Nations Championship team of the month features Springboks, Japan, and All Blacks stars
Following the conclusion of the third and final round of the Nations Championship‘s southern leg, a Team of the Tournament has been selected, highlighting standout performances from various nations. The selection process prioritised players who demonstrated consistent excellence across all three rounds of July’s competition, rather than those with a single exceptional performance.
New Zealand and South Africa emerged from the series undefeated, while France secured two wins from three matches. England recovered from an initial defeat to claim victories in Liverpool and Santiago del Estero. Tournament newcomers Japan achieved their first win in a tier-one competition, and Fiji delivered a strong performance in their final match at Murrayfield.
Key Backline Performers
At fullback, Damian Willemse of South Africa earned his spot due to a transcendent individual performance, particularly during his 50th cap at Ellis Park. This included a 70-metre 50-22 kick and aerial dominance. Despite strong competition from Matthieu Jalibert and Damian McKenzie, Willemse’s peak performance was deemed exceptional.
Will Jordan of New Zealand was a clear choice on the wing, scoring six tries across three games. His hat-trick in Wellington saw him surpass Doug Howlett as New Zealand‘s all-time leading Test try scorer. Théo Attissogbé of France also impressed, accumulating a strong three-round portfolio with a try and a significant offload in Christchurch, and another score in Brisbane.
The centre positions are filled by Jesse Kriel of South Africa and Sione Tuipulotu of Scotland. Kriel scored in every round, contributing to a defence that improved throughout the month. Tuipulotu captained Scotland to a seven-try victory over Argentina and delivered a robust performance in the defeat in Pretoria.
At fly-half, Fin Smith of England was selected for his consistent performance and trajectory. He guided England‘s recovery and controlled matches, including a 73-8 win over Fiji. Cam Roigard of New Zealand is the scrum-half, earning Player of the Match in Christchurch with a try and demonstrating an immense workload, including 92 passes in round one.
Dominant Forwards
In the loose forward trio, Ardie Savea of New Zealand, Paul de Villiers of South Africa, and Pieter-Steph du Toit, also of South Africa, were recognised. Savea, as the newly appointed captain, led his team to three wins, making decisive contributions in each match, including turnovers and carries. De Villiers, a breakout star, debuted an hour before round one and started all three Tests, finishing as the top-rated Springbok in the Durban shutout with a maul try and a breakdown steal. Du Toit was named Player of the Series for his complete forward month, performing three different roles to an elite international standard, including emergency lock and captaincy against England.
The second-row features Warner Dearns of Japan and Scott Cummings of Scotland. Dearns, described as a bolter, scored in Japan‘s first-ever tier-one win and leads all Nations Championship locks with substantial minutes since the last World Cup in several key metrics. Cummings contributed in every round, including a try against Argentina and a match-turning score from the bench against Fiji.
The front row includes Gerhard Steenekamp of South Africa, Maxime Lamothe of France, and Joe Heyes of England. Steenekamp, a loosehead, justified his start by dominating the scrum against Wales. Lamothe’s lineout and maul work provided France with their cleanest set-piece outing. Heyes, a tighthead, anchored a dominant scrum and carried with punch through 80 minutes of play in Santiago del Estero.
In other notable performances from the final round, Damian McKenzie was the official Player of the Match in New Zealand‘s win at Eden Park against Ireland, commanding the backfield and creating six-try mayhem. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso of England delivered a complete attacking display in Santiago, creating an opener and scoring a powerful finish. Josua Tuisova of Fiji topped his team’s charts for carries and tackles against Scotland, making five dominant hits.
Jaco Williams, a new Springboks wing, announced himself in the 43-0 shutout in Durban. Ruben Love of New Zealand orchestrated the dismissal of Ireland with maturity, potentially settling a long-running selection argument. Jamie Dobie of Scotland made a significant impact off the bench at Murrayfield, scoring two tries in 25 minutes to change the contest against Fiji.
Among the forwards in the final round, Ben Earl of England scored two first-half tries against Argentina, contributing to a breakdown harvest. Tupou Vaa’i of New Zealand provided balance at blindside against Ireland with his carrying and lineout presence. Patrick Tuipulotu of New Zealand, on his return, scored a try and made 11 carries, setting the physical tone against Ireland. Josh Canham of Australia scored a hat-trick and provided lineout leadership in Perth‘s 57-10 victory over Italy.
The final round saw South Africa blank Wales 43-0, New Zealand score 40 points against Ireland, and Australia dismantle Italy 57-10. France eased past Japan 42-15, Scotland overcame Fiji 33-17, and England secured a 31-24 win against Argentina in Santiago del Estero.
Read Also
Source: planetrugby.com
