SA United Rugby Championship Team of the Week – Round 3

Bulls prop Gerhard Steenekamp stole the show as the South African sides completed a clean sweep in the third round of the United Rugby Championship on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The Lions put Edinburgh to the sword in the first half of their encounter at Ellis Park, scoring a record 48 unanswered points, and won 55-21 in the end, before a Springbok-laden Bulls side powered to a 47-21 win over Ulster at Loftus Versfeld.

The Sharks and Stormers, meanwhile, picked up their first wins of the season abroad, the Durbanites snatching a 33-30 victory over the Dragons in Newport and the Capetonians cruising to a 36-5 victory over Zebre in Parma.

Steenkamp is among a half dozen Bulls in our local Team of the Week. The Lions also have six representatives, followed by the Sharks with two and the Stormers with one.

15: Quan Horn (Lions)

Absolutely awesome. Scored the opening try and had a hand in four other tries, with his money ball out wide to set up Rabz Maxwane’s first score and counter-attack to set up Francke Horn’s score standing out. Beat a team-high seven defenders.

14: Rabz Maxwane (Lions)

A speed merchant who knows his way to the tryline. Scorching inside-outside run to score his first try, pure pace to score his second and completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute. Ran for a match-high 82 metres. Not all flash, he put in a hard hit on Hamish Watson as well.

13: Jurenzo Julius (Sharks)

Caused the Dragons all sorts of problems with his explosive acceleration. Nice break and offload to Ethan Hooker sparked Jaden Hendrikse’s try and scored one of his own. Good energy on defence.  

12: Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks)

A skilful and relentless colossus. Carried the Sharks on his back for most of the match, making 13 hit-ups and playing a role in two tries, including getting a great offload away for Julius to score.

11: Edwill van der Merwe (Lions)

Sent a clear message to the Springbok coaches that he’s hungry for more Test rugby in his first game since July. Sat down Darcy Graham in the lead-up to Quan Horn’s try and did well to finish off two terrific counter-attacking tries. Try assist for his captain and made a try-saving intervention on the line on Ewan Ashman.

10: Boeta Chamberlain (Bulls)

Looked at home in his first URC start for the Bulls in the No. 10 jersey. Silky distribution, including a try assist for David Kriel, outstanding kicking out of hand, including a few line kicks that found touch five metres from Ulster’s tryline, slotted three out of four off the tee and went over for a try to cap a complete performance.

9: Morne van den Berg (Lions)

Brilliant on attack and with the boot. Fuelled the freight train with snappy service and sniped. Perfect grubber for Van der Merwe to pick up and score, great exits off both feet and added a conversion from the right-hand touchline.

8: Cameron Hanekom (Bulls)

A dynamo who delivered in all departments. Athletic with ball in hand, got onto the scoresheet via a trick lineout play, a beast at the breakdown, winning three turnovers, made a match-high 15 tackles at a 100% clip and chipped in a good kick into touch from inside his 22 for good measure.

7: Elrigh Louw (Bulls)

“The Sheriff” put the shoulder in on both sides of the ball, taking names and shaking off a nasty gash to the head. Made plenty of ground, including a 20-metre restart return, muscled over for a try and hit the stuffing out of the visitors in defence.

6: JC Pretorius (Lions)

The former Blitzbok had a blast. Effective target setter and a handful in open play, making a team-high seven successful carries. Fleet-footed break set up Rynhardt Jonker’s try, try assist for Van der Merwe and was everywhere on defence, winning two turnovers in a Man of the Match performance. 

5: Darrien Landsberg (Lions)

Continues to grow at a rapid rate this season. Provided go-forward and a key offload in the opening try. Lineout steal in the 26th minute resulted in another try, controlled restarts and was physical on defence, a dominant hit on Magnus Bradbury sticking out.

4: JD Schickerling (Stormers)

After three seasons in Japan, Schickerling is loving life back at the Stormers and has taken to the URC like a duck to water. Abrasive in the trenches, athletic in open play and a towering presence in the lineout, where he came up with a steal on his 5m line.

3: Wilco Louw (Bulls)

Helped transform what was a weakness the previous weekend into an overwhelming strength as he delivered scrum dominance every prop dreams of. The Bulls won six penalties in the set piece, plus a heel against the head, with Louw and company providing the platform for Arendse’s try as well. Strong carry in the lead-up to Kriel’s try.

2: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls)

Scored a try to celebrate his 50th game for the Bulls and was outstanding in the set pieces and in defence, nearly cutting Werner Kok in half with a brutal hit.

1: Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls) – Player of the Week

An unstoppable force. Spearheaded the demolition job at scrum time, sending Corrie Barrett airborne and crushing him into conceding a yellow card. Nice carry and offload to Grobbelaar just after halftime and won a textbook jackal in a monstrous Man of the Match performance.

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.