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What Tony Johnson is hearing about the vacant All Blacks assistant role
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Our Investec Champions Cup team of the week
By Josh Raisey
The first round of the Investec Champions Cup is complete and it was a weekend that had a mix of shocks and some equally unsurprising results.
It was a round with some eye-catching performances, with some international superstars showing their worth on the biggest stage in club rugby.
Here’s the team of the week:
Champions Cup team of round one
15. Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Didn’t get on the scoresheet, but almost every touch was dripping with class and troubled the ASM Clermont Auvergne defence.
VIDEO
14. Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse)
There were some strong showings on the wing, with Louis Rees-Zammit and Noah Caluori close to a place in this team, but the Italian’s hat-trick against the Sharks warrants a place. With five clean breaks to go with his tries, he ran riot at the Stade Ernest-Wallon.
13. Lucio Cinti (Saracens)
Two tries only tell part of the story for the Argentine Cinti, as he relentlessly tested the Clermont defence.
Investec Champions Cup
Pool 1
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Toulouse
1
1
0
0
5
2
Saracens
1
1
0
0
5
3
Glasgow
1
1
0
0
5
4
Sale
1
0
1
0
1
5
Sharks
1
0
1
0
0
6
Clermont
1
0
1
0
0
Pool 2
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Bath
1
1
0
0
5
2
Gloucester
1
1
0
0
5
3
Edinburgh
1
1
0
0
5
4
Toulon
1
0
1
0
0
5
Castres
1
0
1
0
0
6
Munster
1
0
1
0
0
Pool 3
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Stade Rochelais
1
1
0
0
5
2
Leinster
1
1
0
0
5
3
Stormers
1
1
0
0
4
4
Harlequins
1
0
1
0
1
5
Bayonne
1
0
1
0
0
6
Leicester
1
0
1
0
0
Pool 4
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Bordeaux
1
1
0
0
5
2
Northampton
1
1
0
0
5
3
Bristol
1
1
0
0
4
4
Scarlets
1
0
1
0
1
5
Bulls
1
0
1
0
1
6
Pau
1
0
1
0
0
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors)
In what was a gritty victory away to Sale on Friday night, the Scotland captain embodied that display, carrying into the guts of the Sale defence 20 times. Not flashy, but fundamental to earning a big away win.
11. Jordan Larmour (Leinster)
Scored a try from close range few players of his size would expect to score, and bagged his second via a cross-field kick. With seven Harlequins defenders beaten, Larmour looked red hot, but unfortunately succumbed to a nasty injury late on.
10. Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles)
Majestic. The Frenchman made Loftus Versfeld his very own playground as the reigning champions overcame the Bulls. He was untouchable, with a try, two assists, and, more impressively, a try-saving tackle on Sebastian de Klerk.
9. Imad Khan (Stormers)
There were some strong showings at No9 this weekend, with Alex Mitchell, Ben Spencer and Tomos Williams all in contention, but a try-scoring performance in the Stormers’ visit to Bayonne earned the 22-year-old a place in the team.
1. Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers)
The South Africa loosehead was making his Stormers debut in France, and put in the kind of scrummaging display that is expected from a Bok prop.
2. Julien Marchand (Toulouse)
Two tries and a typical menace over the ball as Toulouse swept the Sharks aside.
3. Cleopas Kundiona (Northampton Saints)
The only substitute to make the team, but Northampton’s scrum dominance in the final quarter laid the platform for their late win, particularly as they were navigating the second half with 14 players for 20 minutes.
4. Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
The Saints’ engine room was the backbone of their win on the road to Pau, and JJ van der Mescht could equally be in this team. But Coles edges it for his 80-minute performance.
5. Hugh Tizard (Saracens)
As flashy as Saracens looked at times, they needed a brute up front to give them momentum, and Tizard brought that. Big carries in the tight, hit rucks, and was rewarded with a try at the end.
6. Liam McConnell (Edinburgh)
Up against a Toulon back-row that boasted two England internationals and a France international, Scotland’s 21-year-old flanker McConnell was head and shoulders above them. Comfortably topped the tackle charts in Edinburgh’s shock win and got his hands on the ball a lot as well.
7. Ernst van Rhyn (Sale Sharks)
The only player from a losing side to make the team, the Sale captain led from the front in a huge defensive effort, racking up 31 tackles. He opened the scoring from close range too.
8. Gregory Alldritt (La Rochelle)
The more Alldritt is involved in a match, the more often La Rochelle win. It’s simple. 19 carries against Leicester Tigers, over twice as many as any other player on the pitch, the No.8 dominated the game.
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