Team of the Week

There was a lot of ground to cover with Americas players strewn all over Europe, some circling the Tasman Sea, and four teams full over five games in two days to asses down in Montevideo. It makes for a cosmopolitan selection with credit largely given to Americas Pacific Challenge players but there were more than a few honorable mentions from the pro ranks.

1 – Rob Brouwer (Canada ‘A’) Two matches that didn’t go his way in the end but the cagey veteran from Ontario enjoyed himself running around with the youngsters. No complaints from the scrum either, as he dominated both the USA and Samoa in that department. Could he be a surprise inclusion for Canada’s November tour?

2 – Facundo Bosch (Argentina XV) Two wins from two with a try in the rout over Uruguay on Wednesday. Can’t rest on his laurels with swathes of talent at the position in Argentina, but he is now set to travel with Los Pumas on their November adventure.

3 – Mario Sagario (Uruguay ‘A’) The Canadian duo in the APC – the Ryan’s Kotlewski and Ackerman – can hold their heads high, and in France a young man named Matt Tierney showed what a big future he has in a red jersey. Uruguay’s captain gets the nod for his demolition job on the USA scrum as he led his side to a memorable win against the Selects in Montevideo.

4 – Diego Magno (Uruguay ‘A’) Only a second half replacement in the beatdown handed out by the Argentina XV, his return to the starting lineup was keenly felt. Added his strength to the scrum and maul and was rewarded with a try against an overwhelmed American pack.

5 – Pedro Ortega (Argentina XV) A bit light for a lock but his massive workrate impressed once again in the wins over Uruguay and Fiji. Got a little help from Nicolás Menendez to get over the line, but it’s Ortega’s name that the score sheet will show as the try that saved the day in the APC finale.

6 – Joaquín Dell’Acqua (Uruguay ‘A’) With hair flying all over the place it was easy to spot the livewire flanker. His team was outclassed against Argentina but he was a standout in the win over the USA Selects and his line break and excellent offload put Santiago Hernández over for a cracking score.

7 – Tony Lamborn (Hawke’s Bay) Not quite as accurate in the tackle this week but he made up for it with volume. Executed a set move from a lineout perfectly to put Jonah Lowe in for a try, and his line break and offload nearly sparked a last gasp try that would have stolen a win against the Steamers.

8 – Sergio Parisse (Stade Français) Not a great week for players wearing no8, and with no Facundo Isa available as a default selection it’s the Italo-Argentine from Paris who gets the shirt this week. Stade were overrun by Harlequins but Parisse was arguably the best player wearing the pink stripes.

9 – Gonzalo Bertranou (Argentina XV) It wasn’t a banner week for scrumhalves either with Bertranou’s closest competitor Felipe Ezcurra caught in a couple poor decisions. One try in the blitz over Uruguay and some very snappy service gives the youngster the nod.

10 – Juan Cruz González (Argentina XV) By contrast it was a very solid week for flyhalves, with several in contention. Felipe Berchesi, Jerónimo Etcheverry, and Ben Cima all had moments and Will Magie had a winning start to his second stint with Ealing Trailfinders. Argentina’s diminutive general González was outstanding in the APC final against Fiji with his match-winning conversion with time expired enough to give him a close decision.

11 – Toni Pulu (Counties Manukau) There were also loads of wingers to pick through. Chris Wyles stood up for Saracens in the big win over Toulon and 20-year-old Julián Domínguez looks a star in the making for Argentina. California-born Pulu finally got a run-out in the Mitre 10 Cup and looked at his lethal best, scoring twice as the Steelers upset Canterbury to earn a spot in the Mitre 10 Cup semi-finals.

12 – Santiago Fernández (Pau) Going forward Martin Iosefo certainly had plenty to offer the USA, but on defense he looked all at sea, to be expected coming from 7s. Fernandez, meanwhile, returned from a long-term injury to instantly remind us of his class. His kick ahead, turnover, and quick hands to create an early try was a thing of beauty.

13 – Ben LeSage (Canada ‘A’) Not an obvious decision by an means with Marcelo Bosch showing up well in the win over Toulon. LeSage gets credit for his three tries over two games and though there is much to work on, he showed enough to keep the attention of Canadian selectors moving forward.

14 – DTH van der Merwe (Scarlets) Another tough choice. Kainoa Lloyd was devastating with ball in hand, and Marcel Brache scored in Perth’s upset win over the Sydney Rays in the NRC semi-final. DTH was back in top gear against Sale, notching a brace of tries and doing damage with each touch of the ball.

15 – Mike Te’o (USA Selects) It’s doubtful many would complain if Bautista Delguy was given the nod after showing his undoubted potential for Argentina, but the one-man team that was Te’o cannot be ignored. His mesmeric running inspired his team when they needed it most. His try against Canada was of the highest quality.