Super Rugby Team of Week - Round 17
As Eric Rush once said, “this is just one man’s opinion”. Please add your picks and your favourites in the feedback box below.
15 Emiliano Boffelli (Jaguares)
It would have to be some performance to knock David Havili (Crusaders) off the top spot and it was. Christian Cullen-like in his ability to ghost in from the backfield off the shoulders of runners and his vision with ball in hand is awesome. Two tries for himself and setting up impressive right-winger Sebastian Cancelliere for one of his brace as the Jaguares took out the South African conference. On defence he is brave and always seems to be on the spot position wise in a kicking duel. Semi Masirewa (Sunwolves) remains one of the best watches in Super rugby with his unconventional play.
14 Sevu Reece (Crusaders)
Is now the competitions leading try-scorer at 13 as he collected three good finishes when the Crusaders marmalized the Rebels 66-0. The chip and chase try was the most impressive as his lighting quick reflexes ensured he snatched the ball after Reece Hodge couldn’t cope with a difficult bounce. Ben Lam (Hurricanes) was strong on the right wing in their win over the Lions, his two tries bringing his tally for the men in gold to 35 tries from 41 games.
13 Rob Thompson (Highlanders)
The centre seems to be getting back to top form as the Highlanders gave away a lead to let the Bulls in for their second draw in a fortnight. Powerful busts and breaks and always draws more than one defender. Jack Goodhue (Crusaders) was also a brilliant creator and tidy up man and Matias Moroni (Jagaures) was like a limpet at turnover time.
12 Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes)
I appreciate Laumape is trying to hone his kicking and passing game this season but there’s been four or five games this season where he seems to have adopted the mentality of being a bruising bulldozer and when he does that the Hurricanes always do well. A lot of it has to do with the pack getting good ball and they laid it on for the pumped up 2nd 5. Ryan Crotty (Crusaders) in his 150th and Samu Kerevi (Reds) were inspirational leaders at 12 as well.
11 Brayden Ennor (Crusaders)
There’s talk that either Ennor or Reece may be the All Black bolters this year and after the pair’s performance this weekend Hansen may pick both of them for early tests. Ennor seems to have gained some pace and his commitment to making his plays count is admirable.
10 Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders)
This guy is a locksmith, he has no problem unlocking defences. He has got the attacking punt down to a fine art and any team who employs the rush defence will have to think twice when Mo’unga is at the tiller. He is so strong for a smaller guy as well; really surprises people on either side of a tackle. Josh Ioane (Highlanders) played with confidence; he will need it as rumour says he may be playing 10 in the All Black’s first test this season, if the Crusaders and Hurricanes make the final.
9 TJ Perenara (Hurricanes)
TJ took a lot on his shoulders with the absence of Beauden Barrett, some of his kicking from first receiver was extraordinary. Was well in the ear of referee Jaco Peyper as well, guiding him wisely through some of the tighter decisions…… There was certainly no one-sided penalty count to the visitors, some may say they got the rub of the green.
8 Scott Higginbotham (Reds)
The local Queensland hero signed off on what could be his last game at Suncorp with the winning try against the hapless Blues. With one earlier in the match, Higginbotham became the first forward to breach 40 Super Rugby tries. Immensely physically talented, the French bound loosie remains an enigma at international level where his potential was never truly tapped. Jaco Coetzee (Stormers) was powerful in the Cape side’s victory over the Sunwolves with a brace as well.
7 Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)
Ardie took it on himself to get one over Malcolm Marx and Manus Schoeman at the tackle as he was inserted into the game after halftime. Ardie was his usual indefatigable self getting through a load of work with ball in hand. There may be debate over the starting seven position in the national team but Savea has the number 20 jersey in his pocket for the rest of the year, without argument.
6 Jaco Coetzee (Stormers)
In the absence of a truly memorable performance by a blindside flanker this round, I’ll slot Coetzee in at six over his team mate Johan du Toit and bullocking Bull Hanro Liebenburg. Two tries and a zealous physical presence as usual. Liam Squire’s (Highlanders) first stanza in Super Rugby this season, while not outstanding, will be enough to keep the All Black selectors interested.
5 Marcos Kremer (Jaguares)
Kremer seems to be at home in the lock position and is forming a classy partnership with the taller Tomas Lavanini. His presence in the second row has improved the Jaguares scrum no end and when you follow Kremer in phase play you soon realise he hits every contact with brute power; he is the scariest 21-year-old tight forward going round in the Southern Hemisphere at the moment. Jackson Hemopo (Highlanders) has similar attributes.
4 Rory Arnold (Brumbies)
Good battle in the second row against the Waratahs where he came out on top. Has those long Retallick-like arms that came in handy stretching for tries and pilfering tackled ball. His performances in the next three-four weeks will be influential in Wallaby selection.
3 Alan Alaalatoa (Brumbies)
Ummed and aahed over this one. Taniela Tupou had a sterling game against the Blues as well with strong open field running but some poor discipline. Alaalatoa doesn’t look for so much oxygen, he is content to bury himself in the tight work. These two will make a great pair for the Wallabies this season and they will be looking to prove they can hold their own agains the Northern Hemisphere props.
2 Schalk Britz/Dane Coles (Bulls/Hurricanes)
A game of two halves for the hookers this week. Britz had a coruscating first half for the Bulls as he popped up all over the place. Then sadly he succumbed to injury and was off. Over in Joburg Dane Coles came out after the break with Ardie Savea and they formed a dynamic duo, pushing the Hurricanes advantage through to a strong win. Two tries to Cole and another reason the All Black selectors will be smirking. Folau Fainga (Brumbies) seems to be firming his position as Wallaby starting hooker and always good to see a rats-tail hair do in response to the plague of mullets going round.
1 Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)
Captained the Stormers to a tense victory over the Sunwolves. The Cape Town team put out a relatively inexperienced XV on the field and Kitshoff led from the front with his fellow front rowers Mbonami and Malherbe to lay a good platform.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments