URC 5 started this past weekend with a bang. 10 of the 16 sides in the competition began with a try bonus point, including all winning outfits. The Stormers nilled reigning champs Leinster, while consistent championship contenders Glasgow Warriors easily swept aside the Sharks. The Ospreys put in a fight away on the Highveld against the Bulls, earning a try bonus point, while Munster were the only side to win away in Gameweek 1. This blog will be published weekly, highlighting the top performers according to Draft Rugby’s in-depth scoring system.
FB: Mike Lowry – Ulster (2 assists, 5 tackle busts)
The little fullback was at his elusive best, carrying 11 times for 86 metres. He was a threat throughout the game, culminating in two assists, both from offloads after scything through the Dragons’ defence – 69 points
Who would have thought a year ago that the former sevens star would be playing professional rugby let alone starring as the Man of the Match in a Leinster demolition. Senatla was at the heart of everything the Stormers did well on Friday night, with dominant tackles on the kick chase and a deft assist for Ungerer’s try – 66 points
WG: Edwill van der Merwe – Sharks (1 try, 1 assist)
Van der Merwe continued his excellent URC form in his debut for the Sharks. The recently signed former Lion showed exactly what he will offer this season with a supremely well-taken try and an excellent assist for Am after breaking down the right-hand touchline – 63 points
Forde continued his rise to prominence in Irish rugby with yet another solid performance in Connacht’s home victory over Benetton. He was strong in the carry, making 6 dominant carries and several tackle busts from his 16 total runs. His distribution game was on show as well, as he took the ball to the line and passed out the back for Ioane, ultimately leading to Connacht’s opening try. He also slotted three conversions, adding crucial points from the tee – 63 points
The experienced Sharks midfielder shone in an otherwise poor display from the Sharks who struggled to gain fluency against a strong Glasgow outfit. He was busy with ball in hand and snapped up a try on a well-run support line after good work from van der Merwe – 49 points
Was this a coming-of-age performance for Mathee? Often seen as the “boring” alternative to the brilliance of Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, he showed that he too can provide moments of attacking genius. This was highlighted by his sensational dummy, linebreak and try late in the game. That being said, he and Stefan Ungerer controlled the game superbly and kept the Stormers marching forward – 71 points
The experienced Scarlet kept his side ticking over in a losing effort at home to Munster. He was accurate from the base being one few scrumhalves not to make a bad pass. The highlight of his outing was a fantastic dink through which, after causing all sorts of confusion in the backfield, resulted in a try for Ellis Mee – 55 points
An all-court performance from the marauding 8th man. He was exceptionally busy with ball in hand, making 16 carries for 60 metres as well as 11 passes. He topped off his night with a magic moment of anticipation, intercepting a pass from the base and running in a try – 63 points
Glasgow were forced to make a lot of tackles as the Sharks fought to dent the stoic home defence. Darge was at the heart of the defensive effort, making 17 tackles in just 63 minutes. He also grabbed a try at the back of the ever-powerful Glasgow maul – 61 points
Evan Roos was part of a dominant forward pack display that dismantled last seasons champions. Making 12 carries, 10 tackles, 5 tackle busts and 22 post contact metres, he was a big part of what eventually broke down the oppositions defence – 62 points
LK: Cormac Izuchukwu – Ulster (1 try, 2 offloads)
Just a massive human. He made 10 carries, nine of which crossed the gainline for a total of 45 metres. When the opportunity presented itself, he was too powerful for the Dragons defenders close to the line – 64 points
The young South African lock continues to impress in the heart of the Bulls pack. He made 15 carries, and while they only resulted in 26 metres, nearly all of them were post-contact (22m). He also contributed admirably to the lineout – a dominant platform for the Bulls throughout the game – 46 points
In his 56 minutes on the park, O’Toole got his hands involved in all aspects of play. He posted a neat balance of six carries, six tackles, and six passes. He scrummed well, helping Ulster achieve a 100% scrum success rate and also turned the ball over twice at the breakdown – 39 points
HK: Johan Grobelaar – Bulls (3 tries, 16/16 successful lineout throws) – Player of the Round
Grobbelaar helped himself to a hat-trick of tries at the back of the maul as the Ospreys had no answer for the tight 5 power of the Bulls. Grobbelaar played a key role in the set piece dominance with 100% lineout and scrum success when he was on the field – 86 points
Spagnolo is rewarded for his hard work on both sides of the ball with a spot in the team of the week. He carried well for a prop reaching 43 metres from his 11 carries – nearly achieving the prized 4 metres per carry – 72 points
