The Vodacom URC league stage ended with two spicy South African derbies, with some standout individual performances as the Stormers edged the Lions, and the Bulls finished second on the log with victory over the Sharks.
Here is our selection of standout players.
VODACOM BULLS HERO OF THE WEEK: Akker van der Merwe
It isn’t really a surprise that the Bulls have scored a number of their tries through their pack, but to have both hookers on the top try scoring list takes some doing. Van der Merwe has been a rock since arriving from Sale Sharks and on Saturday his appearance off the bench was something of an elixir for a faltering Bulls side.
You had the idea that the momentum was beginning to shift, the Sharks were coming back into the game, and Van der Merwe did what he does best. From his disruptive ruck hits, to the worm-like maze he took at the back of the lineout maul, he is incredibly hard to stop when the team starts moving forward.
Two tries, including the crucial score at the end of the game that secured the bonus point were part of his arsenal on Saturday and a try scoring record over the URC that eclipses his wing-brother Duhan makes it all the more satisfying.
HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS HERO OF THE WEEK: Aphelele Fassi
There is no doubting the talent on attack that Aphelele Fassi has shown over the course of the URC, but the fullback has been by far the best in-form player in the Sharks team of late.
He seems to have found a new lease on life, a new purpose and has tightened up his defence against all teams he faces, hoping for a Springbok recall.
Fassi was by far the most prominent Sharks player on a day where there was little to play for, and made his presence felt on attack while being solid on defence.
On a day where the front row was beaten by the Bulls pack and the lineouts didn’t go their way, Fassi was the best of a mediocre bunch and was easily noticed.
EMIRATES LIONS HERO OF THE WEEK - Jordan Hendrikse
The Emirates Lions ended up feeling abject despair after coming up just short in their quest for a place in next season’s Investec Champions Cup (as it turned out they would have been edged out by Ulster even had they won with four tries in Cape Town) but there is one person who will be happy if he watches a rerun of the game on video - Hollywoodbets Sharks coach John Plumtree.
It is to the Sharks that Jordan Hendrikse is headed now, to join his brother Jaden at the Durban franchise, and in his last few games with the franchise that gave him his first opportunity in the big time the 22-year-old has underlined what a good acquisition he could be. With Siya Masuku having established himself at flyhalf at the Sharks in the second half of the season, Hendrikse certainly won’t walk into the No 10 jersey - but then he doesn’t need to. Hendrikse was switched to inside centre for the game against Glasgow Warriors and he played his role in a big win. And at DHL Stadium too he showed that he might just be one of those who revels in the fraction more time you get in the midfield and in the kind of sweeping wide ranging role he played when Marius Louw came on as a replacement.
Hendrikse was on target with his place kicking, accumulating a personal haul of 14 points with a cool display from the tee in which just one conversion from the touchline was missed in a high pressure game, but it was in general play that he really shone. Apart from some clever tactical kicks, he dazzled at times with his running, and ended alongside the Stormers’ looseforward Evan Roos as the player with the most defenders beaten. The Sharks have young Ethan Hooker coming through in the midfield and of course Andre Esterhuizen is a marquee signing but there’s a lot of rugby to be played in a season and being a Kiwi, Plumtree will appreciate the value of having a so-called second five-eight, meaning a second flyhalf standing at inside centre in the style of former All Black Aaron Mauger. Hendrikse will give him that option.
DHL STORMERS HERO OF THE MATCH - Evan Roos
Some eyebrows might have been raised when Evan Roos was switched from No 8 to openside flank to cover for the loss to injury of Deon Fourie, but in the two games he has played there the talented 24-year-old has proved that it was a clever move on Dobson’s part. Roos dovetails effectively with Ben-Jason Dixon, who would have come close to being the Stormers’ Hero of the Match in his landmark 50th game for his team, and brings everything to the party in the position in addition to his ability to be what an openside always should be - a pain in the butt of the opposition by just being obstructionist.
Of course it was Roos’ sublime try that effectively won this game for the Stormers. Yes, it was the forward drive dotted down by Adre Smith a few minutes from time that was seen as the winner, but it was Roos’ solo try, bursting through a clutch of Lions defenders to run 28 metres to score near the posts, that settled the Stormers after they’d just lost wing Angelo Davids to a red card. That score gave the Stormers the confidence they needed to win while reduced to 14 men.
Roos is everywhere for the Stormers, on defence and attack and even in the lineouts, and the stats of the Lions game bare out his champions contribution. He was the Stormers player who accumulated the most running metres (74), eclipsing the Lions’ best player Edwill van der Merwe, who managed 50, and he matched Jordan Hendrikse with seven defenders beaten. He was also the top Stormer when it came to successful carries with six, though that was some way behind Lions No 8 Francke Horn’s 11. Like Roos, Horn is an old boy of Jean de Villiers’ alma mater, Paarl Gimnasium.
Having played in all the back row positions this season, Roos must surely be increasing his already strong Springbok credentials with his versatility and he is one of the men the Glasgow Warriors will have to focus particularly hard on if there is to be a home victory in Saturday night’s quarterfinal at the Scotstoun.