Tuipulotu shines in star-studded line-up

Following Glasgow’s epic victory in the final last weekend, Simon Thomas selects his team of the season from the URC

It went down to the very last play of the last game, with Glasgow holding firm in the dying seconds of a pulsating final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld to claim the URC title. It was some achievement by Franco Smith’s team who certainly did it the hard way, following up a semi-final victory away to reigning champions Munster in Limerick by coming from 13 points down to beat the Bulls 21-16 in Pretoria. They are worthy winners.

So they are the top team – but what about the top players?

15. Aphelele Fassi (Sharks)

Amid a disappointing league campaign for the Sharks, Fassi was a beacon of excellence. He gained more metres (1,230) and made more clean breaks (24) than any other player in the competition, earning a recall to start for South Africa against Wales. A mention too for Glasgow’s Josh McKay who ran the second most metres (1,073).

14. Shane Daly (Munster)

Daly was on the field for the entirety of Munster’s 19-match URC crusade, apart from one ten-minute spell in the sin-bin, earning him the URC’s Ironman award. He was also in the top three for clean breaks and metres gained, while scoring six tries. The man from Cork really was Mr Consistent. Canan Moodie (Bulls) and Jordan Larmour (Leinster) both impressed.

13. David Kriel (Bulls)

The 25-year-old isn’t as much of a household name as some of his team-mates, but plays a vital role with his reliable presence in attack and defence.

His link-up play with his wings is excellent, while he scored more tries (11) than any other back in the competition.

Elsewhere, Leinster’s Jamie Osborne has been a class act.

12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow)

If you were picking a British & Irish Lions team right now, Tuipulotu would be a really strong candidate. He’s the perfect 12 in that he can carry it up for you, running powerful lines, but he can also act as a second play-maker with his creativity, while he is a rock in defence. One of those international regulars who puts in a big club shift, starting 15 games in Glasgow’s march to the title.

11. Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls)

When he was young, people told him he was too small to make it. How he has proved them wrong. There are few more thrilling sights than the diminutive Arendse in full flight, with his blistering pace and ability to beat a man. He also knows his way to the whitewash, as demonstrated by 10 URC tries. As for other left wingers, nine-try Jacob Stockdale rolled back the years with Ulster.

10. Jack Crowley (Munster)

Nothing beats the acclaim of your peers, so being named Players’ Player of the URC will have meant a great deal to Crowley. He also won the Next-Gen award, reminding us he is still only 24. It has been some season for the lad from County Cork, who stepped into the shoes of Johnny Sexton with aplomb to navigate Ireland to the Six Nations title. A hat tip too for Lions magician Sanele Nohamba.

9. George Horne (Glasgow) 

A tight call this. John Cooney had an outstanding last few months of the season as he pulled Ulster into the top eight, while the Bulls’ Embrose Papier is some athlete. But the darting, sniping Horne was a consistently effective performer and capped his campaign with 11 crucial shots at goal in the play-offs, amid Glasgow’s glorious title triumph.

1. Nicky Smith (Ospreys)

Smith’s omission from the Wales set-up over the past few years is an enduring head-scratcher as he is one of the very best looseheads in the business. Week-in, week-out he delivers in the scrum, giving a succession of tight-heads a torrid time with his technical excellence, while he also contributes significantly with his hard-yard carrying and work over the ball. He’s some signing for Leicester.

2. Johnny Matthews (Glasgow)

The URC really is a dream tournament for hookers. Last season, Ulster’s Tom Stewart set a new league record, touching down 16 times, and the top of the try chart has once again been dominated by No 2s.

In second spot, you have the Bulls’ Akker van der Merwe with 12, but leading the way is Matthews on 14. He’s clearly benefited from Glasgow’s lethal lineout maul, but also caught the eye with his mobility and throwing accuracy.

3. Wilco Louw (Bulls)

It speaks volumes for South Africa’s extraordinary strength in depth at tighthead prop that Louw missed out on a place in the Springboks squad named this week.

The juggernaut from the Western Cape has played a transformative role in the Bulls pack since arriving from Harlequins last summer. He’s an absolute beast of a scrummager as he confirmed against Ireland loosehead Andrew Porter in the URC semi-final, while he’s also an ever-willing carrier.

4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster)

A strong contender for a spot in a World XV. I can still remember the first time I saw him playing for the Scarlets back in 2016. It was a jaw-dropping sight and he’s just gone from strength to strength since then. He’s arguably the best second row over the ball the game has ever seen, while his athleticism around the park and at lineout time is something else. Pretty much the complete player.

5. Ruben van Heerden (Stormers)

The stats are startling and they confirm just what an impressive season this imposing lock has had.

By some distance, he was the competition’s top tackler (239), while he won more lineouts than anyone else and was joint second for steals. Pushed hard for this spot by the Bulls’ Ruan Nortje.

6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh)

Having been Scotland’s skipper at the World Cup, he lost the captaincy for the Six Nations, starting just two matches, but if anything that seems to have driven him on. An absolute menace at the breakdown, he was the URC’s Turnover King with 22.

Mentions too for Connacht’s Shamus Hurley-Langton and the Lions’ JP Pretorius.

7. Elrigh Louw (Bulls)

Such a physical presence and so strong. In the top five for both carries and tackles, repeatedly knocking people backwards with or without the ball. He just keeps coming at you, with his work-rate off the scale. At 6ft 5ins and 17st 8lbs, he has the build of a No 8, where he has played a fair bit, but it’s on the flank he is now doing sterling work.

8. Gavin Coombes (Munster)

Cameron Hanekom had a tremendous breakthrough season at the Bulls, with his immense Man of the Match display in the semi-final victory over Leinster being the high point. But you just can’t ignore the stats when it comes to Coombes. Most carries (231) by a country mile, most successful carries (115) and the third-most tackles (211). He was also the league’s busiest rucker and figured in every match for Munster.

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