Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Super Rugby Pacific team of the week for round eight

Miracle Faiilagi of Moana Pasifika runs across to score a try during the round eight Super Rugby Pacific match between Moana Pasifika and Queensland Reds at Apia Park National Stadium, on April 14, 2023, in Apia, Samoa. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Round eight of Super Rugby Pacific saw four fixtures as the Melbourne Rebels, Blues, Crusaders and Highlanders all had the bye week.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Queensland Reds prevailed over Moana Pasifika 40-28 in a historic first Super Rugby match in Apia, Samoa, while the Brumbies were too strong for the Fijian Drua in Canberra 43-28.

The top of the table clash between the Chiefs and Hurricanes saw the visitors storm back to win 33-17 in Wellington.

The last game of the round between the Waratahs and the Force ended with a comprehensive 36-16 win for New South Wales.

Here is the team of the week for round eight:

15. Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs)

Once again Stevenson is named in the team of the week after a strong performance against the Hurricanes. He finished with one line break, three offloads and 80 running metres.

14. Suliasi Vunivalu (Reds)

ADVERTISEMENT

Eddie Jones had a cattle prod for the flying Fijian at the first Wallabies camp but it was Vunivalu who torched Moana Pasifika in Apia. The right wing had a spectacular intercept try along with three line breaks and 120 total running metres.

13. Izaia Perese (Waratahs)

The Waratahs centre tore up the Western Force with two tries and a try assist in Sydney which led to a late call-up to the Wallabies camp after Len Ikitau was a late withdrawal after suffering a concussion.

12. Kalaveti Ravouvou (Drua)

ADVERTISEMENT

The Fijian Drua second five-eighth was a handful against the Brumbies, carrying well for 99 run metres on 12 carries and four defenders beaten. He bagged a key try in the second half on an inside support line but it wasn’t enough to stop the home side getting the win.

11. Ben O’Donnell (Brumbies)

The rapid left wing scored a hat-trick of tries against the Drua to propel the Brumbies to victory. He had two inside the first 15 minutes and scored his third right at the death.

10. Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)

The Chiefs playmaker guided his side to a big win in Wellington over the Hurricanes, looking dangerous with ball-in-hand and managing the game well. He scored a late try to put the win beyond doubt, crashing over between two big men. He finished with 67 run metres, at try, and two defenders beaten.

9. Cam Roigard (Hurricanes)

The in-form halfback played well again against Super Rugby’s best team. He sliced through the defence for a try to show the All Black selectors his running game once again and passed accurately from the base of the ruck. He had two clean breaks on five snipes, and beat a handful of defenders with 3.

Jake Gordon deserves a mention for his play against the Force, responding to his Wallabies camp omission with a try assist and an individual effort after a charge down to scoop and score after a 50-metre run.

8. Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)

Savea was one of the best players of the round in a losing side for the Hurricanes, making 16/16 tackles and 14 carries on attack. He won two turnovers on defence but his performance couldn’t save his team against the Chiefs.

7. Fraser McReight (Reds)

The Wallaby openside came up with a big performance in Apia registering three turnovers won, 14/14 tackles and 12 carries in the Reds’ 40-28 win.

6. Miracle Faiilagi (Moana Pasifika)

The towering blindside was one of the stories of the week as the local product scored two tries in front of his home crowd in Apia. His double ignited the crowd and gave them something to cheer about in the loss to the Reds. He also won three turnovers on the defensive side of the ball and had three lineout takes.

5. Darcy Swain (Brumbies)

He may have been yellow carded, but the Wallaby lock was the big body the Brumbies needed to combat the Drua’s physicality. He made nine from nine tackles in the middle channels while adding stability to the lineout with five takes. He moved the ball as a good link forward with five passes and played a key role off-the-ball on the first maul try.

4. Brodie Retallick (Chiefs)

The All Black lock demonstrated his strong work ethic as he dominated up front against the Hurricanes. He hit a high number of rucks, completed 8 of 9 tackles, took 7 lineouts and made 10 carries to lay the platform for the win.

3. Harry Johnson-Holmes (Waratahs)

The Wallaby tighthead got through a big workload with seven carries, barging over for a try from close range with a pick and go. On defence he completed eight from eight tackles and was instrumental at set-piece time.

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs)

The All Black hooker was incredible on Saturday afternoon, winning ‘every contact’ he was involved with and racking up plenty of post-contact metres on 18 total carries. He completed 10 of 12 tackles and had the Chiefs set-piece firing with 10 lineout throws won.

1. Aidan Ross (Chiefs)

The Chiefs prop fronted up against the improving Hurricanes’ pack. The scrum was solid as a rock throughout the match, providing clean ball. Ross contributed more than a handful of tackles with eight and hit a couple of balls at pace for Brad Weber.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'There will be no honeymoon period for Borthwick's wedding usher El-Abd' 'There will be no honeymoon period for Borthwick's wedding usher El-Abd'
Search