Team of the Week

A full plate of action over the past week included Argentina’s respectable showing against the world champions. Elsewhere we looked at player in Australia’s NRC, New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup, the French Top 14 and Pro D2, the English Premiership and Championship, the Guinness Pro 14, and we even picked a couple from the URBA Top 12. Some u20 players also impressed but they deserve an article on their own.

1 – Nicolás Solveyra (CUBA) Showed his mobility with two well-taken tries in the dominant win over Lomas. Looks primed for a return in the Argentina XV for the Americas Pacific Challenge where he will be closely watched by the Jaguares and Pumas selectors.

2 – Agustín Costa Repetto (Colomiers) Not the result his team were looking for as they were beaten by Carcassonne but at least they picked up a losing bonus point on the road, not an easy thing to do in French rugby. The 35-year-old scored his first try of the season in the first half, putting his head down and bashing through from close range.

3 – Les Makin (Canberra Vikings) Strong in defense, rock solid in the scrum against the Sydney Rays. Excels at this level but can’t quite seem to break into the Brumbies run-on side. The former Australia u20 cap is eligible for Canada and Samoa. Will he look to either ahead of RWC 2019?

4 – Tomás Lavanini (Argentina) His best performance for Los Pumas in some time. Brutal in defense and relentlessly offered himself as a battering ram against the black wall. Brett Beukeboom led the Pirates to a thumping win over Coventry at the Mennaye.

5 – Mariano Galarza (Gloucester) Followed up a good showing with an even better one. Repeated his defensive contribution but added several carries. Keeping this kind of form all season will be a challenge but if he succeeds, he could well be in the mix for the World Cup.

6 – Andrés Zafra (Agen) Handed his first professional start against Racing 92. His team were crushed but the pride of Colombia did not let his country down. Usually a lock, Zafra played all 80 minutes on the blindside and was his team’s best ball carrier and tackler.

7 – Andrew Durutalo (Ealing) Bizarrely ignored by Worcester last season, he is back to his rampaging best with the Trailfinders. On the weekend he was a force with ball in hand during the win over London Scottish. Would he turn down a trip to Japan if the call came from Gary Gold?

8 – Javier Ortega Desio (Argentina) He wasn’t faultless with a couple too many turnovers conceded but he was solid. Some strong carries and good link play, also contributed his share in defense. Diminutive Alumni flanker Tobías Moyano has been playing at the back of the scrum this season and was a whirlwind across the ground at CASI.

9 – Nico Costa (Southland) He was only on for the final quarter of the match but it was a memorable occasion with the Argentine export notching his first try in New Zealand provincial rugby. He has taken his chances this season and stuck behind a New Zealand u20 cap, will he consider a move elsewhere to advance his career?

10 – Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina) Superb for Los Pumas in every respect. His running, passing, and kicking were on point and he made history surpassing the great Felipe Contepomi as Argentina’s all-time leading points scorer. AJ MacGinty also impressed leading Sale to victory over Worcester.

11 – Ramiro Moyano (Argentina) Played with panache and scored a mesmeric try that will go down as one of the best of the year. What a luxury for the Pumas to have such class to choose from in the outside backs. DTH van der Merwe was also in top form for Glasgow against Munster.

12 – Santiago Fernández (Hindú) It was tempting to name Bryce Campbell after his try-scoring effort for London Irish, but we had to make room for Fernández. He was in vintage form, scoring 17 points through one try, three conversions, and two penalty goals in the win over San Isidro Club.

13 – Marcel Brache (Western Force) The Force are doing their own thing away from Super Rugby but at the moment they are in with the rest in the NRC. After two resounding wins it almost seems unfair. Brache has been a staple for the side and he notched two tries against NSW Country on the weekend.

14 – Santiago Cordero (Exeter Chiefs) Has started his first full Premiership season in sensational form. Seemed to beat defenders at will against Wasps, scoring once and causing absolute mayhem with almost every touch. Dan Moor made it two tries in two games for Yorkshire Carnegie and put in a cracking tackle on a kick chase.

15 – Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina) Doesn’t seem to have a bad game, only… less great ones. Scored his first test try of the season against the All Blacks, a surprise given how many defenders he seems to beat and his impressive strike rate with the Jaguares. Where will he play when Joaquín Tuculet returns?