Super Rugby Team of the Week - Round Two
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. Israel Folau (Waratahs) 2nd selection in two weeks. Continued his good form in Tokyo with two tries and gets the call over his compatriot Tom Banks (Brumbies). Banks was a fire-cracker on attack and showed real pace.
14. Gerhard van den Heever (Sunwolves). The South African took advantage of the Japanese ?Barbarian style to show sizzling pace in the collection of his brace of tries. Bautista Delguy (Jaguares) and Melani Nanai (blues) kept defences busy as well.
13. Jordan Petaia (Reds). This was probably the most competitive position this week, some quality performances in the 13 jersey this week. The 18 year old was freakish in his strength through the hips and ability to keep his feet. What an amazing prospect for the Wallabies. Jack Goodhue (Crusaders), Tevita Kurindrani (Brumbies), Shane Gates (Sunwolves), Matias Orlando (Jaguares) and Lukhanyo Am (Sharks) all nipping at his heels.
12. Ryan Crotty (Crusaders). Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) and Samu Kerevi (Reds) played well in their first outings for the Super season but Crotty put in the classic Warwick Taylor performance, oozing glue as the rest of the Crusaders backline cut capers.
11. George Bridge (Crusaders). Bridge constantly delights with his silky running skills. Could he be the Kiwi bolter for this year’s World Cup?
10. Josh Ioane (Highlanders). The message has been that all players have been working hard over the off-season but maybe we should do a Boudjellal DNA test on this young fella. He has really matured and looks a different player; the kicking, passing and tackling skills have been irrepressible. It’s great to see Christian Leilafano (Brumbies) stepping up as well in RWC year. He was very much the conductor in the Brumbies orchestra in their stunning win over the Chiefs.
9. Tomas Cubelli (Jaguares) The Argentinian returned from two seasons at the Brumbies to show he has grown while he was away. The Jaguares are renowned for poor game management but with Cubelli at the cutter there is some certainty.
8. Jack Dempsey (Waratahs). The number 8 enjoyed the open nature of the match up against the Sunwolves. He’ll have tougher days but he continuing his good come back from long-term injury.
7. Kwagga Smith (Lions). Kwagga’s been at the gym. The shoulders and upper body show he has evolved from sevens specialist to man who is keen to play an influential role at this year’s World Cup. His new physique has improved his ground game and collisions and he hasn’t lost the ball-playing skill and decision making in open play.
6. Shannon Frizell (Highlanders). Steve Hansen laid down the challenge last week and boy did some number 6s step up. Frizell might not have the noticeable mop of red hair like the impressive Tom Robinson but he uses his preposterous power to win collisions and convert chances into five pointers close to the line. You don’t get bigger macho clashes than a Bulls v Jaguares match up and Marcos Kremer was the scariest hombre in BA.
5. Eben Etzebeth (Stormers). It was inconceivable that the Stormers would win with 26 minutes left at Newlands. They’d continued their moribund form and looked to be heading to a sorry 0-2 record. Then on came the Springbok star and he dragged the Cape Town team to a victory with his sheer will and physical power. Ruan Botha (Sharks) was an obelisk all around the park.
4. Scott Barrett (Crusaders). Second selection in two weeks. Both the Crusaders and the Hurricanes missing leaders it was important for others to step up. Scott Barrett was the exemplar of that, with two tries early in each half and brute physicality he will leave Scott Robertson and Steve Hansen no chance to leave him out of starting line-ups in 2019.
3. Owen Franks (Crusaders). What is the best adjective for a tighthead? Solid? That’s what big Owie does season after season and Crusaders diehards love him for it.
2. Akker van de Merwe (Sharks). Second selection in two weeks. Continued his mixture of brute power and mauling knowledge to make a real difference against the Blues.
1. James Slipper (Brumbies). It seems like Brad Thorn’s casting aside of Slipper, Cooper and Hunt has been a win-win. All three players have asserted themselves at their new clubs and the Red’s team spirit is palpable. Slipper won his battle against Nepo Laulala and set a solid platform for his team’s victory.
Rugby World Cup City Guides – Kumamoto:
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments