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World Rugby

Team Of The Week From Round 3 Of The Rugby Championship 2023

Team Of The Week From Round 3 Of The Rugby Championship 2023

New Zealand secured the Rugby Championship title by defeating rival Australia to also take the Bledisloe Cup here. Here's a team of the week from Round 3.

Aug 1, 2023
Team Of The Week From Round 3 Of The Rugby Championship 2023

After three action-packed rounds of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand has walked away victorious and retained the title, having won all three of its matches. 

Anyone previously on the fence about the team's caliber heading into the World Cup now is silent, as Ian Foster’s men look fine-tuned and ready to hit big on the world stage.

South Africa, meanwhile, looked like an unfinished article, much like Argentina. Both sides showed flashes of brilliance but will need to improve if they are to string numerous wins.

And then there’s Australia. It has been a torrid tournament for the Wallabies and truly one to forget for Eddie Jones, who's still in search of a win since re-taking charge of the national team at the end of last year.

Here are the players who stood out above the rest in the final round of the Rugby Championship.

1. Ethan de Groot

This was a supreme outing from Ethan de Groot. 

The New Zealand prop was a beast on defense, lodging huge hits against some pretty sizeable specimens in the Australian pack. He even managed to win a turnover, topping off a performance that oozed class.

2. Codie Taylor

Codie Taylor plays rugby like he’s in a hurry. 

The veteran hooker is always on the move and is a complete nuisance for the opposition to handle. 

He was busy throughout the day in possession, but he really shined in defense, clocking 14 tackles. He also managed to score a well-crafted try off the back of a rolling maul.

3. Tyrel Lomax

Completing the All Blacks front row is Tyrel Lomax, who held the fort impressively at tighthead. 

Throughout the match, he looked at ease in the face of the Wallaby pack, controlling the scrum almost casually. Lomax also was busy across the park, diligently putting his weight into defensive efforts.

4. Eben Etzebeth

After the disappointments of the last round, Eben Etzebeth was back to his brutal best. His power and fight when carrying the ball into contact continuously unnerved Argentina and reached a head in the first half, when the second row ran over Santiago Carreras to score South Africa’s opening try.

5. Scott Barrett

This was the Scott Barrett show. 

With only two minutes played, the second row made a phenomenal read off an Australia lineout, shooting up from the defensive line to fold Tate McDermott in half, dislodging the ball in the process for Shannon Frizell to dot down. 

From then on, Barrett looked imperious, bossing the lineout and defensively showing his secret sauce in the tackle.

6. Shannon Frizell

While Shannon Frizell wasn’t quite as sublime as he was against the Springboks, he still put on a fantastic display against the Wallabies, busying himself around the park. He also scored a try after pouncing on a loose ball following Barrett’s monster hit.

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit

Pieter-Steph du Toit is the embodiment of the South African back row. 

The blonde-haired Bok is a relentless workhorse who made a staggering 19 tackles across the course of the match on Saturday. He was an ever-present threat at the breakdown and was a huge reason why Argentina took so long to penetrate the Springbok line.

8. Ardie Savea

Standing in for Sam Cane as captain, Ardie Savea was a man possessed. 

The all-action No. 8 is the epitome of consistency and never looked like he was close to tiring. 

Over the course of the game, Savea made a crucial turnover when the Wallabies looked threatening, and he predictably was dynamic when in possession.

9. Faf de Klerk 

Faf de Klerk has copped a lot of heat in recent weeks for his on-field performances. That’s maybe why he wasn’t picked to start against Argentina, though he replaced Grant Williams a minute into the match, after the starter was knocked out cold. 

It was a tough break for Williams, but for de Klerk, it was an opportunity to show his worth, and he did just that, injecting a searing pace into the Springbok attack.

10. Manie Libbok  

South Africa has played its best rugby this tournament, with Manie Libbok at 10. 

The Stormers star has looked calm under pressure and gave the Springboks much-needed levity over the weekend, kicking well to maintain a lead over Argentina. Libbok also finished off a clinical interception to pick up his first test try.

11. Mateo Carreras

Mateo Carreras eats tries for breakfast. 

The diminutive Argentine may not look imperious in stature, but he more than makes up for it in the electric energy and supreme skill, scoring another international try after finding a gap between Springboks to score and, on numerous occasions, brought down hulking opposition runners with relative ease.

12. Jordie Barrett

At the start of the Rugby Championship, there were a lot of questions about the calibration of the New Zealand backline. Now, those questions seemed to have evaporated, and much of that is down to the performances of Jordie Barrett. 

At the inside center, he’s been, at times, unplayable, and his delayed pass to set up Will Jordan’s try was a perfect example of the touch of class he provides.

13. Jesse Kriel 

A bit of a forgotten man in the South Africa setup, Jesse Kriel showed on Saturday that he’s still got a lot to give. 

The chiseled center was a constant feature in the Boks' midfield and asked some serious questions of the Argentina defense. His pace and power are real assets and could be a useful tool come the World Cup.

14. Will Jordan 

It’s hard to pinpoint a weakness in Will Jordan’s game. 

Once again, he showcased his unparalleled finishing ability with a smart dot down in the corner, which saw him meander past three tacklers. It was his 23rd try in as many test matches, which truly is an unbelievable feat from a standout in the All Blacks backline.

15. Beauden Barrett

For the second successive week, all three of the Barrett brothers have made it onto this list, and the reason is simple – they’re all playing lights-out rugby. 

Beauden continues to mastermind the All Blacks attack alongside Richie Mo'unga, who cut through the Wallabies' defense ruthlessly.