Super Rugby 2015, round 17: Seven Australians make Fox Sports Lab’s team of the week

ROUND 17 was a good one for Australia’s Super Rugby players, with a whopping seven individuals selected in Fox Sports Lab’s team of the week.

Super Rugby - Melbourne Rebels v Queensland Reds at AAMI Park , Jack Debreczeni celebrate's a try with Tom English. 3rd April 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

ROUND 17 was a good one for Australia’s Super Rugby players, with a whopping seven individuals selected in Fox Sports Lab’s team of the week.

Israel Folau and Victor Vito were week 17 standouts.

Read on to find out who made the cut.

Queensland Reds captain James Slipper is tackled by the Force.

1. James Slipper (Reds) — Destroyed the Chiefs scrum on the weekend, and alongside his fellow front-rowers helped his scrum won two tight heads against the feed and another four forced penalties. He made seven tackles and ran the ball five times.

2. Dane Coles (Hurricanes) — Scored for the third consecutive week and made two linebreaks on Friday night against the Highlanders. Coles also made a linebreak assist, two tackle busts, nine tackles and seven runs for 43 metres.

Reds prop Greg Holmes at training at Ballymore.

3. Greg Holmes (Reds) — Alongside his captain and fellow prop James Slipper, Holmes helped his team dominate the Chiefs scrum, being involved in both tight head wins and forcing three penalties. He completed five tackles without a miss, ran the ball seven times and offloaded once.

4. Eben Etzebeth (Stormers) — Made his first linebreak of the year and ran for a season high 78 metres from nine runs which included three tackle breaks and an offload. In defence he made nine tackles without a miss and was able to secure a lineout steal on the Lions throw.

Melbourne Rebels big man Lopeti Timani.

5. Lopeti Timani (Rebels) — Timani completed a team high 12 tackles in the Rebels’ first ever win against the Bulls, while also crossed for a try, made two linebreaks, broke three tackles and ran the ball eight times for 38 metres.

6. Schalk Burger (Stormers) — Keeps producing quality week in and week out. The 32-year-old isn’t running around on old legs as these stats show; a team high 12 runs for 71 metres, a linebreak, two tackle busts and two offloads in attack while defensively he made 14 tackles and won his side a pilfer.

Michael Hooper of the Waratahs takes on the Cheetahs.

7. Michael Hooper (Waratahs) — With the battle for the Wallabies No 7 jersey really heating up, Hooper was a standout this week. He scored a try, made a linebreak and assisted both a try and a linebreak, ran the ball an equal team high 10 times making 69 run metres, while also offloading the ball three times and busting two tackles. In defence he made a team high 12 tackles.

8. Victor Vito (Hurricanes) — Was everywhere in the big win against the Highlanders. Vito made a game high 17 runs for 113 run metres, a linebreak assist, two tackle busts and two offloads in attack. In defence he made five tackles without a miss, won his side a pilfer and forced a penalty at the ruck and won four total lineouts including a steal.

9. Augustine Pulu (Chiefs) — Staked his claim for an All Blacks spot with a tremendous performance against the Reds on Saturday night, assisting two tries and two linebreaks as well as making a linebreak of his own. He ran the ball seven times for a team high 71 run metres, busting five tackles and offloading the ball twice, while defensively making a career high 11 tackles without a miss.

Jack Debreczeni celebrates a try with Tom English.

10. Jack Debreczeni (Rebels) — Made a linebreak, scored a try and had a linebreak assist as he led his team to a maiden victory over the Bulls. He ran the ball seven times making 54 run metres, busting through two tackles and making eight tackles in defence.

11. Julian Savea (Hurricanes) — Filled the stat line against the Highlanders, finishing the match with a try, try assist, two linebreaks and two linebreak assists. He also ran for 86 metres from nine runs, busting six tackles and offloading the ball three times.

12. Rey Lee-Lo (Hurricanes) — Ran for a week high of 164 metres from his 14 runs which included four tackle busts and a linebreak. He also had a linebreak assist.

Waratah Adam Ashley-Cooper is tackled against the Crusaders.

13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs) — Finished the game with three linebreak assists as well as a try, a linebreak and a try assist. Won his side a forced penalty at the ruck and made five tackles.

14. Nehe Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes) — This livewire rookie managed to make two linebreaks, a try assist and linebreak assist in just 58 minutes as he ran the ball nine times for 144 run metres, broke through six tackles and offloaded the ball twice.

Waratahs fullback Israel Folau arrives home from South Africa at Sydney Airport.

15. Israel Folau (Waratahs) — Broke his six game try scoring drought with his second career hat-trick and first against the Cheetahs. He moved to equal second on the Waratahs Super Rugby top try scoring list with 25 tries in just 43 matches. Folau ended with these impressive figures: three tries, four linebreaks, two linebreak assists and a try assist, eight runs for 144 metres and 11 tackle busts.

Notable mentions

Flanker — David Pocock (Brumbies) — Three tries, a game high 18 tackles without a miss and a forced ruck and maul penalty.

Flanker — Ardie Savea (Hurricanes) — Try assist, linebreak, 13 runs for 76 run metres, three tackle busts, a team high 10 tackles and two pilfers.

Centre — Burger Odendaal (Bulls) — Team high run metres (78), equal team high runs (nine) and tackles (15), a linebreak and a try assist.

Centre — Francois Venter (Cheetahs) — Two tries, a linebreak and a linebreak assist, a team high 10 runs for 83 run metres and 12 tackles.

Wing — Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs) — Two tries, two linebreaks and a try assist, seven runs for a team high 103 run metres.

Wing — Matt Carraro (Waratahs) — Five linebreaks, two tries, 10 runs for 128 run metres and eight tackle busts.

Fullback — James Marshall (Hurricanes) — 21 points, a try, try assist, two linebreaks, two linebreak assists, 11 runs for 123 run metres and six tackle busts.

Originally published as Super Rugby 2015, round 17: Seven Australians make Fox Sports Lab’s team of the week