Team of the Week: Autumn Nations Series, Round Two

James While
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With the dust having settled on the second week of the Autumn Nations Series, we have gone through the action to pick the best players from the weekend.

South Africa lead the way this week with four of their side making the cut, with England next best on three and Ireland and France boasting two apiece.

Autumn Nations Series Team of the Week

15 Frans Steyn (South Africa): Many a good tune is played on an old fiddle, and the big fella from South Africa added a huge presence and a massive boot to the Springbok win in Cardiff. Melvyn Jaminet contributed 19 points for France in Paris, whilst Freddie Steward also impressed for England.

14 Andrew Conway (Ireland): Conway’s hat-trick in Ireland’s unexpected demolition of Japan was a result of his hunger for work and he takes this week’s honours from the excellent Darcy Graham (Scotland) whilst in Paris, Damian Penaud was again a focal point of France’s impressive backline.

13 Henry Slade (England): Slade sent a message to those who had written him off after his Lions non-selection with a display of running and distribution that saw him gain over 200 metres and he sees off the challenges of the superb Irishman, Garry Ringrose, and France’s defensive leader, the outstanding Gael Fickou.

12 Damian de Allende (South Africa): De Allende is South Africa’s quiet man of steel in midfield and yet again, he put in a defensive and creative shift that was head and shoulders above any other three quarter on the pitch. Manu Tuilagi looked lean and lithesome against Tonga, running for over 100 metres whilst his old schoolmate, Bundee Aki, was direct and powerful, crossing for a try in Dublin.

11 Jonny May (England): May took his international try tally to 34 with a brace at Twickenham, reminding us all of his deadly finishing. In Cardiff, Makazole Mapimpi was unlucky to have a try chalked off for offside, whilst on Sunday, Duhan van der Merwe ran his usual powerful lines as Scotland defeated Australia.

10 Johnny Sexton (Ireland): 100 caps you say? Well, with delightful symmetry, for the second week running we see a cap centurion take the outside half honours as Sexton, rather more grey of hair these days, produced a masterclass to walk off to a standing Dublin ovation, seeing off the claims of the impish Marcus Smith, who came on and created mayhem at Twickenham for 30 minutes, and the creativity of Matthieu Jalibert, who designed both tries for France with his intelligent running lines.

9 Antoine Dupont (France): France’s temporary skipper took to the role like a duck to water as he produced a display of power and footwork that underlined his claim to being the best player in the world. Evergreen Ben Youngs threw shade on those who might criticise his pace as he crossed for a couple of tries against Tonga, and Argentina’s Tomas Cubelli completes our nominations as he impressed again in defeat.

8 Hoskins Sotutu (New Zealand): Sotutu is a rugby freak and his pace and skills are comparable to any backline player in international rugby. He had a memorable day in the win over Italy, crossing for a late try. Tom Curry answered his critics in fine style with a flawless display at Twickenham, whilst Anthony Jelonch showed France’s back-row depth as he put in a compelling shift in Paris.

7 Hamish Watson (Scotland): Almost unrecognisable without his mullet, Little Mish bounced and banged all day against one of the very best in Michael Hooper. Kiwi skipper Sam Cane reminded us all his credentials as he made his comeback in an all-action display in Rome.

6 Ellis Jenkins (Wales): In a dismal season in terms of results, Welsh fervour for their favourite flanker reached new heights as Jenkins put in a remarkable display in his first Test after three long years of rehab. At Twickenham, Courtney Lawes responded well to the captain’s armband with a sizzling cover tackle that he’ll remember for years, whilst Jenkins’ opposite number, Kwagga Smith was his gnarly suffocating self in the loose at the Principality Stadium.

5 Thibaud Flament (France): Five years ago, Flament was playing at fly-half for Loughborough University fourth team, yet now, he’s one of France’s brightest young talents, crossing for their first try in their win over Argentina in Paris. Eben Etzebeth was characteristically massive for the Springboks in their Welsh win, whilst Maro Itoje added a fourth international try in England’s stroll at Twickenham.

4 Lood de Jager (South Africa): The massive Sale Shark was a beacon of light in the rainy gloom of Cardiff as his off-road game came into its own in a tight victory. Izack Rodda was a powerhouse for Australia despite their Murrayfield loss, whilst France’s Paul Willemse also impressed alongside his young charge, Flament.

3 Trevor Nyakane (South Africa): We could have picked either Springbok tighthead as they absolutely dominated the Welsh scrum in Cardiff. Tadhg Furlong, in his 50th Irish Test, showed that the Jukebox had all the hits as he enjoyed yet another fine day at the office and in Paris, we saw Demba Bamba cause all sorts of impact mayhem as he defined the term finisher.

2 Julian Montoya (Argentina): Our hardest call of the weekend as it’s almost impossible to separate the doughty Puma with the excellence and match impact of Malcolm Marx, as he crossed over for a lineout drive in Cardiff. However, Montoya’s four turnovers, try and carries for 60 metres set him a class apart, with Scotland’s debutant Ewan Ashman also showing he knows how to finish.

1 Ellis Genge (England): The baby rhino, entrusted with the English vice captaincy, is a powerhouse in both the loose and the tight, as he smashed through Tonga time and time again. Cyril Baille showed his running skills for France, whilst Steven Kitshoff made a huge impact both in the Welsh front-row and the game itself in Cardiff.

 

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Team of Week: Autumn Nations Series, Round Two

Planet Rugby features writer James While discusses his Team of the Week.

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