Super 14 Team of the Week

It's that time of the week once again where we rewind, fast-forward and super slow-mo all the action from Round Six and put together a team of players who we thought did the business.

It's an evenly represented XV this week with not many teams standing out head and shoulders above the rest, which makes selection even harder.

The Stormers lead the charge with three players, with the Crusaders (two), Blues (two) and Sharks (two) not far behind. Because we like to include winners and losers, there's still room for a Highlander, Waratah, Brumby and Hurricane with an added bit of Force.

15 Israel Dagg (Highlanders): Dagg keeps his place from last week's XV after yet another strong outing in the number fifteen jersey for the Highlanders. A brilliant attacking full-back who just seems to pop up everywhere. If he can keep it up, the next place we'll be seeing him is on the All Blacks team sheet.

14 Joe Rokocoko (Blues): Two crucial tries aside, the Rocketman was back to his best against the Brumbies with a solid all-round performance that would have launched his confidence sky-high heading into Round Seven.

13 Rene Ranger (Blues): Tough to leave out Jaque Fourie of the Stormers, but we think we've made the right choice. The Blues centre scored one try and created two others, including the first for Rokocoko. Blues coach Pat Lam summed up Ranger's effort perfectly for us after the game: "He's got X-factor".

12 Ryan Crotty (Crusaders): This Crusader was a big thorn in the Lions' side with some enterprising play in midfield that continually broke down the opposition's defence, while his tackle-count was one of the highest in the team.

11 Drew Mitchell (Waratahs): Continued where he left off in Sydney by scoring a majestic opening try against his former Western Force team-mates - no love lost there then! The Wallaby winger is in fine form... pity the game crumbled to pieces afterwards. Yawn!

10 Matt Giteau (Brumbies): It took six weeks, but the Brumbies playmaker finally gets the nod after holding out some strong competition from Colin Slade (Crusaders), Stephen Brett (Blues) and Robbie Robinson (Highlanders). Giteau isn't quite firing at his full potential yet, but still managed to post seventeen points past the Blues - a shame it was all in vain.

9 Ruan Pienaar (Sharks): Another star player who has struggled to find form, but got stuck in against the Highlanders by scoring half his side's points with the boot and set up a vital try for Stefan Terblanche. Once again, the Bok utility back has proven that scrum-half is his best position.

8 Thomas Waldrom (Crusaders): Leicester must be licking their lips after every game played by this Crusaders' workhorse. What a sad day it will be for Crusaders fans when he gallops out of New Zealand and into the Tigers' den once the Super 14 is complete.

7 Matt Hodgson (Western Force): The Western Australians might have felt aggrieved at the rulings that went against them, but will take plenty heart from Hodgson's pulsating performance. The Force flank won his personal duel with Phil Waugh by a country mile.

6 Schalk Burger (Stormers): He belongs in the position above, but we have to go by numbers on player's backs this week as it would have been tough leaving the Stormers' skipper out after another physical, but inspiring performance.

5 Andries Bekker (Stormers): The Stormers scrum was praised by losing Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske after the match, but the vital cog in the engine room is without a doubt this Bok lock who just keeps getting better and better with every game.

4 Michael Paterson (Hurricanes): He may have been part of a losing team, but takes plenty of consolation with his man-of-the-match outing against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld - not an easy thing to do... especially for a lock with the likes of Victor Matfield staring down on you. But Paterson passed the test with flying colours.

3 Brok Harris (Stormers): It wasn't just his crowd-pleasing torpedo kick that got him the vote - Harris came out on top at scrum time against a highly rated Cheetahs front row, while his work-rate in the tackle and ruck situation was tiring to watch.

2 Gary Botha (Bulls): Keeps opposite number Andrew Hore (Hurricanes) and Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs) out following some robust play for the unbeaten Bulls, who nearly met their match. Botha kept a cool head throughout though, while his throwing in the line-out was once again flawless and just generally exuded excellence.

1 John Smit (Sharks): Difficult to find any weaknesses in the Sharks skipper's game last weekend. Fearless in all aspects, it was a gutsy effort from Smit who was initially named on the bench until filling in as a late replacement for the flu'-hit Tendai Mtawarira. Relished the job - and pressure - of leading his team to their first win of 2010.

Previous selections:

Round One: 15 James O'Connor (Force), 14 Lionel Mapoe (Cheetahs), 13 Robbie Fruean (Crusaders), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Zac Guildford (Crusaders), 10 Morne Steyn (Bulls), 9 Will Genia (Reds), 8 Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), 7 Tanerau Latimer (Chiefs), 6 Deon Stegmann (Bulls), 5 Tom Donnelly (Highlanders), 4 Danie Rossouw (Bulls), 3 Neemia Tialata (Hurricanes), 2 Aled de Malmanche (Chiefs), 1 Guthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

Round Two: 15 Paul Williams (Blues), 14 Tamati Ellison (Hurricanes), 13 Richard Kahui (Chiefs), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Bryan Habana (Stormers), 10 Quade Cooper (Reds), 9 Will Genia (Reds), 8 Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), 7 Juan Smith (Cheetahs), 6 Rocky Elsom (Brumbies), 5 Andries Bekker (Stormers), 4 Flip van der Merwe (Bulls), 3 Neemia Tialata (Hurricanes), 2 Jason Rutledge (Highlanders), 1 Heinke van der Merwe (Lions).

Round Three: 15 Cory Jane (Hurricanes), 14 Leila Masaga (Chiefs), 13 Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Zac Guildford (Crusaders), 10 Morne Steyn (Bulls), 9 Luke Burgess (Waratahs), 8 Thomas Waldrom (Crusaders), 7 George Smith (Brumbies), 6 Jerome Kaino (Blues), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 De Kock Steenkamp (Stormers), 3 Laurie Weeks (Reds), 2 Andrew Hore (Hurricanes), 1 Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders).

Round Four: 15 Luke Morahan (Reds), 14 David Smith (Hurricanes), 13 Robert Fruean (Crusaders), 12 Meyer Bosman (Cheetahs), 11 Bryan Habana (Stormers), 10 Dan Carter (Crusaders), 9 Will Genia (Reds), 8 Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), 7 Daniel Braid (Reds), 6 Schalk Burger (Stormers), 5 Andries Bekker (Stormers), 4 Nico Breedt (Cheetahs), 3 WP Nel (Cheetahs), 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), 1 Ben Alexander (Brumbies).

Round Five: 15 Isreal Dagg (Highlanders), 14 Sireli Naqelevuki (Stormers), 13 Jaque Fourie (Stormers), 12 Berrick Barnes (Waratahs), 11 Drew Mitchell (Waratahs), 10 Quade Cooper (Reds), 9 Kahn Fotuali'i (Crusaders), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Phil Waugh (Waratahs), 6 Scott Higginbotham (Reds), 5 Andries Bekker (Stormers), 4 Dean Mumm (Waratahs), 3 Owen Franks (Crusaders), 2 Gary Botha (Bulls), 1 Ben Alexander (Brumbies).

Compiled by Dave Morris