With the Springboks registering a record win in Wellington over the All Blacks and Argentina conquering Australia in Sydney, it’s time for our Rugby Championship Round Four Team of the Week.
Rugby Championship Team of the Week
15 Juan Cruz Mallia (Argentina): There’s a reason he played 36 games for Toulouse last season, and his versatility acting as an extra ten in the backline is a feature of Los Pumas’ attacking plan. His opposite number, Andrew Kellaway, was one of the Wallabies’ better players as he tormented in transition.
14 Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa): Peerless. It’s not just his try scoring, but his aerial work is a wonder of the modern world as a man of 1.72m keeps beating men over 15cm taller. Will Jordan continues to deliver for New Zealand, despite a disappointing evening, while Grant Williams impressed out of position, killing off two try-scoring opportunities for New Zealand.
13 Joseph Suaalii (Australia): He might already be just about the best outside centre in the world, and he gives his team the attacking point they need. Lucio Cinti was superb for Los Pumas, whilst Canan Moodie is unlucky to miss out.
12 Damian Willemse (South Africa): His most dominant performance in a Test match, and he’s our Rugby Championship Player of the Week. Santi Chocobares wasn’t that far behind as he is moving into that ‘world-class’ territory – consistent week in and week out. Hunter Paisami deserves a mention for his tireless Wallaby carrying, too.
Opinion: Rassie Erasmus’ plan to ‘unleash’ confidence-lacking Damian Willemse pays massive dividends
11 Filipo Daugunu (Australia): His antics on the wing almost inspired an unlikely comeback as he added real bench impact. Mateo Carreras also shone, but Daugunu looks a special prospect to add depth to Joe Schmidt’s backline stocks. The performances outwide this weekend means that Ethan Hooker narrowly misses out despite a superb first start for the Boks.
10 Manie Libbok (South Africa): Absolutely flawless once he came on to replace the unfortunate Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, grabbing five kicks off the tee and distributing with vision and intellect. However, Argentina’s Santi Carreras pushed him all the way and was unlucky not to secure our selection.
9 Cobus Reinach (South Africa): Reinach adds pace to every team he represents, and Saturday was no different. Gonzalo Garcia is a key component of Argentina’s form and, like Reinach, is a disciple of pace, as he clears ruck ball as quickly as anyone around.
The pack
8 Jasper Wiese (South Africa): Oh how the Boks have missed their mobile breeze block. Wiese was the difference between gain-line metres and gain-line failure, as he hammered into All Black after All Black. Joaquin Oviedo is a similar style of player to Wiese, and he does everything you’d expect of a brawny Argentinian eight.
7 Juan Martin Gonzalez (Argentina): A real-world XV candidate, blessed with pace, a peerless lineout presence and fantastic defensive skills, and he shone once more in blue and white. Siya Kolisi was back to his best for the Boks, and that was an important part of their Wellington belief.
6 Marcos Kremer (Argentina): A toss of a coin between two men mountains- as the magnificent Pieter-Steph du Toit battered himself to a standstill for the Springboks. But Kremer’s stats were off the chart once again- 16 tackles, a mighty seven of them dominant, and 11 thundering carries takes the selection by the finest of margins and after much debate in the Planet Rugby office.
5 Ruan Nortje (South Africa): The word that sums up Nortje is reliability – he rarely makes errors, and once again, he delivered a huge shift. Australia’s Lukhan Salakaia-Loto added huge bench impact in a memorable last 20 for the Wallabies.
Sir John Kirwan feeling ‘physically sick’ after Springboks ‘smashed’ the All Blacks
4 RG Snyman (South Africa): No Eben? No Lood? Simple call for the Viking, RG. A massive man doing massive things. A word for the outstanding Guido Petti – Harlequins might have made the signing of the season when the athletic Puma arrives at Los Stoop.
3 Thomas du Toit (South Africa): A fantastic day at the office for the best all-round tight head on the planet, and his replacement Wilco Louw was just as good. Joel Scalvi carried himself to a standstill as he was a key weapon in the Argentinian attacking pods, while Taniela Tupou was put in a vastly improved performance.
2 Julian Montoya (Argentina): World-class. The best set-piece hooker in the game, and he delivered yet another inspirational outing. Malcolm Marx still is flaky at lineout time, but around the park, he looked a lot happier.
1 Ox Nche (South Africa): When you spend your afternoon folding a player as good as Tyrel Lomax in half, then you know you’ve had a belter of a game. A word for Angus Bell– consistently brilliant off the Wallaby bench, and it remains a mystery as to why he is not starting, although James Slipper was as solid as a rock preceding him. A mention for Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who picked up from where Nche left off and is a serious athlete for a front row forward.