Pretty good week in the G&GR league overall. We maintained our league average lead for yet another week. Well done on that fellas! ManBearPigs keeps the top spot and rose to 14th overall globally. Good showings by Steve Hawkin, scrumblue, and SuperMango20 give us an impressive 4 members in the top 75 global.
Top team for the round was Pococks Willies, which made me want to wash my hands after even just typing it out… His 446 points was good for a climb of 12 spots up to 15th in the league. Personally, I suffered more disappointment in what started as a promising round. Leaving Cruden, van der Heever, and Paterson on my bench when they went off definitely hurt. Let’s have a look at the highs and lows of the round.
Blinders
- Aaron Cruden, ‘Canes: The NZ wonderboy has won the starting flyhalf spot and is looking dangerous in it. Slippery running and his defense isn’t so bad. A little like a younger Quade at the moment. Flashy, but still putting it together.
- Morne Steyn, Bulls: Morne and his fellow bovines have been struggling of late. Looks like the Lions coming to town was just what the doctor ordered! He was back to his old self with accurate kicking and creative nous in setting up his runners.
- Andries Bekker, Stormers: Has been awesome in leading the Capetowners this year. A new level of form for him, and just as good has been his ability to avoid injury this year (a past problem for him). Has been the best lock all year and doesn’t look about to slow.
- Joe Rokocoko, Blues: I said early this season that I thought Smokin’ Joe was done. Based on his form last year and during internationals it looked to be writing on the wall for him. He has proved me and many others wrong. Has consistently been at a highly dangerous level.
Flops
- Tendai Mtawarira, Sharks: What a fall from grace for this man. Can hardly get off the bench these days no matter how hard the crowd cheers for “The Beast.” Have to wonder what his Bok chances will be in the future with so little game time.
- Stephen Donald, Chiefs: Couldn’t forget the Duck here. Mostly crap game from him in his return to first 5/8th now that Delany is out injured. Capped off by missing all 6 kicks at goal! Think that might have made a difference in their draw against the Cheetahs? Just maybe.
- Mark Bartholomeusz, Force: Probably no one owns him, and rightly so. Barto has put together 3 consecutive negative point weeks. Ouch. But the Force are playing some of their best rugby, so keep it up!
