We select a starting XV of players that excelled in the 16th round of URC action, with all four South African franchises picking up wins.
Front rankers: Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Dewi Lake and Ben Warren (both Ospreys)
A brace of tries for Venter, who also contributed with 11-tackles in a good Edinburgh scrummaging effort. 12/13 at the lineout, a try, 27-carry metres and 10-tackles for Lake against Dragons. His Ospreys teammate Warren scrummed hard and came up with a try in what was an important win.
Second rowers: Alex Craig (Scarlets) and Jason Jenkins (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Craig made 11-tackles and formed part of an impressive Scarlets lineout against Leinster. The experienced Jenkins came up big in the Sharks’ second-half in Belfast, and he finished with 22-carry metres, one clean break and seven tackles.
Back rowers: Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Nick Timoney (Ulster) and Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff)
De Villiers scored a try, won two turnovers and put in 10-tackles for the Capetonians. Timoney made 31-metres with ball in. hand, one clean break and 20-tackles for Ulster. The legendary eighthman Faletau made 20-tackles, 67-carry metres and a try assist for Cardiff in their superb win over Munster.
Halfbacks: Alessandro Fusco (Zebre) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers)
Two tries, 18-carry metres, a clean break and one turnover won in a busy day for Zebre halfback Fusco, while Sacha’s phenomenal form continued in the Cape: he scored one try, assisted two more and banged over a drop goal which contributed to a personal tally of 26-points.
Midfield: Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Joe Roberts (Scarlets)
Esterhuizen was arguably the Sharks’ best player again, assisting a try, carrying for 68-metres, making one clean break and putting in 10-hits on defence. Roberts scored a try, made 10-tackles and 35-metres with the ball for heroic Scarlets against Leinster.
Back three: Edwill van der Merwe (Lions), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
One try, 78-metres with ball in hand, two clean breaks, two turnovers won and seven tackles for the ever-industrious van der Merwe in Joburg. Hooker was his dogged self for the Durbanites,
carrying for 85-metres , making three clean breaks and winning a turnover. Man of the Match Stockdale was electric, making 154-metres with ball I hand, assisting a try and making four clean breaks.
