Nations Championship: Dream Team and Series Highlights
Former England rugby players Ben Youngs and Anthony Watson have selected their ideal XV from the initial three rounds of the Nations Championship. Their selections, discussed on the For The Love Of Rugby podcast, included several Springbok players.
Backs and Forwards Selections
In the backs, Damian Willemse was chosen for his performance at fullback against England and his role in the midfield against Scotland. He was noted for containing Sione Tuipulotu and for a cameo against Wales. Cheslin Kolbe was also selected, having scored points against England, including a try and five conversions. His defensive and aerial skills were highlighted. Jesse Kriel, who scored in all three of his matches, including a crucial try against Scotland, was also named. His attacking and defensive leadership for the Springboks was noted.
Other backline selections included Sione Tuipolotu, who scored two tries against Argentina and gained 72 metres against the Springboks. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was recognised for making 99 metres and beating 12 defenders against Argentina, and for beating nine defenders against Fiji. His tournament statistics included 246 metres gained, six line breaks, and two tries. Matthieu Jalibert was chosen for his play at fly-half against New Zealand and at fullback against Australia and Japan. Maxime Lucu was also included, having scored two tries and provided numerous assists.
For the forwards, Jasper Wiese was selected as the number eight for his performances against England and Wales, where he scored a try. Fraser McReight was noted for his work rate and ruck contributions for the Wallabies. Pieter-Steph du Toit, named the player of the series, was highlighted for his consistent high-level performances and additional lineout responsibilities. Emmanuel Meafou, who scored against Australia, was chosen for his work rate and tackling. Ruan Nortje was recognised for his significant work rate in his initial two matches. Joe Heyes was included for his scrummaging and making 20 tackles against Argentina. Malcolm Marx, the reigning World Rugby Player of the Year, was selected after scoring a try against England and contributing to a strong scrummaging display against Wales. Ellis Genge was also chosen for his scrum work and a try against the Springboks.
Southern Series Highlights and Awards
The Southern Series of the inaugural Nations Championship concluded with South Africa being named the team of the series. They scored 130 points and conceded 49 across their three matches. South Africa defeated England 45-21, held off Scotland 42-28, and secured a 43-point victory against Wales. Rassie Erasmus was named coach of the series for guiding South Africa to three wins while making 10 changes to his side after the England match.
Pieter-Steph du Toit received the player of the series award for his adaptability and consistent performance across three different roles, including playing as an emergency lock and captaining the side. Paul de Villiers was recognised as the breakthrough player of the series, starting all three tests and performing strongly, including a breakdown steal against Wales. The match between South Africa and Scotland, which ended 42-28, was named the game of the series. Japan‘s 27-10 victory over Italy was highlighted as the performance of the series. Theo Attissogbe‘s try for France against New Zealand was selected as the try of the series. The moment of the series involved Boan Venter lifting Cobus Wiese to claim a restart against Scotland. Scotland‘s 47 points scored against Argentina was deemed the surprise of the series, while Italy‘s three defeats and disciplinary issues were noted as the biggest disappointment.
The Springboks are considered the top team in the world after their performance in the Nations Championship. They won all three tests, utilising 43 different players and six debutants. Their average score was over 43 points per test, while conceding an average of just over 16 points per test. New Zealand had a strong start to the Dave Rennie era, scoring 121 points across the month. France, despite rotating their squad, achieved two wins and a close match against the All Blacks. Ireland secured two wins from three matches. Scotland showed improvement from the Six Nations, securing two wins in the Southern Series. England achieved two wins after an initial loss to the Springboks. Australia secured one win in their campaign. Argentina had a disappointing campaign with losses to Scotland and England. Japan had a pleasing campaign, including a win over Italy. Wales showed signs of progress, securing a win against Fiji.
The Springboks‘ dominant performance included victories over England at Ellis Park, Scotland at Loftus Versfeld, and Wales in Durban.
France‘s campaign included wins over Australia and Japan.
Australia secured a 57-10 victory over Italy.
Read Also
Source: planetrugby.com
