I was reading a Rugby365 article about their team of the week. I must say that after reading that it seems like the authors/editors have special lenses on that make some guys seem super human, like Hougaard who had a shocker but makes their bubbling under side. I am going to create my team of the week and compare it to Rugby365’s.

15 – Fullback:

Rugby365 – Israel Dagg, bubbling under – Louis Ludik

Me – Israel Dagg, bubbling under – Louis Ludik

I have no problems with this call. He had a superb game but was helped a lot by the Bulls’ wayward kicking. Ludik had another solid game. He is finally finding his feet at the Sharks. Pity it’s at the expense of Riaan Viljoen though

14 – Right Wing:

Rugby365 – JP Pietersen, bubbling under – Adam Whitelock

Me – JP Pietersen, bubbling under – Adam Whitelock

JP had another monster of a game. He has hit form at exactly the right time. Adam Whitelock gets chosen only because the others had quieter games than him.

13 – Outside Centre

Rugby365 – Paul Jordaan, bubbling under – Robbie Fruean

Me – Robbie Fruean, bubbling under – Paul Jordaan

Paul did have a good game but so did Fruean… and he played longer than Paul.

12 – Inside Centre

Rugby365 – Ryan Crotty, bubbling under – Tim Whitehead

Me – Tim Whitehead, bubbling under – Ryan Crotty

Whitehead had one of his best games in my book. He never missed a tackle and showed great hands and vision throughout the game. Ryan Crotty didn’t do too much against a weak Bulls team but was solid never the less.

11 – Left Wing

Rugby365 – Digby Ioane, bubbling under – Zac Guildford

Me – Zac Guildford, bubbling under – Lwazi Mvovo

Zac Guildford had a very good game against the Bulls and Mvovo had a much better game in my opinion than Ioane. Ioane was quite throughout the game really and kept well in check by the Sharks.

10 – Flyhalf

Rugby365 – Dan Carter, bubbling under – Frederic Michalak

Me – Dan Carter, bubbling under – Frederic Michalak

No complaints here. These two were by far the best on the day

9 – Scrumhalf

Rugby365 – Andy Ellis, bubbling under – Francois Hougaard

Me – Charl McLeod, bubbling under – Andy Ellis

I think the Rugby365 guys were smoking a bit of Durban Poison at this stage. McLeod was by far the best 9 of the day and Hougaard by far the worst.

8 – Eighth Man

Rugby365 – Richie McCaw, bubbling under – Scott Higginbotham

Me – Ryan Kankowski, bubbling under – Richie McCaw

How they saw Higginbotham having a better game than Kanko only they will know plus I know its Sir Richie, but please, Kanko had another stellar game and outplayed these two on the day

7 – Open-side Flank

Rugby365 – Marcell Coetzee, bubbling under – Matt Todd

Me – Marcell Coetzee, bubbling under – Liam Gill

It’s a no brainer on Coetzee but I picked Gill ahead of Todd because Gill looked like the more industrious of the two on the day. Todd in comparison was quiet.

6 – Blind-side Flank

Rugby365 – Keegan Daniel, bubbling under – Jacques Potgieter

Me – Keegan Daniel, bubbling under – George Whitelock

Daniel had one of his best games this season and Whitelock did more than crash ball on the day, because that’s the only thing Potgieter did all day.

5 – Lock

Rugby365 – Sam Whitelock, bubbling under – Anton Bressler

Me – Sam Whitelock, bubbling under – Anton Bressler

This, in my mind, was almost too close to call. They both had stunning games.

4 – Lock

Rugby365 – Luke Romano, bubbling under – Willem Alberts

Me – Willem Alberts, bubbling under – Luke Romano

This was another close call but the reason I go with Alberts is because he gave the Sharks that extra edge up front.

3 – Tighthead Prop

Rugby365 – Owen Franks, bubbling under – Jannie du Plessis

Me – Jannie du Plessis, bubbling under – Owen Franks

It was a difficult call between the front rows of both the Sharks and Crusaders. I pip Jannie here because I felt his contribution in the loose was outstanding as well.

2 – Hooker

Rugby365 – Bismarck du Plessis, bubbling under – Corey Flynn

Me – Bismarck du Plessis, bubbling under – Corey Flynn

This was a no brainer.Bismarckis by far the best hooker in the world at the moment.

1 – Loosehead Prop

Rugby365 – Tendai Mtwarira, bubbling under – Wyatt Crockett

Me – Tendai Mtwarira, bubbling under – Wyatt Crockett

Beast’s game in the loose tipped things in his favour. Crockett made mine-meat out of Kruger.