International Team of the Week: Barbarians and Springboks debutant rewarded while Marcus Smith grabs his chance
Chay Fihaki, David Ribbans, Jonny May and Marcus Smith all make our team.
Following a thrilling weekend of international rugby at the National Stadium in Tokyo and Twickenham Stadium, we’ve picked our Test Team of the Week.
Fiji are hugely unlucky to miss out on representation after two of their players impressed against the Barbarians, but those shirts were hotly contested as you will see.
International Team of the Week
15 Chay Fihaki (Barbarians): The Crusaders youngster was outstanding from start to finish in the Barbarians jersey as he slipped tackles and offloaded superbly whilst being solid in the air. The 23-year-old’s future looks incredibly bright as he gets the nod ahead of Springboks fly-half Aphelele Fassi.
14 Edwill van der Merwe (South Africa): The most fiercely contested jersey in our team as Fiji’s hat-trick hero Epeli Momo, outstanding Barbarians wing Leicester Fainga’anuku and classy Wales veteran Liam Williams all put their hand up for selection. However, Springboks debutant Van der Merwe was brilliant both defensively and with ball in hand and was deserving of his individual try in the second period. What a season it has been for the Lions star.
13 Jesse Kriel (South Africa): Opened the scoring at Twickenham with a lovely one-two with Makazole Mapimpi down the left wing and was his usual solid self thereafter. Kriel is selected ahead of Virimi Vakatawa, who clearly enjoyed reconnecting with Gael Fickou in the Baa-baas midfield. Vakatawa was a joy to watch.
12 Gael Fickou (Barbarians): Speaking of which Fickou gets reward for his performance by being handed our number 12 jersey. He was electric in attack, ghosting on the outside of Fijian players and forming a deadly combination with Vakatawa, as mentioned. It’s hard to believe Fickou is still just 30 years of age.
11 Jonny May (Barbarians): He might be 34 but May looked like he was in his early 20s on Saturday as he caught the eye at Twickenham. Wearing the socks of his new club, Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente, May was everywhere in his two-try showing and alongside Fainga’anuku and Fihaki, formed a deadly back three trio.
10 Marcus Smith (England): Given the chance ahead of namesake Fin for England‘s fixture against Japan and he more than took it. Marcus scored a try and was lively throughout as he put himself in the box seat to start against the All Blacks at Forsyth Barr Stadium. A massive mid-year series awaits the fly-half.
9 Alex Mitchell (England): It’s an all-England half-back combination as Mitchell was equally impressive against the Brave Blossoms. There is no debate about the number nine spot as Mitchell has made it his own in the past year. Mentions for Danny Care (Barbarians) and Wales debutant Ellis Bevan.
The forwards
8 Evan Roos (South Africa): Was incredibly unfortunate not to cross the whitewash in a typically all-action shift from the Stormer. While Ben Earl and Aaron Wainwright earn praise for their efforts, we opted for the Springbok who gave a disciplined and dominant performance. What an athlete he is.
7 Lachlan Boshier (Barbarians): Such a talent who is unlucky not to have been capped by the All Blacks. Boshier scored two tries for the Baa-baas in an electric performance. Sam Underhill also starred with a try for England while Springboks workhorse Kwagga Smith got through plenty against Wales.
6 Chandler Cunningham-South (England): A tough call on the dangerous Meli Derenalagi after he caught the eye in possession for Fiji. Taine Plumtree was also impressive in a Wales shirt, but Cunningham-South gets the nod for his effort in Tokyo. He looks to be the Red Rose’s future at blindside.
5 Sam Whitelock (Barbarians): What can you say about him? Whitelock looks like he could play on for a few more years after that Barbarians performance. Subtle offloads, solidity in possession and aerially superb, the All Blacks legend bowed out at Twickenham with a wonderful performance. One of the true greats.
4 David Ribbans (Barbarians): Alongside Whitelock was the one that got away from England. Ribbans showed flashes of brilliance in the white jersey but never managed to nail down a spot, with England’s loss Toulon’s gain. He was outstanding for the Baa-baas and gets in over Maro Itoje as our number four.
3 Vincent Koch (South Africa): Koch was Player of the Match in the Sharks’ Challenge Cup final win over Gloucester and was clearly full of confidence because of that against Wales. Solid again at scrum time, if he can nail down the Bok tighthead jersey it would be some going given their stocks in that area.
2 Dewi Lake (Wales): A tough afternoon for Wales but even with their scrum on the back foot, Lake never took a backward step and he received plenty of praise in our player ratings. A captain’s effort from the hooker as his physicality and leadership stood out. A mention for busy Barbarian Harry Thacker.
1 Ox Nche (South Africa): One could only sympathise for Keiron Assiratti and his replacement Harri O’Connor as Nche was dominant at the set-piece. The former had to leave the field injured before O’Connor’s first scrum was one to forget. Nche is such a formidable force and is growing in confidence by the game.
