Here is the link:
TOW and now the article. I couldn't post it before as I only had my i-phone.
It would seem that selecting from just four teams would make things easy. Not if you have the weekend that the opening round of the Rugby Championship was.
The 12-all draw in Sydney dominated our selections - seven All Blacks and four Wallabies.
Argentina, despite their loss to South Africa, still found favour with our selectors - three Pumas and one Springbok making the cut for our first-choice selection.
Our back-up squad has a few more Boks, five - which is the same as the All Blacks.
The Wallabies (three) and Pumas (two) make up the numbers.
Team of the Week - Rugby Championship, Week One:
15 - Joaquín Tuculet (Argentina):
In the weekend where catching high balls was the predominant feature for a fullback, he was the stand-out.
Bubbling under: Willie le Roux (South Africa)
14 - Cory Jane (New Zealand):
On a weekend that saw the wings struggle to stay warm in the monsoon-like conditions, it was tough to find one that did more than just make the occasional tackle.
Bubbling under: Cornal Hendricks (South Africa)
13 - Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand):
Even as a late inclusion, he again grabbed his opportunity - making all his tackles and had a few impressive darts down the midfield.
Bubbling under: Adam-Ashley Cooper (Australia)
12 - Matt Toomua (Australia):
He again showed how easily he can move from flyhalf (in Super Rugby) to centre (in Tests).
Bubbling under: Jean de Villiers (South Africa)
11 - Julian Savea (New Zealand):
Not a weekend in which wings stood out.
Bubbling under: Rob Horne (Australia)
10 - Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina):
Controlled the game like a seasoned pivot should.
Bubbling under: Kurtley Beale (Australia)
9 - Aaron Smith (New Zealand):
Ruan Pienaar had his best game for the Springboks in a long time and scored a great try, but Smith was a bit more active on defence - where in all other departments they compare favourably.
Bubbling under: Ruan Pienaar (South Africa)
8 - Kieran Read (New Zealand):
In tight games the incredible amount of work done on defence is often overlooked. Read made double the number of tackled Duane Vermeulen did and slipped just one - Vermeulen missed two tackles. Admittedly, Vermeulen had far more carries, making it a tough call.
Bubbling under: Duane Vermeulen (South Africa)
7 - Richie McCaw (New Zealand):
He may not have received the plaudits in the immediate post-match analysis, but made twice the number of tackles that Michael Hooper did and did not slip any, which Hooper did. Again, Hooper made more carries.
Bubbling under: Michael Hooper (Australia)
6 - Francois Louw (South Africa):
In the end it was defence that won it for South Africa, when they were hanging on desperately, and Louw was a key player in that regard. He also won a few line-outs.
Bubbling under: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)
5 - Rob Simmons (Australia):
It was one of the more debatable selections, with a variety of opinions. Simmons got the decision on a majority vote.
Bubbling under: Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)
4 - Brodie Retallick (New Zealand):
Not much opposition for him.
Bubbling under: Mariano Galarza (Argentina)
3 - Sekope Kepu (Australia):
The reason is simple: Stood his ground in the scrums and made his tackles. Jannie du Plessis made two tackles and missed three, while Owen Franks made three tackles and missed seven.
Bubbling under: Owen Franks (New Zealand)
2 - Nathan Charles (Australia):
Another position where there was slim pickings.
Bubbling under: Agustín Creevy (Argentina)
1 - Marcos Ayerza (Argentina):
Made life a misery for veteran Bok Jannie du Plessis.
Bubbling under: James Slipper (Australia)
Our individual selections:
Darryn Pollock XV: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 James Slipper
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
