Super Rugby: Team of the Play-offs

With the Super Rugby semi-finalists confirmed, we take a look at the players that put their hand up to help their franchise get there.

And then there were four! With the Super Rugby semi-finalists confirmed, we take a look at those who put their hand up to help their team get there.

The Crusaders' emphatic three tries to one victory over the Sharks earns the men in red and black eight spots this week, while the Blues have four after their play-off win against the Waratahs.

Of course there's always room for the losing teams and although the visiting sides didn't get the job done, a Waratah and two Sharks still managed to get the nod.

15 Tom Marshall (Crusaders): Beats off some strong competition from Blues full-back Jared Payne to get the nod this week. Marshall has had some mighty big boots to fill in the absence of Israel Dagg, but has stepped in comfortably.

14 Sean Maitland (Crusaders): Coming back from a long injury break, it looked like Maitland never left as the Crusaders' speedster set up his team's first try to Sonny Bill Williams that set the hosts on their way to victory.

13 Ryan Cross (Waratahs): Cross grafted hard in the Waratahs' midfield, making good ground whenever he got his hands on the ball and had a say in both the Sydneysiders' tries.

12 Sonny Bill Williams (Crusaders): We'll overlook his Oscar-winning moment and focus more on his overall performance that has now seen the multi-talented midfielder reel in the Sharks on two occasions this year.

11 Lachie Munro (Blues): Munro has certainly grabbed his chance with both hands for the Blues following the injury to Rene Ranger. The Northlander was sensational for the hosts, scoring the Blues' first try and landing three vital penalties to keep his team on top.

10 Dan Carter (Crusaders): Carter had an off-day with the boot early on, but when he found his target the Crusaders pivot kept the scoreboard ticking over. Not his most influential performance ever, but then again there weren't many quality performances in the number 10 jersey over the weekend.

9 Charl McLeod (Sharks): A few handling errors aside, we thought McLeod did an admirable job for the Sharks on a night when not many things went their way. It was his sniping run that set the visitors up for their only try of the game.

8 Kieran Read (Crusaders): Even with an injured ankle, Read put in another solid performance and turned the game on its head with a runaway intercept try midway through the second half from which the Sharks never recovered.

7 Luke Braid (Blues): Up against veteran Phil Waugh, it was a case of master versus the apprentice with the latter getting the better of his more experienced rival.

6 Keegan Daniel (Sharks): The best Sharks player on offer in Nelson, Daniel was a real threat at the breakdown and helped set up his team's only try of the match.

5 Ali Williams (Blues): Besides diving over for the match-winning try, the Blues stalwart was back to the Williams of old – charging with the ball in hand, putting in deft kicks and dominating the line-outs.

4 Brad Thorn (Crusaders): Subbed with 20 minutes of the game still to go, but it was a well-earned rest as the Crusaders workhorse did enough in his time on the pitch to prove he's still the first-choice lock in NZ.

3 Owen Franks (Crusaders): His brother may have had the last laugh with a try in the final minutes, but Owen Franks doesn't need his name on the scoresheet to confirm a top notch performance.

2 Keven Mealamu (Blues): Led admirably from the front, and gained his team plenty of momentum on attack with some strong running as the Blues skipper bashed his way through the Waratahs defence.

1 Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders): Never gave an inch – he was primed for a big game and delivered.

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 Fourie du Preez (Bulls), 8 Gareth Delve (Rebels), 7 Schalk Burger (Stormers), 6 Jack Lam (Hurricanes), 5 Hugh Pyle (Rebels), 4 Sam Wykes (Western Force), 3 Werner Kruger (Bulls), 2 Jason Rutledge (Highlanders), 1 Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders).

Team of Round Eight: 15 Ben Smith (Highlanders, 14 Henry Speight (Brumbies), 13