Super Rugby: Round 11 - Team of the Week

After another entertaining round of Super Rugby action, we pick our Team of the Round from Round 11. The Reds and Jaguares were the big winners of the weekend while the Highlanders left it late to beat the Bulls. The Stormers also got back to winning ways while the Hurricanes and Crusaders continue to battle it out at the top of the NZ conference.

1. JP Smith

Smith made the most of his first Reds start against the Lions making 10 tackles, without missing one, and carried the ball 19 metres from his 7 carries.

He was powerful in the scrum, got on the scoresheet and even got the Reds out of some trouble with a nice clearance kick on his own line.

Smith beats off his fellow countrymen Lizo Gqoboka and Steven Kitshoff as well as Wyatt Crockett for the #1 jersey.

2. Agustin Creevy 

The passionate former Jaguares captain was brilliant as his side went on to win their first game in New Zealand. 

His lineout and scrum work were tidy as ever, he also got his side off to the perfect start off the back of a strong maul for the opening try of the match.

He made 13 carries, 8 tackles and one turnover during his 55 minutes on the pitch.

Creevy had stiff competition for the #2 jersey with Malcolm Marx, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Adriaan Strauss all performing for their respective sides.

3. Nahuel Tetaz

Tetaz joins Creevy in our team of the week and rightfully so with the Jaguares forwards dominating the Blues throughout the game.

He was busy on attack and defence carrying the ball 10 times and making 11 tackles. 

Tetaz put the Blues scrum under the pump the whole game winning a number of penalties and helped his side maintain a 100% scrum success in the clash.

He beats Reds tighthead Taniela Tupou and Crusaders Owen Franks to the number 3 jersey.

4. Micheal Fatialofa

The Worcester Warriors bound lock had a big game for the Hurricanes making 14 tackles and one turnover. 

His tidy lineout work and overall tireless effort around the park sees him edge out Guido Petti, Jackson Hemopo and Rory Arnold.

5. Tom Franklin

The Highlanders only had 32% of the possession in Pretoria on Saturday meaning the Highlanders had to make a large number of tackles - 163 to be exact.

Franklin made the second highest individual total,19, in the clash just 4 off his no.8 Luke Whitelock.

Amazingly the busy second rower failed to miss a single tackle and came up with 2 turnovers.

Franklin beats off the likes of Stormers lock Pieter-Steph du Toit, Sunwolves Grant Hattingh and Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock.

6. Siya Kolisi

The Stormers got back to winning ways this weekend and it's unsurprising that their captain led the charge making 15 tackles, without missing and won two turnovers.

Kolisi was quieter on attack for the Stormers this week but his side did have less of the ball.

Kolisi beats his fellow countrymen Kwagga Smith to the no.6 jersey, while Dalton Papali'i, Angus Scott-Young and Brad Shields where all brilliant for their respective sides.

7. Dillon Hunt

Hunt makes our team of the week for yet again after stellar defence display against the Bulls. The Highlanders man had plenty of work to do making 16 tackles and did brilliantly to win three turnovers against a Bulls outfit that has been brilliant at the breakdown this season. 

Hunt had plenty of competition for a spot in our team of the week with Ardie Savea making a strong return from injury, while Marcos Kremer was immense against the Blues as too was Matt Todd for the Crusaders.

8. Jordan Taufua

Taufua breaks Amanaki Mafi and Akira Ioane's stronghold on the no.8 jersey with a sublime performance against the Brumbies.

He hit double figures in both the tackling and ball carrying catergories and played a vital role on attack and defence when his side was down to 13 men.

Taufua also had plenty of competition for a spot in our side, notably Luke Whitelock who racked up 23 tackles against the Bulls.

9. Aaron Smith

Another masterclass by the All Black halfback as the Highlanders came from behind to beat the Bulls by a single point in the final match of the weekend.

The nippy no.9 finished off a well-worked try to open the scoring and picked up a try assist later in the clash.

10. Handre Pollard

The Bulls went down by one point to the Highlanders on Saturday but it surely wasn't down to Pollard's performance.

The Springbok flyhalf converted all of his shots at goal and scored a try of his own to take his personal points tally to 11 in the match.

He was solid in defence making all 4 of his attempted tackles. He made 85 running metres beating 4 defenders for 1 clean break and claimed one try assist.

A number of flyhalves had great games this weekend with Reds youngster Hamish Stewart, Hurricanes talisman Beauden Barrett and Pollard's opposite Lima Sopoaga all just missing out.

11. Emiliano Boffelli

Boffelli joined Ben Lam at the top of the try scoring charts when he went over in the 54th minute for his 9th try of the season.

In difficult conditions Boffelli made 36 running metres, the second highest of the clash, beating 2 defenders.

Boffelli beats JJ Engelbrecht and Seta Tamanivalu to the spot on the wing.

12. Vince Aso

Aso had an outstanding game in the unfamiliar inside centre slot for the Hurricanes this weekend.

The speedster ended the game with two tries and had another two tries disallowed. He was a constant threat to the Sunwolves defence racking up 103 running metres, just 2 less than Julian Savea's game-high. 

He beat 5 defenders made 5 clean breaks and picked up two try assists. Aso also made all 6 of his attempted tackles and is comfortably our inside centre of Round 11.

 

13. Jesse Kriel

Kriel was reasonably unchallenged for the no.13 jersey this week but that's not to say the Bulls and Springbok centre had a bad game.

The 24-year-old was dangerous on attack making 44 running metres after beating 4 defenders and making two clean breaks. 

Kriel also scored what looked to be the winner in the 74th minute.

Matt Proctor and Tim Bateman were Kriel's closest competitors.

14. Manasa Mataele

Mataele has been superb for the Crusaders in his second season with the Canterbury side and it was no different when replaced an injured Israel Dagg 20 minutes in against the Brumbies.

The 104kg winger scored 2 tries and caused the Brumbies all kinds of problems beating 8 defenders and making 4 clean breaks.

Julian Savea, Filipo Daugnau and Henry Speight where not far off from the Crusaders man. 

15. Jordie Barrett

Jordie Barrett had a field day against the Sunwolves racking up 97 running metres beating 3 defenders and making 3 clean breaks against the Japanese side.

The two-test All Black also made a game-high of 5 offloads and went over for his second try of the season.

Barrett's brilliance sees him beat a number of players who had great games with the likes of Andries Coetzee and Dillyn Leyds put together impressive displays, while Fletcher Smith made the most of a rare start.