Rugby
SA Investec Champions Cup Team of the Week – Round 1
Imad Khan and Paul de Villiers excelled as the Stormers got their Investec Champions Cup campaign off to an excellent start on Friday night, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
The high-flying Capetonians showed their class and character to beat a Bayonne team on a 10-match home winning streak 26-17 despite being a player down for the last 30 minutes at Stade Jean Dauger to claim a vital away victory.
Meanwhile, the Bulls were left bitterly disappointed after poor discipline saw the defending champion Bordeaux-Begles overturn an 11-point halftime deficit to leave Loftus Versfeld with a 46-33 win on Saturday.
Wrapping up the opening round from a South African perspective, an understrength Sharks team fought as best they could but went down 56-19 to record six-time champions Toulouse at Stade Ernest-Wallon on Sunday.
Stormers stars dominate our local Champions Cup Team of the Week. Nine members of the Cape Town crew made the cut, with four Bulls and a pair of Sharks completing our side.
15 Wandisile Simelane (Stormers)
Made the odd mistake, but was an attacking weapon. Racked up a match-high 94 metres and beat a joint-best four defenders.
14: Canan Moodie (Bulls)
Beat the brilliant Louis Bielle-Biarrey in the air time and time again, embarrassed Romain Buros by goose-stepping the Bordeaux fullback to dot down and saved a try when he held up Maxime Lamothe.
13: Le Roux Malan (Sharks)
Lured to Durban from the New England Free Jacks, the Namibian international gave a good account of himself against the French giants. Solid across the board and scored a hard-earned try with two minutes remaining.
12: Dan du Plessis (Stormers)
Solid rather than spectacular, which is often all a coach wants from his No. 12. On attack, he set targets and distributed effectively, while on defence, he held it down.
11: Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls)
Continued his great vein of form. So adept at beating the first man, scored the Bulls’ opening try, made good post-contact metres and held up both Damian Penaud and Adam Coleman over the tryline.
10: Clinton Swart (Stormers)
On loan from the Pumas, he looked at home in his first start for the Stormers. He managed the game well and was perfect off the tee, slotting four penalty goals and two conversions for a 16-point haul. A superb swansong as he now returns to Nelspruit.
9: Imad Khan (Stormers)
A dream Champions Cup debut for the lively Junior Bok, who drew first blood for the Stormers with a try inside the opening two minutes, showing great composure to toe the ball and then pick it up to score. A classy all-round performance to scoop the Man of the Match award and announce himself on the European stage in style.
8: Ruan Ackermann (Stormers)
Took his starting opportunity with both hands. It was his turnover that led to the opening try, he was Jasper Wiese-like in the carry (38 metres, the second-most by a forward) and a physical presence on defence as well.
7: Jeandre Rudolph (Bulls)
On for an injured Marco van Staden in the 13th minute, Rudolph was a super-sub. From creating a try for De Klerk with fast hands, to scoring one just before halftime, to saving one with a top tackle on Maxime Lucu in the 76th minute, he did it all and forced us to include him, hence his shift to No. 7.
6: Paul de Villiers (Stormers) – Player of the Week
His best showcase yet as to why he’s a future Bok. Absolutely brilliant on both sides of the ball, he made 22 metres, beat a joint-best four defenders, scored the match-winning try, and led the way in tackles (14) and turnovers (2).
5: JF van Heerden (Bulls)
Strong carry in the lead up to Reinhardt Ludwig’s try, produced a crucial steal on his 5m line when the Bulls were down to 13 men in the 52nd minute and made a sensational cover tackle on Nicolas Depoortere.
4: JJ Scheepers (Sharks)
An eye-catching debut for the Durbanites. Gave the Sharks a hard edge, made the hit of the game on the massive Emmanuel Meafou, won the lineout that led to their first try and charged down Paul Graou. A shame he limped off in the 49th minute.
3: Neethling Fouche (Stormers)
The Capetonians crushed their hosts in the scrums, and Fouche was in the thick of it. He bled for the cause and also showed his international class across the pitch.
2: JJ Kotze (Stormers)
Flawless and fiery. His accuracy helped the Stormers achieve a 100% success rate in the lineouts, he aided in the scrum mauling, won a turnover in the 14th minute and forced another through magnificent maul defence.
1: Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers)
The former Sharks powerhouse had a dream debut for the Stormers, which doubled as a nightmare for Bayonne. He dominated at scrum time and was busy and bullish in general play, charging for 44 metres, the most by a forward.