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Nigel Yalden's team of the week: #OldManStrength

Author
Nigel Yalden,
Publish Date
Tue, 30 May 2017, 8:47PM
Richard Buckman is Nigel Yalden's back of the week (Photosport).
Richard Buckman is Nigel Yalden's back of the week (Photosport).

Nigel Yalden's team of the week: #OldManStrength

Author
Nigel Yalden,
Publish Date
Tue, 30 May 2017, 8:47PM

Three comfortable wins over foreign opponents offset the first ever draw between the Blues and Chiefs across week 14 of Super Rugby.  Radio Sport Rugby Editor Nigel Yalden was coerced away from his preparation for the British and Irish Lions tour to select the New Zealand Form Team of the Week:

  1. With each game, Aki Seiuli (Highlanders) is establishing himself at the first choice loosehead prop at the southernmost franchise. He scrummed strongly, lifted with power and speed and as noted last week, work hard to get himself around the field and into positions to contribute, be it in tight or in the open.
  1. Ben Funnell (Crusaders) produced an industrious 52 minutes of work in Melbourne. He’s always strong around the field (he got plenty of chances to show that against the Rebels) and back that up with accurate set piece work.
  1. Sione Tokolahi (Highlanders), like his starting front row mate Seiuli, did his core roles to a great standard and provided the bonus with excellent agility and endurance around the field in a game played with good pace and intent.
  1. Brodie Retallick (Chiefs) continues to set the standard for lock forward play, wringing every last gram of effort out of his massive frame for the betterment of his team. He made some telling charges at Eden Park and his 18 tackles were only better by Liam Messam this week as Retallick motored through another high quality 80 minute performance – Forward of the Week
  1. It’s easy to forget, given the tighter way he plays at test level, that Sam Whitelock (Crusaders) is an outstanding athlete. To see him ranging wide against the Rebels was a timely remainder about the all-round talent of the man. Tom Franklin (Highlanders) was typically busy in Dunedin while Sam Lousi (Hurricanes) put in a nice shift in Pretoria too.
  1. If you wore Blues and had the ball, there was a good chance Liam Messam (Chiefs) tackled you on Friday night. Messam led the Chiefs defensive effort with a round high 19 tackles and carried robustly when required. Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes) looked really good against the Bulls playing in a position he clearly prefers and better suits.
  1. Blake Gibson (Blues) and Dillon Hunt (Highlanders) were the best of a service group of performances from the New Zealand openside flankers on the weekend.
  1. Brad Shields (Hurricanes) produced a little more around the field to earn him the nod over an always hardworking Luke Whitelock (Highlanders) FYI – 35 tackles between these two chaps on the weekend.
  1. In my opinion, Aaron Smith (Highlanders) is back to where he needs to be. He’s getting to base of ruck and mauls quickly; the kicking game is on point and he’s making good decisions (most of the time) around when to run himself. However it’s his passing that’s the different.  The length, speed and placement of his passes were simply delightful on Saturday night and to have someone capable of changing the point of attack with such a delivery is a great weapon to have.
  1. Marty Banks (Highlanders) know his own game so well and his play reflected that against the Waratahs. You would say he plays extravagantly, but the way he plays allows his team to be extravagant at times. He, in partnership with Aaron and Ben Smith, controlled that game nicely before handing over the reins to Lima Sopoaga.  Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders) all class again though against a significantly poorer standard of opposition.

QUESTION: Who starts at first five for the Highlanders this Saturday – Marty Banks or Lima Sopoaga?

 

  1. With every game he plays, Rieko Ioane (Blues) further cements his place on the All Blacks bench for the first test with the British and Irish Lions. He had a high level of activity against the Chiefs and made an impact every time he got his hands on the ball; defensively sound too.
  1. Richard Buckman’s (Highlanders) jocular team-mate Joe Wheeler described it best on Twitter with the comment “The guys a freak #OldManStrength”. Buckman’s standout performance against the Waratahs was highlighted by his ability to wrap up and hold up players in the tackle, allowing his team-mates to arrive and ultimately force a change of possession. Everything else he did was top drawer as well Back of the WeekBefore leaving the field early in the second half, Sonny Bill Williams (Blues) produced his best effort since returning from a long term injury.
  1. Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders) complimented the work being done inside and outside him with a smart game of rugby. I’ve heard more than once whilst covering a certain black-clad team that what you do is one thing but doing it at the right time is another and Fekitoa made really good choices on Saturday night.
  1. Bryce Hegarty will have woken up at least a dozen times in the early hour of Sunday as Waisake Naholo (Highlanders) trampled through his nocturnal highlights reel. Like Ioane, Naholo got his hands on the ball a lot, used it to good effect and was excellent on defence. He now needs to back that up with a similar effort this weekend in the game of the round in Christchurch.
  1. Struth! It was insanely tough to select one player for this position this week … and I still haven’t been able to. I can sit here and make cases for Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) Ben Smith (Highlanders) and David Havili (Crusaders) but I would just further confuse myself.  If backed into a corner, I’d go with McKenzie for delivering a couple of key plays at Eden Park; those being the individual try and the cross field kick for the second Chiefs try.  PS David Havili was a runaway winner of the Russell Westbrook Stat Line of the Week award - 18 carries for 191 metres gained, 10 defenders beaten, 3 offloads, 4 breaks and 1 try.

Selection criteria: Must play for a NZ franchise but does not have to be eligible for All Blacks

** Statistics via the NZ Herald Stat Centre **

 

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

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