AUSTRALIAN TEAM OF THE WEEK #5

[travelling_gerry]

AUSTRALIAN TEAM OF THE WEEK

Each week, Greg Growden and Rupert Guinness pick the form Australian Super 14 team.


Two loosehead props have been selected, as they were the standouts.


15 Mark McLinden (Qld) (1)
14 Peter Hynes (Qld) (3)
13 Digby Ioane (Qld) (4)
12 Berrick Barnes (Qld) (3)
11 Blair Connor(Qld) (1)
10 Matt Giteau (Force) (1)
9 Will Genia (Qld) (1)
8 Leroy Houston(Qld) (3)
7 George Smith (ACT) (3)
6 Scott Higginbotham (Qld) (2)
5 Nathan Sharpe (Force) (3)
4 Hugh McMeniman(Qld) (3)
3 Ben Alexander (ACT) (1)
2 Stephen Moore (ACT) (3)
1 Ben Daley (Qld) (1)

(Number of times selected in brackets).Player of the round: GEORGE SMITH. His all-round involvement was crucial to the Brumbies casting aside the Waratahs.


Try of the round: HAIG SARE. A sensational midfield weave by Matt Giteau, followed by a long, looping pass to his winger led to this great try.

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...054649856.html

[robyn <3]

I love it. No tahs!

Genia, hm no thankyou that tackle cancels him out I'm afraid it was simply wrong, cited players shouldn't end up on teams I think. I need to watch the reds game again, I didn't think they were THAT good... or was everyone else just outrageously crap?

[Burgs]

Ben Daley on debut Encouraging.
Thought Stirling had a pretty good outing but without seeing the Reds match it's hard to constructively comment.

[Jasper]

Qld played a very enterprising and exciting brand of Football - very unexpected that it came off - don't know that they deserve so many in the team above - but can't think of any just alternatives - so probably about right

[tdevil]

RUGBY365 Team of the week:
Team of the Week - Round Five:

15 - Mark Gerrard (Brumbies):
Now in his ninth season of Super Rugby he showed the experience required in a derby game to help the Brumbies to a crucial win and end the Waratahs' unbeaten run.

14 - Lelia Masaga (Chiefs):
At the start of the season he was listed as a 'talented wing with great flair and speed'. By now he must be pencilled in on Graham Henry's All Black shortlist.

13 - Jean de Villiers (Stormers):
He has always been one of the key players in the Stormers team and at the weekend he showed his true class again by starting at inside centre and then moving to No.13 - when he outshone World Cup Springbok teammate Jaque Fourie.

12 - Berrick Barnes (Reds):
Another player who slotted into two positions in the same game at the weekend. He made a mockery of Francois Steyn's reputation.

11 - Peter Hynes (Reds):
After making his Wallaby debut last year, he has followed that up with a season this year in which he confirmed why he is now the leading left wing in Australia.

10 - Matt Giteau (Western Force):
Sublime, splendid, illustrious, grand and excellent - pick your adjective. He is, as he showed again at the weekend, a game-breaker par excellence.

9 - Brendon Leonard (Chiefs):
Coming back from a serious knee injury that curtailed his 2008 international campaign, Leonard is showing why he is so highly rated by the All Blacks brainstrust.

8 - Leroy Houston (Reds):
He has fought his own demons and won. Now he is causing all kinds of nightmares for the opposition.

7 - George Smith (Brumbies):
Unanimous selection. Need we say more?

6 - Schalk Burger (Stormers):
Welcome back Schalk, the Stormers needed you!

5 - Andries Bekker (Stormers):
His style of play may not be everybody's cup of tea, but you can't deny that he had a storming game - two tries to boot.

4 - Ali Williams (Blues):
With Bakkies Botha resting this week, Williams is the 'enforcer' in our team. Yes, we know he is listed as a No.5, but we had to find a spot for both him and Bekker.

3 - Clint Newland (Highlanders):
It was not until the expansion of New Zealand's domestic provincial competition, the Air New Zealand Cup, that Newlands started getting recognition and now in his second year on the Super Rugby stage he is making his mark at another level.

2 - Stephen Moore (Brumbies):
One commentator suggested at the weekend that he is now the world's best hooker. That may be stretching it a bit, but he is Australia's first choice and certainly one of the better No.2s around.

1 - Ben Daley (Reds):
He played just one previous Super Rugby game prior to this season and along with several other Reds rookies stood up to be counted at the weekend. It is worth noting that he stood his ground against both John Smit and Jannie du Plessis at the weekend - both renowned Springbok scrummagers.

[TOCC]

Planet Rugby
Super 14 Team of the Week - Round Five

15 Isaia Toeava - A feature of this week's backs is the ability to accelerate and step, and Toeava was the Blues' weapon in chief in attack against the Cheetahs.

14 Lelia Masaga - An All Black appearance surely beckons for the Chiefs' game-breaker extraordinaire, as his defence now shows definite signs of solidity. won the game by breaking four tackles from 10m out. Sensational.

13 Anthony Tuitavake - The strongman of the centres in our back-line, Tuitavake rounded off a fine display with a super burst of acceleration to score a try.

12 James O'Connor - The youngster seems to rise to any challenge at the moment and pops up in all the right places when play is broken. It does help having Matt Giteau inside him, but he works hard for his glory.

11 Peter Hynes - Showed his class for the Reds, rising above his opposite number in a difficult game against the Sharks.

10 Matt Giteau - The Force would have been nowhere near the Crusaders without Giteau's mesmerising stepping and acceleration.

9 Will Genia - Came on far earlier than he would have anticipated and made a possible serious blow for the Reds look like a planned replacement when Ben Lucas went off - but the copybook was blotted by a silly tackle.

8 Thomas Waldrom - Quite possibly the bargain buy of the Super 14, Waldrom's strength at number eight was critical when the Crusaders were under pressure.

7 Schalk Burger - Back to his best. And when he's at his level, nobody can match him.

6 Chris Lowrey - Another find for the All Blacks to look at, Lowrey backed up a good show against the Sharks under pressure last week with an even better one on attack against the Cheetahs this week.

5 Andries Bekker - Ruled the line-out. Ruled the loose. Ruled the Lions. He was terrifying.

4 Isaac Ross - An athletic lock to complement Bekker's physcality (the Stormer is not shy of a run or two himself, mind), Ross was a part of a typical Crusaders display, popping up all over the park to create overlaps and cause havoc.

3 John Afoa - Gave the Cheetahs scrum no chance, his scrumming created Lowrey's try.

2 Keven Mealamu - A vintage performance from the AB hooker, showing his exceptional pace as well as his strength.

1 Heinke van der Merwe - The Lions' answer to the beast. His team may have been trounced by the Stormers, but he won his own battle with Brian Mujati with something to spare.