Super Rugby Round 5 Review - Team Of The Week And More

Man of the Match

I found four of these selections straight-forward and three difficult. How did you rate the players’ performances?

Hurricanes vs Blues:               Julian Savea (Hurricanes)
Force vs Rebels:                      Sean McMahon (Rebels)
Crusaders vs Lions:                 Kieran Read (Crusaders)
Highlanders vs Waratahs:       Elliot Dixon (Highlanders)
Reds vs Brumbies:                  Ita Vaea (Brumbies)
Stormers vs Chiefs:                 James Lowe (Chiefs)
Cheetahs vs Sharks:                Patrick Lambie (Sharks)


Team of the Week

As always, it’s tough to assess and compare players taking part in games of different physicality and skills levels, some in tight matches and others in comfortable victories. In some positions, few, if any, players stood out in Round 5, but in others, we had a number of superb performances. At left wing for example, we had Julian Savea (Hurricanes), Patrick Osborne (Highlanders) and James Lowe (Chiefs) all brilliant, but we can select only one of them.

Here is my selection for the week:

15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 François Steyn, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Nic White, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Steve Mafi, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Best of the Week

Best Story:
An unfortunate recurring hamstring injury forced Highlanders openside flank Shane Christie to withdrew from the team during their warm-up shortly before their game against the Waratahs. His replacement John Hardie dislocated an ankle and had to be replaced after 32 minutes.

Gareth Evans, who had been called from the stand minutes before kick-off to put on playing kit and join the replacements’ bench, then played 48 minutes for the Highlanders – quite a feat considering that he had played a full 80 minutes for the Highlanders Development XV against the Crusaders Knights in southern Canterbury earlier in the afternoon.

Best Game:
Stormers vs Chiefs – the home team played themselves to a standstill to lead at halftime, and then the Chiefs showed their quick hands and offloading skills to dominate the second half

Team Performance:
Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders, Brumbies, Sharks were all good. But the Chiefs were excellent against the Stormers at Newlands.

Player:
Julian Savea – he could just be the superstar of Rugby World Cup 2015

Back:
Damian McKenzie – still a teenager but a class act already whether playing 10 or 15

Forward:
Sean McMahon – huge tackle count, won line-outs, as attacking ball-carrier beat defenders through skill

Try:
Patrick Osborne – Highlanders vs Waratahs: 47^th minute:
from a turnover won just outside their 22, the ball travels through 12 pairs of Highlanders hands as they move left, then right, then left, then right. Osborne is the third player to handle the ball (on the left touchline) and then the 12^th player (near the right touchline)