1 tom mcartney (blues)
2 hika elliot (cheifs)
3 james slipper (reds)
4 hugh pyle (rebels)
5 sam whitelock (crusaders)
6 pieter labuschange (cheetahs)
7 matt todd (crusaders)
8 fritz lee (cheifs)
9 will genia (reds)
10 tyler blyendaal (crusaders)
11 hosea gear (highlanders)
12 robert ebherson (cheetahs)
13 richard kahui (chiefs)
14 alapati leiua (hurricanes)
15 james oconner (rebels)
Allow me to agree with you but also to add the following duds of the week:-
15 - Kirchner - Bulls
14 - Mapoe (Bulls)
13 - De Jongh (Stormers)
12 - Saili (Blues)
11 -
10 - Jantjies (Stormers)
9 - Vermaak (Bulls)
8 - Spies (Bulls)
7 - Potgieter (Bulls)
6 - Stegmann (Bulls)
5 - Bekker (Storems)
4 - De Jager (Cheetahs)
3 -
2 - Fourie (Stormers)
1 .-
I left some spaces open - am not sure who to nominate for the 1 wing. Saili knocked on more balls than I can count to and De Jongh was a powder puff on attack.
Jantjies was pathetic. Was unsure about the scrummie and ultimately decided on Pretorius.
The loosies of the Bulls were up to no good - penalty machines at best. The Bulls props also belong to the duds category.
The Dud of the week prize goes to - Alistair Coetzee - may he be fired soon.
Your take on the scum half 'dud' of the week is pathetic, did you not watch the Bulls game? Vermaak can't pass and hasn't got an attacking mindset, the bulls need Hougaard.
How on earth didn't Willie Le Roux get into the team of the week :(
That's a pretty solid team of the week there, Sasuke.
Richard Kahui and Will Genia were the standout players of the round for me but you've nailed most of the other positions as well. Adam Ashley-Cooper and Ben Tameifuna are the that two I'd try to squeeze into that side.
NZ Super Rugby form XV (round seven) opinion
By Alex Coogan-Reeves
15-Gareth Anscombe (Chiefs)
Anscombe got his first chance to show Sir John Kirwan he had made a mistake by letting him go down State Highway 1 to the Chiefs. The utility has been a revelation for the champions so far and was in good form again both with the boot and in general play. He could have easily had a couple of tries if the bounce of the ball had gone his way.
14-Lelia Masaga (Chiefs)
The Japan-bound speedster looks to be getting back to his best the last few weeks. While he didn't score this week, he made a number of blistering runs and always looked dangerous.
13-Richard Kahui (Chiefs)
Kahui gave a reminder of his class with an incredible individual performance to lead the Chiefs to victory. His intensity on both sides of the ball was second to none and he easily outplayed his opposite Rene Ranger. His charge-down try was just reward for his efforts.
12-Bundee Aki (Chiefs)
Despite a sin-binning for a tackle that was more unfortunate than malicious, Aki had a strong game in SBW's old jersey. Ran well and helped set up Ben Tameifuna's try.
11-Hosea Gear (Highlanders)Gear's strong form for the dismal Highlanders continues. He has an excellent work rate and can pop up anywhere on the park to ask questions of the defence.
10-Tyler Bleyendaal (Crusaders)
Once talked up as the next star 10 from the Christchurch Boys High School production line, Bleyendaal's career has taken a slow start. However he finally demonstrated what he is capable of as he led the Crusaders to an unlikely win at Newlands. He carried out the game plan brilliantly and was strong with the boot in general play and off the tee.
9-TJ Perenara (Hurricanes)
After a slow start to the season Perenara looks to have found his spark. He had injury concerns heading into the match against the Kings, but shook them off to start the match. His running game looked sharp and his determination and nose for the line were again on display as he burrowed over from close range.
8-Luke Whitelock (Crusaders)
The youngest of the Whitelock clan announced himself to the Super Rugby world with his performance against the Stormers. Filling the rather large boots of the world's premier No. 8 Kieran Read, Whitelock hardly looked out of place.
7-Matt Todd (Crusaders)
Another loose forward filling big boots, Todd was influential as the Crusaders owned the breakdown against the big Stormers' pack. Scored a try under the posts and will be in line for an All Blacks call up against France if he plays his cards right.
6-Brad Shields (Hurricanes)
Perhaps the toughest position to pick this week with strong performances from George Whitelock, Steven Luatua and Liam Messam. The Hurricanes enforcer gets the nod after his hard running and hard hitting performance in the capital. Also got his name on the score-sheet with a nice try.
5-Sam Whitelock (Crusaders)
Whitelock was terrific in the lineout against one of the best teams in the business. Dominated Andries Bekker, frustrating him with a number of lineout steals.
4-Luke Romano (Crusaders)
Romano was also big in the lineout for the Crusaders as the Stormers lost six against their own throw.
3-Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders)
Not quite as big a shift as Matt Todd's game on the wing in Cape Town two years ago, but Crockett's switch to tighthead when Owen Franks left the field injured was very impressive. The Crusaders scrum was solid all day despite their losses and Crockett's performance on the other side of the scrum may have caught the eye of All Black selectors.
2-Dane Coles (Hurricanes)
A strong game for the Hurricanes rake as he ran hard all afternoon and performed his core duties with aplomb.
1-Ben Franks (Hurricanes)
Franks' shift to Wellington continues to be a masterstroke as his game continues to lift. Was strong right around the park in the win against the Kings.
@rooinek,
certain players were under consideration, AAC in particular and willie heinz and masaga too. surprisinglu i had to think long and hard about folau and danillier, but james oconner aka bieber was the one responisble for the rebels not facing a n execution similar to the one the sharks gave them weeks earlier.
another criteria for my team of the week threads is players must have played in those positions as oppose to can play in those positions, other wise AAC prob would have bumped of ebherson.
@shezza,
u should post ur team of the week, mys based on opinon and not gospel.
but my line of thinking with willie le roux not making the team was simple, alapti leiua was a million times better then le roux, IMO le roux was more a finisher with flashes of creativity, while alpati leiua had a high work rate in everything, running lines for decoy/options, creating space, finishing of set peices and being a physical presence in defence with some huge hits>
i also rate leila masaga over willie le roux easy peasy too for the same reasons.
Shezza
You are 100^ correct about Vermaak - he was almost as bad as Hougaard is at his best. Neither are acceptable scrummies at all.
I have changed my item and vermaak now stands tall in the competition.
