SA United Rugby Championship Team of the Week – Round 7

The log-leading Stormers recovered from a poor start that saw them trail 10-0 early on and 17-10 at halftime, with the introduction of all six members of their Bomb Squad in the 47th minute helping them power to a 34-27 win over a game Lions team in Cape Town.

The spotlight then shifted to Durban, where the Sharks came back from being down 12-7 to triumph 21-12 over the Bulls in a hard-fought affair.

Our final South African Team of the Week of 2025 consists of eight Stormers, three Bulls, two Sharks and two Lions.

15: Quan Horn (Lions)

He was exceptional with his kicking, both his booming line drives and the great grubber that Kelly Mpeku collected to score. Good on attack as well, he broke tackles and made a memorable break moments before halftime.

14: Kelly Mpeku (Lions)

Mpeku, Dylan Maart, and Edwill van der Merwe all got onto the scoresheet and did the fundamentals well. What won it for the promising Lions flyer was his fantastic 50:22.

13: Wandisile Simelane (Stormers)

“Wandi” is the type of player with whom you have to take the bad with the good, but even though he wasn’t perfect, he was still the pick of the outside centres thanks to an influential attacking game, which included a momentum-shifting score.

12: Jonathan Roche (Stormers)

In a performance that showed he’s more comfortable and effective at No. 12 than at No. 13, where he featured the previous week, Roche was strong in all departments.

11: Lionel Zas (Stormers)

Even though he had little to no opportunities on attack, Zas still found ways to make his presence felt. He kicked a near 22:22 and sent Simelane over with a slick offload.

10: Jurie Matthee (Stormers)

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu he is not, but Matthee did exactly what he needed to do in the pivotal No. 10 jumper for the Stormers and slotted all six of his kicks at goal for a 14-point haul.

9: Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks)

Regarded as a starter rather than an impact player, Hendrikse turned up as the ultimate super-sub in Durban, where he seized two crucial breakdown penalties and created the match-sealing try with a stellar chip for Van der Merwe.

Edwill van der Merwe 🙌

You cannot keep him away from the try line 🦈🏉#SSRugby | #VURC pic.twitter.com/RrwndImtQM

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) December 20, 2025

8: Evan Roos (Stormers)

Going from zero to hero, Roos recovered from a shocking first-half performance in which his botched kick-off take cost the Capetonians a try and an infringement bled another three points with a sensational second 40 that saw him score a vital try and come up huge with a late jackal in his 22, which sealed the result.

87: Ruan Venter (Lions) – Player of the Week

“Remember me, Rassie.” That’s the statement the one-Test Bok made with his dynamic display of dominance, which included a brace. His ball-carrying was beastly, from the time he crossed for the first try shortly after kick off, to dotting down his second just before halftime, to the very end. He also made a crucial tackle on Roche in the 37th minute.

The Lions are out to spoil the DHL Stormers' perfect record 👀🏉

They score inside the opening minute 🦁👇

📺 Stream #VURC on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/xIF2wgwAXF

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) December 20, 2025

6: Paul de Villiers (Stormers)

The former Junior Bok captain continued his red-hot form by earning another Man of the Match award. Like the Stormers in general, he was a step off in the first 40 (although he did have a try assist) but was brilliant after the break, including scoring the go-ahead try in the 53rd minute.

5: Emile van Heerden (Sharks)

The Sharks second-rower was the king of the lineout, not only in the way he ran the set piece on attack but also as a disruptor of note, as he poached two of the Bulls’ throw-ins.

4: Salmaan Moerat (Stormers)

A solid captain’s innings from Moerat, who kept the Stormers composed in the challenging first half and emptied the tank on defence, making the third-most tackles (10) behind Roos (15), Roche and Ruben van Heerden (both 11).

3: Neethling Fouche (Stormers)

On the occasion of his landmark 100th appearance for the Stormers, Fouche celebrated like every prop envisions, by dominating at scrum time, winning penalties in minutes 13, 17 and 28.

2: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls

Grobbelaar not only did his primary duties better than his competitors, but he also showed strong leg drive in the carry, hustled hard on defence and won a breakdown penalty that resulted in the Bulls’ first three points.

1: Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls)

Part of an all-Bok Bulls front row that carried their team on their backs, winning not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, but seven scrum penalties.