Rugby World Cup 2015: Best XV of Week 3
Week 3 of Rugby World Cup 2015 saw the host team wave goodbye and several nations make their way towards the quarter-finals.
Only three players from the northern hemisphere make our best lineup for the gameweek, which gives us an indication of which way the balance of power looks to be going in this tournament.
Even with that heavy slant towards the big guns from down south, there are no All Blacks this week following a mediocre showing from them against Georgia at Wembley, London.
Australia and South Africa have provided 10 names for the team, which reflects their performances in the crunch games of the weekend.
Here is your one to 15.
15. Israel Folau
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Israel Folau was faultless for Australia against England, winning his aerial battles, kicking intelligently and beating defenders rushing up to close his space down.
England’s paranoia about the No. 15 allowed the men closer to the action to profit. Both of Bernard Foley’s tries came from England defenders scurrying to cover the wide areas where Folau might pop up, only for Foley to run through the gaps they left.
An honourable mention for Japan's Ayumu Goromaru, who was again unerring with the boot in Japan's 26-5 win over Samoa.
14. Santiago Cordero
2 of 15Santiago Cordero was at it again for Argentina against Tonga. He must be the quickest man at the World Cup.
The Argentinian right wing caught the ball after a Tongan restart, summed up his options and then pressed the fast-forward button to burn off every would-be tackler in a red shirt. He then sidestepped his last opponent and fed his support runners in a move that led to a fine try for Juan Imhoff.
It went down pretty well with the watching Diego Maradona.
The stocky 21-year old from Buenos Aires also got a try for himself to round off a 45-16 win for the Pumas.
13. Ciaran Hearn
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Canada were well beaten by a powerful French pack on Thursday, but they gave it a real go.
Chief among their most eye-catching players was outside centre Ciaran Hearn, who claimed a towering catch after a restart to set Canada on their way to a try for DTH van der Merwe.
Hearn, from Conception Bay, Newfoundland, Canada, is second to Michael Leitch for carries over the gain line in this tournament, with 23, and sixth for overall carries, with 37.
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12. Matt Giteau
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Matt Giteau’s display for Australia against England explained why Michael Cheika rewrote the rulebook in order to pick the Toulon man.
Giteau was calm and composed all night at Twickenham, London, offering a second kicking option outside Bernard Foley.
He also twisted the knife with the last try.
11. Asaeli Tikoirotuma
5 of 15Fiji were without talisman Nemani Nadolo for their third match against Wales on Thursday, but his replacement put on a barnstorming show.
London Irish-bound Asaeli Tikoirotuma sparked one of the tries of the tournament with a snaking run through the Welsh defence before delivering a nonchalant basketball-style pass to keep the ball alive.
He made several raids on the home side’s rearguard all evening and has given Exiles fans a taste of what’s coming their way this season.
An honourable mention for Argentina's Juan Imhoff for a fine display against Tonga.
10. Bernard Foley
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Bernard Foley’s two dashing tries against England showed the potential the young Waratahs man has to become one of the greats for Australia.
Doubts were voiced before the game that he had never before played in as high-pressure a situation as the key clash at Twickenham, but his performance both with ball in hand and in his goal-kicking put those to bed.
An honourable mention for a delightful display from Freddie Michalak of France as they beat Canada on Thursday. Now he must produce under pressure against Ireland.
9. Fourie du Preez
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South Africa regained control of Pool B with a powerful win over Scotland on Saturday.
And it was thanks in no small part to the little general in the No. 9 shirt.
Fourie du Preez may no longer have the searing pace of old, but his mind is as sharp as ever, and he was lord and master of all he surveyed at St James’ Park.
8. Sergio Parisse
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Italy must wish they could start this World Cup again with a fit Sergio Parisse.
He finally shook off a calf problem to make his first appearance of the tournament against Ireland, and he had a monstrous game.
The Stade Francais man made several huge tackles but also ran purposefully with ball in hand, causing Ireland no end of problems in defence.
An honourable mention for Duane Vermeulen of South Africa, who looks to have made a full recovery from the neck surgery that threatened his involvement in the World Cup.
7. David Pocock
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David Pocock might have worn the No. 8 shirt for Australia at Twickenham, but he delivered a display worthy of mention alongside any of the great No. 7 performances in recent times.
England had no answer to the Brumbies man as he relentlessly hinged over the ball at the ruck and either turned it over or slowed it down long enough for his defenders to get organised around him.
A world-class irritant.
6. Schalk Burger
10 of 15
Schalk Burger scored and made over 30 metres with ball in hand against Scotland, but he also put in a colossal defensive shift for South Africa with 14 tackles.
He is in great form at the moment and part of a Springbok side that has shaken off that early horror show.
Burger and Co. are looking menacing.
5. Lood de Jager
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Victor Matfield may find it far from straightforward to reclaim his starting place in the South African second row following a man-of-the-match performance from Lood de Jager against Scotland.
He made 16 tackles and ran for 32 metres, and certainly impressed Sport24’s Rob Houwing: "The Cheetahs player is fast making it extremely difficult for long-serving Victor Matfield to reclaim his No. 5 shirt, even if he is declared fit again."
4. Joe Launchbury
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Joe Launchbury and Anthony Watson were the only England players to enhance their reputations as the hosts tumbled out of the tournament—the Wasps lock did so by some distance.
It was thought he would add extra bulk to the England scrum, which turned out to need a bit more than a few added kilograms to sort its issues out.
But Launchbury was immense in the loose. He ran hard and straight—and over—Australian tacklers, showed soft hands to keep his raids alive and was a willing tackler to his last breath.
His display has prompted the Guardian's Paul Rees to anoint him England captain in waiting.
3. Sekope Kepu
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Joe Marler will not want to see Sekope Kepu again for a while.
The Australian tight head had the Harleqiuns man in trouble early on at the scrum, with Marler angling in to try and stop the drive and falling foul of the referee as a result.
England coughed up five penalties at the scrum, and Kepu’s work helped lay to rest a few ghosts of Wallaby tight heads past at Twickenham.
2. Bismarck du Plessis
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Power and nastiness from Bismarck du Plessis (in a legal sense) is the Springbok hooker's stock in trade, and he delivered plenty of it against Scotland until making way for Adriaan Strauss.
Strauss is having a good tournament, too. The Boks arguably have the best two hookers in world rugby at their disposal.
1. Tendai Mtawarira
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A meeting with WP Nel was a major test for South Africa's Tendai Mtawarira, as The Beast has had his issues with him in Super Rugby before Nel defected to the blue of Scotland.
This time, Mtawarira got the upper hand in the scrum and carried powerfully all afternoon.
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