Rugby Championship Team of the Week: Springboks dominate, All Black ‘back to brilliant best’ and ‘magnificent’ prop

Following the Springboks and Australia’s wins over the All Blacks and Argentina in the Rugby Championship, we select our Team of the Week.

The Wallabies finally broke their duck in a rain-soaked La Plata while South Africa’s Bomb Squad did their stuff to see the world champions home in Ellis Park.

After the thrilling round of the Rugby Championship action, Planet Rugby’s James While brings you our Team of the Weekend.

Rugby Championship Team of the Week – Round Four

15 Aphelele Fassi (South Africa): An assured display from the young Springbok fullback sees him take the 15 shirt this week. Tom Wright offered the Wallabies solidity from the back in the water and wind of La Plata to see his side home for a memorable win.

14 Marika Koroibete (Australia): We’ve switched big Marika over to the right-wing this weekend as he was a crucial component of the Aussie aerial strategy, competing powerfully for the kick return all evening against Argentina. Cheslin Kolbe also impressed us, with one superhuman moment where he almost kept a touch kick from going out, and was his usual barrelling self with ball in hand.

13 Len Ikitau (Australia): The big Wallaby centre delivered an impressive display on both sides of the ball as he finally started to gel with his half-backs in midfield. His opposite number Lucio Cinti never gave up and topped the metres made in the Los Pumas backline.

Try-scoring All Blacks

12 Jordie Barrett (New Zealand): Back to his huge and brilliant best, he offered a second kicking option from 12 and crashed over for a memorable personal try. Damian de Allende was massive in defence but he was also part of the botched centre defence that allowed the All Blacks and Caleb Clarke a vital chance to score.

11 Caleb Clarke (New Zealand): A brace of tries from Clarke almost did the trick for the All Blacks and it’s great to see him getting back to his very best. For Los Pumas, Mateo Carreras did his very best to entertain on a day made rather more for piano pushers rather than piano players.

Livewire Springboks

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa): He had a few errors as nerves played a part, but the way the youngster responded to a much tighter style of match for the Springboks showed his immense poise and increasing confidence. Noah Lolesio controlled the exit of the Wallabies well and hit some useful high kicks for his aerialists to gather.

Springboks player ratings: Bomb Squad saves Bok blushes including a Kwagga Smith blinder and a hero is born in victory over All Blacks

9 Grant Williams (South Africa): A really difficult selection call as Jake Gordon also impressed us greatly with his try-scoring antics in La Plata. But Williams came on and really drove both his pack and team home with intelligent kicking from the base and that crucial try that finally allowed the Boks to own the scoreboard.

Wiese back with a bang

8 Jasper Wiese (South Africa): Nine thundering carries for 51 metres, 11 tackles and two steals told us the big man is back from his suspension woes. He takes the shirt by a whisker from the impressive Wallaby skipper Harry Wilson, and Los Pumas’ best forward, the superb Juan Martin Gonzalez, who also nipped over for a score.

7 Carlo Tizzano (Australia): Another one off the Wallaby openside production line, the young breakaway was crucial in beating Argentina on the floor in something approach standing water at times. Kwagga Smith almost took the shirt after a brilliant 36 minutes off the bench that saw him cross for a vital try.

6 Rob Valentini (Australia): Out of position but not out of form, as the flanker hammered the gain-line all day and skipped over for the touchdown that allowed Australia to mount a comeback. Ethan Blackadder also impressed us, hugely physical for the All Blacks in a performance that vindicated his selection once more.

Springboks locks

5 Ruan Nortije (South Africa): Impressively mobile, massive work rate and big tackle counts means this young man is to the manor born in terms of the Springbok lock job specification. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto shone for the Wallabies, delivering a similar all-action display as Nortije, and is our runner-up.

4 Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa): It doesn’t appear to matter where he plays as long as he plays! Absolutely massive for the world champions once again, although Kiwi skipper Scott Barrett matched him blow-for-blow for most of the match as he also impressed us.

Springboks v All Blacks: Five takeaways as ‘brilliant’ Bomb Squad a game changer for Boks as prodigy holds his own in Ellis Park ‘thriller’

Wallabies props shine

3 Taniela Tupou (Australia): The Aussie front-row were a key component of their win in Argentina and Tupou was outstanding both sides of the ball. Vincent Koch was dynamic and intelligent as his carrying was a feature of the Bomb Squad effort in Ellis Park.

2 Bongi Mbonambi (South Africa): A solid showing from the try-scoring Springbok starter gets him the shirt. Malcolm Marx might have taken it but for his throwing, as he missed three of his own lineouts, but once again showed that around the park there’s few better. Julian Montoya and Codie Taylor both put in decent shifts in defeat, with the latter crossing for the All Blacks.

1 Angus Bell (Australia): Absolutely magnificent. His hits around the park were bone-shuddering, his carries were powerful and deep through contact and he scrummaged like a demon in an all-court display that underlined his Test quality. Ox Nche got the better of Tyrel Lomax in a thrilling personal battle in Joburg, but Bell was our Player of the Weekend in Round Three.

READ MORE: Rugby Championship: Round Four fixtures, match officials, global kick-off times and TV coverage