Weekly Selection of Outstanding Players in United Rugby Championship – Round 7
Unleashing the Rugby Beast on a Slammin' Saturday in the URC!
With the Sharks securing their first win against the Stormers and the Bulls crushing Connacht, it was a fantastic day for South African teams in the United Rugby Championship. Even the Lions put up a great fight against Munster despite losing.
Check out our revamped South African URC Team of the Week, featuring seven Bulls, six Sharks, and a couple of Lions. Here are the standout players from the action.
15. Aphelele Fassi (Sharks) - He was simply unstoppable with a URC Man of the Match performance. Fassi showed off his speed, agility, and fearlessness with try assists, clean breaks, and even a match-saving tackle. Unfortunately, a yellow card left the Durbanites hanging by a thread.
14. Canan Moodie (Bulls) - An electrifying presence after getting past his initial jitters, Moodie set up a try for Embrose Papier and scored one himself. He impressed with five clean breaks and blazed through the field with 165 meters under his boots.
13. Henco van Wyk (Lions) - The Lions' "Weapon X" proved why he's a phenom as he stormed through nine defenders with an amazing run, covering 53 meters.
12. Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks) - The Sharks' midfield monster made huge plays at crucial moments. He disrupted opposing attacks and even powered his way over the try line to give the Sharks some breathing room.
11. Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks) - The Sharks' star winger continues to shine. He ran deep and linked up beautifully with Fassi and Esterhuizen, making a massive 105 meters throughout the game.
10. Johan Goosen (Bulls) - Goosen seized the spotlight with his solid all-round play and pinpoint precision with the boot.
9. Embrose Papier (Bulls) - The little general showed off his brilliance with a schtick down the blindside that led to Sebastian de Klerk's try, followed by a clever chip for Willie le Roux. He was unstoppable on defense to claim the Man of the Match award.
8. Siya Kolisi (Sharks) - Captain fantastic, Kolisi led the Sharks with energy, class, and domination at No. 8.
7. Cobus Wiese (Bulls) - An unstoppable force on the field, Wiese carried the Bulls' physical presence on both sides of the ball.
6. Cameron Hanekom (Bulls) - Stepping in for an injured Marcell Coetzee, Hanekom brought the work ethic, making a Bulls-best 15 tackles.
5. Gerbrandt Grobler (Sharks) - The Sharks' workhorse covered plenty of ground and tackled with conviction.
4. Ruan Vermaak (Bulls) - Vermaak dominated at the lineouts, snatching two crucial steals and controlling the pace of the game.
3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions) - The consistent Lions player showed his versatility, winning scrum penalties, making strong carries, and being tenacious on defense.
2. Akker van der Merwe (Bulls) - Dubbed the "Angry Warthog," van der Merwe brought immense energy to the game, winning penalties, shining in set pieces, and proving himself to be a roadblock on defense.
1. Ox Nche (Sharks) - Nche proved he's more than just a phenomenal scrummager, making a name for himself with solid defense, powerful carries, and a crucial turnover.
After a weekend of exciting rugby action, it's no wonder the URC has become a must-watch for fans worldwide.
Enrichment data:- Sources vary slightly, but key inclusions across reports include South African representatives from the United Rugby Championship Team of the Week following the late-April matches.- Boan Venter (Edinburgh) and Wilco Louw and Johann Grobbelaar (Bulls) were major players for the front row in some reports, while Stormers props were also featured.- Salmaan Moerat (Stormers) and Cormac Izuchukwu made the team as the locks.- Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers) was a standout backline player mentioned across sources.- Opta's European Team spotlight awarded Nolann Le Garrec (Racing 92) as their Star Player for his TOP 14 performance, but URC-focused sources mainly highlighted South African standouts, particularly Stormers and Bulls forwards.- Key performers such as scrum-halves from the winning SA teams and rising talents like Feinberg-Mngomezulu received notable mentions.
No consensus Player of the Week was named for URC-only selections, but it should be noted that SA forwards and Feinberg-Mngomezulu were consistently highlighted in the coverage.
In light of the captivating weekend rugby performance, the URC has undeniably become an international fan favorite. The South African URC Team of the Week, featuring players from the Sharks, Bulls, and Lions, was a testament to their exceptional play. Aphelele Fassi, Canan Moodie, Henco van Wyk, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Siya Kolisi, Cobus Wiese, Cameron Hanekom, Gerbrandt Grobler, Ruan Vermaak, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Akker van der Merwe, and Ox Nche were some standout performers. However, other sources included Boan Venter, Wilco Louw, Johann Grobbelaar, Salmaan Moerat, Cormac Izuchukwu, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Despite no official Player of the Week being named for URC-only selections, South African forwards and Feinberg-Mngomezulu were consistently highlighted in the coverage. Meanwhile, Nolann Le Garrec was awarded Star Player by Opta's European Team spotlight for his TOP 14 performance. Feverish anticipation builds as the European leagues and Premier League approach.
