Team of the Week: Last Crusade; Rugby 365

The Crusaders are beginning to find some impressive form as Super Rugby heads into the home stretch.

It is thus not surprising that they dominate rugby365's famous weekly selection.

There are five Crusaders, all key players in their final push to the play-offs, in our starting XV.

The Lions, following their record demolition of the Cheetahs, are next best represented - with three starting members.

The table-topping Waratahs, the Chiefs (two each), the Highlanders, Sharks and Brumbies (one each) make up the numbers.

Our back-up squad also reward the inform teams.

The Lions (four), Brumbies (three), Sharks, Chiefs, Bulls (two each) and Waratahs (one) all won this past weekend.

Three players return from last week - centre Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), wing Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders) and lock Brodie Retallick (Chiefs).

Team of the Week - Round 19:

15 - Israel Dagg (Crusaders):
He was in sublime attacking form. Now, if only, he could be more consistent.
Bubbling under: Jesse Mogg (Brumbies)

14 - Lionel Mapoe (Lions):
He seemed to relish playing on the wing again, breaking the line almost at will at times and scoring a hat-trick.
Bubbling under: Henry Speight (Brumbies)

13 - Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders):
Did his reputation no harm, despite his team being on the wrong end of a hiding.
Bubbling under: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs)

12 - Kurtley Beale (Waratahs):
Certainly increased his profile and asking price, now that contract negotiations are on the table.
Bubbling under: Alwyn Hollenbach (Lions)

11 - Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders):
After years of trotting the globe the big Fijian has found a team where his power and pace are used to the full.
Bubbling under: Francois Hougaard (Bulls)

10 - Matt Toomua (Brumbies):
It was his distribution and running skills that made him stand pout, but his defence was not too shabby either.
Bubbling under: Aaron Cruden (Chiefs)

9 - Charl McLeod (Sharks):
Still one of the best No.9s when he is on song.
Bubbling under: Piet van Zyl (Bulls)

8 - Kieran Read (Crusaders):
Again showed why he is regarded as the world's best No.8.
Bubbling under: Warren Whiteley (Lions)

7 - Matt Todd (Crusaders):
The amount of work he gets through - both in terms of ball carries and defence - ensures there will be life after Richie McCaw.
Bubbling under: Warwick Tecklenburg (Lions)

6 - Liam Messam (Chiefs):
He is key to the Chiefs' cause as they chase a hat-trick of Super Rugby titles.
Bubbling under: Jaco Kriel (Lions)

5 - Brodie Retallick (Chiefs):
Simply the best lock in the competition.
Bubbling under: Stephan Lewies (Sharks)

4 - Dominic Bird (Crusaders):
Gets through an enormous amount of work for such a big man.
Bubbling under: Lodewyk de Jager (Cheetahs)

3 - Julian Redelinghuys (Lions):
One of the finds of the season. Won't let the national team down.
Bubbling under: Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs)

2 - Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs):
Reckless may be his second name, but he is good value to the team.
Bubbling under: Josh Mann-Rea (Brumbies)

1 - Schalk van der Merwe (Lions):
Not surprising to see Bloemfontein journalists bemoaning the fact that the Cheetahs allowed this one to slip away - given the way he demolished an established Springbok. as they say, Cheetahs' loss; Lions' gain.
Bubbling under: Thomas du Toit (Sharks)