Five Irish players make this week’s Autumn Internationals Team of the Week after their stunning 38-3 win over the Springboks but who has made the team and who misses out.
Full-back: Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Right place at the right time for the opening try against Samoa – his 17th for Scotland – and always seems to create something with the ball in hand. Made a couple of trademark breaks as they game went on, but still short of full fitness.
Stuart Hogg’s first half try (17th) sees him become Scotland’s joint fourth top try scorer, level with your Gregor Townsend, Alan Tait and Gavin Hastings. #SCOvSAM pic.twitter.com/LGJPfpET2C
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) November 11, 2017
Wing: Waisake Naholo (New Zealand)
Highlanders fans are accustomed to seeing him on his feet and earning breakdown penalties, now he’s doing it at the top level. His defusing of a threatening French raid halfway through the second half was big. Also scored a double.
Centre: Robbie Henshaw (Ireland)
Henshaw was again the defensive lynchpin for Ireland. Bailed Rob Kearney out when the kick through bounced through his hands, with his provincial team-mate covering the danger as South African runners bore down. A sublime offload in the first-half was a taste of perhaps more to come from Henshaw in the 13 jersey.
Centre: Soso Matiashvili (Georgia)
The centre scored a brace as Georgia secured an emphatic 54-22 victory over Canada on Saturday. However, it was his second try which was a piece of individual brilliance from the 24-year-old.
Wing: Andrew Conway (Ireland)
Looked at ease at the step-up in quality of opposition and was heavily involved in first half on the right wing. The second smallest man on the Irish team competed for everything in the air and got his just rewards in the first half with his first international try.