As the “Race to the Eight” heats up, all matches in Round 14 went as expected. Nearly every fixture had a clear favourite, and every one of those favourites delivered. Connacht’s late victory over Ospreys kept them in the playoff hunt for another week while most likely condemning the Welsh side to Challenge Cup rugby next season. Elsewhere, all four South African teams backed up wins from the last round with another full house this weekend. Of the four touring sides, Munster will be the most pleased after picking up two crucial bonus points.
In nearly every game Gelant features in, he will produce moments of magic and moments of madness. A mark of a good performance is in their ratio. Against Edinburgh, this fell firmly in favour of magic. Gelant created an astonishing 7 line breaks for teammates, 2 of which directly resulting in tries, this is more than double the next player. His try assists, in particular, were crucial for the Stormers who struggle to unlock a set defence without moments of individual brilliance. His assist for Mchunu highlighted his ability to get defenders to focus on him before a deft piece of skill sets a teammate away – 77 points
Horn carried for the most meters of any player in Round 14. He routinely ran back long Dragons’ kicks in an attempt to start counter attacks beating 3 defenders in the process. His most impactful moment came in his assist for Richard Kriel’s try as he did superbly well to get his pass away, over the head of the on rushing defender – 62 points
OB: Tommy O’Brien – Leinster (2 tries, 1 line break, 1 line break assist, 2 turnovers won)
O’Brien was, as ever, involved in many aspects of Leinster’s victory over the Scarlets. He ran in two tries, that while did not require him beat any defenders, showcased his positional and support line acuity. For his first try, he held his width well needing just a looped Gibson-Park pass to give him a clean run to the try line. 2 turnovers won is also always worth mentioning from a back – 75 points
CE: Erich Cronje – Lions (1 try, 71 carry meters, 1 offload, 1 turnover won, 3 line breaks)
Cronje has had a blockbuster two weeks filling in on the wing for the Lions. He was influential throughout the encounter carrying for 71 meters and making 3 line breaks, the most of any back, in the process. He picked up a well-deserved try towards the end of the game as he stormed down the left wing beating a handful of defenders before crashing over the line – 68 points
Owen was crucial to the Dragons’ tries, fulfilling critical roles on set piece attack. His rugby IQ allowed him to score what looked like 2 easy tries; however, both came from clever positioning. For his first try he turned a dummy line into a support run while for his second he played a one-two with his inside man before strolling in again. Owen also showed up on defence with a crucial turnover – 74 points
FH: Chris Smith – Lions (1 try, 2 line breaks, 50 meters carried)
The URC top-scorer enters the TOTW for the first time this season. Perhaps surprisingly, he achieves this in a week where he was less than perfect with the boot rather than earning points for his running game. His try was a touch fortuitous as he latched onto a dropped ball to claim an easy 5 pointer – 54 points
Papier issued another sharp reminder to Springbok management with a performance full of x-factor and searing pace. Papier’s attacking stats are impressive (2 tries, 89 carry metres, and 6 defenders beaten) but they take on a new light when coupled with an additional fact: He only made 2 carries all game. His entire attacking output came from just 2 runs with the ball – efficiency – 80 points
Roos has really grown into this season, truly putting his body on the line week after week. He made 12 carries which led to 3 line breaks and 63 meters gained. Roos’ nose for the try line was on full show this past weekend with his 2 tries this week bringing him level with Joshua Kenny and Sean Jansen at the top of the leading try scorer charts – 80 points
An astounding points haul in a losing effort for Anderson who has been nothing short of a revelation for the Scarlets after his arrival from Super Rugby. Anderson carried gainfully making 25 carries, 8 more than the next player in the round, for 71 post-contact metres - Additionally, he made 4 dominant tackles – the most across the round – 97 points
BR: Phepsi Buthelezi – Sharks (2 tries, 10 dominant carries, 9 defenders beaten) – Player of the Round
Only one word is needed to summarise this Buthelezi performance: Boomfa! He made an impressive 10 dominant carries from just 59 minutes on the field. He runs with purpose and intent – frequently putting defenders back on their arse. His 9 defenders beaten was also the highest of any player in the round. Both of his tries came from messily set-up mauls that required mongrel and awareness to finish off – 98 points
Ahern was a key part of Munster’s ability to stay in the fight, and ultimately come away with 2 bonus points, in their tough outing in the heat of the Highveld. He was disruptive at lineout time and made his physicality felt on both attack and defence. Both his tries finished off well put together attacking sets. For his first, he valuably held his width off a huge line break by Alex Kendellen, leaving only the diminutive Kurt-Lee Arendse in his path to the try line – 63 points
It can’t possibly be a URC TOTW without a Glasgow player, can it?! This week they will have to settle for the single feature with Williamson being a standout performer. He stood up gainfully on defence, when Benetton were having the run of play in the first, making all 10 of his tackles and forcing 1 turnover. His try was smartly taken as he found a soft shoulder in the Benetton defensive line allowing him to slip through from less than 5 meters out – 68 points
An early yellow card was not enough to deny Mchunu a spot in this week’s TOTW as he produced an excellent performance in both the tight and loose. The Stormers’ scrum was as dominant as ever but Mchunu’s real impact on the game came ball-in-hand. He showed back-like pace to race in for a crucial score – there can’t be many props with his pace in World Rugby currently – 62 points
HK: Rob Herring – Ulster (1 try, 1 try assist, 1 line break, 32 ruck arrivals, 16/16 lineouts won)
A solid outing for the Ulster hooker in a tough away fixture against Zebre. He was flawless with his darts (making more than any other hooker) and cleaned more rucks than any other front rower in Round 14. He picked up a well-taken maul try, breaking away at just the right moment to ensure minimal resistance from the Zebre defence – 58 points
PR: Kemsley Mathias – Scarlets (1 dominant tackle, 1 offload, 5/11 carries cross the gain line)
The second Scarlet forward to make TOTW 14 in what was an admirable performance in defeat for the men from Swansea. While perhaps not producing the flash of Mchunu, he was solid all round. He made 1 dominant tackle, and was a go-to carrying option making 11 carries – the most of any prop – 62 points
Available in your league? (Hidden Gems)
Finn Treacy (Connacht - Wing/Centre): With Connacht’s Casualty Ward currently housing the likes of Mack Hansen, Hugh Gavin, and Shayne Bolton, Treacy has secured a mandatory starting role and is thriving. His 80-point breakout featured clinical attacking volume, including 106 carry metres and 3 line breaks. If he is still a Free Agent in your league, secure him now before his ownership climbs.
Gregor Hiddleston (Glasgow Warriors - Hooker): 88 points from the hooking slot is elite production usually reserved for the top-tier names. Hiddleston provided an immense floor in Round 13, recording 28 ruck arrivals and 15 successful lineout throws. With Glasgow rotating their squad heavily around international windows, he is a perfect high-volume anchor for your front row.
Ruan Venter (Lions - Back Row): Returning from a four-match ban, Venter immediately reminded managers why he is a multi-category monster. He hits everything that moves, banking 14 tackles (2 dominant) and 3 lineout takes for a 79-point haul. With the Lions hitting their straps in the South African Shield, he is a priority target in the Trade Window.
