Reds centre Samu Kerevi and four Waratahs players make our R18 Super Rugby team of the week

IT’S been a horror season for Queensland Reds but in centre Samu Kerevi they may have just found a major strike weapon. R18 Team of the Week.

SPORT - Western Force vs Queensland Reds, nib Stadium, Perth. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. PICTURED- Reds Samu Kerevi tries to break the tackle of Force's Chris Tuatara Morrison.

THE Super Rugby regular season is set for a thrilling conclusion with four games in the final round set to have a bearing on the make-up of the top six.

NSW Waratahs wrapped up top spot with a comprehensive 44-16 win over the Highlanders on Sunday while the Crusaders took another step towards the NZ conference title with a win over the Blues.

The Sharks have the South African crown locked up but they will want to arrest a slide that has seen them drop their past two encounters.

But the standout individual performance of round 18 didn’t come from one of the semi-final contenders but rather the battling Queensland Reds.

Making his run-on debut, centre Samu Kerevi produced a powerful display to give Reds fans something to hold onto for next season.

Read on to find out who else made our R18 Team of the Week!
1. Loose-head Prop - Jamie Mackintosh (Chiefs) scored his first try for the Chiefs since switching from the Highlanders in the defending champions’ win over the Hurricanes. Mackintosh also made one linebreak, four runs, one tackle busts and six tackles.

2. Hooker — Deon Fourie’s (Stormers) breakdown work against the Bulls was outstanding. Fourie made two pilfers and two forced penalties, and also chipped in with eight runs and 11 tackles. Nathan Charles also deserves a mention for another solid showing for the Force.

3. Tighthead Prop — Sekope Kepu (Waratahs) had his best game of the season and was on fire for the Waratahs on Sunday against the Highlanders. Kepu scored his first Super Rugby try since 2012 (and only his second overall), set up two tries, made one linebreak, two linebreak assists, six runs (44m), two offloads, two tackle busts and five tackles.

Sekope Kepu has his best game of the season in the Tahs’ win over the Highlanders.

4. Second Row — Sam Wykes (Force) had a brilliant game against the Reds, setting up two of the Force’s three tries. Wykes finished the game with two try assists, one linebreak assist, eight runs (49m), two offloads, one tackle bust, one forced penalty and four tackles.

5. Second Row — Lodewyk de Jager (Cheetahs) continued the form that saw him make his Springboks debut against Wales a few weeks ago. De Jager scored a try, made two linebreaks, six runs (40m), three tackle busts, seven lineout wins (1 steal) and a team high 15 tackles.

6. Blindside — Nizaam Carr (Stormers) was instrumental in the Stormers’ win over the Bulls at Newlands. Carr carried the ball strongly, setting up a try and making two linebreaks, three tackle busts and two offloads from his 11 runs (61m). Carr was also a constant threat at the breakdown making seven tackles, one pilfer and a forced penalty.

7. Openside — Warwick Tecklenburg (Lions) has now scored in back-to-back weeks and was brilliant in the Lions’ victory over the Rebels at Ellis Park. Tecklenburg made one linebreak, five runs (35m), three tackle busts, one pilfer and a match-high 17 tackles.

8. No.8 - Warren Whitely (Lions) had another strong game for the lions, and was rewarded with his first try of the season. Whitely led from the front against the Rebels, making one linebreak, one linebreak assists, six runs (38m), two offloads, one tackle bust, four lineout wins (including one steal) and nine tackles.

9. Halfback — Cobus Reinach (Sharks) has been arguably the Sharks’ best player all season and he had yet another strong game despite his side’s shock loss to the Cheetahs. Reinach has now scored a try in each of his past four matches and is the Sharks’ leading try-scorer with six this season. Reinach ended the match with one try, one linebreak, eight runs (84m), two offloads and a massive 10 tackle busts. He surely must be attracting the attention of Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer.

10. Fly-half - Bernard Foley (Waratahs) put in another master class for the Waratahs and set a new club record for most points scored in a season (199), overtaking Peter Hewat’s mark of 191 back in 2006. Foley ended the match with 14 points, three linebreaks, one linebreak assist, eight runs for a team-high 138m, one offload, five tackle busts and 4 tackles. Marnitz Boshoff also deserves a mention for his 19-point, two-try assist effort in the Lions’ win over the Rebels.

Bernard Foley keeps getting better in the No.10 shirt.

11. Left Winger — The Crusaders wrecking ball Nemani Nadolo (Crusaders) was back in full swing, and proved the difference in their win over the Blues in Christchurch. Nadolo scored both the Crusaders’ tries and made a match-high 11 runs (123m), two linebreaks, one offload, nine tackle busts and five tackles.

12. Inside centre - Dan Carter (Crusaders) is back and he sent a timely reminder of what he will bring to the All Blacks in The Rugby Championship. Carter set up a try, made one linebreak, two linebreak assists, seven runs (63m), one offload, two tackle busts and nine tackles.

13. Outside Centre - Samu Kerevi (Reds) was the only shining light to come out of the Reds’ spiteful loss to the Force in Perth, and boy was it a big one. Kerevi was a one-man show for the Reds, making four of their six linebreaks while his 152 run metres (the most by any player in the round) were more than every Reds forward combined. He also made eight of the Reds’ 16 tackle busts.

14. Right winger — Alofa Alofa (Waratahs) backed up his strong game against the Brumbies in round 17 to make the team of the week for the second consecutive week. Alofa produced a beautiful offload to set up Sekope Kepu’s try, and also made one linebreak, one linebreak assist, nine runs (130m), two offloads and three tackle busts.

15. Fullback — It was another milestone-heavy round of Super Rugby for Israel Folau. The Waratahs fullback has now scored 12 tries this season, already the most by a NSW player in a season and now the most in a season of Super Rugby since JP Pietersen scored 12 for the Sharks back in 2007. The all-time record in Super Rugby is 15 held by Rico Gear (2005 with Crusaders) and Joe Roff (1997 with Brumbies), and with at least two games to go, that mark could soon be his.

Originally published as Reds centre Samu Kerevi and four Waratahs players make our R18 Super Rugby team of the week