Rugby World Cup 2015: Best XV of Week 2

No earth-tilting shocks to report from Week 2 of the Rugby World Cup 2015 in England.

There was just one very high-profile smash-and-grab down in TW2 and a number of highly entertaining clashes up and down the land.

The patter for the minnows seems to have settled after Japan's shock victory over the Springboks.

We have seen almost every other smaller nation compete for 40 or 50 minutes of their games before a combination of fitness, fatigue and the strength of the big-hitters' benches enable the favourites to start running riot.

These second-half surges have seen plenty of players record multiple scores to get the race for the tournament's top try-scorer award well under way.

In the one white-hot Tier One Test to date, we also saw nerves of steel from both Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar. Both men were unerring from the tee in the face of incredible pressure.

Such circumstances will start to test plenty more players as more decisive pool fixtures edge closer.

Here is Week 2's first XV.

15. Mike Brown

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It would be no surprise if, when you ask Mike Brown where he lives, he replied with the phrase, "In your face."

There wasn't a Welsh visage the Harlequins full-back didn't get up close and personal with at Twickenham on Saturday night.

The 30-year-old was part of a threatening back three that England simply didn't use enough in the second half of their 28-25 defeat.

He was brilliant in the air and his usual dangerous self with ball in hand, doing superbly to pluck Anthony Watson's pass off his shins to play a key part in the English try.

England need him at his waspish, annoying best when they face Australia.

14. JP Pietersen

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South African wings like scoring tries against Samoa. Bucketfuls of them.

In 1995, Chester Williams bagged four. In 2007, Bryan Habana scored five. On Saturday in Birmingham, JP Pietersen helped himself to a hat-trick as the Springboks began the post-Japan rehabilitation process.

Pietersen is a survivor of the 2007 World Cup-winning side, and he has been at the top of the game for so long it's hard to believe he is still yet to celebrate his 30th birthday.

Pietersen gets into this team for his treble, but a word must go to Juan Imhoff for a two-try display full of dash and danger for Argentina against Georgia.

13. Seamus Kelly

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The USA had Scotland in trouble at half-time during their Pool B encounter at Elland Road, and Seamus Kelly was one of the main reasons.

The San Francisco Golden Gate club player made a searing break from his own half that could—and should—have led to a score for the Eagles, and he made a similar line break in the second half with the game already gone.

Kelly provided a cutting edge to the American attack, making 74 metres with his running and showing a clean pair of heels to the Scots' defenders more than once.

If the States' vast pool of athletes can produce a few more like Kelly and his captain Chris Wyles, they can look forward to becoming something more than cannon fodder for the Tier One nations.

Honourable mention to Scott Williams of Wales, who showed more attacking flair than the other three centres who started the game at Twickenham put together.

12. Sonny Bill Williams

Namibia were never going to extend every fibre of Sonny Bill Williams' considerable talent.

But the New Zealand centre still found cause to reach into his bag of tricks and pull out the best piece of skill we have seen so far at this World Cup.

A trademark bust close to the line allowed the Chiefs man to free his right arm and flip the ball out of the back of his hand to Malakai Fekitoa for a try.

There is no answer to skill like that.

11. Santiago Cordero

Both of Argentina's wings bagged two tries apiece against Georgia on Friday, but 21-year-old Santiago Cordero's second was the score of the week.

The youngster spun out of a tackle on halfway and stepped on the gas to lose his chasers, before executing a beautiful swerve to get around the last defender on his outside.

A brilliant display of unadulterated, blistering speed.

Honourable mention to DTH van der Merwe for a similarly brilliant effort against Italy.

10. Dan Biggar

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Dan Biggar enjoyed his finest night in Welsh red at Twickenham.

The Ospreys fly-half was perfect from the kicking tee, including the winning penalty from almost on halfway to nail seven from seven attempts.

Biggar also kept his head when bodies were dropping around him.

The 25-year-old coped well when scrum-half Gareth Davies was struggling and when his forwards were getting beaten up at scrum time, and he combined well with Jamie Roberts to begin the move that led to Wales' crucial try.

