Team of the Week

European club rugby was back in full swing on the weekend with international players all returning to their employers. There are still a few Americas players not quite back in action but enough spread around to put together a very respectable choice team this week. Brazil were also wrapping up their European tour in Portugal and contribute one player to our select XV.

1 – Titi Lamositele (Saracens) Maybe not exceptional but the 21-year-old held his own in just his third ever Premiership start on the weekend. Bath ultimately came away with the win but the scores were level when Lamositele came off in the 47th minute.

2 – Martín García Veiga (Vannes) After two seasons in Jersey, the former Pumas hooker is making a name for himself in France. Now firmly established as first choice at Vannes he had another strong game against Béziers. Isn’t the type to make big plays but he does all the little things right with top notch set piece skills.

3 – Lucas Martínez (Albi) Got his first start at tighthead and showed why as he annihilated his opposite in the scrum. Built like an oak barrel and virtually immovable once he sets his feet. Should see more time in the run-on side after that performance.

4 – Evan Olmstead (Newcastle) Wonderful game from the Canadian wild-man whose form has seen him one of the first names on the team sheet for both club and country. A staple in the lineout and some rampaging carrying in the loose including a great finish to score in the corner. Close runner-up to Juan Pablo Socino as man-of-the-match in the win over Harlequins.

5 – Mariano Galarza (Gloucester) A key man in the win over Bristol. One of the top tacklers in the Premiership put in another huge defensive shift and continues to dominate in the air. Still good enough for international rugby.

6 – Samu Manoa (Toulon) Once one of the world’s premier no8s, the Californian dynamo got his first competitive start at the back of the scrum in 18 months on Saturday and certainly enjoyed himself. Made the hard yards as he is known for and relished his freedom in the loose with a couple big hits. Suitably we’ve shifted him to the flank in our team with all of our loose forwards this week wearing the same number for their club.

7 – Leandro Pérez Galeone (Bourgoin) Like Manoa he also wore no8 for his club but we need a flanker and he’s been used there often by his club this season. Pérez Galeone is one of the most consistent performers in the Pro D2 and in typical Argentine fashion does everything well. His link play on attack was especially prevalent in the game against Charente, and he can hold his head high for the effort despite his club’s defeat.

8 – David Tameilau (Narbonne) Impressed enough in his first start last weekend to get another start, and based on his performance he should be a regular in the Narbonne lineup from here on in. Controlled the ball well at the back of a dominant scrum and made his fair share of yardage in heavy traffic. Would have his first French touchdown under his belt had the referee not opted to award a penalty try instead.

9 – Agustín Ormaechea (Mont-de-Marsan) Left on the bench after returning from international duty and only played the final quarter but he made a noticeable impact, upping the tempo with his club behind on the scoreboard. Almost immediately sparked one try and looked to have inspired the match-winner only for the referee to rule the ball held up on the final whistle.

10 – Sebastián Poet (Charente) Controlled the tempo against Bourgoin and kicked 10 points including a pair of long-range penalty goals. Thanks to his influence Soyaux-Angoulême now sit in 6th place on the table, an amazing feat considering they have only just become fully professional this season after winning promotion from Fédérale 1.

11 – DTH van der Merwe (Scarlets) Not as busy as he would have liked but made the most of his chances with one try in the win over Zebre. Has rebounded from a slow game against Romania with back-to-back performances for club and country. Played on the right wing for Scarlets but we’ve drafted him on the left to make room for another standout.

12 – Juan Pablo Socino (Newcastle) A brilliant man-of-the-match performance from the Argentine tugboat. Quick thinking landed him one try and quick feet another, with a sneaky one-handed offload creating Olmstead’s vital score. Has been in cracking form for the Falcons this season and a big part of their first half success.

13 – Conor Trainor (Vannes) Possibly the hottest property in the Pro D2 at the moment. Ripped up the midfield in the win over Béziers, scoring his 5th try of the season and nearly creating another. It’s no surprise that Béziers are now interested in signing him for next season.

14 – Facundo Panceyra Garrido (Charente) Scored two sensational tries to carry his team to victory over Bourgoin, including the match winner with just a few minutes left on the clock. Also went well in defense with one strip for a key turnover. Top 14 clubs will have their eyes on him after the weekend.

15 – Daniel Sancery (Brazil) Ended his European tour with another outstanding game as the rear guard for Os Tupis. Teams who kick to him do so at their peril. Combined with his brother Felipe to create a try. Beats the first tackler almost every time and looks set to star again in the Americas Rugby Championship