United Rugby Championship Elite XV: FOUR South Africans make it

The United Rugby Championship Elite XV for the 2022/23 season has been released, with four South Africans making the team.

ALSO READ: Connacht could surprise in URC semi-final

Irish players feature most prominently, with six players in the team, while Scotland and Italy have two each and one from Wales.

A media panel voted for the side after being given a shortlist of 10 players per position provided by URC’s StatMaster. The player with the most votes in each position earned a place in the line-up.

ALSO READ: Upsets in the URC? Don’t bet on it!

Seven of the top eight sides from the regular season had at least one player in the team, with a total of 11 clubs featuring.

For the South Africans, defending champions the Stormers have captain and Springbok star Steven Kitshoff in the team, while inside centre Dan du Plessis has also made the cut.

READ MORE: Sharks train their big guns on high-flying Pumas

The Sharks are represented by their exciting scrumhalf Grant Williams, while Bulls and Springbok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse made the team as well.

ALSO READ: URC — Ruthless Stormers wary of dogged Connacht spirit

League leaders Leinster have the most representatives in hooker Dan Sheehan, flanker Scott Penny and flyhalf Ross Byrne. Byrne is the only player to have made the Elite XV for two successive seasons.

Prop Finlay Bealham and lock Niall Murray are the two Connacht players in the XV, while Munster number eight Gavin Coombes completes the Irish representation.

ALSO READ: Stormers sweating over availability of influential Springbok for URC semi-final showdown

Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) and Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) are two Scotland internationals in the team.

As for Italy, Benetton lock Federico Ruzza pairs up with Murray in the second-row, while Zebre winger Simone Gesi is selected in the back three.

Finally, Scarlets star Vaea Fifita is the only player from the Welsh regions.

UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ELITE XV

15 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), 14 Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), 13 Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), 12 Daniel du Plessis (Stormers), 11 Simone Gesi (Zebre Parma), 10 Ross Byrne (Leinster), 9 Grant Williams (Sharks), 8 Gavin Coombes (Munster), 7 Scott Penny (Leinster), 6 Vaea Fifita (Scarlets), 5 Federico Ruzza (Benetton), 4 Niall Murray (Connacht), 3 Finlay Bealham (Connacht), 2 Dan Sheehan (Leinster), 1 Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

IN CLOSING | Stormers home semi-final: Heading for a sell out?