Five of the best: The top five players from round two of Super Rugby AU
The second round of Super Rugby AU saw the competitions first ever Super Time, as well as the long-awaited return of the Western Force who last played Super Rugby 1092 days ago.
The Reds scored 10-points in the final 6-minutes to take the Rebels to golden point, and would’ve won the match had a Bryce Hegarty penalty not have fallen short.
The backrow of Wright, McReight and Wilson backed up last week’s performance, with their abundance of energy and high work rate keeping the Reds within touching distance.
The Waratahs were the only winners from round two, and can breathe a sigh of relief after surviving a scare from the Force.
The Force ran out to a 14-0 lead just before half-time, but the hosts regained control with 23 unanswered points getting their season back on track with a win.
While the forward pack laid the foundations for the eventual comeback, it was the Waratahs outside backs who made the Force pay late in the match.
Players in both matches stood up when their teams needed them, in what was another impressive weekend of Australian rugby. Let’s see who stood out as the five players of week two.
Brynard Stander (Force)
The Western Force were impressive in their long-awaited return to Super Rugby, with a host of players standing up and impressing despite the loss.
Brynard Stander was a standout for the Force, imposing his strength and brutality on the Waratahs defence every time he got the ball with his hard and direct style of play.
The Number Eight ran for 72 metres off 13 carries, which was fourth overall for running metres across the two matches. He looked especially dangerous in the couple of times he found himself in space, proving a handful for any player trying to take down the backrower one-on-one.
Teammate Tevin Ferris also impressed with his defensive performance in what was a good night for the Force backrow. The flanker was the top tackler of the round with 21.
Harry Wilson (Reds)
Harry Wilson was back to his best on Friday night, reminding the Australian rugby public why both Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, and Reds coach Brad Thorn, were singing his praises before the COVID break.
Wilson ran the 3rd most metres of any Reds player with 57, with his desire to compete and get his hands of the ball really clear on Friday.
The 20-year-old also stood out for a brave dropout return in the 68th minute, where he ran it straight at Rebels prop Cameron Orr who he bumped off with sheer determination.
When the Reds needed Wilson, the up-and-comer stood up.
Just as he did last week, Wilson also made his mark on defence with 16 tackles, which was the most of any Reds player.
Reds flanker Fraser McReight was also impressive against the Rebels, and was unlucky not to have made this list on his own.
While the 2019 Junior Wallabies captain’s stats weren’t quite as eye-catching as his teammates, his work rate around the breakdown was particularly impressive.
Both players continued to knock on Dave Rennie’s door for Wallabies selection with their performances in round two.
Jack Maddocks (Waratahs)
Jack Maddocks was once again a standout player from the weekend of rugby, looking right at home in the Waratahs 15 jersey.
Just as he did last week, the 23-year-old topped the competition for metres ran with 87 off 17 carries.
Maddocks also proved himself to be a handy option with the boot, impressing with in-field kicking to help the Tahs regain control of the match.
The fullback seems to be thriving alongside flyhalf Will Harrison who was also impressive last weekend. Their combination could tempt Dave Rennie as the future 10-15 combination for the Wallabies.
But let’s not forget about Tom Banks who we’re yet to see in Super Rugby AU.
James Ramm (Waratahs)
James Ramm might just be the standout player of the second week of Super Rugby AU. While wingers tend to be graded on their ability to cross for five-pointers, and even though he didn’t, his work around the park was exceptional.
The 22-year-old was particularly impressive in attack, running for 83 metres off only eight carries. Ramm was equal second for running metres alongside Reds winger Filipo Dangunu, and was only bettered by Jack Maddocks by four metres.
It didn’t come easy for the winger through, who earned every metre he ran. Ramm topped the charts for both defenders beaten with six, and for clean line breaks with three.
Before he starts pushing the national honours though, Ramm will have to prove his consistency starting with competition favourites in the Brumbies, next Saturday.
Pone Fa’amausili (Rebels)
Standing at nearly two metres tall and weighing 130 kilograms, Pone Fa’amausili was always going to be a threat to the Reds hopes of back-to-back wins for the first time in 2020.
While it was a mixed scrumming performance, the tighthead prop outshone the man known as ‘the Tongan Thor’ in Taniela Tupou, for the havoc that he caused around the park.
Reds fullback Bryce Hegarty was on the wrong side of the hit of the night, where Fa’amausili sent him flying just 30 seconds after the half-time break.
He backed that up six minutes later, returning a goal line drop out straight at Wallaby Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.
The 23-year-old showed plenty of courage but didn’t seem at all fazed by the wall of Reds jerseys, taking the ball just short of 30 metres.
In an otherwise wet and messy match, Pone Fa’amausili was a definite highlight.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments