Team of the Week: All sorts
With 14 matches over five matchdays it was never going to be a simple task.
We ended up with a real mixed bag – with eight countries represented in the starting XV alone, and another five countries making it into our back-up squad.
New Zealand and Ireland, two of the fancied team in the tournament, have the highest representation – with three each – in our starting XV.
Argentina, Scotland and Australia have two each – while France, Samoa and Wales (one each) make up the numbers.
South Africa dominate the back-up squad with four players, followed by Australia and Fiji (two each).
New Zealand, Samoa, Ireland, Italy, France, Uruguay and Tonga (one each) also get a look-in.
Only two players return from Round Three – No.8 David Pocock (Australia) and loosehead prop Scott Sio (Australia).
Team of the Week – World Cup, Week Four:
15 – Scott Spedding (France):
One of the few French players who did not harm his reputation.
Bubbling under: Ben Smith (New Zealand)
14 – Nehe Milner-Skudder (New Zealand):
Showed why he was so highly rated coming into the tournament. A finisher of note, with a workrate to boot.
Bubbling under: Bryan Habana (South Africa)
13 – Conrad Smith (New Zealand):
Smooth operator.
Bubbling under: George Pisi (Samoa)
12 – Rey Lee-Lo (Samoa):
He is a master with the ball in hand and doesn't mind making a few big hits.
Bubbling under: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)
11 – Horacio Agulla (Argentina):
Dispels the notion that the Pumas are all brawn and no brain.
Bubbling under: Nemani Nadolo (Fiji)
10 – Dan Carter (New Zealand):
Another masterclass in pivotal play.
Bubbling under: Handré Pollard (South Africa)
9 – Conor Murray (Ireland):
A key player in their quest for World Cup glory.
Bubbling under: Edoardo Gori (Italy)
8 – David Pocock (Australia):
His game has not changed one bit, even though the number on his back did.
Bubbling under: Louis Picamoles (France)
7 – Sean O'Brien (Ireland):
Some members of our panel do not mind a bit of off-the-ball thuggery.
Bubbling under: Matias Beer (Uruguay)
6 – Pablo Matera (Argentina):
Hard-working and a stalwart in a team that could be a surprise package.
Bubbling under: Scott Fardy (Australia)
5 – Alun Wyn-Jones (Wales):
Some tough competition from quality second row forwards.
Bubbling under: Leone Nakarawa (Fiji)
4 – Richie Gray (Scotland):
His is ever-present in a Scottish team that may lack depth, but with plenty of heart.
Bubbling under: Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
3 – Willem Nel (Scotland):
Another tough call to make, with plenty of competition. Nel has justified his selection by the Scots.
Bubbling under: Frans Malherbe (South Africa)
2 – Rory Best (Ireland):
The veteran is still adding plenty of value to a team that could go all the way.
Bubbling under: Stephen Moore (Australia)
1 – Scott Sio (Australia):
The rock in a much-improved wallaby scrum.
Bubbling under: Soane Tonga'uiha (Tonga)
Our individual selections:
Warren Fortune XV: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Conor Murray, 8 David Pocock, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Conor Murray, 8 David Pocock, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahoney, 5 Alun Wyn-Jones, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Rory Best, 1 Scott Sio.
Andrew Duncan XV: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Keith Earls ,12 Damien de Allende, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Connor Murray, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Rory Best, 1 Scott Sio.
Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 George Pisi, 12 Latiume Fosita, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Nemia Kenatale, 8 Mihai Macovei, 7 Matias Beer, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Rory Best, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Michael de Vries XV: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Vereniki Goneva, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 John Hardie, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Lucas Noguera.
Andrew Howitt XV: 15 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Alessandro Zanni, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Julian Montoya, 1 Scott Sio.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Conor Murray, 8 David Pocock, 7 Matias Beer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Alun Wyn-Jones, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Rory Best, 1 Scott Sio.
Previous selections:
Team of the Week – World Cup, Week Three: 15 Ayumu Goromaru (Japan), 14 Santiago Cordero (Argentina), 13 Keith Earls (Ireland), 12 Wesley Fofana (France), 11 DTH van der Merwe (Canada), 10 Bernard Foley (Australia), 9 Fourie du Preez (South Africa), 8 David Pocock (Australia), 7 Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia), 6 Michael Leitch (Japan), 5 Lodewyk de Jager (South Africa), 4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Agustín Creevy (Argentina), 1 Scott Sio (Australia).
Team of the Week – World Cup, Week Two: 15 Liam Williams (Wales), 14 JP Pietersen (South Africa), 13 Mark Bennett (Scotland), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 11 DTH van der Merwe (Canada), 10 Dan Biggar (Wales), 9 Fourie du Preez (South Africa), 8 David Pocock (Australia), 7 Schalk Burger (South Africa), 6 Ben McCalman (Australia), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 3 Charlie Faumuina (New Zealand), 2 Augustin Creevy (Argentina), 1- Scott Sio (Australia).
Team of the Week – World Cup, Week One: 15 Ayumu Goromaru (Japan), 14 David Kearney (Ireland), 13 Marcelo Bosch (Argentina), 12 Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), 11 Nemani Nadolo (Fiji), 10 Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia), 7 Michael Broadhurst (Japan), 6 Michael Leitch (Japan), 5 Konstantine Mikautadze (Georgia), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Rabah Slimani (France), 2 Agustín Creevy (Argentina), 1 Ben Arous (France).
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