Super Rugby dream teams

The Chiefs became the fourth team after the Blues, the Crusaders and the Bulls to retain the Super Rugby title when they won this years nal 27-22 against the Brumbies in Hamilton. However, South African teams did not light up the competition, the 18th since the rst Super 12 in 1996, and this is reected in the Super XV Dream Teams picked by rugby writers Dan Retief and Khanyiso Tshwaku

Dans Super XV

Will Genia (Reds)

5 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs) He was the most consistent of the candidates in a position undergoing a changing of the guard. Time will tell who climbs highest of Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks) and Rob Simmons (Reds)

Scott Sio (Brumbies)

19 Heinrich Brssow (Cheetahs)

Head and shoulders above the games of other little big men. Also in the frame are Nic White (Brumbies) and Piet van Zyl (Cheetahs)

One of Jake Whites many success stories. Ben Franks You need a backup fetcher, plus could create havoc coming on when others are tiring (Crusaders), Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks) and JC Janse-Van Rensburg (Sharks) will raise their eyebrows at this selection

Reserves:

15 Israel Folau (Waratahs) He made arguably the most impressive conversion from Rugby League to Rugby Union yet and edges Jesse Mogg (Brumbies) and Israel Dagg (Crusaders)

12 Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies) Cool, balanced, creative, your classic inside centre. He edges Jan Serfontein (Bulls), Jean de Villiers (Stormers) and Robert Ebersohn (Cheetahs)

Kieran Read (C) (Crusaders)

Eben Etzebeth (Stormers)

16 Deon Fourie (Stormers) If a sub is meant to make an impact, there is no better. Can play ank too

20 Nic White (Brumbies) Next best scrummie in the competition. Kicking could be useful in a tight game

A class act, and would captain my team too. Consistent performers are Liam Messam (Chiefs), Phillip van der Walt (Cheetahs), Ben Mowen (Brumbies) and Scott Higginbotham (Rebels)

SAs yster already has remarkable presence for one so young. Craig Clarke (Chiefs) led by example and Jeremy Thrush (Hurricanes) was often to the fore

14 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs) SAs man for all positions was most potent on the right wing. Honourable mentions are Henry Speight (Brumbies) and Frank Halai (Blues)

11

Bryan Habana (Stormers)

George Smith (Brumbies)

Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs)

17 Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs) A replacement who can cover both tight- and loosehead

21 Aaron Cruden (Chiefs) Specialist y half crucial, backup goal kicker

Theres only one Habana! He had a high-energy farewell Super Rugby season in a side that didnt do much for him. Lelia Masaga (Chiefs), Julian Savea (Hurricanes), Digby Ioane (Reds) and Hosea Gear (Highlanders) come close

Inuential performances at the business end of the season wins him the fetcher slot ahead of SAs forgotten man, Heinrich Brssow (Cheetahs)

A prop who scores tries is worth his weight in gold. Jannie du Plessis (Sharks) was the most willing of the workhorses. Ben Afeaki (Blues) and Owen Franks (Crusaders) toiled away, but Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs) continued to battle with the conversion

13 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs) Always a handful, and knows his way to the try line. Hes ahead of Rene Ranger (Blues), Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs), JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls) and Robbie Freuan (Crusaders)

10 Dan Carter (Crusaders) Often injured, often below his best, but still the perfect number 10. Next in line are Aaron Cruden (Chiefs), Morn Steyn (Bulls) and Matt Toomua (Brumbies)

6 Liam Messam (Chiefs) Played mostly at No 8 but was arguably the most consistent loose forward in the competition. I also liked Lappies Labuschagne (Cheetahs), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Matt Todd (Crusaders), Wimpie van der Walt (Kings), Brad Shields (Crusaders) and Steven Luatua (Blues)

Stephen Moore (Brumbies)

18 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks) Lock or blindside ank. Someone to come on and add some energy

22 Israel Dagg (Crusaders) Versatile footballer to his ngertips. Easily interchangeable with Folau or Le Roux

Was technically faultless and key to the Brumbies success. Top service also came from Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs), Chiliboy Ralepelle (Bulls) and Kyle Cooper (Sharks)

Khanyisos Super XV

Reserves:

Top points-scorers
Morn Steyn (Bulls)
Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies) Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes) Quade Cooper (Reds)

248 211 186 172 171 170 170 166 142 139 131 116

15 Willie le Roux (Cheetahs)

11 Hosea Gear (Highlanders) While the rest of the Highlanders team collapsed around him, he made tacklers collapse in front of him

7 Liam Messam (C) (Chiefs) He was the heart of all that was good about the Chiefs with his astronomical work rate

3 Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs) Once he gets his scrumming right, hell be the most feared prop, but was the best tight head in the competition

16 Stephen Moore (Brumbies) Still Australias premier hooker and would do well to get better props on either side of him

Gave the Cheetahs back line an extra leg on attack and made life difficult for defenders. Was the most un-South African of all fullbacks in his attack-minded play

Patrick Lambie (Sharks) Dan Carter (Crusaders) Joe Pietersen (Stormers) Gareth Anscombe (Chiefs) Demetri Catrakilis (Kings) Brendan McKibbin (Waratahs) Colin Slade (Highlanders)

14 Rene Ranger (Blues)

10 Aaron Cruden (Chiefs) Cruden went a long way towards lling Dan Carters very big boots. His small frame carried the Chiefs

6 Heinrich Brssow (Cheetahs) How this pilferer doesnt play for the Boks boggles the mind. Made teams fear taking the ball to the ground

17 Trevor Nyakane (Cheetahs) Was a key part in the Cheetahs revival and did not take a step back in the scrums

20 Will Genia (Reds) Was consistently class, but struggled after the British and Irish Lions series

His easy breaking of the line and his try-scoring ability made him one to watch throughout the season

James OConnor (Rebels)

Leading try-scorers
Frank Halai (Blues)
Cam Crawford (Waratahs) Israel Folau (Waratahs) Henry Speight (Brumbies)

10 8 8 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

13 Conrad Smith (Hurricanes) Consistency personied in a team that struggled for consistency

9 Piet van Zyl (Cheetahs) He was SAs best scrum half by a country mile and outpunched all of his counterparts

5 Brodie Retallick (Chiefs) Was a key performer in the Chiefs engine and has improved his line-out work

2 Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs) Usurped Bismarck du Plessis place as SAs premier hooker. Dynamic and level-headed

18 Luke Romano (Crusaders) Kept up his high work rate, which made him a constant All Black starter last year

21 Matt Toomua (Brumbies) Seems to be massively underrated in Australia, but was one of the key performers in a strong season for the Canberra franchise

Hosea Gear (Highlanders) TJ Perenara (Hurricanes) Julia Savea (Hurricanes) Jesse Mogg (Brumbies) Wimpie van der Walt (Kings) Willie le Roux (Cheetahs) Rene Ranger (Blues) Ben Smith (Highlanders) Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs)

12 Jan Serfontein (Bulls) There were class number 12s in operation, but with the kind of y half he had in Morn Steyn, he made the position look easy
Photos: Backpagepix

8 Ben Mowen (Brumbies) He led the Brumbies from the front and was the best No 8 throughout the tournament

4 Eben Etzebeth (Stormers) When he returned from injury, so did the mongrel in the Stormers pack

1 Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders) Made scrumming against him a nightmare and added good ball skills to his repertoire

19 Steven Luatua (Blues) An amazing season in a team that was packed with quality loose forwards

22 Jesse Mogg (Brumbies) Another unsung performer at the Brumbies who has come on in leaps and bounds

Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs) Bundee Aki (Chiefs) Scott Higginbotham (Rebels)

DAN RETIEF, KHANYISO TSHWAKU, JACO GROBBELAAR, Graphics24