1. Benn Robinson (Tahs) – Has gotten the better of his opposite numbers two weeks in a row and shown that he is the number one, no. 1 in the country. More often than not he was scrumming against two opponents, as George Smith would slide up along side the under pressure Brumbies tight-head and actually be in the front row. The ref’s didn’t pick it up but they missed a fair bit, still didn’t stop the Tahs from taking a tight head.
2. Tatafu Polota Nau (Tahs) – A year ago Taffy couldn’t hit the side of a barn with his line-out throws but now looks really comfortable. Had to put in a bit of overtime when he re-appeared after Frier went off with injury. Got the better of Stephen Moore and was still full of running at the end.
3. Laurie Weeks (Reds) – Came up against more than one Springbok front-rower on Saturday night and didn’t wilt under the pressure. He didn’t dominate but then again, wasn’t pushed around either.
4. Will Caldwell (Tahs) – Like Benn Robinson, has dominated his local rivals over successive weeks. The best line-out forward in Australia, it’s sure not his fault the Tahs lost on Friday. I think Nathan Sharpe should be feeling a little nervous.
5. Hugh McMeniman (Reds) – The fact Madness has played the last two weeks is testament to his strength of mind and his character. Single-handedly fixed the Reds lineout this week and created havoc with his defence. Has played three games in a row without injury which for him is an achievement in itself.
6. Scott Higginbotham (Reds) – Got bashed around off the ball a heap by the Sharks so maybe they realised his importance to overall performance of the Reds. Has always been a decent ball runner but is now becoming a far more solid defender. Has the number six spot nailed down which none of the other Australian blind-sides do.
7. George Smith (Brumbies) – His talent abounds…..
8. Tamaiti Horua (Force) – Has been the best for the Force for the last two games. Started at number 6 against the ‘Saders but showed his versatility finishing the game at no. 8. A great ball runner and a legitimate lineout forward. His support play in the second half during the Forces’ comeback was outstanding.
9. Josh Valantine (Force) – Others may play better in spurts, but Valentine is playing the most consistently, and, generally behind a Force pack that is going backwards at a rate of knots. An honourable mention goes to Will Genia’s 50 min effort against the Sharks
10. Matt Giteau (Force) – His talent abounds also….
11. Peter Hynes (Reds) – Was rated by Sharks coach John Plumtree at the after match interviews as the best winger in the competition, that’s a good enough endorsement for me.
12. Berrick Barnes (Reds) – After a few slow weeks at the start of the season, Barnes is now really playing some great rugby. Tackles well, kicks goals, beats defenders, gains ground with kicks, good passing game and alternates between no.10 and inside centre seamlessly – the kind of skills that will probably consign him to being a utility bench player for the Wallabies when he otherwise would probably have been run on.
13. Digby Ioane (Reds) – A winger who looks far better playing outside centre. His best games this season have come when he has shifted to no.13, must be super-fit as his work rate is incredible. The hardest man to tackle in the Super 14 maybe?
14. Lachlan Turner (Tahs) – Not sure what the Tahs can do to get him more ball, but it should be their number one priority (a start might be to get rid of Portley?) Lachie is making the most of his very limited opportunities.
15. Mark Gerrard (Brumbies) – If Gerrado doesn’t get first crack at the Wallaby fullback gig this year then something is seriously wrong. Shows the kind of ability to control a game that is needed of a test match full back.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1795 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=1795">25 Comments
Don’t agree with Turner being there. He showed some skills to get that try, but a good winger is never limited in their opportunities.
Think tyrone smith deserves a mention, he has reignited the brumbies backline.
He does Ed, but I didn’t think he had near the game Barnes did.
T. Smith will be a fixture in the Brumbies team in the coming weeks however
Surely only until the Mortlock era ends?
The mortlock era will go on for a while the way he is playing.
Robbie does like two play makers on the field at the same time so maybe Barnes and Gits will be the new Merts and Mauger?
How strong, after all, does a backline of Gits Barnes Mortlock – Hynes Ioane Gerrard look?
And it has depth with Barnes backing up Gits, Cooper backing up Barnes, Ioane backing up Mortlock, Mitchell/Turner backing up the back three (and there’s your bench, not even including Smith).
If nothing else this 3N has made me feel very positive about Australia, much more than the last few seasons.
Of your forward pack though only Robinson and Smith are automatic picks for an Australian side, although presumably if TPN can keep it up he will be an automatic inclusion in the 22, and McMeninam looks likely.
Interestingly there are eight changes from your recent Wallaby team, albeit you essentially just promoted your bench. Since most of them were playing in fact against each other, maybe you should revise your starting line-up??
Barnes is developing into one of the best insides in the world. He will start there for the Wallabies no question.
not a single tah in the rugbyheaven team of the week. Where has their bias gone?
havent seen em, but makes up for last weeks 10 tahs….
The whole ‘winning ugly’ ideology was brutally exposed for the Tahs. They were outplayed all across the park. Their backline was obviously a shadow of the Brumbies and also the Reds. Their forward pack got beaten at the breakdown and allowed Smith and others to run riot. I tend to agree more with the Rugby Heaven TOTW. I think it is probably a bit rich that the list above contains 3 forwards (40% of the pack) from a tahs side that was the only australian side to get thumped on the weekend. Brumbies owned the Tahs in every facet of the game and had half the players selected above? I know you don’t judge individual performances based on the teams results but come on arguing for blanket Tahs representation this week is probably a bit much.
I thought ben Alexander was awesome. He was everywhere and deserved his rugby heaven spot. Similarly Daley who took it to much better opposition than the tahs faced in the front row and nailed it on debut.
You cant agree with them leaving me out of the side though…
Thanks for stopping by Gerrardo….
Just finished watching the Force.
JC – are you sure about Horua this week? I atually thought he had a bit of a shocker; ran off back of scrum into touch, over-ran Pococks pass, dropped a few and then did the brainfart grubber at the end when the Force had a chance to win it.
Palu on a bad day (like Saturday) looked better I thought.
Agree on Gits though. Absolutely fuckin magic. Daniel who?
No respect for James O’Connor, I thought he was excellent in the Force game. Barnes is currently the better 12, but I think O’Connor should be talked about at least on the bench for the wallabies.
Also agree about the number of Tahs. The forwards got smashed all around the park. Didn’t think Caldwell was that good, getting pushed around at the breakdown and with the ball.
I didn’t think the Tahs forwards got smashed, indeed they even took a tight head off the Brumbies.
Watch for Smith’s work at the scrum to come under scrutiny in the coming weeks. He slides up into the front row and when the Brumbies scrum comes under pressure – like he did a few years ago when Bill Young used to get exposed as a scummaging fraud.
In fairness, he might not be the only flanker in the world to do that!!
In fact I remember doing exactly that back at school – gets you closer to the halfback as well ;)
Senor Cote: methinks you’re overcompensating on your selections so that the anti Queensland mob (and Gagger) can’t accuse you of being biased with your choices? The Mighty Horua was far from ‘mighty’ on Saturday – in fact, Houston was the best performed Australian No.8 (well, naturalised Australian, anyway) by a country mile. You’ve acknowledged Genia – he came on fairly early in the piece, and Valentine has a pretty consistent pass (unlike Burgo); however, I thought the former had a terrific match. He was aggressive, took the right options and his support play second to none – another one of those players (like Higgo) who is going forward with each experience…..and more importantly, I’ve never seen him wearing thongs whilst dressed in a suit……can’t say the same about Valentine.
LF – Senor Cote does have to tread a fine line and fight off his natural leanings!
I’ll watch the Reds game (at last) tonight and check out whether it should be an all reds team…..
That kind of fighting natural leanings is exactly what caused me to tip the friggin Tahs, after I went with the natural leanings and tipped the bloody Reds the week before.
I think I hate the Tahs :)
your not the only one
Amen to that Paddie….
Thongs and suits maybe a fashion risk but at least Valo didn’t drop a Jappie flanker on his head and more than likely cop a couple of weeks suspension
Right, finally managed to see game!
Gotta admit:
a) Houston did look pretty damn good – although he’s gotta be able to last more than 50 mins. Ezra didn’t get far.
b) Lance, think you’re probably right on Genia. Sharp passing, good hussle around rucks and combo with diggers. Although by fuck he was lucky the touchie “forgot” his number after that braindead dump tackle.
That sure would have put you in a tough spot putting those in as well JC!!
I’ve got a few questions over Higgenbotham – looks good running but bombed a certain try and seems a bit clumbsy around the tough stuff. Best of a bunch with Mumm and MMM in at lock though.
Overall, Reds did look sharp. Passes are sticking, they’re backing up well and everyone seems to know what each other’s doing. Very Deans-like. Makes me wonder who much impact he had lobbing up a training or indirectly through the Wallabies.
Is this being unfair to the Mormon?
Was a cracker to see the Sharks get rattled. Napoleon Dynamite (Steyn) always drops his bundle.
Greg Martin though. Please. Calm the farm. It’s becoming nauseating.
Firm but fair Gagger, that’s my aim.
Re Marto, his radio show isn’t rating that well so he is doing whatever he can to get noticed, the fact you noticed him proves his strategy is working I guess?!?!.
He has even sunk to the depths of running against the incumbent Premier of Qld in the upcoming Qld state election (something Lance Free would like to do also)as a means of generating publicity and showed up to a news conference for a high profile candidate from a different electorate with no shirt on, again, something Lance Free would also like to do…
Re Horua, I thought he battled on well and provided the Force with a great link between backs and forwards. Sure, he did make some errors, but which no. 8 this week didn’t. Also, as you alluded to, he got through 80 mins which no other Aust no. 8 did.
I think Marto must have fancied Pauline Hanson to front up to her press conference semi-nude? Those photos….indeed….even your man-boobs JC would have been bigger than her chest?
Which political party was it that dumped Little Johnnie’s (Man of Steel) $25 million commitment to redevelop Ballymore as the home of rugby in Queensland…..? Yes, quite….
Go the Borg – although, to be fair, I have actually had a conversation with him about rugby at a cocktail party once. Unfortunately, not having had the privilege of attending TGS (unlike JC), Laurence didn’t have a clue what I was talking about and it went straight over his head. Not to worry.
There’s probably not much chance I’d support Botox Bligh – she’s a big-time mungo supporter……along with that Judy Spence hag….trying to defend the indefensible (mungo atrocities)…..bah humbug!