FloRugby's BKT United Rugby Championship Team Of The Week Round 5
FloRugby's BKT United Rugby Championship Team Of The Week Round 5
United Rugby Championship Team Of The Week for Round 5 highlights Munster’s resilience, the Lions’ attacking surge and the Stormers’ return to top form.
Round 5 of the United Rugby Championship offered a reminder that momentum in this competition can turn on a single weekend.
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Munster’s 17-15 victory over Connacht at Thomond Park underlined Munster's resilience and kept the team unbeaten, while Glasgow’s win at Scotstoun was a powerful statement of intent against one of the league’s elite forward packs in the Vodacom Bulls.
The Lions lit up Johannesburg with a thrilling 49-31 victory over previously unbeaten Ulster, blending pace, power and precision in front of their home crowd.
In Treviso, the Stormers kept rolling with a convincing 31-16 result over Benetton, with Jurie Matthee leading the charge.
In Durban the Sharks clawed their way to a much-needed win over Scarlets that still left plenty of question marks about the Springbok-laden side.
Getting back to winning ways, a young Leinster side put Zebre to the sword 50-26 in Dublin with a mix of youth and ruthlessness, while Cardiff edged Edinburgh by a single point in a match decided by defensive grit, rather than flair.
FloRugby's URC Team Of The Week For Round 5
1. SJ Kotze, Lions
Dominant in both carry and collision, Kotze gave Ulster’s defense trouble from the first whistle.
He bagged a try and a line break from just four carries, consistently bending the line and forcing mismatches.
The loosehead’s refusal to die in contact kept the Lions on the front foot during attacking shifts. He backed that up with seven tackles on defense and tireless work around the park.
A front-row performance built on attitude, not flash.
2. Johnny Matthews, Glasgow Warriors
Relentless around the park, Matthews again blurred the line between hooker and flanker.
He carried seven times, made 11 tackles and operated as a link man in Glasgow’s high-tempo game.
The line-out ran smoothly at 93%, a mark of his precision under pressure.
Every carry was direct, every tackle dominant, every cleanout timely. This was a shift that embodied the Warriors’ collective edge.
3. Mornay Smith, Vodacom Bulls
Smith’s effort against Glasgow was colossal, even in defeat.
The tighthead racked up 24 tackles, the second-highest tally in the contest, and still found time to contribute in tight carries.
He anchored a set-piece that went toe-to-toe with Glasgow’s heavy pack, maintaining an 88% scrum success rate.
His defensive work rate under relentless phase pressure was immense.
He's a front-rower who simply refused to fade.
4. Jean Kleyn, Munster Rugby
Kleyn was central to Munster’s control in Galway, hammering Connacht at every ruck and carry.
He made 21 carries and 14 tackles, underpinning Munster’s physical dominance.
The big lock also was an active line-out target and contributed an offload to keep play alive in tight channels.
His influence extended beyond statistics; he dictated the tone for his side against a game provincial rival.
Munster’s engine room continues to be defined by his consistency.
5. Reinhard Nothnagel, Lions
The Lions skipper provided structure in a frantic, end-to-end match.
His 11 tackles were crucial in halting Ulster's momentum, and his leadership at the line-out steadied the side under pressure.
While others chased highlight moments, Nothnagel handled the details, organizing spacing, cleaning rucks and keeping shape.
He gave his side composure amid chaos.
A quietly commanding performance from the heart of the pack.
6. Alex Soroka, Leinster Rugby
Leinster’s blindside delivered a complete performance against Zebre.
Two tries, nine carries and 16 tackles summed up a night of high output and accuracy.
Soroka’s power through contact set a platform for Leinster’s attack, while his defensive reads ensured Zebre never built tempo.
He also chipped in with 22 meters made, showing growing confidence with the ball in hand.
He's a young forward playing with veteran assurance.
7. Taine Basham, Cardiff Rugby
Explosive and relentless, Basham was Cardiff’s livewire in a tight contest.
He carried 15 times, made two line breaks and added 13 tackles in a signature all-court showing.
