Our Investec Champions Cup team of the week - round of 16

All eight home sides prevailed in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16, but there was nothing routine about it.

Five of the eight ties were decided by margins of fewer than 10 points, with several shocks looming before the favourites found a way through. In the end, it was the game’s biggest names who delivered when it mattered, guiding their teams into the quarter-finals.

So here’s our Champions Cup round of 16 team of the week:

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster)
The Ireland full-back claimed everything that came his way and finished smartly for his try, showing the kind of composure and class that had been missing during his injury layoff.. There were strong challengers this week, with Bordeaux’s Salesi Rayasi bagging a hat-trick and George Furbank impressing once again.

14. Christian Ambadiang (Castres)
Furbank’s interventions were so crucial for Northampton because he was up against a Castres back division that was ruthlessly potent. Both wings, Vuate Karawalevu and Ambadiang, ran riot at Franklin’s Gardens, but it was the Cameroonian’s two tries, as well as eight defenders beaten, which means he edges it. This is all despite a wild yellow card and a penalty try for a scrag tackle.

13. Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors)
Outfoxed the Bulls’ defence time and time again at Scotstoun, making the break which led to his side’s first try and then crowning his display with a try in the corner in the final 10 minutes.

12. Kalvin Gourgues (Bristol Bears)
Toulouse’s 21-year-old started at outside centre but deserves a place in this side following his two-try effort against Bristol Bears. The centre has pace to burn, but swerves and changes angle so smoothly that Bristol’s charitable defence had no chance.

11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Bordeaux-Begles)
It may have been Bielle-Biarrey’s back-three team-mate Rayasi who bagged a hat-trick, but the Six Nations player of the Championship was unplayable at the Stade Chaban-Delmas. One try, two assists, five line breaks, 179 metres carried and a staggering 13 defenders beaten – numbers that only the very best in the world can produce.

10. George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Matthieu Jalibert was freakishly good on the Atlantic coast in one of those performances where all 23 of his carries seemed dangerous. But the Frenchman was up against a weakened Leicester side as the reigning champions were making breaks at will. The day before, however, in stormy conditions was a much different affair, which Ford managed adroitly as Sale edged past Harlequins in London. The England centurion kicked 16 points as the Sharks progressed.

9. Archie McParland (Northampton Saints)
This was not a perfect performance from the English 21-year-old against Castres, but the great moments certainly outweighed the bad ones. Two try assists, a try himself and he could have had another one had he not been illegally tackled when just feet from the line. A constant threat around the breakdown, either by bringing players into the game or with his own sniping runs.

1. Patrick Schickerling (Glasgow Warriors)
Seeing as his scrum was comfortably second-best against the Bulls, this was some display from Schickerling in the loose to make this team. Had no right to power over from close range, driving three Bulls tacklers backwards, and garnished his display with the most turnovers and most dominant tackles of the match.

2. Maxime Lamothe (Bordeaux-Belges)
Nothing quite summed up the confidence Bordeaux were playing with than Lamothe’s behind-the-back pass, followed by his support line to finish a try.

3. Thomas du Toit (Bath)
Bath were staring down the barrel of a shock loss to Saracens at half time at the Rec. Fortunately, Johann van Graan had Thomas du Toit ready to unleash after the break. Suddenly, a scrum that was consistently being penalised in the first half was driving Saracens’ pack backwards, and the hosts had newfound superiority up front. The impact the Springbok provided could not be ignored, and he was named player of the match.

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens)
The England captain was once again imperious in a match few gave Saracens a chance in against a Bath side that beat them 62-15 two weeks before. The lock tormented Tom Dunn at the lineout, foiled multiple mauls, produced the joint-most turnovers and even had a cheeky break from a ruck.

5. David Ribbans (Toulon)
Performances like this will put the South African-born former England lock firmly on Rassie Erasmus’ radar. The Toulon captain was monumental up front on the Cote d’Azur, producing 16 bruising carries during 70 minutes on the field. If Steve Borthwick doesn’t find a way to pick him, Erasmus certainly will.

6. Josh Kemeny (Northampton Saints)
The Wallaby was beating tacklers for fun in the first half against Castres, making the break which led to the penalty try-conceding tackle on McParland and scoring a try himself. Add his tackle count as well – a match-leading 20 tackles – and that translates to a barnstorming display.

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
Topped the match against Edinburgh for turnovers, and worked relentlessly at the breakdown on both sides of the ball. He wrestled his way over the line to kickstart Leinster’s stronger second half to cap a fine afternoon in Dublin.

8. Charles Ollivon (Toulon)
Big players stand up in big moments, and Ollivon (although playing at flanker) delivered the coup de grace by holding up the Stormers’ Adre Smith at the death to deliver the win for Toulon. What’s more, he showed an astute knowledge of the laws, knowing he can tackle a player when on his knees if he is in-goal. Got through his carries too, with 44 metres off 10 runs and was the go-to man in the lineout as well, with seven takes, to ensure the Toulon set-piece functioned well.