EPCR Challenge Cup Team of the Week: Forgotten England back ‘sends Borthwick a message’ with ‘ice-cold’ display while Ireland hopeful ‘the pick of the bunch’ in Ulster win

Following the conclusion of the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup, here is our Team of the Week!

Ulster, Exeter Chiefs, Montpellier and the Dragons all booked their places in next month’s semi-final stage after victories over La Rochelle, Benetton, Connacht and Zebre, respectively, with all four teams well represented in our side.

Without further ado, here is our Challenge Cup XV!

EPCR Challenge Cup Team of the Week

15 Olly Woodburn (Exeter Chiefs): Yet another supremely classy display from the Exeter Chiefs hero, who is enjoying himself at 15. Was always in and around the action in attack, either in the air or ball-in-hand with a game-high 116 metres from 15 carries alongside a tally of nine defenders beaten and two line breaks, and backed that up with some strong bomb defusing in back-field too. Jacob Stockdale was very close to this side as well.

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs): He’s certainly hit the ground running on his return from a hamstring injury, dropping yet another reminder of his quality and value in this Exeter side. Managed to again just make positive things happen for the Chiefs ball-in-hand with 60 metres from his nine carries as well as two line breaks, and he got himself on the scoresheet for good measure. Werner Kok also caught the eye for Ulster.

13 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs): An ice-cold display from the forgotten England back, who certainly sent Steve Borthwick a message with his heroics. Again added his customary touch of class to Exeter’s play, chipping in with 32 metres from his six carries, but it was his work off the tee that made headlines as he hit a perfect seven from seven, including the pivotal match-winner at the death. It was a good day for 13s on Sunday, with Tomasso Menoncello impressing for Benetton too.

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12 Lennox Anyanwu (Montpellier): A good weekend for English centres in the Challenge Cup, with Anyanwu slotting in at 12. The former Harlequins man was a rock of consistency on both sides of the ball in their big win over Connacht, making 12 tackles, eight carries and 46 metres along the way, which helped his team get over the line. James Hume, while wearing 13 on his back, wasn’t far off here.

11 Zac Ward (Ulster): Truly the pick of the bunch in Ulster’s win over La Rochelle, dropping a strong display that will put Andy Farrell on alert. Just offered so much to his side’s attack in the win over the French giants, making 73 metres from his 12 carries alongside a tally of five line breaks and five beaten defenders, and he capped off his shift with a well-deserved brace as well. Onisi Ratave also impressed for Benetton.

10 Jacob Umaga (Benetton): A delicious display in defeat, which sees him ahead of Harvey Skinner in this selection. Seemed to inject a lick of flair whenever he touched the ball, getting the hosts playing some gorgeous shape with his playmaking skills alongside a team-high 80 metres from nine carries, while also notching a tally of 26 points courtesy of two tries, five conversions and two penalties.

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9 Ali Price (Montpellier): Stephen Varney was close to making the cut here, but Price gets the nod. The Scottish and British and Irish Lions ace found himself at the heart of Montpellier’s win over Connacht, bossing proceedings around the ruck and adding his own threat ball-in-hand with 34 metres from six carries.

The forwards

8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons): Some big calls at eight this weekend, with Billy Vunipola and Greg Fisilau impressing, but Wainwright is our man. The Welsh international’s steely efforts in the tight were a huge factor in the Dragons getting over the line, and he ended his shift with a healthy stats chart of 11 carries for 48 metres alongside 11 tackles.

7 Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs): The Italian international’s defensive efforts were a real cornerstone behind Exeter’s win, and that sees him edge into this side ahead of Riccardo Favretto and Nick Timoney. His game-high tally of 24 tackles tells a story on its own, but it was also backed up with persistent breakdown-nausing as well, which hampered Benetton’s attack.

6 Harri Keddie (Dragons): The brace-scoring forward joins fellow Dragons back-rower, Wainwright, in this squad, beating out Tom Hooper in the process. His try-scoring antics will certainly take the spotlight after his side’s heroics away from home, but he backed that up with some proper grit in the tight with 10 tackles and five carries to his name.

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5 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs): A proper captain’s knock from the Exeter skipper, who was another Chief to front up in defence in Italy. The Welsh international never seems to take a backwards step on that side of the ball, and that was again clear to see with his tally of 21 tackles across his shift, and he chipped in well at the lineout too. His opposite number, Niccolo Cannone, can feel hard done by here. 

4 Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster): This was just a really mature performance from the versatile forward, who stepped up to the plate when it mattered most. His efforts played a crucial role in thwarting La Rochelle’s hulking pack, chipping in with 12 tackles and nine carries for 11 metres while also beating two defenders, but he was also seen right in the thick of the action from the get-go and simply ran his blood to water. Ben Carter was a close second.

3 Tom O’Toole (Ulster): There might be talk over a possible long-term switch to loosehead, but he excelled at tighthead again this weekend. Just threw himself around to great effect in the loose, making 11 tackles and five carries along the way, while also making a dent at the set-piece as well. Jimmy Roots continued his good form for Exeter, too.

2 Christopher Tolofua (Montpellier): Tommaso Di Bartolomeo was very close here, but we’ve got Tolofua wearing two this week. The try-scoring hooker was an understated yet pivotal part of his side’s win over Connacht, just doing a lot of the ugly work to set the platform with seven tackles and five carries for good measure. Tom Stewart can also feel unlucky to miss out.

1 Angus Bell (Ulster): Joining his Ulster front-row colleague in this selection is Bell, who just beats out Muhamed Hasa as a result. Like O’Toole, Bell just looked to get stuck into things in the loose and the tight, ending his shift with a game-high 15 tackles for good measure.

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