With the Super Rugby Qualifiers now a thing of the past, it is time for us to work out which players shone over the past weekend.
The Crusaders were at their imperious best as they dispatched the Sharks and a number of individuals also stood out in the Lions’ victory over the Jaguares.
Kurtley Beale and Israel are rewarded for inspiring the Waratahs’ comeback while the Hurricanes-Chiefs encounter produced several impressive performances from both sides.
Super Rugby: Team of the Qualifiers
15 Israel Folau (Waratahs): Has such a brilliant understanding with Kurtley Beale, running a sublime support line to latch on to the latter’s pass for his try. Then Folau turned creator with a magnificent step off his right foot as he cut inside to get his side close to the try-line for Bernard Foley’s second. Beats out a strong list of contenders, including Andries Coetzee (Lions), David Havili (Crusaders) and Solomon Alamailo (Chiefs).
14 Julian Savea (Hurricanes): Although it is clear he has lost a yard or two, the Bus still gets himself over the advantage line with regularity. Showed great anticipation and reading of the game for his two intercepts – one of which resulted in a try. Made two tackle-busts and offloads on the day. Elsewhere, Ruan Combrinck appears to be hitting form just at the right time for the Lions while Kobus van Wyk was one of the Sharks’ standout performers in a losing cause on Saturday.
13 Ryan Crotty (Crusaders): Having played at 12 but able to do the job at 13, we couldn’t leave Crotty out after a superb performance on Saturday. The All Blacks centre showed impressive upperbody strength and vision when assisting David Havili’s try. Beat five defenders and made three offloads as well as 14 passes. Defensively sound in conjunction with Jack Goodhue – keeping the Sharks to just the one try. Meanwhile, Anton Lienert-Brown shone for the Chiefs and deserves a mention.
12 Kurtley Beale (Waratahs): So often has the Wallaby centre been the one to lift his side and he did it again on Saturday. Trailing 23-6, it was Beale who sparked the fightback, creating two tries in the space of six minutes to bring his side storming back into the contest. First, he delivered a deft, pop pass for Bernard Foley to go in under the sticks and soon afterwards busted Tei Walden’s tackle in midfield before running 30 metres and playing the final pass for Israel Folau to finish in the corner. Also took a lot of responsibility off Foley by switching to first receiver. Edges out Ngani Laumape, who was colossal once again against the Chiefs.
11 Ben Lam (Hurricanes): Taqele Naiyaravoro ran for 75 metres, beat five defenders and made two clean breaks but surprisingly didn’t get himself on the try column against the Highlanders. Lam did, however, and it was his 69th minute five-pointer that would eventually make the difference for the Hurricanes as they edged the Chiefs 32-31. As it happens, Lam has now drawn level with Naiyaravoro on 15 tries for the season as the two battle it out for the crown of Super Rugby’s top marksman.
10 Elton Jantjies (Lions): While Bernard Foley took his brace well and Lima Sopoaga impressed in a losing cause, Jantjies’ classy performance at Ellis Park on Saturday ensures he claims the fly-half jersey in our team. The Lions’ pivot didn’t put a foot wrong throughout, contributing 20 points in total in a flawless kicking perfomance off the tee, while he also laid on two tries for his teammates. Springbok fans will be wondering why he can’t replicate the same form in green and gold.
9 TJ Perenara (Hurricanes): The sniping dart is really becoming something of a trademark of Perenara’s, as he scored both of his tries on the weekend in this fashion. The talismanic scrum-half is very difficult to stop from close range. Meanwhile, Crusaders’ Bryn Hall scored an excellent try and brilliantly created another in his side’s win over the Hurricanes, while Brad Weber also got himself on the scoresheet for the second week in a row. There is no lack of quality scrum-halves in New Zealand right now.
8 Kieran Read (Crusaders): Part of a clinical and efficient performance by the Crusaders’ pack, the New Zealand captain was typically industrious having made 31 metres from eight carries. Opposite number on Saturday, Dan du Preez, put himself about for the Sharks while Luke Whitelock produced a good display in the Highlanders’ defeat to the Waratahs, but Read was the most consistent number eight at the weekend.
7 Gareth Evans (Hurricanes): With Beauden Barrett off colour and, as a result, their backline lacking its usual slickness, the Canes’ victory against the Chiefs was primarily down to their defence and work at the breakdown. Evans duly came to the fore after making 14 tackles and being a constant threat at the contact area. Elsewhere, Tomas Lezana was hugely influential for the Jaguares but he couldn’t prevent the Argentinians from succumbing to defeat.
6 Lachlan Boshier (Chiefs): Despite defeat, there were some impressive performances by the Waikato-based outfit and the flanker was one of those to display his qualities, particularly in broken field. Pablo Matera did his best to wrestle control in the second half of the Jaguares’ game in Johannesburg but Boshier’s efforts were even greater. As well as running for 73 metres, which included an assist, the blindside was also excellent in defence, making 13 tackles without missing.
5 Franco Mostert (Lions): A tough call between him and the Crusaders’ Sam Whitelock, who always made ground with ball in hand and kept the Sharks’ defence honest with his ability to shift the point of contact on the gain line. However, in the end we went for Mostert after his remarkable defensive effort which saw him make a superb match-high 23 tackles. Also carried hard and was part of a dominant scrum that helped them control the majority of the first half.
4 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs): We could have selected another Crusaders player with Scott Barrett continuing his fine form and being part of a lock pairing which has been so effective this season, but we’ve gone with Retallick. The premier second-row in the world did his best in a losing cause and always made it over the gain line after running for 30 metres from 15 carries. Michael Fatialofa also showed up well in the same game as the Hurricanes made the semi-finals, but Retallick was even better despite defeat.
3 Owen Franks (Crusaders): On paper, the Sharks have an excellent front-row, one which has been pretty dominant over recent weeks, but they were soundly beaten in the set-piece by Franks and co. The tighthead had Tendai Mtawarira in all sorts of trouble at the scrum and it allowed the hosts to control possession and territory. It was a similar story in the Lions-Jaguares encounter where Ruan Dreyer shone, but the Crusaders prop did a fine job in dealing with a top class operator.
2 Malcolm Marx (Lions): The injury the hooker sustained in May, which kept him out of action for a few weeks, doesn’t seem to have affected the South African, who enjoyed his quarter-final clash against the Argentines. Marx scored a try, made 56 metres and was excellent in the set-piece as he took the position from Ricky Riccitelli, who put in a fine effort for the Hurricanes.
1 Jacques van Rooyen (Lions): Not too many looseheads stood out at the weekend, even if both Tim Perry (Crusaders) and Toby Smith (Hurricanes) enjoyed the upper hand in the scrum, but Van Rooyen was the best of the lot. Despite only being on the field for 53 minutes, the prop sent his opposition tighthead regularly into reverse as the Lions dominated the front-row battle.