Fifteen of the best!

Tuesday 11th September 2007

Our glorious tradition of picking the bolters of the week continues unabated in the World Cup, and after a thrilling first round of fixtures there was much to debate.

But after a few lubricating ales and a pie - another glorious old tradition - we reckon that the democracy involved got it pretty much spot on, but no doubt you could pick a few holes in it...

The Planet Rugby Team of the Week:

15 Percy Montgomery: A brace of tries, a terrific kicking performance, and a spot-on display of full-back cover from Monty, rolling back the years.

14 Doug Howlett: A hat-trick of well-finished scored to add to his collection, and Howlett now stands only one try away from topping the all-tim All Black try-scoring lists. And who would begrudge him?

13 Tom Shanklin: The Welsh backs were largely anonymous until the entrance of Stephen Jones and Gareth Thomas, but Shanklin was the exception, making break after tackle after half-break, and often being the glue that held everything together.

12 Felipe Contempomi: Juan Hernandez had an indifferent night at number ten, but with Contempomi at his back as a good old-fashioned New Zealand-style second five-eighth, Hernandez was given a pretty easy ride too. An exemplary match from one of the game's finest.

11 Bryan Habana: Unanimously voted for, Habana scored four tries against Samoa, beating tackles, stepping defenders, and generally busying himself magnificently.

10 Dan Carter: Fly-half was a tough call, but Carter's early tactical astuteness in spotting the shortcomings of Italy's back three was the key to his side's avalanche of tries.

9 Agustin Pichot: Another to nearly take the vote unanimously, Pichot's masterminding and marshalling of the Pumas' pack's defensive efforts, as well as of his team's clever use of attack and front foot platform, was exemplary.

8 Vasco Uva: A professional contract surely beckons for Portugal's captain, who never once shirked his formidbale task, and never once stopped smiling!

7 Richie McCaw (c): Our other unanimous call, McCaw showed once again why he is the best openside in the world... can he hit higher peaks than this?

6 Rocky Elsom: Has his detractors, but Elsom's running and strength came to the fore in an open game against Japan, as did his supporting abilities, which yielded his hat-trick of tries.

5 Victor Matfield: The king of South Africa's line-out, and a giant in the loose.

4 Nathan Hines: Scotland were not firing properly on the day, but they got a steady stream of stolen line-out ball from the big Perpignan lock.

3 Carl Hayman: Yellow-carded he may have been, but we'll accept that from someone who spent the other seventy minutes making enough mince out of Italy's primest beef for a year's supply of Bolognese - compensating for the year's supply of food Italy failed to win.

2 Mario Ledesma: It was a right royal battle of the hookers on Friday, between Ledesma and Raphaël Ibañez, both hookers who like to get themselves about a bit. But Ledesma was so good at his extra flanker role, as well as a top-notch hooking performance.

1 Rodrigo Roncero: The veteran prop showed why the locals at Stade Français find it so hard to break into the French champions' starting XV with a vintage scrummaging performance.

Teams represented:

Argentina 4 - Felipe Contempomi, Agustin Pichot, Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma
New Zealand 4 - Doug Howlett, Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Carl Hayman
South Africa 3 - Percy Montgomery, Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield
Wales 1 - Tom Shanklin
Scotland 1 - Nathan Hines
Portugal 1 - Vasco Uva
Australia 1 - Rocky Elsom

Individual XVs:

Andy Jackson XV: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Ryan Witbooi, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Agustín Pichot, 8 Vasco Uva, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.

Adam Kyriacou XV: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Agustin Pichot, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 CJ Van der Linde, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Matt Dunning.

Marcus Leach XV: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Doug Howlett 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Piet van Zyl, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Morgan Williams, 8 Vasco Uva, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Luke Tait, 4 Nathan Hines, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.

Danny Stephens XV: 15 Rory Lamont, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Felipe Contempomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Agustin Pichot, 8 Vasco Uva, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jacques Nieuwenhuis, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Nathan Hines, 3 CJ Van der Linde, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Mils Muliaina, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Agustin Pichot, 8 Danie Rossouw, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero

Dave Morris XV: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Ryan Witbooi, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Agustin Pichot , 8 Vasco Uva, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Scott Murray, 4 Fabien Pelous, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Os du Randt

Howard Kahn XV: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Agustin Píchot, 8 Vasco Uva, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Ali Williams, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Os du Randt.

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Nani Corleto, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 BOD, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Morgan Williams, 8 Jacques Burger, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Os du Randt.

Siya Mchunu XV: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Mils Muliaina, 12 Felipo Contemponi, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Agustin Pichot, 8 Jacques Burger, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.