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
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick 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.
30 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 comments