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S14: Team of the Week, Round Two

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:40

Pivotal pair: Reds halfbacks Will Genia and Quade Cooper

Here it is! The next installment of the famous rugby365.com Team of the Week and our selection clearly reflects the weekend's results.

The big winners were the Bulls, Reds and Stormers and they also dominate our selections.

The Stormers and Reds provide four members each and another three each on the Bubbling Under bench. The Bulls have three members in our starting XV and another three on our bench.

In our starting XV the Chiefs, Cheetahs, Hurricanes and Blues make up the numbers.

The other teams feature in the Bubbling under selection are the Highlanders, Hurricanes, Lions, Sharks and Cheetahs.

Four players return from last week - wing Digby Ioane (Reds), scrumhalf Will Genia (Reds), No.8 Pierre Spies (Bulls) and lock Andries Bekker (Stormers).

rugby365.com Team of the Week, Round Two:

15 - Joe Pietersen (Stormers):
Talk about taking your opportunities. He first came to prominence when Springbok Conrad Jantjes was injured last year and he is definitely kicking on.
Bubbling under: Israel Dagg (Highlanders)

14 - Digby Ioane (Reds):
One of several stars who showed the Reds are going to be a handful for most of the top teams this year.
Bubbling under: Gerhard van den Heever (Bulls)

13 - Richard Kahui (Chiefs):
Forget the aberration that was the last 20 minutes and look how he destroyed the Lions' defensive Lions in the first hour - before all the Chiefs ran out of puff.
Bubbling under: Morgan Turinui (Reds)

12 - Wynand Olivier (Bulls):
Tough choice and plenty of debate. However, we flipped the coin and it landed on the Bull's head. Could have gone either way.
Bubbling under: Ma'a Nonu (Hurricanes)

11 - Bryan Habana (Stormers):
You expect wingers to be able to finish and Habana is one of the very best. But coming in at flyhalf is a new move for him and shows the value he brought to the Stormers.
Bubbling under: Wandile Mjekevu (Lions)

10 - Quade Cooper (Reds):
Just for those who wonder about Morné Steyn. He was considered and is our 'bubbling under' choice, but this week Cooper produced the magic in a team that was not expected to feature at all this season. Steyn gave him a run for his money.
Bubbling under: Morné Steyn (Bulls)

9 - Will Genia (Reds):
Ditto for the flyhalf spot. Fourie du Preez is class, but we felt Genia shaded him this week.
Bubbling under: Fourie du Preez (Bulls)

8 - Pierre Spies (Bulls):
If you want to know how big a role he plays in the Bulls set-up, go read the reaction to the reports that he was first injured and then cleared to play.
Bubbling under: Ryan Kankowski (Sharks)

7 - Juan Smith (Cheetahs):
Often one of the most underrated flanks in the game. The immense amount of work he gets through, especially on defence, often goes unnoticed.
Bubbling under: Francois Louw (Stormers)

6 - Pieter Louw (Stormers):
Who often does not get credit for the graft he does. But ask the Waratahs and they will tell you he was a key player in the Stormers' win.
Bubbling under: Jake Schatz (Reds)

5 - Andries Bekker (Stormers):
He took over the captaincy from Schalk Burger and did a fine job. His game is also getting more of a physical edge to it.
Bubbling under: James Horwill (Reds)

4 - Flip van der Merwe (Bulls):
And people said the Bulls will miss the physicality of Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw. Van der Merwe is not the finished product yet, but not a bad stand-in to have.
Bubbling under: De Kock Steenkamp (Stormers)

3 - Neemia Tialata (Hurricanes):
He is the cornerstone of what has become a very solid tight five in a very impressive Hurricanes team.
Bubbling under: WP Nel (Cheetahs)

2 - Saia Faingaa (Reds):
Have Australia found a new Wallaby hooker? He is just 23, but played like a veteran.
Bubbling under: Tiaan Liebenberg (Stormers)

1 - Tony Woodcock (Blues):
When things get tight, the quality players stand up and Woodcock was one of those in the arm-wrestle at the House of Pain.
Bubbling under: Wian du Preez (Cheetahs)

Our individual selections:

Len Kaplan XV: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Tamati Ellison, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Quade Cooper,  9 Will Genia, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Victor Matfield, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Benn Robinson.

Tim Hancox XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Fourie du Preez 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Rocky Elsom, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 WP Nel, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Jake Schatz, 5 James Horwill, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Wian du Preez.

Previous selections:

Team of the week - Round One: 15 Peter Hynes (Reds), 14 -Digby Ioane (Reds), 13 Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Zac Guildford (Crusaders), 10 Dan Carter (Crusaders), 9 Will Genia (Reds), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 George Whitelock (Crusaders), 6 Liam Messam (Chiefs), 5 Andries Bekker (Stormers), 4 Danie Rossouw (Bulls), 3 Werner Kruger (Bulls), 2 Aled de Malmanche (Chiefs), 1 Benn Robinson (Waratahs).

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