His timing over the ball was sharp, contributing to Cardiff’s seven turnovers won.
Whenever Cardiff’s tempo lifted, Basham was usually the spark.
It was a statement of intent from one of Welsh rugby’s most dynamic backrowers.
8. Gavin Coombes, Munster Rugby
Munster’s No. 8 was at his workhorse best against Connacht.
He topped both the carry (23) and tackle (18) counts, and still found energy to lead the offload numbers with four.
His presence through contact gave Munster complete control of the gain line.
Add two line-out takes and a turnover, and you get the full picture — volume, skill and sheer authority.
Coombes looked every inch the heartbeat of Munster’s pack. An honorable mention to Glasgow's Jack Dempsey, who was immense against the Bulls.
9. Johan Mulder, Cardiff Rugby
Cardiff’s scrumhalf brought tempo and bite in equal measure.
He scored a try, made two turnovers at the breakdown and contributed nine tackles, a staggering defensive load for a nine.
His four carries also showed attacking instinct, picking out smart runs around the fringes.
Mulder’s blend of urgency and control kept Cardiff’s shape intact when Edinburgh pressed.
Rarely do you see a nine impose himself so completely on both sides of the ball.
At 26 years old, one would have to think that the Springboks door remains open if he can maintain this form.
10. Jurie Matthee, DHL Stormers
The Stormers' playmaker dictated tempo and territory in Treviso.
He registered three line breaks, four defenders beaten and 53 meters gained, all team-high returns.
His try came from sharp recognition of space, while his seven kicks in play helped the Stormers pin Benetton deep.
It was a controlled, balanced fly-half performance built on decision-making and execution.
The Stormers looked organized because Matthee was.
11. Joshua Kenny, Leinster Rugby
Clinical on the edge, the highly touted Leinster prospect made his limited touches count.
Two tries from six carries, three defenders beaten and two clean breaks tell the story of ruthless efficiency.
He stayed alive in support lines and finished movements with precision.
Defensively, he was disciplined and alert under the high ball. When Leinster needed polish on their dominance, Kenny supplied it.
12. Alex Nankivell, Munster Rugby
Munster’s inside center brought physicality and subtlety in equal measure.
He carried 18 times and broke tackles with ease, constantly winning the gainline.
His two dominant hits on defense set a tone that Connacht never matched.
With two offloads and five defenders beaten, he mixed brutality with touch.
It was a midfield masterclass built on control and aggression in a tight derby match that hung in the balance right to the end.
13. Sione Tuipulotu, Glasgow Warriors
Tuipulotu was Glasgow’s midfield engine, meaning we had to slot him into our side, even if it was in the 13 shirt.
Endlessly reliable and consistently threatening, he had 16 carries, six defenders beaten and a line break made him the game’s most direct runner.
He absorbed pressure, recycled quickly and kept the Bulls' defense guessing all night.
His 10 tackles underlined his two-way value.
Glasgow had rhythm because Tuipulotu never stopped moving.
14. Robert Baloucoune, Ulster Rugby
Simply electric.
The Ulster wing produced a hat trick from 10 carries and racked up 109 meters, the kind of strike rate that defines matches.
He beat six defenders and made two clean breaks, slicing through the Lions whenever quick ball arrived.
The most notable of his bursts was his first try, where he slipped between two Lions defenders, before leaving Quan Horn for dead with a step at full pace.
Without the ball in hand, his support play was instinctive, and his finishing ruthless.
Few wingers in the competition combine pace and precision like Baloucoune, who, like several of his Ulster colleagues, is closing in on his best form.
15. Mike Lowry, Ulster Rugby
Composed and creative, Lowry provided the perfect foil to Baloucoune’s chaos.
He made 86 meters from eight carries and constantly turned broken plays into attacking chances.
His two offloads kept Ulster’s width alive, while his coverage under the high ball was immaculate.
Balancing flair with safety and tempo with patience, the rapid Ulster fullback continued to push his case for a return to the Irish national setup.
It was a complete fullback display from one of Ulster’s most influential figures.
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