Team of the Week: Super Rugby, quarter-finals

Colin Newboult
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With the dust having settled on the Super Rugby quarter-finals, we have gone through the action to pick out the best players from the past weekend.

The Brumbies lead the way following their dominant victory over the Sharks, with four representatives in the XV, while the Crusaders and Jaguares are next best with three apiece.

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, quarter-finals

15 Solomon Alaimolo (Chiefs): It was ultimately a disappointing conclusion to their Super Rugby campaign, but there were some good individual displays from the New Zealand franchise in Buenos Aires. Alaimalo was one of those to impress against the Jaguares as he dominated the aerial battle and was a constant threat in attack. The back three player has not quite been at the same standard as last season but was back to his best on Friday and deservedly takes his place in the XV, despite good performances from Tom Banks (Brumbies) and Warrick Gelant (Bulls).

14 Cornal Hendricks (Bulls): What an incredible season it has been for the South African wing. It is remarkable that Hendricks is even playing at all, given the heart problems which forced him to retire three years ago, but the fact that the 30-year-old has returned and is producing at this level is testament to him. He was excellent on Saturday, despite the Bulls’ defeat, and produced two superb finishes as the Pretoria outfit came so close to upsetting the 2016 champions. Elsewhere, Salesi Rayasi, who came on in the first half for the ‘Canes, scored a stunning individual try and looks a real talent, but Hendricks just edges it.

13 Matias Orlando (Jaguares): Performed well at the heart of the Jags’ backline, doing everything efficiently and causing problems for the Chiefs defence. Orlando made 42 metres, which a included a clean break, while he was also solid on defence and didn’t miss a tackle. The Crusaders’ Jack Goodhue was next best but it was a quiet weekend for the centres.

12 Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks): As mentioned above, it wasn’t necessarily a weekend for those in midfield to thrive, but Esterhuizen did his best to drive the Sharks forward on Saturday. After an impressive campaign in 2018, which led to a Springboks debut, hopes were high this year but he has struggled to recapture that form. It was a much better individual effort on Saturday, though, as Esterhuizen carried hard, running for 53 metres with three clean breaks, and was rewarded with their only try of the match.

11 Matias Moroni (Jaguares): The Argentinians have so many quality options in the back three when you consider both the outstanding Ramiro Moyano and Bautista Delguy were absent, and Moroni did an excellent job in their place. The 28-year-old scored a crucial try in the second half, which got the Jags back into the contest, and was a threat whenever he received the ball, as he takes the position from the Hurricanes’ Ben Lam.

10 Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders): Another wonderful display from the defending champions’ fly-half following an ultimately comfortable victory over the Highlanders on Friday. Opposite number Josh Ioane also played well, while Beauden Barrett had several fine moments for the Hurricanes, but Mo’unga’s all-round game was a level above. The All Blacks pivot touched down twice, made 64 metres in total, which included three clean breaks, and kicked his goals to take the number 10 slot.

9 Joe Powell (Brumbies): There were some fine displays at nine this weekend, with TJ Perenara (Hurricanes) and Brad Weber (Chiefs) both showing their ability in attack, while the Jaguares’ Tomas Cubelli was crisp from the base, but we felt that Powell showed the greater control throughout. Made the right decisions with the ball and was overall a crucial reason as to why the Canberra outfit dominated the contest against the Sharks.

8 Pete Samu (Brumbies): The Wallaby back-row played a prominent role in his side’s victory over the Sharks in Canberra before leaving the field with a hamstring injury early in the second half. Samu made 74 runs from five carries which included three clean breaks, six defenders beaten and crossed for two well-taken five-pointers. All Blacks captain Kieran Read also had a good game for the Crusaders.

7 Ardie Savea (Hurricanes): The 25-year-old emptied the tank in a hard-fought victory over the Bulls in Wellington. Savea made a nuisance of himself at the breakdown and won a crucial turnover in the game’s closing stages when the Bulls were hammering away at his side’s try-line. Also shone on attack and eventually gained 47 metres from 10 runs with a couple of clean breaks, two defenders beaten as well as three offloads. His fellow All Blacks Sam Cane (Chiefs) and Matt Todd (Crusaders) also impressed.

6 Pablo Matera (Jaguares): Another excellent performance – from arguably the Jaguaures’ best player this year – in their historical triumph over the Chiefs in Buenos Aires. Matera shone as a ball carrier, gaining 58 metres from 15 carries with two clean breaks and six defenders beaten. Also made a big impact on defence with a team-high 15 tackles. Whetu Douglas of the Crusaders was next best.

5 RG Snyman (Bulls): The Springbok second-row put in another hard-working shift as the Bulls fell just short in their encounter with the Hurricanes. Snyman led the Bulls’ charge in the lineouts where he won several balls, was a willing ball carrier after making 12 runs, and he also made five offloads in contact. He was also good on defence with nine hits and beats out Sam Carter of the Brumbies.

4 Rory Arnold (Brumbies): Guido Petti put in a good performance for the Jaguares but the Wallaby gets the nod after a hard-working effort against a physical Sharks pack in Canberra. Arnold was the Brumbies’ go-to-man in the lineouts where he won five balls but also put his body on the line with 12 tackles, while he set up Pete Samu’s first try with a neat pass.

3 Michael Alaalatoa (Crusaders): First up, a mention for Owen Franks, who came to the fore with a powerful scrummaging display upon his return to action in the champions’ win over the Highlanders. But we’ve picked Alaalatoa, who replaced the All Blacks strongman, and continued with his good work at the set-piece. The 27-year-old also worked hard in the loose and was rewarded with a try for his efforts.

2 Folau Fainga’a (Brumbies): The 24-year-old was in fine form as the Brumbies saw off the Sharks in Canberra. Fainga’a caught the eye with the execution of his core duties, especially on defence where he completed 17 tackles. Also ran hard and edges out Codie Taylor, who put in a solid performance for the Crusaders in Christchurch.

1 Joe Moody (Crusaders): The Crusaders’ scrum was a thing of beauty as they dominated the Highlanders in that facet of play in Christchurch and Moody played a leading role in that department. The All Blacks front-row also performed well on defence where he made nine tackles and pips Wallaby Scott Sio, who played well in the Brumbies’ win against the Sharks.

Brumbies