Australian sides have a dig, finally
Round four was one for the Australian and South African conferences. Here’s Christopher Reive’s team of the week
15Michael Collins (Highlanders)
Although the Highlanders were blown away by the Crusaders, Collins had an individual performance to be proud of. He was a handful for the defence when he got room to move, carrying the ball for more than 130m and broke clean through the defensive line a couple of times, providing an attacking threat the Highlanders have been lacking early in the season.
14Chris Feauai-Sautia (Reds)
Looked threatening whenever he had the pill. While he wasn’t among the Reds’ nine try scorers, he did plenty of work on attack.
13Hunter Paisami (Reds)
With line breaks, a try, plenty of metres with ball in hand and flashing his offloading prowess, Paisami took full advantage of his chances to impress against the Sunwolves.
12Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks)
In a solid all-round performance, Esterhuizen stood up as an imposing force for the Sharks. Making double-digit tackles and securing three turnovers, he set the benchmark for his team’s defensive efforts.
11Makazole Mapimpi ( Sharks)
A major factor in the Sharks’ win over the Rebels, Mapimpi was a menace with ball in hand. He chalked up more than 110m, scored two tries and assisted on another in an impressive performance.
10Otere Black (Blues)
Black was strong in his first competition game of the season due to injury and while the pace affected him at times, it didn’t hurt his perfect cross-kick for Stephen Perofeta’s try, or indeed the match-winning penalty in the final seconds — the last act of the game.
9Tate McDermott ( Reds)
In a game where the Reds scored 64 points, McDermott had his fingerprints all over it. With two tries and as many assists, he was heavily involved in the attack. His decisionmaking and distribution were great and he worked superbly alongside No 10 James O’Connor to control the game.
8Pete Samu ( Brumbies)
After being pipped late by the Highlanders a week previously the Brumbies needed a shot of energy
from somewhere against the Chiefs. They got it from Samu. The former Crusader put in a stunning performance with two tries, the second one a brilliant display of his pace and power.
7Tom Christie (Crusaders)
For the second week in a row, Christie stood out from the pack for his sheer work rate. Hitting the 20-tackle mark yet again, securing a turnover, scoring a try and carrying the ball with intent, Christie had a say in every facet of the game.
6Jeandre Rudolph ( Bulls)
Rudolph flashed a little bit of everything in a slim loss to the Blues. The loose forward put his head down for some strong carriers, raking through more than 50m with ball in hand. He also scored a try, worked tirelessly on defence and even put in a kick.
5Angus Blyth (Reds)
Despite the Reds obliterating the Sunwolves and dominating possession and territory, it was Blyth’s work on the defensive end that made him stand out, making his tackles and working hard at the breakdown.
4Murray Douglas (Brumbies)
Another key factor in the Brumbies’ shock win over the Chiefs, Douglas impressed on defence while doing his part at the set pieces and in the attack, too.
3Thomas du Toit (Sharks)
Tried hard to get involved in the side’s attack where he could, carrying the ball strongly and breaking the defensive line. On defence, he was fantastic, making plenty of tackles while working hard off the ball.
2Connal McInerney (Brumbies)
McInerney made his presence felt in a big way on the defensive side of the ball, with a massive tackle count and a turnover to his credit. He worked hard across the paddock, and he was reliable in the lineout.
1Aidan Ross (Chiefs)
As a team, defence wasn’t the Chiefs’ strong suit against the Brumbies — but that was no fault of Ross. The prop continued a string of strong performances, making a heap of tackles and muscling up to try to slow down the Brumbies’ constant menacing attack. He put in plenty of work at the breakdown and was solid at the set piece.