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After a brief respite from my self-imposed rugby writing duties, it’s back to it again this week. Not sure it was worth the wait, but here goes.
1. Benn Robinson
Some pretty respectable performances from some of the looseheads this week. I thought all the scrums between Australian teams looked like pretty close contests. I’ve heard Toby Smith mentioned favourably and Scott Sio had some reasonable stats, but I’m giving the marks to Benn Robinson. He scored himself a meat pie. And had a try during the game as well.
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
I’ve no doubt some will plump for Nathan Charles for the hooker spot. He was one of the few Force players to have a reasonable game, but my vote still goes to Tatafu. I can’t claim any stats or anything to justify that decision so as is usual with this, it’s just an overall impression.
3. Sekope Kepu
I found the scrum battles in the Waratahs versus Brumbies match particularly interesting. With a prop cum hooker, the Brumbies matched up pretty well at times, but a points decision to the Waratahs means there’s an all-Waratahs front row this week.
4. James Horwill
Jaques Potgieter was by far the best loosehead lock running around in Australian teams this weekend, which is a bit sad given his non-eligibility for Australia. I’m writing this article a little late this week though, and saw that Fairfax journalist Paul Cully cheated and picked Horwell, a tighthead lock, in this position. So I’m going to have to copy and pick him too.
5. Kane Douglas
Like Paul Cully, I have now probably picked my best five at four and have to find another lock to pick here. And, like Mr. Cully, Kane Douglas fits the bill. He doesn’t look impressive in the stats but I noted his presence on the field a few times and played a good abrasive game.
6. Michael Hooper
What? More cheating! That’s right, I cannot bring myself to pick one of the Australian blindsides this week and, given the impressive display of some of the opensides, I’m instead getting creative. Paul Cully went for Stephen Hoiles, who I agree showed a lot of what led to him captaining the Brumbies a few years back, but I’m going for Michael Hooper for reasons described below.
7. Matt Hodgson
I’m picking Matt Hodgson at openside since I think he is closer to what I now consider the traditional definition of the role, which is just hard on the ball all game.
Hooper had fewer carries and fewer tackles than Hodgson, but I thought Michael had the better game and some of the other stats point to why. Michael made almost twice as many metres. In addition Michael beat five defenders, made two clean breaks and had three offloads. Matt had a zero in all those stats.
Michael clearly has a better running game than Matt and for that reason I think would go as well at six as he does at seven.
To be honest, I wouldn’t mind seeing this option tried at some stage at Wallaby level. I know there are issues with it – further limiting lineout options for one – but we don’t have any blindsides on fire at the moment and we are likely to continue to have a number of very good opensides.
8. Wycliff Palu
While not quite as imperious as he was in gold recently, this was still one of the easier picks of the week. Twenty carries in the game.
9. Nic White
There was a real spectrum of performances from the scrum halves on the weekend. Luke Burgess was at one end – he was truly shocking – while Nick Phipps, although being in a winning team, was probably middle of the road.
Nic White and Nick Frisby didn’t reach the exceptional end of the scale but were both pretty good. Frisby scored two tries but also had some brain explosions – most notably around the 60-minute mark when he got overexcited, took a quick tap and lost the ball. I’m giving the points to White for what seemed a more complete, all-round scrumhalf display to me.
10. Bernard Foley
A really pleasant surprise for me this week was Bryce Hegarty. I think he is getting better and this was one of his best games, albeit a losing one. He was probably the most impressive in the stats sheets after the match with more carries (14) than any other flyhalves, more metres per carry and more defenders beaten than the rest. And a try to boot.
Bernard Foley also had a try though, and I think a more impressive all-round display. He has become a bit of a divisive figure but I think he adds a lot and, like Bryce, is also still improving.
11. Rod Davies
There were some respectable displays among the left wingers. Clyde Rathbone ran straight and hard whenever he got the ball but didn’t get it too often and didn’t get much else.
Solomoni Rasolea had more carries and metres than any other left wingers and beat four defenders, but I have cheated again and picked Rod Davies. I was more impressed with a couple of right wingers this weekend.
12. Kurtley Beale
Good level of involvement and, if anything, underplayed his hand a bit this week. Mitch Inman also looks solid on the stats sheet and crossed for a try which Kurtley couldn’t manage this week. I think Beale is finding a really good spot for himself at the moment though – that critical balance point between manic helter-skelter and doing the right thing at the right time.
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
A bit of a no-brainer this one. More than double the number of carries of any other outside centre and four defenders beaten. Not sensational but a good, solid display from Mr. Dependable.
14. Alofa Alofa
A shame this guy is heading overseas at the end of the year. He really impressed early in the season and had another strong game on the weekend, capped off by two tries.
15. Israel Folau
Didn’t have it all his own way – most notably when outdone in the air by Jesse Mogg for a try. Who would have picked that? But Folau almost got into double digits in defenders beaten on the weekend. It wasn’t his best game but I think Folau is in a league of his own.
I was a serious doubter when Israel first came to rugby. I remember him getting caught on the tryline in one of his first games and I wondered if he had the nous. I have now swung around completely and come to the conclusion that he is the best player I have ever seen play.
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.