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Each week we’ll, be looking at the best of the best in Australian rugby and piecing together the top 15 players from the Aussie Super Rugby sides from the round gone by.
This week saw the 2017 campaign get underway all around the globe with mixed fortunes for the Australian sides.
The Rebels battled hard in the opening game of the year against the Blues, taking a ten-point deficit into the halftime break, but they were blown away in the second half to lose 56-18.
The Reds fought out an absolute thriller at home against the Sharks, sneaking past the post thanks to a James Tuttle five-pointer inside the final ten minutes to win by just two.
The Brumbies performed better than many would have been expecting considering they were playing the most successful side in Super Rugby history, the Crusaders, in Christchurch.
The side from the nation’s capital continued to stay in touch but just couldn’t find the line in the second half, going down 17-13 with plenty of positive signs.
The final game was a two-pronged Aussie affair as the Force travelled upstate to face the Waratahs in Sydney.
It was one try apiece for the 80 minutes, but the cool calm right boot of Reece Robinson was the difference for the Tahs, snagging four penalty goals to take the 19-13 win for his side.
There was the odd disappointing performance, young talent standing up and even a wily veteran returning to the fold, so let’s take a look at the best Australian XV for Round 1.
1. Cruze Ah Nau (Rebels)
It’s hard to pick a player out of a side that let in over half a century of points, but Cruze Ah Nau was a standout in a struggling Rebels pack, especially in the opening half when the Rebels’ maul was able to challenge the Sharks big men.
He was easily the highest tackler for the Melbourne side and put in a really gritty and determined performance in the face of defeat.
2. Tolu Latu (Waratahs)
The big man was causing havoc close to the line and through the middle against the Force, continuously breaking the advantage line off either side of the ruck, a key to keeping the ball rolling forward for any side.
Scrummaging and line outs were near faultless, even winning a penalty or two for Robinson to sink home and extra three points.
3. Sam Talakai (Reds)
Nothing to blow the competition away, but just a solid overall run for Talakai to get his season going after a fairly forgettable 2016. Among the other props in contention, he picked up the most carries for decent metres.
4. Rory Arnold (Brumbies)
The Brumbies’ back row had a ripper of a game against the Crusaders away from home as a combination.
On top of scoring a crucial second half try for the Brumbies, Rory Arnold made line breaks, offloads, tackle busts, picked up a line break assist, won a pair of line outs and became a nuisance at the breakdown.
The Brumbies pack as a whole were able to challenge the might have the Crusaders, but it was Arnold who stood tall, physically and metaphorically.
5. Will Skelton (Waratahs)
Remember all the hype around this massive young guy coming in for the Waratahs a couple of years ago? Well here is some of the potential they were talking about.
Skelton’s runs were damaging, racking up big metres through pure strength and power up the middle. He made nearly half a dozen tackle busts throughout the game, averaging a break every second carry.
Skelton absolutely trampled over a hapless Curtis Rona, who was trying to defend against the big man on his own line, picking up his first try of the season and introducing Rona to Super Rugby.
6. Adam Korczyk (Reds)
Much like the Brumbies back row, the Reds flankers shone in their dramatic win over the Sharks this week, and they duly both make the team of the round.
Korczyk was strong around the fringes of the ruck, putting pressure on the Sharks big boppas in attack and defence. A solid game to open the season for the 22-year-old who is looking to stamp down a permanent spot in the side, having played just three games across the previous two years.
7. George Smith (Reds)
Classic George Smith. Age will not deny him his hunger for rugby and the Reds veteran proved once again why he’s one of the best in the world and what he does.
Continually digging around the ruck, clutching onto that ball when he has no right to and winning turnovers. Despite not being the biggest man on the field, Smith took on the line time and time again, making no fewer than six tackle busts and racking up more metres than the rest of the Reds forwards, bare one.
8. Scott Higginbotham (Reds)
That one is Scott Higginbotham. The 30-year-old had a blinder and was a big reason behind the Reds’ vital first round win.
Averaging nearly seven metres every single run, the big fella was near unstoppable with ball in hand, making two line breaks and a handful of tackle busts. He even found time to pick of a try assist after scoring a five-pointer of his own in the first half.
9. Ryan Louwrens (Force)
It wasn’t a spectacular round for the halfbacks but I’ve gone for South-African born Ryan Louwrens, who has had an undulating career with the Force since joining in 2014.
His delivery was consistent throughout the night against the Waratahs and he didn’t let coming up against a Wallaby as his opposite number. He was certainly the most aggressive scrumhalf of the weekend, taking on the line more than any other and being rewarded for it, breaking the line a couple of times and splitting big metres for a small guy.
Snagged a try assist to round it out as well.
10. Jono Lance (Force)
It was Jono Lance who benefited from that particular assist. Admittedly Louwrens did all the work on the five-pointer, but the try still sits next to Lance’s name.
Lance showed off his stern defensive play more than anything this week, not afraid to be isolated and do the dirty work in defence, racking up more tackles than any other fly-half across the round.
His service to the outside men was solid and his kicking game often found open grass and kept the Waratahs running backwards throughout the opening half.
11. Eto Nabuli (Reds)
Nabuli was overshadowed a bit by the men on his inside but still had a very strong game out on the wing. He was given consistently early ball with space to work with and made it count, breaking down the sides on more than one occasion to set up the Reds inside enemy territory.
More than ten metres per run is plenty to keep your side rolling downfield.
12. Duncan Paia’aua (Reds)
At just 22 years of age, Paia’aua has shown a mountain of potential in the centres and looks to be locking down the No.12 spot for the near future. He was dangerous with ball in hand, breaking nearly every tackle he went into and that’s not an exaggeration.
A big 40-metre run which split the defence inside the final ten minutes was the catalyst for the match-winning Tuttle try, giving the final pass for him to score in the corner.
13. Samu Kerevi (Reds)
Rounding out the Reds’ backline dominance is probably the performance of the week. Samu Kerevi was a menace on the ball for the Queenslanders and the poor Sharks just couldn’t figure him out.
Two key tries for the outside centre were all strength and muscle as he took two or three defenders over the line with him on both occasions to keep the Reds noses in front.
A pair of line breaks and some big metres out wide were more than enough to make the best XV for Round 1.
14. Reece Robinson (Waratahs)
The Waratahs and Force clash could best be described as a physical affair. There was just one try each and not exactly a beacon of offensive entertainment, but it was still a good match up.
In among all that it was the right boot of Reece Robinson that kept the 2014 champions ticking over. His cool and calm demeanour under pressure pushed his side over the line despite a relatively standard performance out on the wing on a night when the Tahs’ backline struggled to click.
15. Andrew Kellaway (Waratahs)
With Israel Folau being moved to outside centre, it looks like Kellaway is finally getting that full-time gig at fullback.
He showed great composure under the high ball and his returns were always meaningful, making the right decisions on whether to run back, kick, or give it away to his support.
He still has work to do in regards to his running game on the Tahs’ set play as they figure out when and where to slot him into the ball movement out wide, but he’s showing very positive signs, this week making a handful of half breaks behind the line.
Do you agree with the XV? You’re sports fans, of course you don’t. Let us know who you think should or shouldn’t be in the side.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.