Two Lions players feature in Stats XV team

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Two of the six players who featured in this week’s Vodacom Stats XV are from the Emirates Lions.

Altogether, the South African Conference has produced six players and this is now the second consecutive week of Vodacom Super Rugby.

At the moment, Emirates Lions flanker Jaco Kriel, and wing Ruan Combrinck, made the Stats XV team.

Kriel is also mentioned by Springbok head coach, Heyneke Meyer, as one of the loose forwards in the country who is making name for himself.

Four of the six players are among the forwards pack with the Vodacom Bulls, eighth man Arno Botha, Lions flanker Kriel, and Cell C Sharks duo lock Marco Wentzel and hooker Bismarck du Plessis, making the team.

Toyota Cheetahs fullback Clayton Blommetjies, and Lions wing Combrinck, are the only two South African players in the backline.

Players earn points according to their positions and the statistics taken from the Vodacom Rugby App.

While a prop will certainly get points for running 50 metres to score a try, he will get even more points for doing what he is on the field to do – win scrums.

Blommetjies played a valuable role in his side’s victory over the Stormers over the weekend, beating six defenders, the fourth most of the round.

He scored a crucial try in the 70th minute to seal the win over the Capetonians, while taking four kicks.

Combrinck, in turn, tops the Clean Breaks category with the three he made in his side’s narrow defeat to the Bulls over the weekend.

The Lions flyer is also ranked sixth for beating four defenders.

Making his return to the Sharks starting XV since his four-week ban, Du Plessis scored a try for his team and made 16 carries to rank second in that category.

Du Plessis’ five offloads was the second most and the three loose balls he collected was the fourth most in his position, while he also beat four defenders to rank sixth.

Meanwhile, Sharks captain Wentzel, demonstrated his sneaky side by stealing two of the opposition’s lineout balls to top this category.

Wentzel also topped the lineouts won on own throw bracket, with the 11 he took in his side’s defeat to the Highlanders.

Botha made a wealthy contribution in the Bulls’ victory over the Lions with two clean breaks for second place in this category, while he made 14 tackles in the match for a sixth-place ranking.

Lions flanker Kriel also made two clean breaks for second place in his position, and scored one of his side’s tries against the Bulls.

He ranks second in terms of carries with 16 and third for kicks caught (6), defenders beaten (7) and turnovers won (2).

Stats XV team:

15. Clayton Blommetjies (Cheetahs), 14. Ruan Combrinck (Lions), 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs), 12. George Moala (Blues), 11. Melani Nanai Vai (Blues), 10. Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes), 9. Nic Stirczaker (Rebels), 8. Arno Botha (Bulls), 7. Sam Cane (Chiefs), 6. Jaco Kriel (Lions), 5. Marco Wentzel (Sharks), 4. Luke Romano (Crusaders), 3. Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs), 2. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1. Pauliasi Manu (Chiefs).