Super Rugby Top Performers Round 7

Cobus Reinach 

The Sharks faced a visit from the high-flying Jaguares team this weekend in a bruising encounter that saw only 31 points being scored in total, with the home team edging it out 18-13.

The Sharks' scrumhalf, Cobus Reinach played a crucial role in his side's victory scoring an early try as the Sharks led 5-0 six minutes into the match. 

Reinach had a hand in his sides 2nd try of the match as he passed the ball to on running Andre Esterhuizen. 

The speedy scrumhalf made 106 metres with the ball in hand beating one defender and making 1 clean break.

Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco

The Sunwolves made history on Saturday when they got the better of the struggling Bulls beating them 21-20 in a thrilling encounter, that saw the Sunwolves pick up their first victory over the 3 time Super Rugby champions.

The recruitment of Rahbpni Warren-Vosayaco was a clever one as the eighth man played a huge role in the victory scoring his sides 1 try within the first 10 minutes of play.

He also put in a good shift on defence making 7 tackles without missing and on attack, he made 47 metres from his 6 carries. 

Aaron Smith 

The All Black scrum-half had a standout game once again as the Highlanders faced a determined Blues side, in the only New Zealand derby of the weekend. 

The Highlanders had a much improved second half after and overturned a 20-13 deficit to win the match 26-20. 

Smith picked up 2 try assists in the match, as he bossed the Highlanders attack. His well-timed passes and an excellent kicking game were once again crucial to the Highlanders success. 

Chris Alcock

The Brumbies marched their way to only their 3rd victory of the competition, beating the Reds 43-10 thanks to a brilliant second half from the Canberra-based side. 

The man of the hour was the former Western Force flanker, Chris Alcock, who joined the Brumbies to fill the void left by David Pocock and on Saturday evening it looked as though Alcock had made the jersey his own.

The lively flanker was rewarded for his brilliant performance in the 79th minute when he divided over in the corner to score his second try in as many weeks for the Brumbies.

Alcock was the top tackler in the Brumbies side making a total of 10 tackles, but it was his ability to slow the Reds attack down that really stood out on defence, as time and time again he disrupted the Reds breakdown.

Lionel Cronje

Despite being on the losing end of this fixture the Kings fly-half was one the best 10s in the competition this weekend, as he put on an all-round display. 

Cronje had a hand in almost all of the Kings tries and ended the match with 3 try assists, which included a beautiful line-break, a well-weighted kick and some magical skill.

The inspirational fly-half was unable to secure the victory for the Kings but his performance is one to be proud of. He made 97 running metres and passed the ball a massive 45 times.

Stormers 

If you were lucky enough to watch one the best - if not the best - Super Rugby clash so far, between the Stormers and Chiefs, you will know that the men from Cape Town really put in a good shift against one of the most consistent Super Rugby teams in recent times.

The thrilling encounter between these two sides saw the Chiefs score possibly the try of the season as the went from coast to coast to score an excellent try and a brilliant offload by Stormers winger Dillyn Leyds that in itself was something spectacular.

The Stormers were backed by a capacity crowd and the players pitched up to the match just as much as the fans did. Picking an individual that really stood out from this fixture is almost impossible as the one player played just as well as the man beside him and across from him.

Some viewers might say Dillyn Leyds deserves the accolade for his brilliant offload or Cheslin Kolbe who racked up over 100 metres or the Stormers skipper who won 3 turnovers and made 15 tackles, but we have decided that the Stormers victory over the men from Waikato has to the whole team for their huge effort. 

After such a thrilling match it will be wrong not to highlight the Chiefs performance, as Damian McKenzie and James Lowe, made over 100 metres with the ball in hand and the likes of Kane Hames and Lachlan Boshier who made over 10 tackles each.