Best XV in World Rugby for Weekend of November 14-15

The Rugby World Cup 2015 is in the rear-view mirror after the 2015-16 European Rugby Champions Cup got under way this weekend and the continental calendar made its return to the calendar.

Along with Europe's premier competition came the beginning of this season's Challenge Cup, and a jam-packed weekend of rugby threw up a wide array of brilliant individual performances.

The tragic violence that unfolded in Paris last Friday, per CNN, meant that several matches involving France's Top 14 outfits were postponed, including Toulon's clash with Bath and Bordeaux's meeting with Clermont.

Europe is glad to have the pinnacle of club rugby back in the spotlight, and we've crunched the numbers to provide this weekend's finest XV, heavily dominated by this weekend's Aviva Premiership victors.

Back Three

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15. Charles Piutau, Wasps

If Sunday's performance was a sign of what's to come from Charles Piutau, Wasps can be very pleased with the manner in which the man in Auckland is settling into life as a European player.

The full-back rampaged his way to more than 100 carrying metres in the 33-2 hammering of Leinster, where he made a joint-match-high 15 carries and beat the joint-most defenders (seven).

14. Chris Wyles, Saracens

Two tries was Chris Wyles' reward for a classy display of finishing in Saracens' 32-7 mauling of Toulouse, gliding over for a brace off the left flank with two of his five carries. It was decent precision, to say the least.

11. DTH van der Merwe, Scarlets

It wasn't enough to ensure Scarlets maintained their lead to beat Northampton Saints, but a valiant outing from summer signing DTH van der Merwe will have only enamoured the winger further with the Llanelli faithful.

From 10 carries, the Canadian whiz picked up 77 metres with ball in hand, and he did his bit in defence, as opposing winger Ahsee Tuala found it difficult to pick up yards under his lurking shadow.

Centres

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13. Vereniki Goneva, Leicester Tigers

Friday's meeting between Leicester Tigers and Stade Francais provided our only helping of Champions Cup action, but Vereniki Goneva ensured that lack of quantity was replaced with considerable quality. 

There, the Fiji international lined up on the wing and carried for more metres than any other player this weekend—131 from 15 attempts, to be precise, beating seven defenders along the way.

12. Luther Burrell, Northampton Saints

Luther Burrell is already reacting in the best possible way to his shun from England's World Cup squad by helping Jim Mallinder's Saints to success in Europe, starting with a hugely positive display against Scarlets.

The centre helped orchestrate a 15-11 comeback victory by supplying the likes of Ken Pisi and Ben Foden with a steady supply of the ball, not to mention making a few terrific breaks of his own.

Half-Backs

10. Owen Farrell, Saracens

Following a tough autumn period of scrutiny over whether he should have started in the World Cup pool clash against Australia, Owen Farrell dusted himself down to deliver a leader's performance in the win over Toulouse.

His hand helped guide a flowing Saracens team to near-perfection in the opening 40 minutes of that fixture, when he scored all 17 of his points—although the team may be saddened to miss out on a bonus point.

9. Gareth Davies, Scarlets

The battle for Wales' No. 9 jersey continues to rage on, as Rhys Webb might find the international position under threat from Gareth Davies, who continues to excel for Scarlets.

The scrum-half scored his side's only try in the defeat at Franklin's Gardens—not the first display of breakneck acceleration this year from the half-back, who made 45 carrying metres and one turnover for good measure.

Back Row

8. Nathan Hughes, Wasps

The only player preventing new team-mate Piutau from claiming the award for most defenders beaten against Leinster on Sunday was Nathan Hughes, who matched that figure while making more offloads than any other player (three).

Hughes' development as a potential England international is coming along nicely, and whoever takes over at the Red Rose helm will surely have taken an interest in his barnstorming performance in Wasps' win. 

7. Brendon O'Connor, Leicester Tigers

After being elected the Blues' Player of the Year last season, Brendon O'Connor has left Super Rugby and is now casting a similar imprint on the European circuit, arguably starring as this weekend's best individual.

The flanker finished second to Goneva's massive carrying haul with 79 metres of his own from just seven carries—an even better ratio than Goneva—not to mention adding 13 tackles to the equation. After seeing O'Connor in action on Friday, Rugby World's Charlie Morgan dubbed the Leicester man "intelligent and athletic." 

6. CJ Stander, Munster

Stand-in Munster captain CJ Stander is the only player from an Irish province to make this week's lineup, having done as any armband-wearer might hope in their European opener and leading his men to a win.

The No. 8 was on the scoresheet for one of Munster's four tries in their bonus-point beating of Treviso, and Stander topped the fixture in carries (16) and metres made (62), making the most of their pack domination.

Second Row

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5. Bradley Davies, Wasps

Bradley Davies was inexhaustible for 22 minutes against Leinster on Sunday, where he earned the praise of Wasps' official Twitter account with a helping of eight tackles, aiding an imperious scrum performance in Dublin.

4. Maro Itoje, Saracens

One of the numerous young guns developing at Saracens who are almost certain to be making moves in the England camp next year, Maro Itoje was once again imperious playing at lock against Toulouse.

The 21-year-old showed his versatility by later switching to the back row, making a colossal 14 tackles, two turnovers and an impressive nine carries, second only to Billy Vunipola among Saracens players.

Front Row

3. Kieran Brookes, Northampton Saints

Flanker Tom Wood took the official Man of the Match award at Franklin's Gardens, but the England No. 6 made sure to hail the display of tighthead Kieran Brookes via his official Twitter account after Saturday's result. 

That was after Brookes registered six tackles and failed to miss any, but his biggest contribution came in leading Northampton to a spotless set-piece record, including 15 lineouts and six successful scrums.

2. Jamie George, Saracens

Hooker Jamie George did his bid for a future England jersey no harm after being confirmed as Saracens' Man of the Match in their thrashing of Toulouse on Saturday. 

The Allianz Park hosts were close to faultless in their lineout while managing to strip the French visitors of possession on three of their eight throws, and a terrific first-half showing in particular set Sarries' win in motion.

1. Matt Mullan, Wasps

Loose-head prop Matt Mullan noted how proud he was just to be a part of Wasps' 33-6 win over Leinster, never mind skippering the team for such an uplifting result.

And what a leader Mullan proved to be as he chipped in with a fantastic total of 16 tackles, the joint-most of any player in Dublin on Sunday, not to mention winning his side's 12 scrums and turning Leinster's pack into mincemeat at times.

All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum.