CRAIG LEWIS picks a South African XV based on performances in the second round of the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament.
This was a weekend to savour for the Stormers. Despite suffering a 37-point defeat in round one, and then falling well behind against the Lions, they mounted a rousing comeback to claim a last-gasp win.
Although a number of players produced vastly improved performances, with the likes of Siya Kolisi (12 tackles), Jean-Luc du Plessis (13 tackles) and Ruhan Nel (54m, nine carries and six tackles) putting in industrious shifts, the Lions were far from outplayed.
In fact, the Lions controlled large parts of the encounter, with the irrepressible Kwagga Smith leading the charge with a try, 35m from 14 carries, 10 tackles and two turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Sharks claimed a comfortable bonus-point win over the Blues, with Akker van der Merwe, Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am producing impressive performances.
In a dour encounter in Argentina, the Vodacom Bulls slipped to a disappointing defeat against the Jaguares, but there were industrious shifts from Duane Vermeulen and Hanro Liebenberg, while Cornal Hendricks and Warrick Gelant were solid.
Nevertheless, Gelant is edged out in the fullback selection here, with Aphelele Fassi enjoying another busy performance in Durban, scoring his first Super Rugby try, making 52m and seven tackles.
SA TEAM OF THE WEEK (ROUND 2)
15. Aphelele Fassi (Sharks)
14. Cornal Hendricks (Bulls)
13. Lukhanyo Am (Sharks)
12. Damain de Allende (Stormers)
11. Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks)
10. Jean-Luc du Plessis (Stormers)
9. Nic Groom (Lions)
8. Hanro Liebenberg (Bulls)
7. Kwagga Smith (Lions)
6. Siya Kolisi (Stormers)
5. Lood de Jager (Bulls)
4. Marvin Orie (Lions)
3. Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks)
2. Akker van der Merwe (Sharks)
1. Dylan Smith (Lions)
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SA TEAM OF THE WEEK (ROUND 1)
15. Warrick Gelant (Bulls)
14. S’bu Nkosi (Sharks)
13. Jesse Kriel (Bulls)
12. Harold Vorster (Lions)
11. Rosko Specman (Bulls)
10. Handré Pollard (Bulls)
9. Embrose Papier (Bulls)
8. Duane Vermeulen (Bulls)
7. Hanro Liebenberg (Bulls)
6. Marnus Schoeman (Lions)
5. Lood de Jager (Bulls)
4. Jason Jenkins (Bulls)
3. Carlu Sadie (Lions)
2. Malcolm Marx (Lions)
1. Beast Mtawarira (Sharks)
Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix
