Super Rugby: Team of Round Nine

Now that the dust has settled from another action-packed weekend of Super Rugby, it's time to see who stood out in Round Nine!

Now that the dust has settled from another action-packed weekend of Super Rugby, it's time to see who stood out in Round Nine!

The Crusaders, Highlanders, Blues and Reds were the most impressive of the bunch, and it's no surprise then that they are well represented this week in our selections.

The Western Force have not gone unnoticed for their win over the Brumbies – even if it is only one player – whilst the Cheetahs and Hurricanes' try-fest in Bloemfontein also couldn't be ignored.

15 Isaia Toeava (Blues): Tough choice between Luke Morahan and the Blues full-back, but in the end we went for the latter. Lethal on attack and pulled out a superb try-saving tackle on Lachie Turner… the All Blacks number 15 jersey has Toeava's name written all over it.

14 Kade Poki (Highlanders): Another tough one with Maitland (Crusaders) and Cummins (Force) both putting their hand up. But Poki's mix of sparkling attack and staunch defence gets him the nod. His try – as he weaved his way past four or five Rebels defenders – was also one to behold.

13 Jared Payne (Blues): One of the form New Zealand midfielders at the moment. The Ulster-bound centre tore the Waratahs defence to ribbons and also showed real starch in defence. Bagged a try too!

12 Luke McAlister (Blues): Had a hand in three tries and kicked three conversions for the Blues – McAlister usually plays at inside center but has emerged as the leading candidate to act as understudy for Dan Carter at 10 in New Zealand's World Cup squad.

11 Bjorn Basson (Bulls): Put in a good performance in a losing team. Scored two tries and showed again this weekend that he almost has no peer when competing for the ball in the air.

10 Quade Cooper (Reds): A try, three conversions and a dropped goal. The Reds' magician razzled and dazzled against the Bulls, and left us wondering what he was going to pull out of the hat next. Didn't have the best night from the tee, but nobody's perfect.

9 Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs): A hat-trick of tries for the Cheetahs, it's no surprise that Pretorius' skills are wanted in the northern hemisphere. If the Boks don't pick him, someone else will.

8 Scott Higginbotham (Reds): Tough on Kieran Read (Crusaders), but the Reds number eight was sublime against the Bulls and kept opposite number Pierre Spies and his fellow loosies reasonably quiet.

7 Matt Todd (Crusaders): Chiefs captain Mils Muliana moaned about his side giving away too many turnovers – Todd was the reason why. His place in the Crusaders starting XV also received a big confidence booster after it was George Whitelock who was replaced by Richie McCaw, and not Todd.

6 Adam Thomson (Highlanders): Another eye-catching display from the All Blacks flank, who burst the Rebels' bubble with two tries – too strong, too quick, too good.

5 Nathan Sharpe (Force): The best performing lock of the weekend by a country mile. Sharpe stole several line-out balls off the Brumbies' throw, and his strong leadership was finally rewarded with a Force win.

4 Jeremy Thrush (Hurricanes): Ok, there were a few that could have partnered Sharpe – Simmons (Reds), Thorn (Crusaders), Mumm (Waratahs) – but how can you leave out the bloke that ran in the winning try 40m out for his team with just seconds left on the clock?

3 John Afoa (Blues): The Blues are going to miss the All Blacks prop when he leaves for Ulster. The rollicking prop showed all the skills of a winger to regather the ball by his boot laces, sidestep a defender and crash over for the opening try.

2 Jason Rutledge (Highlanders): Rutledge is no spring chicken but he's proved time and time again that he can still ruffle plenty of feathers – so much so, that his fan base have hailed him as the obvious back-up to Keven Mealamu in the All Blacks' squad. Would Graham Henry and co agree though?

1 Ben Franks (Crusaders): Another powerful performance from the Crusaders front-rower whose work around the pitch is tiresome to watch.

Team of Round One: 15 Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), 14 Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs), 13 Rob Horne (Waratahs), 12 Robbie Coleman (Brumbies), 11 Drew Mitchell (Waratahs), 10 James O'Connor (Force), 9 Jano Vermaak (Lions), 8 Kieran Read (Crusaders), 7 Phil Waugh (Waratahs), 6 Adam Thomson (Highlanders), 5 Franco van der Merwe (Lions), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 Keven Mealamu (Blues), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

Team of Round Two: 15 Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), 14 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), 13 Rob Horne (Waratahs), 12 Julian Huxley (Rebels), 11 Drew Mitchell (Waratahs), 10 Danny Cipriani (Rebels), 9 Charl McLeod (Sharks), 8 Ashley Johnson (Cheetahs), 7 Josh Strauss (Lions), 6 Adam Thomson (Highlanders), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), 3 WP Nel (Cheetahs), 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), 1 Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders).

Team of Round Three: 15 Pat McCabe (Brumbies), 14 Lelia Masaga (Chiefs), 13 Robbie Fruean (Crusaders), 12 Shaun Treeby (Highlanders), 11 Kade Poki (Highlanders), 10 Dan Carter (Crusaders), 9 Will Genia (Reds), 8 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 7 Matt Todd (Crusaders), 6 Adam Thomson (Highlanders), 5 Josh Bekhuis (Highlanders), 4 Isaac Ross (Chiefs), 3 John Afoa (Blues), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 Wyatt Crocket (Crusaders).

Team of Round Four: 15 Israel Dagg (Crusaders), 14 Sean Maitland (Crusaders), 13 Robbie Fruean (Crusaders), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (Crusaders), 11 Andre Taylor (Hurricanes), 10 James O'Connor (Western Force), 9 Andy Ellis (Crusaders), 8 Kieran Read (Crusaders), 7 Willem Alberts (Sharks), 6 Richard Brown (Western Force), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), 4 Sam Wykes (Western Force), 3 CJ van der Linde (Stormers), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 John Schwalger (Hurricanes).

Team of Round Five: 15 Israel Dagg (Crusaders), 14 Rene Ranger (Blues), 13 Robbie Fruean (Crusaders), 12 Luke McAlister (Blues), 11 Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs), 10 Peter Grant (Stormers), 9 Alby Mathewson (Blues), 8 Kieran Read (Crusaders), 7 Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs), 6 Scott Higginbotham (Reds), 5 Andries Bekker (Stormers), 4 Rynhardt Elstadt (Stormers), 3 WP Nel (Cheetahs), 2 Keven Mealamu (Blues), 1 Ben Daley (Reds).

Team of Round Six: 15 Israel Dagg (Crusaders), 14 Rod Davies (Reds), 13 Jaques Fourie (Stormers), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (Crusaders), 11 Zac Guildford (Crusaders), 10 Dan Carter (Crusaders), 9 Nick Phipps (Rebels), 8 Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), 7 Beau Robinson (Reds), 6 Willem Alberts (Sharks), 5 Andries Bekker (Stormers), 4 Alister Campbell (Rebels), 3 Greg Somerville (Rebels), 2 Deon Fourie (Stormers), 1 Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders).

Team of Round Seven: 15 Isaia Toeava (Blues),14 Kade Poki (Highlanders), 13 Digby Ioane (Reds), 12 Luke McAlister (Blues), 11 Luke Morahan (Reds), 10 Danny Cipriani (Rebels), 9