read should have been sent off or a penalty try awarded (both is too much).
But I want to pay tribute to Kieran Read, the best player of the tournement. A powerhouse with silk hands, pace and a superior rugby brain. How many tries did he actually set up for New Zealand? The best 8 in business, by far.
Posted 10:33 11th October 2012
leebok says...
Not sour grapes at all. Kiwis are the better team, there is no doubt in that, I just wish the refs would improve and be consistent. The fact is that you cant pull down a rolling maul 3m out. Its a card offence and a pen try should be awarded. Imagine if a bok did that.
Posted 21:06 10th October 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Sandal - could be, but I'd rather be a happy pessimist than a disappointed optimist.
Posted 13:30 09th October 2012
Tyler_Durden says...
GeorgeSmith, i'm assuming English is your 2nd, or perhaps 3rd, language?
That's the only conclusion in anyway believable given the strange nature of your postings.
Posted 12:10 09th October 2012
sandal says...
@heart_of_oak
Nice post.
But I suspect England might be a bit stronger than you think. In any event, they are a bit of a bogy team for Australia.
Posted 11:44 09th October 2012
porridge_time says...
heart_of_oak says...
Excellent post there totally agree with you on everything.
Posted 10:49 09th October 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Credit is due to Australia for a hard fought win, with all their injuries, with the flak the coach is getting, their lack of depth and the crap from Cooper. I always try to be realistic in my posts and I had said that my team, England, might just beat Oz in England but that Oz would beat us in Australia. Maybe I was being a bit optimistic. I reckon we would really struggle against an australia side at full strength, certainly away and maybe at home too.
As for this XV of the week selection, Georgesmith - would you give it a rest, please mate ? Your McCheat stuff is coming across as childish. McCaw, to give him his proper name, is a great leader of a great team. If he does something dodgy, then it's up to the officials, of which there are plenty with TV replays available, to take him to task. But they don't, do they ? So if you're going to have a go at anyone, shouldn't it be the officials ? And are all the players in this competition as good as gold ? I seriously doubt it.
On another note, this competition is going to do wonders for Argentinian rugby. They were already a strong rugby nation but they will get better.
Posted 08:30 09th October 2012
Melkiwi says...
@ georgesmith your posts seem to sound the same every time. Do you just copy and past the same comments? It's getting old.
Anyway as for the team yes it's very inconsistent when you look at the ratings. Hopper is a great prospect and will really be testing pocock for the number 7 spot. With pococks size maybe 6 could be an option for him??
Posted 06:59 09th October 2012
latehit says...
Sorry guys but this is a crock. Harris kicks... woo bleeding hoo - does bugger all else, Comacho ran a whopping 44m.... and? Phipps.. oh please.. slow and cant pass... and though I love him, Sharpie started well but fell off after 30 mins. At this rate I am surprised you did not add in Tapuai as he must have run 150m sideways butchering overlaps.
The darts were off this week
Posted 04:33 09th October 2012
Ramage says...
Lol @ KeaJBH don't look for consistency or logic in these selections remember its the Planet Rugby journalists at work. On a par with the Murdoch Press ones. Lol.
Posted 02:53 09th October 2012
kiwilad says...
lebok, sour grapes???
Posted 01:40 09th October 2012
sandal says...
Mike Harris?
PR's assessment makes no mention at all of his play as a fullback, only of his goalkicking. But this team already has a goalkicker in Daniel Carter. And Israel Dagg had a terrific game at fullback -- sound positional play and raking touchfinders, and he made the break that led to the game's decisive try. PR noticed none of this, apparently, because he doesn't even get a mention.
Posted 01:09 09th October 2012
tweedledee49 says...
kiwikev, I think you may have inadvertently called the team of the week rubbish...i think...unless you meant to then...thats cool
APV1, I would like to buy a vowel please...E!
Posted 01:04 09th October 2012
porridge_time says...
It's dumbfounding that McCaw is left out of the team of the week again! He has been the best openside flanker - and captain - throughout the championship.
Posted 00:50 09th October 2012