Three wins out of the four qualifying finals represents another excellent weekend for the New Zealand franchises in Super Rugby.  Given the substantial involvement of New Zealand teams in said playoffs, we convinced Newstalk ZB/Radio Sport Rugby Editor Nigel Yalden to provide you with the NZ Form Team of the Week one last time:

1. Kane Hames (Chiefs) was just flat out busy in Cape Town.  He’s technically one of the most proficient scrummagers in New Zealand, and that showed against the Stormers. The question was always how he would get around the field having struggled with patellar tendinitis in both knees in the last couple of seasons.  Hames was all over the place at Newlands, be it hitting rucks, working around the fringes with ball in hand or making a round leading 16 tackles before being subbed off at the hour mark.

2. Can’t add anything more about Ash Dixon (Highlanders) that I haven’t already written in the preceding weeks; career best form and only getting better. 

3. Ben May (Hurricanes) did a solid job against one of the better loosehead props in world rugby and really got stuck in all round the field; carrying with strength and defending with stoutness.  Atu Moli (Chiefs) was good too, thriving in the open style of game in Cape Town

4. Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes) delivered exactly what you want from your engine room man on a miserable night for rugby.  He was brilliant in the tight exchanges, producing a robust, muscular display, highlighted by the 14 tackles made, as well as doing his core roles at scrum and lineout to a high standard.

5. Luke Whitelock (Highlanders) took to the second row like the proverbial duck.  He had great work-rate as always, playing the tighter game required by a lock in damp conditions and along with Elliot Dixon was a key component in unsettling the Brumbies lineout. He had a couple of steals which took away the home side’s confidence to go to their main strength – the lineout drive. 

6. Elliot Dixon (Highlanders) made some big plays in Canberra on Friday night.  In addition to his typically industrious, high quality work around the field, and dominating at the lineout with 9 takes and 2 lineout steals, he made a couple of crucial tackles coming off the side of the scrum in the dying minutes to upset plays that the Brumbies were trying to run – Forward of the Week.

7. Ardie Savea (Hurricanes) had a very balanced but highly effective game. His support play was a standout for mine, but was everywhere in general play being a pest (granted a very physical one) like all great opensides should be.

8. Liam Squire (Highlanders) is an impressive unit and he’s built for the combative, confrontational nature that a lot of these playoffs will deliver.  He ploughed his way through a lot of work with and without the ball, and was part of an effective game plan to negate David Pocock at the breakdown.  His likely matchup Lions opposite Warren Whiteley will be a belter on Sunday morning.  Victor Vito (Hurricanes) also deserves recognition for his quality contribution off the back of the Hurricanes pack.

9. TJ Perenara (Hurricanes) has played some great matches since entering Super Rugby in 2012, but Saturday night was the best performance of his career.  Everything he did was quick, accurate, incisive and impactful, initially to help establish the lead, then to control the game in quite turgid conditions – Back of the Week.

10. When the weather goes pear-shaped to the degree it on Saturday night in Wellington, you look to your first five for control.  Beauden Barrrett (Hurricanes) did that in spades.  His calmness in the storm was just another example of his maturing as a rugby player and a continuation of his form that has been unaffected by whatever Mother Nature throws at him.

11. No that he needed to but Jason Woodward (Hurricanes) fully justified Chris Boyd’s decision to start him ahead of the Julian Savea.  On a night that normally see wings end up hypothermic, Woodward made a wonderful take of the Barrett cross kick in the lead up to the opening try for Uhila. He maintained that level of play through a game that was always going to be a tough one for outside backs.  Patrick Osborne (Higlanders) and James Lowe (Chiefs) were excellent for their respective sides in contrasting ways and both noteworthy.

12. While Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) started at centre, he moved into second five when Stephen Donald went off injured, hence his selection in this position.  The hour at second five was as good as the first twenty minutes at centre.  He marshalled the defensive line nicely, making some key tackles (he made 11 in total) and ran with purpose and incisiveness.

13. Its no coincidence that when Ryan Crotty (Crusaders) departed in the 55^th minute with a head injury, things started going awry in the midfield.  Until that point Crotty (along with Johnny McNicholl) was one of the best on the park for the visitors, having done plenty to keep them in the contest.  He probably gets sick of being referred to as being solid and dependable, but when you are solid and dependable, expect to be called it. 

14. When Johnny McNicholl (Crusaders) got involved at Ellis Park, good things happened.  He went hunting the ball at a time in the first half when the Crusaders needed someone to get something going and he got something going.  He was able to break the line, keep a couple of plays going with judicious off loads, even snaffled a couple of turnovers. His involvement provided the Crusaders with a spark they were missing the first quarter of the game – a standout in an otherwise disappointing team effort.

15. Some of the moments of skill from Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) at Newlands were quite simply delightful - the quick hands to set up the McNicol and Weber tries and the lead up work to Tawera Kerr-Barlow’s try the standouts.  He made great decisions about when to come into the backline and then made more great choices when he got there. The nine from ten off the kicking tee was more than useful too.

 

Statistics used were obtained from NZ Heralds Rugby Stats Centre 

 

NIGEL YALDEN IS THE RUGBY EDITOR FOR RADIO SPORT & NEWSTALK ZB