Super Rugby: Team of the Week
Now that the dust has settled in the southern hemisphere, Planet Rugby thought it was only right to hail the stars of Super Rugby, Round 5.
Now that the dust has settled in the southern hemisphere, Planet Rugby thought it was only right to hail the stars of Super Rugby, Round 5.
The Bulls' demolition job of the Reds and the Hurricanes' last-gasp win over the Blues sees quite a few representatives in blue and yellow – four each – while the Rebels, Waratahs, Brumbies, Sharks, Cheetahs, Stormers and Crusaders all contribute one player in this week's team.
Don't forget to send in your own 15-1 team line-ups!
15 Andre Taylor (Hurricanes): A bright future looks certain to continue for the speedy full-back, who has proven to be a deadly finisher for the Hurricanes when put into space, as shown against the Blues last Friday.
14 Mark Gerrard (Rebels): There's still plenty of gas left in the former Wallaby who was able to combine pace, acceleration and power out wide against the Force. Proved to be valuable with the boot too after slotting over a long-range penalty to help end his side's winless drought in 2012.
13 Conrad Smith (Hurricanes): A real captain's performance from the All Blacks centre, Smith was the hero for his team after scoring two tries, none more important than the last – a 30-metre sprint to break the Blues' hearts.
12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls): It seems chopping his prince charming locks has done the world of good for the discarded Bok centre, who put in a faultless performance against the Reds and brought an air of composure to the Bulls backline.
11 Julian Savea (Hurricanes): This bloke loves to run with the ball and create opportunities – one of which ended with team-mate Andre Taylor going over in the corner. A strong work-rate on the field, Savea was consistently looking for work and never shied away from the action.
10 Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes): Talk about a breakthrough season. Barrett has headlines for all the right reasons, as the young gun continues to add his brand of mercurial magic to Hurricanes backline in 2012.
9 Brendan McKibbin (Waratahs): Newcomer Brendan McKibbin celebrated his run-on debut with a dream start, earning the man-of-the-match award and scoring 17 points to help the Waratahs to an inspiring team victory. In a flawless kicking display, McKibbin slotted two first-half penalties and converted his own try to help the home team return to winning ways.
8 Pierre Spies (Bulls): The Bulls skipper has often been on the wrong end of the stick, but silenced his critics by leading his team from the front with a strong outing that brought back memories of when the Bok number eight first made a name for himself.
7 Michael Hooper (Brumbies): The 20-year-old thrust his name right into the Wallabies mix as he popped up everywhere at Canberra Stadium while making a match-high 26 tackles, forcing several turnovers, scoring the final try and having a hand in another to help lift the Brumbies atop the Australian conference with a win over the Highlanders.
6 Jacques Potgieter (Bulls): He played with a different number on his back for the Bulls but in South Africa the blindside wears No.7, so Potgieter gets the nod. An explosive runner and a tough tackler, Potgieter used his impressive speed and acceleration to score one of the tries of the round against the Reds.
5 Izak van der Westhuizen (Cheetahs): It's never easy facing the seven-time Super Rugby champions in their own back yard, but the Cheetahs lock punched well above his weight against an All Blacks-laden Crusaders side and added plenty of energy to a gusty Cheetahs performance.
4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers): What can we say that hasn't been said already of the Stormers second-row enforcer? Etzebeth has established himself more and more as a dependable, hard-working and tough-as-nails lock.
3 Owen Franks (Crusaders): A constant thorn in the Cheetahs' side up front, Franks huffed and puffed and blew the opposition front-row down until they were left with uncontested scrums in the second half.
2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks): Keeps out Crusaders rake Cory Flynn, but in the end we think we've made the right choice. Du Plessis used himself as a human battering ram to break the Waratahs' would-be tacklers and together with his physicality on defence, made him a fiery customer in Sydney.
1 Dean Greyling (Bulls): Another regular in our team, but watch Greyling in action and you'll agree it's pretty hard leaving him out.
Team of Round Four: 15 Dave Harvey (Force), 14 Lachlan Mitchell (Rebels), 13 Tamati Ellison (Highlanders), 12 Jean de Villiers (Stormers), 11 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), 10 Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies), 9 Charl McLeod (Sharks), 8 Keegan Daniels (Sharks), 7 David Pocock (Force), 6 Scott Fardy (Brumbies), 5 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), 3 Charlie Faumuina (Blues), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs), 1 Arizona Taumalolo (Chiefs).
Team of Round Three: 15 Andre Taylor (Hurricanes), 14 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), 13 Andrew Smith (Brumbies), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (Chiefs), 11 Bjorn Basson (Bulls), 10 Gareth Anscombe (Blues), 9 TJ Perenara (Hurricanes), 8 Victor Vito (Hurricanes), 7 Heinrich Brussow (Cheetahs), 6 Adam Thomson (Highlanders), 5 Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), 4 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 3 Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs), 2 Stephen Moore (Brumbies), 1 Sona Taumololo (Chiefs).
Team of Round Two: 15 Robbie Robinson (Chiefs), 14 Akona Ndungane (Bulls), 13 Ben Tapuai (Reds), 12 Tom Carter (Waratahs), 11 Hosea Gear (Highlanders), 10 Mike Harris (Reds), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs), 8 Nick Koster (Stormers), 7 John Hardie (Highlanders), 6 Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), 5 Nick Croswell (Highlanders), 4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), 3 Sekope Kepu (Waratahs), 2 Andrew Hore (Highlanders), 1 Dean Greyling (Bulls).
Team of Round One: 15 Joe Pietersen (Stormers), 14 Dom Shipperley (Reds), 13 Rene Ranger (Blues), 12 Tamati Ellison (Highlanders), 11 Israel Dagg (Crusaders), 10 Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), 9 Sarel Pretorius (Waratahs), 8 Jerome Kaino (Blues), 7 Derick Minnie (Lions), 6 Adam Thomson (Highlanders), 5 Juandré Kruger (Bulls), 4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), 3 Ben Franks (Crusaders), 2 Jason Rutledge (Highlanders), 1 Dean Greyling (Bulls).
Compiled by Dave Morris