HEC Team of the Weekend

There were some very good performances, some tough calls.

Here is Planet Rugby's thoughts
15 Jared Payne (Ulster): After missing last season with a ruptured achilles tendon, Payne was on fire against Northampton, producing both a try and an assist in Ulster's dominant performance away from home.

14 Fetu'u Vainikolo (Connacht): Two weeks after helping Tonga to a famous win over Scotland, Vainikolo has another famous try to add to his collection after his early score helped pave the way for Connacht's upset victory over Biarritz.

13 Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont): Mr. Clermont was on fine form as his side remained unbeaten at the Stade Marcel Michelin, containing the Leinster attack and producing plenty of offloads.

12 James Downey (Munster): Facing familiar opposition in Saracens after his days with Northampton, Downey was at his physical best at Thomond Park on both sides of the ball.

11 Andrew Trimble (Ulster): The Ireland winger clinched the first try against Northampton with a brilliant finish in the corner, beating out England full-back Ben Foden in a sign of things to come.

10 Dan Parks (Connacht): Plenty of competition for the 10 shirt this week from Gareth Steenson, Johnny Sexton and others, but Parks gets the nod after his 17-point haul against Biarritz, which included four penalties and a drop goal.

9 Benoit Paillaugue (Montpellier): Ruan Pienaar impressed again for Ulster but Paillaugue edges him out after leading Montpellier to victory over 14-man Cardiff Blues away from home. The scrum-half kicked six penalties after being tip-tackled by Cardiff scrum-half Lloyd Williams, who saw red as a result.

8 Louis Picamoles (Toulouse): The France number eight continued his rich vein of form against the Ospreys, making more metres than any other player and producing a brilliant offload out the back for Census Johnston's bonus-point try. Credit to Nick Easter and Jamie Heaslip.

7 Julian Salvi (Leicester Tigers): The second half may have frustrated Leicester boss Richard Cockerill but he can have no complaints about the first half, with Salvi crossing for two tries including the bonus point score before the break. Leicester have felt unbalanced in the back row during his absence, underlining his influence on the side. Credit to Ulster's tackling machine Chris Henry.

6 Iain Henderson (Ulster): A rising star of the Irish game, Henderson has returned from winning his first caps with Ireland in November and shone alongside Henry and Roger Wilson against Northampton. Beating defenders and weighing in with plenty of tackles, he is worth keeping eye one.

5 Nathan Hines (Clermont): The former Scotland second row played his part in the battle against Leinster, topping the tackle charts again and emphasising to Lions coach Warren Gatland that he still offers the physicality that will be needed on the Lions tour.

4 Tommy Hayes (Exeter): The leadership behind Exeter's first ever Heineken Cup win, Hayes as ever was in the thick of the action, making acquaintances with the opposition and also producing more tackles than any other player on the pitch with 11.

3 Census Johnston (Toulouse): The Samoan giant crossed over for Toulouse's fourth try to leave the losing bonus point out of reach for the Ospreys in the south of France. Part of a dominant performance from the home pack.

2 Rory Best (Ulster): When you're a hooker and make 16 tackles, how can you not make the team of the week? Best typified his side's physical dominance at Franklins Gardens on a memorable night for Ulster.

1 Cian Healy (Leinster): Another strong scrummaging performance alongside Ireland team-mate Mike Ross, Healy was not daunted by the Clermont scrum and carried well again in the loose, keeping him in contention for the Lions loosehead spot.

I'm surprised there is only one Ulstermen in the front 5, Census Johnstone ahead of Afoa? I call Love sacks.
(In case you missed it Johnstone was in trouble more often than not against Duncan Jones.)

Rory Best made 16 tackles - thats seriously impressive.

He was a machine on Friday. They couldn't break us down whatsoever and he led the way.

Hard to highlight just one man in that defensive effort. Henry, Wallace, Wilson, Cave etc. all tackle machines.

What kinbd of list is this...

NO LLOYD WILLIAMS???

Census Johnstone ahead of Afoa?

Afoa did spend the entire game binding on the arm...

Best's throwing was far from perfect IMO

In case you missed it Johnstone was in trouble more often than not against Duncan Jones

who doesn't?

Hayes eh? 11 tackles is a lot. Most of them dolly tackles against static Scarlets, but hey statistics dont lie...

Glas a du wrote:

In case you missed it Johnstone was in trouble more often than not against Duncan Jones

who doesn't?

Hayes eh? 11 tackles is a lot. Most of them dolly tackles against static Scarlets, but hey statistics dont lie...

Yes but it would appear on 606 that if the stats are for a posters team they're correct but against a posters losing team the stats mean nothing

No Quins boys?

Who are you suggesting Yap?

Didn't see all of the matches so not in a position to give a whole team really, but have to say that if James Downey had a better game at 12 than Dave McSharry did, then he must have had a seriously good game.

Glas a du wrote:Who are you suggesting Yap?

To be honest I never got to see the game due to Sky ballsing up their showing of it, but Robshaw, Care and Buchanan have all come out of the game with a lot of praise.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Didn't see all of the matches so not in a position to give a whole team really, but have to say that if James Downey had a better game at 12 than Dave McSharry did, then he must have had a seriously good game.

I think Downey is a surprise call, and no he wasn't as good as McSharry. Who eludes me to another surprise in this line up Dan Parks ? ? ?

Saracens porous midfield made life easy for Downey and Earls to make constant clean breaks, both broke the Sarries line if ever O'Gara didn't kick, about eight times in the game.

Look at it the other way if Munster had Keatley at flyhalf they would have scored a lot of tries.

Likewise Dan Parks is always a surprise to get anywhere near one of these polls, he has no understanding of the game, of making space, he can't read a defence, thus improving on how fantastic McSharry truly was.

I'm surprised that Rhys Patchell didn't get get a mention at 10, albeit in a losing cause for the Blues. Factor in his age (19) and I thought he was one of the outstanding players of a very lacklustre round of games.

His kicking from the tee was one shot from perfect, plus a sublimely effortless drop goal, and he put his team in the right areas of the pitch when they needed it. He showed a maturity beyond his years.

Patchell was pretty good. Considering he plays behind a struggling scrum and in a side that didn't offer a lot the whole game (and with only 14 men for fifty minutes), I'd have had him over Parks. I suspect the fact Connacht had a win that maybe not many would've predicted and the fact that Parks is often criticised, sways the decision.

Also played with a fullback covering at scrum half for the second quarter...

Talented lad.

Didn't see the Connacht game Rev, but Patchell put in the best all round performance from a 10 in the games I managed to see.

I just saw Dan Parks on a list of best players there.

Whoof. Me old heart can't take it.