SA United Rugby Championship Team of the Week

Our South African United Rugby Championship Team of the Week primarily consists of coastal gems following the final round of local derbies, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld. 

The Stormers blew the Lions away 32-10 at Ellis Park to consolidate their position at the top of the South African Shield while in Saturday’s other derby, the Sharks secured a 29-22 win over a Bulls team that stayed in the fight despite being reduced to 14 men for 70 minutes at Loftus Versfeld.

There are six Stormers and five Sharks on our side, with the Durbanites boasting the Player of the Week, while the Highveld neighbors each have a pair of representatives in our chosen XV.

15: Warrick Gelant (Stormers)

The pre-eminent playmaker in the country at present. Architected two of the Stormers’ tries, one through a counter-attack from his 22 and another with a clever grubber. Then there were slick touches and kick-passes as well, along with an excellent exit kick. David Kriel had a cracker as well.

14: Sergeal Petersen (Stormers)

A tackle-busting line break with his first touch of the ball set the tone for a top-class display by the information flyer. Defensively sound, making good ankle-height tackles and fielding bombs, but it’s on attack where he hounded the hosts, his effortless finish of the counter-attacking team try a testament to his class.

13: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks)- Player Of The Week

Mr. Marvellous. Scored a one-in-a-million try and secured a match-sealing breakdown penalty at the death. Aside from those highlights, he led the Durbanites’ defensive effort with a South African-high 13 tackles. A special superstar.

12: Burger Odendaal (Lions)

Marius Louw brought balance and strength to the Sharks’ midfield, but Odendaal showed just what a pivotal player he is for the Lions upon his return from a concussion. Created his team’s only try with a wonderful chicken wing offload after sparking an earlier try-scoring opportunity with a line break and made a vital cover tackle on Damian Willemse.

11: Seabelo Senatla (Stormers)

Ever dangerous, he troubled defenders throughout and got onto the scoresheet again. Did a sterling job cutting down Stean Pienaar after he’d flown through a gap and took some outstanding over-the-shoulder high bomb catches Proteas would be proud of. Madosh Tambwe was lethal but cost the Bulls a try with an unacceptable tackle attempt.

10: Manie Libbok (Stormers)

Libbok’s a confidence player and he had that on Saturday. Strutted his stuff with his dancing shoes, evading a few tacklers, kicked the mother of all 50:22s – which resulted in a try – and was flawless off the tee, contributing a dozen points.

9: Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks)

Nothing special from the scrumhalf collective. Zak Burger had the best hustle of the bunch, which included a turnover on the deck. Hendrikse was quick to the breakdown, crisp with his distribution, and made good decisions. As a result, he enjoyed the most minutes of the candidates.

8: Hacjivah Dayimani (Stormers)

It was the Dayimani show at Ellis Park, this time not in the red and white but in Stormer’s blue. Ran rampant against his former team, the highlight being the piece of individual brilliance that saw him step two Lions and outsprint two more to score the opening try. Created a hole for Marcel Theunissen with a deft offload and worked hard on defence.

7: Arno Botha (Bulls)

Henco Venter provided the punch that saw him promoted to the starting line-up, bumping off Tambwe like he’s a toddler to score the Sharks’ first try, but he copped a yellow card. Inform Botha was a clinical colossus and ballhawk of the highest order, poaching a match-high three turnovers.

6: Deon Fourie (Stormers)

The evergreen utility forward continued where he left off last week to bank back-to-back Man of the Match awards. Had a field day at the breakdown, including securing a maul turnover, a critical jackal after a line break in his 22 just before half-time, and another that resulted in a 50:22 and ultimately a try. Worked hard in contact and was rewarded with a try.

5: Ruan Nortje (Bulls)

One of the key positives Jake White can take out of the defeat is how Nortje rose to the red card conundrum with aplomb. A clear standout, his immense work across the park – which included two line breaks – and in the lineouts was a revelation of his rapid maturity.

4: Gerbrandt Grobler (Sharks)

Maximised his starting opportunity. Athletic and reliable in the lineouts and at the restarts, physical in the tight loose, prominent in the mauls and a demon on defence, his hard work without the ball including a try-saving stop on Bismarck du Plessis.

3: Thomas du Toit (Sharks)

Carlu Sadie flexed his muscles at scrum time, but Du Toit was in a league of his own in terms of overall contribution. Strong in the scrums, where he won a penalty on his 5m line in the 24th minute, and remarkably active on defence.

2: Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)

Abrasive 61-minute performance. A human missile, he’s a master of picking the perfect time to peel off a lineout driving maul and powering over with unstoppable strength and, more importantly, technique. Put in solid work in open play.

1: Ruan Dreyer (Lions)

Rock-solid at loosehead was the former Springbok tighthead. His scrummaging on the opposite side of the front-row was made even more impressive by the fact it came against a veteran in Brok Harris, the same man he held up over the line to save a try.

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.