After years of banging on the door of this team, Biggar is now its fulcrum.

9. Florin Surugiu

There have been scrum halves who have had better games, scored tries, kicked goals and inspired their teams this past week.

But none of them did anything as brave as Romania's Florin Surugiu following their defeat to Ireland on Sunday.

With the 90,000-seater stadium almost empty and Romania's lap of honour complete, Romania's replacement No. 9 beckoned his girlfriend from her seat, dropped to one knee and popped the question.

Imagine his horror had she declined. She didn't.

8. Billy Vunipola

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England No. 8 Vunipola ran hard and straight at the Welsh until going off injured.

England looked poorer without him. If he's fit, he should start on Saturday.

Other No. 8s may have made more ground than the Saracens man in Week 2, but England's clash with Wales was the crunch game of the week between two Tier One teams, and the ex-Wasps back-rower stood out.

7. Sean McMahon

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Australia have so many good opensides they have decided to pick two in their first-choice lineup, but that still means no place for the considerable talents of Sean McMahon.

The youngster starred in Australia's romp in the sunshine against Uruguay, scoring twice and drawing this assessment from the Sydney Morning Herald's Paul Cully: "From his very first carry he was all aggression and raw power. Without wanting to stick the boot into a man while he is down, England captain Chris Robshaw would struggle to get into an Australian Super Rugby side at No. 7."

McMahon gobbled up the ground with ball in hand and also made 13 tackles, which is impressive given Uruguay didn't have much of the ball.

6. TJ Ioane

Samoan blindside flanker TJ Ioane gave no quarter to South Africa in his team's 46-6 defeat at Villa Park.

The 26-year-old, who pitched up at Sale Sharks halfway through last season, made an impressive 24 tackles, per ESPN, with the pick of the bunch a shuddering hit on Springbok hooker Adriaan Strauss.

Scotland, already having experienced the powerful tackling of the USA, will not want to send many men down Ioane's channel when they take the Pacific Islanders on.

5. Alun-Wyn Jones

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Another commanding performance from Welsh totem Alun-Wyn Jones.

Jones was solid in a lineout where the throw wasn't always the best, and he was powerful in the loose.

It would take a crack team of investigators a year to search through the history books for his last bad game in a Welsh shirt.

4. Victor Matfield

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South Africa veteran Victor Matfield is still the best lineout forward around, and he proved it on Saturday by wrecking Samoa's set piece.

He made life hell for the Pacific Islanders' jumpers and was his usual imperious self on South African ball.

He can focus on this technical excellence with the hard-charging Eben Etzebeth doing all the enforcer stuff.

3. WP Nel

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Scotland's 'Bok Jock' prop WP Nel had a busy week with a start against Japan and a half against the USA.

His introduction at half-time against the Eagles signalled a major turnaround in Scotland's fortunes.

The former Cheetah shored up a scrum that had struggled in the opening period, and he also scored Scotland's third try with a powerful short-range drive.

There is no doubt Nel is going to be a key player for Scotland when he faces the nation of his birth on October 3.

2. Agustin Creevy

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A solid set piece is the key to beating Georgia, who can sense weaknesses in scrum and lineout and attack them mercilessly.

That was never going to happen on Agustin Creevy's watch. The hooker and captain of Argentina nailed every single one of his lineout throws and was part of a powerful South American scrum.

He loves the open spaces too, like a Latin Keith Wood—with more hair—and was prominent as a ball-carrier for Los Pumas.

1. Michele Rizzo

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Italian loosehead Michele Rizzo gets the nod for Week 2's No. 1 jersey.

The Leicester Tigers man somehow managed to arrive first on the scene after a searing break by Azzurri scum half Edoardo Gori to scoop up the ball and stretch for the line.

It was a piece of support play any back-rower would have been proud of, and it gave Italy a crucial try after Canada had shocked them with DTH Van der Merwe's field-long effort.