Expert
Samu Kerevi will be the first chosen when the selection panel of Michael Cheika, Scott Johnson and Michael O’Connor name their first Wallaby squad of the year next month.
New selectors Johnson and O’Connor have made it crystal clear current form will be the prime consideration.
That translates to the Reds skipper being first chosen as he’s been a tower of strength throughout the season, consistently named in unofficial Super Rugby teams of the week.
But his form is a lot deeper than that by topping the carries and defenders beaten stats, as well as featuring in metres carried, and offloads.
Second selected will be Brumbies hooker Folau Fainga’a who remarkably tops the try-scorers, and by a comfortable margin. When has a hooker scored more tries than quality wingers, and centres?
And rangy Brumbies lock Rory Arnold heads the lineout jumpers, to guarantee selection.
Most points scored
1 – Handre Pollard (Bulls) – 136
3 – Quade Cooper (Rebels) – 88
5 – Bernard Foley (Waratahs) – 82
6 – Bryce Hegarty (Reds) – 81
Most tries
1 – Folau Fainga’a (Brumbies) – 10
2 – Jack Maddocks (Rebels) – 8
6 – Reece Hodge (Rebels) – 7
Defenders beaten
1 – Samu Kerevi (Reds) – 47
9 – Tom Banks (Brumbies) – 33
Most tackles
1 – Michael Hooper (Waratahs) – 148
3 – Luke Jones (Rebels) – 114
5 – Rob Simmons (Waratahs) – 113
7 – Sam Carter (Brumbies) 112
Metres carried
1 – Melani Nanai (Blues) – 839
5 – Samu Kerevi (Reds) – 631
7 – Tom Banks (Brumbies) – 597
Clean breaks
1 – Rieko Ioane (Blues) – 23
4 – Samu Kerevi (Reds) – 18
9 – Israel Folau (Waratahs) – 15
Carries
1 – Samu Kerevi (Reds) – 154
4 – Isi Naisarani (Rebels) – 116
10 – Tom Banks (Brumbies) – 101
Offloads
1 – Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) – 28
2 – Israel Folau (Waratahs) – 19
3 – Samu Kerevi (Reds) – 14
10 – Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) – 12
But it’s been lineouts won where the Australian franchises have shone.
Lineouts won
1 – Rory Arnold (Brumbies) – 47
2 – Sam Carter (Brumbies) – 42
6 – Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds) – 33
8 – Rob Simmons (Waratahs) – 32
9 – Harry Hockings (Reds) – 31
10 – Ned Hanigan (Waratahs) – 29.
With Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa, Izack Rodda, Will Genia, Tevita Kuridrani, and Kurtley Beale frontline selections, and with David Pocock playing only three Super Rugby games so far this season, the form starting 15 looks like this:
1. Scott Sio, 2. Folau Fainga’a, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Izack Rodda, 6. Luke Jones, 7. Michael Hooper, 8. Isi Naisarani, 9. Will Genia, 10. Bernard Foley or Quade Cooper, 11. Jack Maddocks, 12. Samu Kerevi, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Tom Banks, 15. Kurtley Beale
If there’s to be a bolter, 20-year-old Reds centre Len Ikitau looms large. He’s a star of the future.