Super Rugby Round 16: Aussie team of the week

This article may be lost in a sea of others on Wallabies selections and previewing the French series, so I’ll launch straight into it.

1. Scott Sio
Scott was solid in the scrum despite a lot of pressure from the good Rebels scrum. He was also very good around the park.

Scored a great prop’s try from about a metre out, threw up on-field immediately afterwards but waved the trainer away and carried on. A tough nut.

2. Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore wins this spot yet again, and also wins the Mr Consistent award.

Tatafu Polota-Nau also had a much better game. People were again critical of his lineout throwing. I was criticised for criticising it last week, but I think criticism is fair this time around.

3. Paddy Ryan
I’ve not been a fan of Ryan’s, but he played really well this week. He nly played a half but was good in the scrums and around the field. I wasn’t sure whey he was subbed so early, but it gave us a chance to see Sekope Kepu and he played well too.

4. Rob Simmons
A tough spot to pick this one. Scott Fardy played well, but is still a shadow of his 2013 self. He is automatically selected in the Wallabies side by most, including me, but I wonder if we shouldn’t question that a bit more.

Rob Simmons didn’t set the house on fire and very rarely does, but is by far our best lineout exponent. He missed a few tackles on the weekend which he will need to work on – I suspect it is fitness-related – but he made a few too and sneaks into this spot this week.

5. Sam Carter
James Horwill played well. I voted for he and Simmons as the locks in the Wallabies squad and stick by that, but we have good alternatives so we should be using our bench wisely.

Kane Douglas also had a very good game, but the surprising standout was Sam Carter. I didn’t watch this game live and so heard he’d had a good game before I watched it, but was a bit cynical.

I thought I’d see a solid display backed up with a try and one or two highlights but I was wrong. It was a really good display from start to finish.

6. Dave Dennis
Dennis has an unfortunate habit of sneaking into this team. I think this might be the third or fourth time I have picked him. The funniest footage of the weekend was Dave Dennis fending off his teammates’ congratulations so he could gulp in some oxygen after scoring his try.

Dennis made more carries and more tackles than any other blindsides on the weekend. While Curtis Browning bagged a couple of tries, his work rate wasn’t the same as Dennis so I have to give credit where it’s due.

7. Michael Hooper
The New Zealand commentators were very impressed with Hooper on the weekend and rightly so. They were amazed when he managed to offload from the ground and then bounce to his feet after being completely poleaxed by big Ben Tameifuna.

8. Wycliff Palu
Palu was immense, particularly in the first half – a beast at the breakdowns and solid with his carries. While he didn’t score a try like some others in this position, he had more of an impact on the game.

Scott Higginbotham made a case for his Wallabies selection with a try and, most impressive for him, double digits in the tackle count. As far as I’m concerned Scott is a must for the Wallabies 23, whether at 6, 8 or (most likely) on the bench.

Jake Schatz also had an impressive game, racking up the same number of carries and roughly the same number of metres as Palu but with a try to boot. He also made slightly more tackles and won a turnover.

Condolences to Angus Cottrell. Good to see him developing some versatility and starting at 8.

9. Nic White
Will Genia was very good and it was such a sight to see. I was sorely tempted to give him this spot – and indeed had him pencilled in here – but then watched the Brumbies match and Nic White was even better.

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie should go with experience and try Genia for the first half or so against the French, but also give White some decent international game time.

10. Bernard Foley
It’s rough to leave out Toomua, who scored two tries and surely cemented his place in the Wallabies starting line-up, but I was even more impressed with Foley. Foley and Toomua should be playing 10 and 12 for the Wallabies against the French.

11. Nick Cummins
Rob Horne was again really good and he should be on one of the wings for the Wallabies. Rod Davies had one of his best games and bagged a try for his efforts, but Cummins sought out involvement this week and had more impact in both attack and defence.

12. Kurtley Beale
If I were picking the Wallabies team I’d be picking Toomua as Beale is way too tackle-shy for the midfield. But the Waratahs have worked out how to use him and Beale has worked on his own game to the extent that he is enhancing those around him.

Beale is passing early now. In fact, his first thought seems to be to pass, which is a big plus over the first thought being to run.

When Beale does run, he is a relatively light guy and I think has some issues with height as well. He conceded three turnovers on the weekend. That mightn’t sound like too many, but even when he isn’t conceding ball he is often conceding metres in the tackle.

Christian Lealifano played one of his better games of the season, but none of the other inside centres really stood out for me this weekend so I’m going with the guy who is making things happen.

13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
A sublime game from the veteran, who proved yet again why he must be picked at outside centre for the Wallabies. Tevita Kuridrani played well, running straight and hard, but has not been at the same level this year.

14. Dom Shipperley
Like some other Reds, Shipperley seemed to leave his winning form behind somewhere around 2011. Thankfully, he seems to have just recently rediscovered some of it. Had more carries than any other Australian winger, and his run metres were only topped by Nick Cummins.

I’m continually chastised for picking Dane Haylett-Petty, and he again had a very good game.

15. Israel Folau
Pat McCabe and Mike Harris both had good games, but Folau is incomparable. The three Aussies who had the most carries on the weekend were Will Genia (16), Israel Folau (15) and Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Folau was the only one in triple digits for run metres, although Mike Harris was mighty close with 99.

As with all great players, the stats only tell part of the story. Every time Folau touches the ball he looks threatening. When he isn’t making metres he is attracting the attention of defenders, finding a half gap, drawing two defenders or denting the line.

I swear he sniffs out the tries while on the bus on the way to the game.

As you might be able to tell by the tone this week, I was chuffed by the quality of rugby on display from Australian teams on the weekend. I’m also enthusiastic in the lead-up to the Wallabies’ first Test of the year.

Time will tell if my enthusiasm is justified.