Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Five

David Skippers

With the dust having settled on Round Four of Super Rugby, we have gone through the action to pick out the best players from the weekend.

The Melbourne Rebels and Hurricanes lead the way with four nominations each following victories over the Highlanders and Sunwolves respectively, while the Blues are next best with three representatives.

Team of the Week: Super Rugby, Round Five

15 Stephen Perofeta (Blues): The youngster is primarily a fly-half but he seems to enjoy the extra space afforded at full-back. Perofeta was in outstanding form as the New Zealanders ended the Stormers’ unbeaten run with a fine display in Cape Town on Saturday. The talented 22-year-old was very much to the fore as he caused the hosts a number of problems throughout the contest. He ended the match with two assists, which included a superb run for Joe Marchant’s opening try.

14 Kobus van Wyk (Hurricanes): After a hat-trick of tries, Van Wyk is an automatic choice, but the Blues’ Joe Marchant is somewhat unfortunate not to get selected after continuing his excellent form since joining the Auckland outfit on loan. After being named out of position, Marchant adapted well and touched down twice, but Van Wyk was simply superb for the Hurricanes. It wasn’t just his finishing ability, which saw the South African cross the whitewash three times, but his overall performance as he ended with 72 metres gained in total.

13 Lukhanyo Am (Sharks): Vince Aso is hugely unlucky to miss out after running for 120 metres and making a staggering six clean breaks against the Sunwolves, while Rieko Ioane impressed at centre for the Blues, but we’ve gone for the Sharks’ defensive linchpin. Am still appears to be vastly underrated, despite being a vital cog in South Africa’s World Cup win, but the people in Durban certainly know his value. The centre is such an intelligent player and his intercept try was decisive in their victory over the Reds on Saturday as it took them 28-16 clear going into the final 10 minutes.

12 Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes): There isn’t a more destructive player in Super Rugby as the Sunwolves found out to their cost. Against a porous defence, the New Zealand international enjoyed his day in Napier, making 99 metres, three clean breaks and scoring one try as the hosts emerged with a 62-15 triumph. Laumape also provided one of the highlights of the weekend by showing his immense power in this carry which sent an opposition player flying backwards.

https://twitter.com/SuperRugbyNZ/status/1233616224845627392

11 Andrew Kellaway (Rebels): It has not been an easy start to the season for the Melbourne-based outfit but their result against the Highlanders showed the team’s capabilities. Kellaway was crucial to their latest victory, scoring two intercept tries as they emerged 28-22 triumphant in Dunedin for their second victory of the campaign. Although the former Northampton flyer started on the right wing, we had to include him after his impact, meaning the Jaguares’ Emiliano Boffelli and Rosko Specman of the Bulls miss out.

10 Matt Toomua (Rebels): There were plenty of players who put their hand up here with Curwin Bosch excelling for the Sharks, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla shining for the Jaguares and Otere Black (Blues) enjoying an outstanding game against the Stormers, but we’ve gone for the Australia international at fly-half. The pressure has been on Toomua, who, like most of his team-mates, has yet to truly fire in 2020, but the 30-year-old was at his best on Friday. He was accurate off the tee, kicking four conversions, and a constant threat with ball in hand.

9 TJ Perenara (Hurricanes): The New Zealand scrum-half produced another fine performance in their victory over the Sunwolves. Perenara was only on the field for 50 minutes but in that time he was hugely influential, helping them open up a 45-10 lead before being replaced. The All Blacks representative was a threat around the fringes, making 35 metres and three clean breaks, while he had a direct hand in two of the tries as he scored one and set up another.

8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Sharks): The Springboks back-row has played consistently well since moving to the Durban-based outfit from the Stormers at the end of last year and was one of the Sharks’ star players in their win against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday. Notshe is proving to be a good link between forwards and backs and ran for 51 metres, beating five defenders in the process. The Blues’ Hoskins Sotutu and Isi Naisarani of the Rebels also had good games.

7 Dalton Papali’i (Blues): The men from Auckland were full value for their win against the previously unbeaten Stormers at Newlands and the 22-year-old All Black caught the eye with a fine performance. Proved to be a menace at the breakdown and did his bit as a ball carrier where he finished with 35 metres gained after two clean breaks a couple of defenders beaten and a well-taken try.

6 Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes): Lachie Swinton of the Waratahs caught the eye in the Sydneysiders’ maiden win of the season, against the Lions, but Fifita gets the nod in our team after a fine effort in his side’s win over the Sunwolves in Napier. The All Black gained 42 metres from two clean breaks and beat three defenders and also managed two offloads.

5 Matt Philip (Rebels): This was a tight call as Tom Staniforth put in a strong defensive showing for the Waratahs against the Lions in Sydney but Philip keeps him out after delivering a big shift for the Rebels in their win over the Highlanders in Dunedin. Philip did what was expected of him in the lineouts, was a willing ball carrier and finished with 31 metres gained. Was also busy on defence where he made nine tackles.

4 Guido Petti (Jaguares): Another solid performance from the Argentine international, who was at the forefront of the Jaguares’ forward effort in a memorable win against the Bulls in Pretoria. The 25-year-old was his usual busy self in the lineouts, where he won several balls, and gained 28 metres on attack from seven carries. Also made eight tackles.

3 Jermaine Ainsley (Rebels): The Rebels’ forwards laid a good platform for their backs in their away triumph against the Highlanders and Ainsley made his mark with a fine all-round effort. The 24-year-old put in a solid scrummaging display and put his body on the line with a strong defensive performance, especially at close quarters. Ainsley completed nine hits and comes in ahead of Thomas du Toit of the Sharks.

2 Kurt Eklund (Blues): The Blues pack went toe-to-toe with their much-vaunted counterparts from the table-topping Stormers and came out on top in what was a tough and physical battle. Eklund was one of the best forwards on display at Newlands as he impressed in the execution of his core duties and was effective as a ball carrier. Finished with 37 metres gained from one clean break with two defenders beaten and an offload. Asafo Aumua of the Hurricanes was next best.

1 Angus Bell (Waratahs): Ox Nche of the Sharks impressed in his side’s away triumph against the Reds but Bell gets in ahead of him after an outstanding performance in the Waratahs’ home victory over the Lions. The 19-year-old made his mark on attack, gaining 52 metres from five carries which included two clean breaks, one defender beaten an offload and he crossed for a well-taken try. Also shone on defence with nine tackles.

Blues