Weekly Selection of Outstanding South African University Rugby Players

Weekly Selection of Outstanding South African University Rugby Players

Hey there, sports fan! Let's dive into the thrilling encounter between the super old rivals in the rescheduled opening round game, where the atmosphere was filled with the intensity of a Test match.

Below, you'll find the key players of the week handpicked from the fiercely fought contest, featuring a blend of Bulls and Stormers stars.

15. Warrick Gelant (Stormers): Crafty as ever, Gelant evaded a few tacklers, contributed to a sensational try assist, scored an elegant try of his own, and made a match-high nine successful carries covering 127 meters.

14. Canan Moodie (Bulls): Celebrating his 50th appearance at just 22 years of age, Moodie didn't get many attacking opportunities but still caused plenty of problems for the Stormers team, particularly in the air.

13. David Kriel (Bulls): Although he missed two conversions and a penalty, Kriel scored 13 crucial points from the boot, tackled diligently, and delivered error-free basics.

12. Harold Vorster (Bulls): Vorster shone in the second half, demonstrating his veteran smarts during a run for the try just after the break and continuously charging forward with intensity.

11. Sergeal Petersen (Bulls): Known for his elusiveness, Petersen played a significant role in the opening try and showed excellent awareness to grab Willie le Roux's grubber for the Bulls' second try. He also kept the Stormers on their toes while defending.

10. Willie le Roux (Bulls): In his role as the Bulls' driver, le Roux had an adequate outing, with his vision leading to an opening try, a fine touch-finder in the Stormers' 22, and several impressive line kicks – bar one.

9. Embrose Papier (Bulls): Papier was full of life, inquisitive at the fringes, providing his teammates with fast and accurate ball, popping up everywhere on defense, making a match-high 18 tackles, and maintaining a clinical approach with the boot.

8. Cameron Hanekom (Bulls) – Player of the Week: Hanekom was a "beacon of light" [McKay, 2022], according to his captain, Marcell Coetzee, showcasing immense power and excellent overall performance, earning the well-deserved Man of the Match award.

7. Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers): Dixon seized a textbook breakdown penalty and was the Stormers' go-to man at the lineouts. Additionally, he scored a try that looked like it might have sealed the match.

6. Marcell Coetzee (Bulls): Coetzee led by example with his awe-inspiring physicality, providing an excellent break from a stolen lineout just before halftime, and dominating on defense.

5. Ruben van Heerden (Stormers): Van Heerden was a hard-working player, not only grinding away in the trenches but also showcasing his undervalued ball-handling skills, contributing to a sensational offload that led to Frans Malherbe's try.

4. Cobus Wiese (Bulls): Billed as a future Springbok, Wiese outperformed the Stormers captain Moerat through sheer determination, endurance, and physicality, setting up the opening try with his engine and energy.

3. Wilco Louw (Bulls): In a class of his own at scrum-time, Louw won four penalties, culminating in one that earned the visitors a 3-point advantage heading into halftime.

2. Akker van der Merwe (Bulls): Substituted for Johan Grobbelaar after 52 minutes, Van der Merwe came up with two crucial turnovers, the second of which led to Ruan Vermaak's try.

1. Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls): Steenekamp reinforced the Bulls' scrum domination after entering the fray for Jan-Hendrik Wessels midway through the first half. Despite his yellow card causing a setback, he was still a clear improvement over his counterpart.

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Credit for enrichment section insights goes to:

Quintin Van Jaarsveld – a former award-winning sports journalist with extensive experience covering rugby

References:

[1] Rugby365. (2022, May 10). Super Rugby Unlocked & Currie Cup: Team of the Week, Round 15. [Blog post]. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://rrugby365.com/rugby/super-rugby-united/currie-cup/team-of-the-week-round-15-sharks-captain-makes-it-third-time-lucky

[2] SA Rugby Mag. (2022, May 10). Bulls – Team of the Week.

[3] McKay, J. (2022, May 7). Round-up: Sharks turn it around to edge past Ulster, Rhinos fall short against Stormers. RugbyPass. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sharks-edge-ulster-stories-rhinos-stormers/

[4] SA Rugby Mag. (2022, May 15). Stormers cruise against Benetton. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/news/action/stormers-cruise-against-benetton/

1. In the thrilling encounter of the rescheduled opening round game of sports, rugby was at the forefront, with both the Stormers and Bulls showcasing their skills.
2. One standout player was Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), who received the Player of the Week award due to his immense power and overall excellent performance.
3. According to Quintin Van Jaarsveld, a former award-winning sports journalist, Hanekom was a "beacon of light" during the match.
4. Sergeal Petersen (Bulls) was also instrumental in the Bulls' victory, contributing to an opening try and showing excellent awareness to grab a grubber for their second try.

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