All Blacks dominate our Nations Champions third round team of the week

The July window of the Nations Championship has come and gone, with teams having already packed their bags to return home, giving most players a well-deserved rest.

But before the dust settles, let’s reveal who made the cut for our National Championship team for round 3!

1. Gerhard Steenekamp (South Africa)
The Boks packed quite the punch at scrum time with Gerhard Steenekamp munching the Welsh front row with unfathomable power, twisting Dillon Lewis like a knot. Beyond winning three scrum penalties, the prop put his size to good use in contact, getting over the gain line on three of his six carries.

2. Maxime Lamothe (France)
Wrapped up July in style with a brace of finishes against Japan, commanding the French front five with absolute control and certainty. Rock-solid at the breakdown and in the ruck, he completed eight tackles without a miss and secured a crucial turnover.

3. Joe Heyes (England)
A standout display from Joe Heyes, who seemed determined not to let a single Argentinian slip past him, racking up 20 successful tackles when he was subbed off 65 minutes into the game. While he didn’t enjoy a good start in the scrummaging battle, he ended up coming out on top of the tussle.

4. Josh Canham (Australia)
An absolutely stunning performance from one of the biggest sensations of the moment. The lock powered his way through to ground two tries, enacting a physically daunting outing that shattered the Azzurri with might and thirst for more. Class work at the lineout, spoiling three Italian throw-ins, giving the Wallabies an edge in the set-piece battle.

5. Patrick Tuipulotu (New Zealand)
A special return to the Test match scene for Patrick Tuipulotu, who not only was industrious with the ball in his hands, but also did remarkable work in the set-piece. Was the first All Black to cross the whitewash triumphantly, sending a clear reminder that he is very much in the hunt for a place in the starting line-up.

6. Paul de Villiers (South Africa)
There’s no doubt that Paul de Villiers is the real thing. Whether due to his expertise as a lineout operator or his ability to impose himself at the breakdown, the Stormers flanker put out another confident outing in his third game as a member of the Springbok army.

7. Carlo Tizzano (Australia)
Question marks surrounded Carlo Tizzano’s selection ahead of Fraser McReight, but Joe Schmidt’s gamble paid off as the Western Force enforcer ransacked the Italian breakdown from the very first minute. By full-time, Carlo Tizzano had finished as the Wallabies’ leading tackler with 15 successful attempts and was also the home side’s most influential forward in attacking play.

8. Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
Completely overpowered the Irish loose forward trio, taking advantage of his speed and agility to snatch three turnovers, which made Ireland’s task even more impossible. He excelled in his trademark role, punching through contact for crucial metres and helping lay the foundations for New Zealand’s attacking game.

9. Maxime Lucu (France)
Another stellar and classy evening from Maxime Lucu. With France dominating Japan for most of the time, the UBB scrum-half was directly involved in two of his side’s six tries. Absolutely perfect from the tee, converting five from five kicks, his in-game kicking was also key to driving the Brave Blossoms away from France’s 22.

10. Ruben Love (New Zealand)
The Hurricanes maestro-in-chief looked at his best, shaping two handfuls of exciting plays that pushed the All Blacks to take control of the game early on. Valiant under the high ball, he won five of his six aerial contests in what was potentially his finest display of this opening stretch of the Nations Championship.

11. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England)
Like an eel slicked in Vaseline, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso repeatedly slipped the clutches of Argentine tacklers, racking up 100 metres run, three line breaks, a dozen defenders beaten, an assist, and a try in his best performance for England.

12. Len Ikitau (Australia)
Cerebral performance from one of the Wallabies’ main engines, with Len Ikitau contributing tremendously to his side’s memorable win over Italy. Unstoppable at times, Ikitau kept the Italian defence on their toes, winning several metres even when pinned down by one or two tacklers. Was directly involved in three of Australia’s nine tries, scoring one and assisting for two others.

13. Henry Slade (England)
Added another dimension to the English attack, offering an extra threat on the counter and linking up effectively with Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Made a try-saving tackle in what seemed a certain finish for Bautista Delguy, capping off an imperious defensive performance in which he looked virtually impenetrable.

14. Jaco Williams (South Africa)
Have the Springboks found another trailblazing wing in Jaco Williams? The 20-year-old acted like a supernova, completely turning the Welsh to cinders, devising three plays that would push his team across the whitewash. Ended up scoring, adding a finish of his own to South Africa’s lead in his debut for the world champions.

15. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand)
A top-notch blend of slick gameplay with the composure to shut down Ireland’s kicking game, Damian McKenzie delivered his best performance of the Nations Championship so far, bringing a level of dynamism to the All Blacks’ play not seen since 2023. Looks to have found his groove under Dave Rennie.

Honourable mentions to Josua Tuisova (Fiji), Tommy Freeman (England), Matthieu Jalibert (France), Emmanuel Meafou (France), Rob Valentini (Australia), Jordie Barrett (New Zealand) and Justo Piccardo (Argentina).