Premiership Rugby TOTW
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Premiership Rugby TOTW
An unusual round of Premiership Rugby saw the sides take the pitch on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with a number of victors posting massive scores.
The enticing round saw a number of records being broken including the fastest four-try haul and the first hattrick for a second-rower in 17 years.
We pick our team of the week from the round's action.
1. Tom West - Wasps
Scored a try, made 17 tackles and fronted up well at scrum time before uncontested scrums. Most talked piece of his game will be the conversation between him and the referee about having to move to hooker
2. Akker van der Merwe - Sale Sharks
The raging warthog was excellent in the opening game of the weekend, putting in an excellent shift at the breakdown while being accurate at the set pieces and brutal with his carries.
He beat Quins' Scott Baldwin to a place in the side as well as the ever present Luke Cowan-Dickie to name a few.
3. Harry Williams - Exeter Chiefs
Exeter's pack dominance was a major factor in their thumping of Worcester Warriors on Saturday and while Williams did not get amongst the try scorers, his work up front was pivotal to the victory.
4. Maro Itoje - Saracens
Business as usual for Maro Itoje. He played to his usual high standard against London Irish.
A secure presence at the lineout, Itoje got stuck into abosultely everything.
5. Jonny Hill - Exeter Chiefs
A performance that you have to go back 17 years to match with Jonny Hill becoming the first lock since Simon Shaw back in 2003 to score a hattrick in a Premiership match.
The Exeter Chief made over 40 running metres on his way to dotting down three times with Exeter's pack dominating up front against Worcester to claim a massive 59-7 victory.
6. Jack Willis - Wasps
Hard to beat this man into the TOTW and he performs yet again for Wasps in a sensational win. 19 tackles at 100%, 9 carries and 2 defenders beaten. Huge shift by a man you would expect to see playing for England this year.
7. Tom Curry - Sale Sharks
Superb effort by Tom Curry making all his tackles and helping his side down the Bears in a vital win in terms of play off places.
8. Sam Simmonds - Exeter Chiefs
While Dan du Preez, Billy Vunipola and Alex Dombrandt all had excellent games, it's hard to ignore Sam Simmonds' hattrick albeit against a young Worcester side.
It wasn't all out attack for Simmonds as he weighed in with 11 tackles and two turnovers while also assisting another try.
9. Faf de Klerk - Sale Sharks
A brilliant all round performance from the South African scrumhalf against the Bristol Bears.
Man of the match on the day, de Klerk finished an excellent team try where he ran a classic scrumhalf support line. He was solid on defence too and come up with a turnover while arguably the best part of his game was kicking.
Most of de Klerk's kicks were contestable with the likes of Solomona, Reed and Yarde all chasing and contesting superbly.
10. George Ford - Leicester Tigers
George Ford makes our team of the week after he almost turned defeat into victory after Gloucester on Saturday. Before Ford was injected into the game the Tigers had shipped six tries with Thorley scoring four with Harris and Simpson dotting down.
The Tigers looked a completely different side the minute Ford crossed the touchline with Harry Potter getting the Tigers' first try of the game as they trailed 36-13 at half time. Ford took control of the game from early on in the second half Ford running the show as Tigers cut the defict to just six points.
The England pivot brought a calm head to the side and had he not taken the pitch could well have been a major blow out. The Tigers weren't able to complete their comeback with Lloyd Evans scoring to seal the result for Gloucester but that doesn't take away from just how excellent Ford really was.
Outside of Ford, Danny Cipriani is incredibly unlucky not to make the side as too is Marcus Smith.
11. Nathan Earle - Harlequins
Scored his first try since his return that coincided with the return of the Premiership. Earle was excellent on defence as well and continues to show why he has the attention of Eddie Jones when fit.
12. Manu Tuilagi - Sale Sharks
Comfortable in the Chiefs' big win over Worcester linking well with his team mates. Try assist, clean break and an offload to add to his turnover win and 5 tackles
A trademark Manu Tuilagi performance as the England International battered the Bristol Bears' defence reguarlly getting over the gainline and setting the perfect platform for Sale to strike from.
Tuilgai also defended well when asked to and shifted the ball on well.
13. Henry Slade - Exeter Chiefs
14. Ollie Thorley - Gloucester
A record breaking first half for Ollie Thorley saw him dot down four tries in 30 minutes as Gloucester claimed a bonus point victory over Leicester Tigers.
While Thorley was superb for Gloucester, Jack Nowell impressed in his first 51 minutes back in action against Worcester while Chris Ashton finished a wonderful team try against Northampton and assisted another.
Lastly, Denny Solomona was sensational for Sale in his 35 minutes scoring and assisting a try before being hooked off due to the player welfare agreement.
15. Jason Woodward - Gloucester
Luke James is edged out of the team of the week by Jason Woodward with the Cherry & Whites' fullback brilliantly assisting three tries against Leicester.
The 30-year-old set up two of Thorley's tries, one with a deft grubber and the other with a well timed pass.
He was solid in all facets of the game and deservedly edged James out the team with the Sale fullback enjoying a fine run of of form for the Manchester-based club of late.
