SA Rugby Team of the Week – Round 2

Wednesday’s Bloemfontein barnburner produced the core of our South African Team of the Week, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The second round of the Preparation Series kicked off with a cliffhanger in Kimberley, which saw the Stormers held off a late surge from Griquas to come away with a 38-32 win on Tuesday afternoon. The Bulls, beaten on their last trip to Nelspruit, then set the record straight as they scored seven tries to secure a convincing 48-31 win over the Pumas.

SA Rugby Team of the Week – Round 1

On Wednesday, a card game ensued in Gqeberha, where the Eastern Province Elephants lost two men to red cards, the first inside the opening five minutes, while the Lions conceded two yellow cards. The young Lions side triumphed 54-24 in a scrappy marathon of a match.

Luckily, the game that followed lived up to expectations with the Cheetahs and Sharks putting on an 11-try thriller that went down to the wire. The hosts had the cooler heads and eked out a 39-38 victory. Four Cheetahs and three Sharks feature in our side, with the Stormers and Bulls having the same four-three quota, while a lone Lions player completes our line-up.

15: Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs)

Prolific playmaking. Spread the ball like a rumour, creating tries and havoc throughout. Skipped out of a tackle and shipped a long pass to Rosko Specman, which led to Ruan Pienaar’s try. Created Khutha Mchunu’s try with a quick tap and was instrumental in Malcolm Jaer’s five-pointer. Elsewhere, Courtney Winnaar really stepped up as Elephants captain in a nightmare situation. Never stopped trying to ignite his team, combining well with Christopher Hollis and was rewarded for his endless endeavour with an intercept try in the 73rd minute.

14: Sihle Njezula (Stormers)

He’d probably admit he tried to be too cute on occasion, especially with THAT contentious offload to Sergeal Petersen, but he nevertheless ended with three try-assists, which is fantastic for a first-time starter. Sent Godlen Masimla away for his second and put down Stefan Ungerer to break away and link up with Kade Wolhuter.

13: Manuel Rass (Lions)

Ruhan Nel gave the Stormers go-forward ball, ran great lines and won an important breakdown penalty before half-time. However, Rass was both a jackrabbit with his hot-stepping and a pinball when defenders did make contact…so strong and determined on his feet. Stood in well at scrumhalf during Dillon Smit’s time in the bin.

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12: Frans Steyn (Cheetahs) – Player of the Week

Trucked it up tremendously for a full 80 minutes. Took out three or four defenders with a typically heavy-duty carry that opened the space out wide for his captain to score. Set-up a try with a massive corner penalty and nearly created another with a clever grubber. Ripped the ball free in his 22 and made back-to-back try-saving tackles on JJ van der Mescht and Thaakir Abrahams. Kept the scoreboard ticking and won the game with a penalty at the death for a personal haul of 14 points.

11: Rosko Specman (Cheetahs)

In the action immediately with “Specmagic” from inside his 22. Regularly injected himself into the game at pace to set off alarm bells in the Sharks defence. In for a try only to unselfishly gift it to his captain and summed up the situation perfectly – and early – as a key cog in Jaer’s try. Elephants flyer Hollis also caught the eye with a beautiful try.

10: Manie Libbok (Sharks)

Changed the complexion of the game when he came on in the second half. Gave the Sharks attacking impetus through sublime skill and vision. Created and converted a try that nearly won the match for the visitors and kicked with pinpoint precision with both feet.

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9: Ruan Pienaar (Cheetahs)

Had a great head-to-head battle against young Grant Williams, who caught the Cheetahs napping with a quick tap try and created a try for Thembelani Bholi, but conceded a yellow card. Pienaar’s generalship was immense. He dictated the pace of the game, communicated well with the ref and produced a touch of class when he timed a pass to perfection to beat a charging Anthony Volmink, which allowed Chris Smit to score. Had a hand in Jaer’s try and received a gift of a try on his 37th birthday.

8: Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks)

Ruhan Straeuli made some barnstorming runs, including blasting off from inside his 22 and was the go-to lineout option, while WJ Steenkamp put in a brutal defensive shift that included smashing back Michal Haznar a good five metres. However, Buthelezi won out with his work ethic, which earned him a deserved try.

7: Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers)

Lions rookie Sibusiso Sangweni made the most of his opportunity, as did Bholi. Both crossed the whitewash as well. George Cronje was also good in Bloemfontein, winning two turnovers in his 22, but Dixon was a Trojan on defence, making an unrivalled 15 tackles. Also made eight powerful carries, particularly around the fringes.

6: Marcel Theunissen (Stormers)

In a word, omnipresent. His wonderful work rate was highlighted by his charge-down try just after half-time and saw him make a dozen tackles. Many of those were thudding hits in what was a physically dominant performance with skill sprinkled in between. A threat in the lineout as well, where he grabbed one of Griquas’ throw-ins inside his half. Francois Kleinhans’ not the biggest, but in terms of physicality, the Pumas flank was a man among boys and scored his team’s opening try.

5: Janko Swanepoel (Bulls)

A workhorse in every facet of the game. Supplemented eight strong carries with nine tackles and got stuck in at the rucks and mauls. The promising 21-year-old was a towering presence in the lineout, putting the Pumas under pressure and poaching one inside his 22.

4: JJ van der Mescht (Sharks)

The gargantuan is still a greenhorn but his impact was that of a grizzled enforcer. Colossal in contact! Unstoppable at times, like when he stormed over for an important try at a key time and played a big role in the lead-up to Buthelezi’s try. Pumas powerhouse Brandon Valentine also had a big game that hinted at a bright future.

3: Mornay Smith (Bulls)

Bullish was the mobile big man! Really impressed with his output in the Kimberley heat, never noticeably slowing down. Bear-like at the breakdown, strong in the scrums, pumped the legs to barge over for a try from close range and made eight tackles. Neethling Fouché was good again all around. Showcased some seriously silky and subtle ball skills, soft hands centres would be proud of, including during the lead-up to Stefan Ungerer’s panic-induced yellow card. Ex-Springbok midfielder Gcobani Bobo brilliantly compared the big man’s handling of the ball to “caressing a baby” on commentary. Solid carries, notably in setting up clean exits.

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2: Joe van Zyl (Bulls)

Bagged a brace as the driver of the dominant driving maul and his lineout throwing was flawless. What was more impressive, though, was the leadership qualities he showed – which Jake White briefly noted during his in-game interview – in the way he was on his teammates about the soft defence and how he set an example with the physicality you’ve come to expect from the Bulls.

1: Ali Vermaak (Stormers)

Mauled John-Roy Jenkinson to the point that he was replaced after just 34 minutes. Between him, prop partner Fouché and hooker Scarra Ntubeni, they won four scrum penalties – early on in the attacking 22, on their 22 in the 25th minute, another eight minutes later and the fourth in the 48th minute. Also made no less than 12 tackles.