After 19 rounds and 3 weeks of finals, the Green and Gold Rugby podcast panel have compiled their Australian Super Rugby team of the year.
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1. James Slipper
So many times this season I’d be at the Reds games shaking my head in frustration or disgust. But sometimes it was amazement at what James Slipper was able to do. I just thought he was superb. He showed his ball skills a few times, he scored a couple of tries and I just don’t think there was anyone else who played as well as him this year.
Scott Sio had a decent year. Pek Cowan probably had his best year from the Force but for me it was James Slipper at loose head prop. – Reg[/one_third] [one_third last=”no”]
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
This has been his standout year. He’s changed his game too – less of that high impact, torpedo-like tackles and just really solid, really effective play across the park. I think his line out’s improved – it’s still a bit crooked but it’s no worse than anyone else in Australia. I thought he really stepped up for the Wallabies in those three tests against the French and that’s a real credit to his form this year. – Reg [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”]
3. Sekope Kepu
It came down to two.
Ben Alexander – I think we forget how well he played at the beginning of the season. He was in excellent form at the start of the season but I don’t think he maintained it.
The opposite is true of Sekope Kepu – he started solidly and may have even started a few games from the bench at the start of the season. It was almost the Wallabies series and beyond that turned it around for him. He was exceptional as he was again on Saturday night. – Reg [/one_third]
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4. Rob Simmons
Clearly the best lineout lock in Australia and that’s one of the fundamentals of the job. I’ve certainly been critical of him in the past in terms of his play around the field but it’s probably the best season he’s put in for the Queensland Reds. He was really one of the Reds who led them this season. – Hugh Cavill [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”]
5. Kane Douglas
Skelton had his moments coming off the bench. Jacques Potgieter was again a really solid player but the guy I’m going to give it to is Kane Douglas who really flies under the radar in terms of those other second rowers who are the big crowd favourites. Kane just does the basics well and he’s been the bedrock that the season’s been built around.
His finals series probably wasn’t as good as the rest of his season which is probably a little bit disappointing for him. I think over the course of the season he was one of the two standout second rowers. – Hugh Cavill [/one_third][one_third last=”yes”]
6. Jacques Potgieter
I’m going with ‘Jacpot’. I realise he plays a bit of second row and a bit of 6 but when he’s playing – that extra dimension he brings to the whole Waratah team has been palpable. When you see him live at the ground he’s one of the people that everyone’s watching.
He’s got some flaws in his game – he goes to ground too easily and he does a lot of flopping on people, but he get’s in people’s faces. He’s brilliant.
Honourable mentions: Scott Fardy and Angus Cottrell. – Matt[/one_third]
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7. Michael Hooper
Commendation to Matt Hodgson – a great season he’s had as a traditional Aussie open side. I think Michael Hooper though has blown it all away. He’s evolving the 7 role to another style, with an ultra linking game and running game, while managing to take penalties out of the equation – refs seem to love him – Matt [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”]
8. Wycliff Palu
The guy you’ve got to go with is Cliffy Palu. I think he’s had his best season yet. He managed to stay relatively injury free which was another kind of first.
But the final summed it up; he got KO’d early on and even in the time before going off for a concussion test, he was making yards and smashing people, probably seeing double while that was happening. Cliffy’s always had the ability to make yards and put on big hits but he’s doubled that this year with his work rate.
Honourable mentions: Ben McCalman and Ben Mowen – Matt [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”]
9. Alby Mathewson
I know he’s a Kiwi but he’s playing for an Australian franchise. When he was on the field the Force looked like they might sneak a final’s birth. When he wasn’t on the field they didn’t. Phipps was very good in patches but again across the whole season I’m going to go for Mathewson. – Jamie [/one_third]
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1o. Bernard Foley
About a year ago I remember writing a series of three articles about who should be the Wallaby 10 between Toomua, Cooper and Foley. I chose Foley and had my head torn off in the comments. He’s just a class act I mean he’s getting noticeably better with every year.
He’s a bit of a counter intuitive 10 because he’s developed from the outside in, he has all the sevens skills, only this year has he really developed all the core skills for 10. He’s very promising. I didn’t think he was going to kick that kick on the weekend – I thought it was too far for him and he proved me wrong. – Jamie [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”]
11. Rob Horne
It was a toss up between Rob Horne and Nick Cummins. I think they’ve been the next two standout wingers of the competition. The Waratah fan in me will probably end up picking Rob Horne because of the season that he’s had in light of his whole career which has been injury prone and confined to the centres. When I heard he was playing wing at the start of the year I was a little bit sceptical.
I didn’t think he had the speed or the agility to really cover that position but it turns out he’s been a real revelation. His performance on Saturday night was as good as any he had put out all season. His defence has been almost flawless and his running and his option taking has been great of the wing. – Hugh Cavill[/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”]
12. Matt Toomua
Inside centre was a tough one. It came down to Kurtley Beale and Matt Toomua. For me, I’ve gone with Toomua only from a consistency perspective. I think Beale was outstanding in patches, particularly towards the end of the season. Some of that passing in the final was delightful. That pass to Foley blew me away.
But Matt Toomua with his consistency all season both in defence and attack gets it. He scored tries, he ran that backline well and he really stood out. A fantastic player. – Reg[/one_third]
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13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
His (lack of) mistake rate as much as anything stands him apart. I’m a big fan of Tevita Kuridrani who missed a bit of the start of the season and can have a great impact on a game. Ashley Cooper started the season very solidly, above average but how he’s finished it has been absolutely superb. He’s been a dominant member of that Waratah success story. It will be really interesting to see where he fits in that Wallaby team – Reg[/one_third] [one_third last=”no”]
14. Henry Speight
A clear standout all season. – Hugh Cavill[/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”]
15. Israel Folau
I think two of the positions out of the back three almost pick themselves. Israel Folau at fullback and Henry Speight on the wing. They’ve both been the clear standout’s in the back three this season. – Hugh Cavill[/one_third]
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