Champions Cup Team of the Week: ‘Sensational’ half-backs rewarded while ‘massive’ Tadhg Beirne and ‘magnificent’ Leinster star also make cut
Munster lock Tadhg Beirne and Bordeaux-Begles scrum-half Maxime Lucu make our Champions Cup Team of the Week.
After a thrilling Round Three which saw French sides dominate with big wins for Bordeaux-Begles, Toulon and Toulouse, here’s our Investec Champions Cup Team of the Week.
Unsurprisingly there is plenty of French representation in the line-up with the remaining players coming from Bath, Bristol Bears, Leicester Tigers, Benetton, Leinster and Munster.
Champions Cup Team of the Week
15 Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers): A timely return to form for the huge Tigers full-back as he had a day to remember in the Welford Road gloom against Ulster. Thomas Ramos was simply brilliant for Toulouse in the Durban heat, whilst Rhyno Smith had a powerful outing for Benetton.
14 Damian Penaud (Bordeaux-Begles): Blistering form from a world-class wing, Penaud might have had four rather than three had he not chosen to set up his fly-half! Blair Kinghorn performed strongly for Toulouse, whilst Sebastian Cancelliere impressed all in a try-scoring display for Glasgow.
13 Ollie Lawrence (Bath): It took about five minutes of the Bath match for Lawrence to be on our Team of the Week radar as the England centre shone at the Rec against Clermont. Yoram Moefana thrived at outside centre for UBB, whilst Tommaso Menoncello impressed for Benetton.
12 Nacho Brex (Benetton): A consolation prize for the brilliant Italian centre as his team appeared to be on the end of some strange calls from the officials. Brex was magnificent on both sides of the ball in a powerhouse display of his craft. He edges Glasgow talisman Sione Tuipulotu as our 12.
11 Remi Baget (Castres): A ten-minute hat-trick for the flying Castres wing who was the centrepoint of their thumping win against the Bulls. Ollie Hassell-Collins was magnificent in grabbing a brace for Leicester Tigers, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey could well have made another Planet Rugby Team of the Week if it wasn’t for the need for variety as he starred once more for Bordeaux.
Bordeaux half-backs
10 Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles): Jalibert is still just about the most discussed player in France and, at his best, is easily the equal of any of the great attacking tens of the world. He was simply sensational in Exeter as he masterminded the thrashing of Chiefs. Manie Libbok might have taken the shirt in any other weekend, Jack Crowley was a key part of the Munster performance against Saracens, whilst Finn Russell scored one and made one in Bath’s win versus Clermont.
9 Maxime Lucu (Bordeaux-Begles): Our player of the round as the French international had one of those days where everything he touched turned to gold. He was sensational. Baptiste Serin shone in Toulon’s win against Quins, Antoine Dupont delivered in the Durban heat, and Alex Mitchell impressed for Saints, despite his costly yellow card.
8 Caelan Doris (Leinster): The battle of the two eights, Gregory Alldritt and Doris, is as big as the La Rochelle-Leinster rivalry itself, and the Irishman took the spoils in a magnificent display on the Atlantic Coast. France will be delighted with Anthony Jelonch‘s continued recuperation as he delivered a big shift for Toulouse. Yoan Tanga was influential for Stade Francais, grabbing two in a memorable evening for his club, where Henry Pollock had a storming first-half display for Saints.
7 Josh van der Flier (Leinster): Simply magnificent and the difference between the two teams against La Rochelle. The Irish star was brilliant on both sides of the ball at Stade Marcel Deflandre. Rory Darge is unlucky to miss out for his brilliant performance against Racing. Temo Matiu was another high-quality performer for UBB, dominating the lineout in their impressive win at Chiefs, whilst Fitz Harding led brilliantly in Bristol’s fortunate win against Benetton.
6 Esteban Abadie (Toulon): Given Toulon play left and right rather than openside and blindside, shirt numbers are irrelevant so we’ve squeezed Abadie in on the blindside to give them a representative. Abadie’s timing couldn’t have been better given Charles Ollivon’s injury. As usual, Francois Cros was tireless for Toulouse as he hammered 24 tackles in the Durban heat, and finally, a shout out for young England hopeful Finn Carduff, impressing all as he made his European debut for Leicester Tigers.
Leader in Limerick
5 Tadhg Beirne (Munster): Massive. In fact, big enough to see off the claims of JJ van der Mescht and Emmanual Meafou, both brilliant for Stade and Toulouse respectively. David Ribbans reminded all English fans of what they’ve missed since he left for Toulon, and RG Snyman was a big part of the Leinster success at La Rochelle, with JD Schikerling also shining for the Stormers.
4 Paul Gabrillagues (Stade Francais): The big lock delivered a shift to match his frame as he inspired his team to turn over a 21-0 deficit. Joe McCarthy scored for Leinster in their superb performance in France, and Peceli Yato may have lost in Bath but gave their lineout the fright of its life as Clermont showed pride at the Rec.
3 Thomas du Toit (Bath): Is there a week where the Tank doesn’t get in our team? He scored again – twice – of course he did, that’s what you get and once again he was world-class. Not many get the better of Ox Nche, but to see Dorian Aldegheri lift the great Bok clean out of the Sharks’ scrum was a bet you’d have got very long odds on. Joe Heyes had a great romp for Leicester Tigers, whilst Max Lahiff crossed in rather controversial circumstances for Bristol Bears against Benetton.
2 Harry Thacker (Bristol Bears): The hooker’s try-scoring record is something else and he was in rumbustious form as his team won narrowly at Ashton Gate. Peato Mauvaka was simply brilliant all day for Toulouse in the humidity, and for Leicester Tigers, Julian Montoya had another high-quality afternoon at the Welford Road coalface.
1 Dian Bleuler (Munster): A crucial try and the repelling of the Sarries stars in the pack sees the Munster loosehead grab the last place of the weekend. Toulon’s Dany Priso delivered an all-action effort on the French Riviera, whilst Bevan Rodd shone for Sale Sharks despite their loss to the Stormers and sent a message out to Steve Borthwick that he’s ready for a recall to England duty.
