S15 team of the season

According to planetrugby.co.uk, the following is the SXV team of the season 2011:

15 Kurtley Beale (Waratahs)
14 Kade Poki (Highlanders)
13 Robbie Freuan (Crusaders)
12 Sonny Bill Williams (Crusaders)
11 Digby Ioane (Reds)
10 Dan Carter (Crusaders)
9 Will Genia (Reds)
8 Kieran Read (Crusaders)
7 Ashley Johnson (Cheetahs)
6 Scott Higginbotham (Reds)
5 Victor Matfield (Bulls)
4 Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
3 John Afoa (Blues)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
1 Wyatt Crocket (Crusaders)

Thoughts on their selections/ommissions?

Schlong - the reason that Cooper should be 10 rather than Carter is not because his side won the competition but because:

1. without him, his side wouldn't even have been in the play-offs;

2. he displayed a huge increase in consistency in his core skills (kicking from goal, kicking out of hand, ball retention) from last season - I believe he is the most improved player in the league;

3. my wife likes Dan Carter better then she likes me.

Loving no3, George

I've only seen a few games this season, although did manage to catch the final on Saturday.

SBW has clearly had an outstanding season, and I thought Ioane was razor sharp on the wing for the Reds on Saturday (will the Wallabies use him at wing or 13 though is I guess a question).

The name I'm not familiar with is Ashley Johnson at the Cheetahs. Does this mean SA have yet another top class flanker?

Carter over Cipriani? Seriously?

I would have had Adam Thompson in there at 6. He was immense for the Highlanders.

Is Ashley Johnson in the SA WC squad? he had a great season.

This does not bode well for SA.

I'm not so sure about that, the Tri-Nations is a perfect opportunity for some SA players to get into some form, and towards the end of the season there were some late charges from South African players.

You still have a very strong core to the side (Smit, du Plessis, Botha, Matfield, Smith, Burger, du Preez, Fourie and Pieterson) and will undoubtedly be very hard to beat come the WC.

My hope is to see more of De Jongh at 12. Real potential to be a special player that guy, and has the creativity to compliment Morne Steyn at 10.

I wonder whether if Schalk Brits had been playing for a Super 15 franchise he'd be a name on that team sheet?

funnyExiledScot wrote:My hope is to see more of De Jongh at 12. Real potential to be a special player that guy, and has the creativity to compliment Morne Steyn at 10.

Agree!!

George Carlin wrote:
3. my wife likes Dan Carter better then she likes me.

At least its not the Crusaders front row.

"At least its not the Crusaders front row...."

at the same time??? oo

But back to rugby, needs to be Carter over Cooper simply at least Carter wil make an effort to tackle, no more revolving door, at the mo, in rugby than Cooper... please come thru sir....

OzT wrote:"At least its not the Crusaders front row...."

at the same time??? oo

But back to rugby, needs to be Carter over Cooper simply at least Carter wil make an effort to tackle, no more revolving door, at the mo, in rugby than Cooper... please come thru sir....

That's the logical connection of a sick mind at work.

On the s15 alone, I would say Cooper deserved it.

But he can't tackle and doesn't do place kicking as good. Also the last game when it was one on one, carter went past to score his try, when Cooper could have made a name for himself by denying his competitor the try, or at least made a tackle,

though of course I will always support him as he's a Queenslander!!

True on all counts OzT, but I don't think we have to apologize in this context for being proud of what he achieved this year. Across the course of the season, I think he was the outstanding 10 in the comp. Like SBW, he spends a lot of time being analyzed, and every team targets him, but he still performed most weeks.

My concern is that those two boys have played all 18 weeks, and they still have the 3n's and WC to go. They will have to tire at some stage.

Horwill should surely be in one of the lock spots. He was immense all season

He, Horwill, must've been one of Red's reason for winning.

And booma, I would rather watch Cooper 10 games out of 10 and most prob see him make some horrendous cockup than maybe some of the safer number10s in the business

OzT wrote:He, Horwill, must've been one of Red's reason for winning.

And booma, I would rather watch Cooper 10 games out of 10 and most prob see him make some horrendous cockup than maybe some of the safer number10s in the business

That is so true. Morne Steyn hasn't been in form this season, Lambie and Grant has been top drawer, and yet Steyn will be our flyhalf.

And that is where our game becomes predictable.

But he can kick half a mile, 3 points in the bag is worth 7 maybes...plus chance of turnover/intercept, so I can see the point.

Adam Thomson must of ran Scott Higginbotham as the blindside pick.

Thomson was immense for the Highlanders when they were among the leaders in Super 15.

Iaone didn't do enough for me, I would have Guildford or Maitland ahead of him. And Matfield really, he and Botha were very poor for a good couple of weeks, but then came good but doesn't warrant him to be chosen.

boomeranga wrote:

George Carlin wrote:
3. my wife likes Dan Carter better then she likes me.

At least its not the Crusaders front row.

No danger Boomer - three men that drink a big fat cup of Ugly every morning.

Pocock at 7? they are a [oor side but he always stands out

Only 3 player from the Champions yet 5 from the runners-up? Seems like even winning the Super XV title isn't enough for the Reds to be recognised as the best provincial team in the SH.

Get over it Jello. Are you going to blame the team selection on one eyed NZ fans or a biased ref?
Note not one Stormer in the team and players from teams which didn't even make the playoffs. Shock horror.
Here's an idea - put your choices forward.

Are you going to blame the team selection on one eyed NZ fans or a biased ref?

Not blaming anyone. I'll leave that to our little thin-skinned Kiwi friends - thats their speciality. Just find it amusing that the Reds only have 3 players in the "team of the season". I note however it was from a UK based site and given the NH fawning over NZ rugby and its players its understandable. At the very least Cooper in for Carter, Robinson at 7 and Horwill in for Sharpe. And SBW? Again went missing in a big game. Was sucked in by Cooper twice, resulting in both Reds tries. Didn't cover the gap for Digby's try and was shadowing Cooper the whole way for Genia's try, leaving Genia completely untouched. I realise this will upset you further so please accept my humblest apologies for daring to challenge the fallacy that NZ players are walk-ups for any "best of" team simply based on their reputation. But then again, i'm sure you think the Reds didn't win the Super XV title, they just scored more points than the Crusaders.

but chin up bro, there's always the netball......oh thats right.

I think the top side would warrant a couple of more players:

5. James Horwill, instead of Matfield and I would make him (c) for his leadership abilities.

7. Beau Robinson - another no name but if you looked at form only he would have to be there

10. Q. Cooper. Remember this has to be a form team not a reputational one. DC is a better all player all round yes, but for this year, I think he had a quiet season. He kicked well in general play but did not do enough himself in general play. Cooper won several games by creating incredible opportunties from nothing. Remember when the Force nearly beat them in Perth and Cooper came up with a 20m left to right double cut out pass to put the winger over in the last 2 minutes of the game. He is why they got to the finals. He is why they beat the Blues in the Semi Final.