1. Greg Holmes (Reds) – Had a strong all-round game which was impressive coming up against another big South African scrum. Holmes played out the full 80 minutes after doing the same the week before.
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies) – Apart from a few wind-blown lineout throws, was once again the standard setter for the Australian hookers. Perhaps not as dominant as last week, albeit against better opposition this week. Saia Faainga gets a ‘mentioned in dispatches’ for his busy 35 minute effort against the Stormers.
3. Guy Shepardson (Brumbies) – Not sure of the stats but he had a prominent role in the game with plenty of close quarter running and some good defensive work around the rucks. The Brumbies scrum looks pretty good this year and his efforts are at the centre of this turn-around.
4. Nathan Sharpe (Force) – Lead the way for the Force with some powerful runs and quality line-out work. Looks as though he has final given up his dream of being an inside centre and is concentrating of doing the hard work in tight.
5. Dean Mumm (‘Tahs) – Not spectacular but who in the ‘Tahs game was? Plays the game at pace and always seems to be involved. The best performed of any of the Australian locks thus far in the competition.
6. Scott Higginbotham (Reds) – This was the best game of his career. Menaced the Stormers inside backs with his dynamic runs and was unlucky not go over for a couple of tries. Has tightened up his defensive work and now looks like a XV a side player rather than a showy 7’s player.
7. David Pocock (Force) – Tough call between him and George Smith – Pocock didn’t throw a no-look flick pass that lead to a try like Smith did – so he gets the nod. Looking forward to him taking on ‘Richie the Cheat’ in round five.
8. Wyclif Palu (‘Tahs) – When nothing was going right for the ‘Tahs, plan B seemed to be to give it to Cliffy for some good old fashioned up-the-jumper running, it’s what he does best and what was needed on horror night like the ‘Tahs had.
9. Josh Valentine (Force) – Not that he was good, but he was the best of the worst. For the second week in a row, there has not been a half-back that has played well which is concerning.
10. Kurtley Beale (‘Tahs) – A moment of brilliance with his cross-field mungo kick for TimTam’s try mixed in with more than a few moments of madness. Good to see him stay involved in the game even when things weren’t going well for him. Last year in those situations, he would have faded out and left it to Sam Two-Dads to clean up.
11. Clyde Rathbone (Brumbies) – Looks as though he is returning to form with some destructive runs and has now managed two games on the trot, which after the last couple of seasons, is a mammoth achievement in itself.
12. Sitrling Mortlock (Brumbies) – Outstanding, simply outstanding.
13. Digby Ioane (Reds) – Called into the centres as a last minute replacement, Diggers showed he might have a future there in years to come evoking memories of Tana Umaga
14. Francis Fainifo (Brumbies) – He continues to impress me with his involvement and his positional play. Went off early in the second half after getting bell rung by Casey Laulala but had still done more than any other of the Australian wingers.
15. Mark Gerrard (Brumbies) – Kicked better than Bruce Lee and indeed it was his tactical kicking in the second half that allowed the Brumbies the field position need to wear down a stoic Crusaders team. The stand-out fullback in the entire competition, bar none.
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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1262 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=1262">16 Comments
I think poocock was lucky to be in there over GSMITH. Anyone can make a mistake
And I think Rathbone and Benji Fainifo were lucky to be there, I didn’t think they performed to their best, but they played their roles well.
Totally agree with the fullback though, other than a perfect general kicking game, that brumbies game was the most physical I’ve ever seen Gerrard play. I saw him put a couple of defenders flat on their back with his late, both hand fending technique.
Also he did get the match winning try in the final seconds against the best defensive display in the comp so far.
Pocock has carried the Force two weeks in a row, smith has more troops to help him.
Bobo, who would you have put in as the two wingers? Nostalgia made me plumb for Rathbone and Frankie was there or there-abouts
I think old Drew Mitchell probably should have bumped one of them. Bust a few tackles, good rucking.
two tightheads and the Tahs still can’t get a prop!
Moses @ Beerandsport’s last blog post..Saffas hope to retain monopoly racially selected teams
Bennn did also have a good game in the loose. His little leg exploded after that blistering run down the touch line
I took into account the opposition, Bennnnnn is the goods but Spuddie is a long way from the potato farm in Warwick and plodded on manfuly
Hmmm, still not convinced after watching the Reds game. They got mullered all the first half, although it seemed to be Weeks-as that was more in trouble…
Agree on most selections JC. I thought Richard Brown was outstanding for the Force on Friday night and although Cliffy had his best game for a while, Brown gets the nod from me. Totally agree on Pocock, if George wasn’t around the kid would be Wallaby open side for 10 years.
Brown needs things going his way to have an impact, Palu doesn’t.
I thought the second best was Leroy, who, despite the odds, is alreday showing he is ready to go the next level.
I’ll have to watch the Reds game tonight JC and just check the colour of the glasses you’re wearing on that one….;-)
for my left eye, the colour was red, and for my right eye, the colour was blood red!!!!
Juan – not sure about some of your selections this week. I thought Cooper had one of his best games yet for the Reds, Spuddy Holmes is definitely a journeyman prop – their scrum was under pressure the whole time – and in my view Phibbs comprehensively outplayed Valentine (albeit the standard of halfback play is generally a bit dire). Neither Genia or Lucas were that convincing either.
Actually, the best halfback I saw this weekend was a guy playing for the Kenmore Bears U17s in a Brisbane pre-season competition match against Redlands…he could at least pass, run, kick and disrupt opposition feeds…
Rathbone? Are you serious? The bloke was rubbish. Turned over ball, absolutely no pace. He went through one gap on Saturday and his lack of pace and inability to beat the last man one on one was terrible. To rub it in he turned the ball over when he got tackled and cost the Brumbies a near certain try.
After being average in club rugby last year and again in pre-season trials he’s in the side on reputation and I think his performance on Saturday showed it.
are you insane?
No. I thought he finished poorly when he had opportunities and space. The example being at 10 minutes before half time when he ran through a gap, put on one of the slowest steps I have ever seen and didn’t even look like beating the last man, then got tackled and dropped it cold in the tackle denying the brumbies one of their best attacking opportunities of the game. 2 terrible plays in one touch.
Do you think his club rugby form last year was good? Do you think he was a standout in the trials this year?
He is one of the most average back 3 players in Aust S14 sides at the moment. Has lost too much pace with 2 years out of the game. Unfortunatly being a good winger is about converting opportunities and finishing, like Ioane has been doing this season with little ball. I don’t think Rathbone did that on the weekend, or in the trials.
Gree with you Mark, i really dont see the what all the fuss is about re Rathbone!
His deficiencies are there for all to see, but everybody seems to be blind to them. if there is one player who is living on his reputation then it is him.