Team of the Week

The final week of pool play in European competition and also a key week in the French Pro D2 provided some options, but it’s the grand finale of the California Cup that has earned several players their spot in our delayed selection. One more weekend of club rugby to keep us going until we head full steam into the Americas Rugby Championship.

1 – Brice Schilling (Belmont Shore) Played tighthead but we’re asking the battle-hardened veteran to step in on the loosehead side. Two tries in one match is a great return for any prop let alone one of his experience. A shame it wasn’t quite enough to get the won over SFGG.

2 – Joe Taufete’e (Worcester) Two out of two for Big Joe, who has passed his ‘Intro to European Rugby’ course with flying colours. Showed up very well in his hour-plus effort against Enisei STM. Next stop, the Aviva Premiership.

4 – Fancy Namulau’ulu (Life West) The scrums were a lottery all day on the muddy grounds but the big man – the biggest man – had a stormer in the loose. Thundered about with ball in hand a popped off a couple marvelous offloads.

4 – Tai Tuisamoa (OMBAC) Led a determined defensive effort with big hits around the fringes as his side stymied a Life West side that enjoyed a considerable advantage in possession. Reliable in the lineout and always on hand to take a short ball into traffic.

5 – Rodrigo Capó Ortega (Castres) A man-of-the-match performance to celebrate a new contract as his men held Leinster to a draw at Stade Pierre Antoine. Prominent in attack and defense and also provided a steady stream of lineout possession.

6 – Chris Turori (OMBAC) Would no doubt have preferred more sure-footed conditions, but still managed to make ground with ball in hand with his good footwork. Put his body on the line in defense to halt the heavyweight Life West ball runners.

7 – Zach Bonte (Life West) Not even the mud could slow the former Junior All-American. Relentless pursuit of the ball on restarts and seemingly ubiquitous around the pitch.

8 – Todd Clever (OMBAC) Started on the flank but shifted to the back of the scrum in the second half. Won a key turnover that created a try for Tim Stanfill as he relished a cup final opportunity with his home club. Dominant in the contact area and even got a lineout steal in his own end to save a probable score.

9 – Agustín Ormaechea (Mont-de-Marsan) Steered the Montois to a scrappy road win over Albi that keeps his team in the playoff hunt and only seven points back of league-leaders Montauban. Strong decision making through phase play made the space for winger Nacani Wakaya to touch down twice.

10 – AJ MacGinty (Sale) Five penalty goals including the match-winner just three minutes before full-time saw the Sharks past the Scarlets in a tight match at Salford. It’s been a difficult season thus far for the Eagles flyhalf but he looks to be finding his rhythm again at just the right time for his struggling club.

11 – Blaine Scully (Cardiff Blues) Now headed for a European quarter final as he contributed heavily on attack in the 37-21 win over Bristol on Saturday. Challenged the defense with his strong carrying and ripped clean through the line on three separate occasions.

12 – Mike Haley (Olympic) A hat-trick for the San Francisco Rush regular as Olympic finally got a California Cup win in the last chance of asking. Haley is one of those players who always impresses but doesn’t quite do enough for the next-level selectors.

13 – Marcelo Bosch (Saracens) Honourable mention goes to Juan Ignacio Brex who scored two tries in a losing cause for Viadana. Bosch might regret taking the ball to the line himself rather than passing, but was otherwise very good on both sides of the ball in the hard-fought win over Toulon.

14 – Takudzwa Ngwenya (Brive) Gave the Dragons defense fits with every touch of the ball and notched a killer try in the first quarter to help put Brive through to a Challenge Cup quarter final. Will surely have his contract extended once his medical joker status expires.

15 – Zach Pangelinan (OMBAC) Made his opposite Martini Talapusi look silly on his way to a vital early score against Life West. Spent most of the remainder organizing the defense in front of him and preventing the Gladiators from finding space to kick into.