Investec Champions Cup's Official data provider Oval Insights has this XV as the top performer from Round 1 of the Investec Champions Cup.
15 Romain Buros: The Union Bordeaux-Bègles full-back was in excellent form in ugly weather at Connacht Rugby, scoring two tries and making 110m of territory on attack, as well as thoroughly defusing the Irish side’s kicking game with some intelligent territorial work of his own from the boot.
14 Joe Cokanasiga: When 112 kg of fast-moving muscle is in the mood, it’s desperately hard to stop. Ulster Rugby’s defence rarely had a convincing answer for the Bath Rugby wing, who crossed the whitewash twice and made three clean breaks in his 80-minute display of pace and power.
13 Tommy Freeman: More commonly used as a full-back or wing, Freeman starred at outside centre last Friday, making 13 tackles, 94 metres of gain in which he beat four defenders, and dotting down for a brace of tries. He was Northampton Saints’ outstanding player in their win at Glasgow Warriors.
12 Solomone Kata: Along with Handré Pollard, Kata’s bulldozing running was a significant difference between Leicester Tigers and the DHL Stormers on Sunday. Two clean breaks, two tries and a 100 per cent tackle rate is a fine performance.
11 Arthur Retière: Led the way in clean breaks in Round 1 with four, also scoring a try and assisting with two more as Stade Toulousain put Cardiff Rugby to the sword.
10 Marcus Smith: His performance as the fulcrum around which Harlequins turned was one of his most mature yet, further enhancing his claim to the England No.10 jersey. Seems to be choosing his moments with more maturity now, making his skill-set all the more devastating when he uses it.
9 Antoine Dupont: As effervescent as ever, Dupont remains that rugby rarity: a scrum-half who is never substituted despite the astonishing fitness and conditioning demands of the position. Weighed in with two try assists and two clean breaks as Stade Toulousain demolished Cardiff Rugby. Also, remarkably, contributed with two turnovers.
8 Alex Dombrandt: See above, but with a couple more carries and a couple fewer tackles. The Dombrandt-Evans back row axis at Harlequins is a special unit at the moment.
7 Will Evans: The Harlequins openside cannot now be far away from an England squad call-up, after providing yet another performance of teak-tough truffle-hounding at the bottom of rucks, tackling in open play and creating opportunities with ball in hand. 15 tackles is an extremely impressive tally.
6 Steven Luatua: Bristol Bears’ totemic back row scored a crucial try late in the first half, but also made significant metres with the ball in hand, nicked a piece of possession and made all his tackles, spearheading his team’s charge into the lead in the thriller against Lyon.
5 Jonny Hill: 11 tackles, 11 carries – including a try – and a clutch turnover, not to mention several line-outs, Hill had an outstanding day for Sale Sharks on Sunday.
4 Janko Swanepoel: The sight of a two-metre tall lock in open pasture at full tilt is quite something to behold. So Swanepoel’s try against Saracens was a memorable act in itself, but in his 71 minutes on the field he was a crucial cylinder in the Vodacom Bulls’ engine.
3 Junior Tagi: Aviron Bayonnais’ heroic draw in their first-ever Champions Cup game was in no small part down to the impact off the bench of Fiji’s flair prop, who packed the crucial try, 10 tackles and seven carries into just 35 minutes of action.
2 Jack Walker: Another of the Harlequins over-achievers in Paris, Walker only played half an hour all told, but they were all-action minutes in which he made nine tackles, three strong carries and crossed the whitewash. As good a substitute appearance as you could think of in a huge game.
1 Beno Obano: Bath Rugby’s monster loosehead was a significant contributor not only to the English side’s 100 per cent success at scrums but also to their 499 metres made. He makes the ugly metres, but he makes a lot of them! Also nailed eight from eight tackles.
