South African players have been snubbed by one of the world’s biggest and most popular rugby websites’ URC Team of the Week.

Planet Rugby’s latest URC Team of the Week has raised some eyebrows, with just two South Africans making the cut after round 3, despite the Stormers sitting comfortably top of the log with a perfect record.

Only Evan Roos, who starred in the Stormers’ big win over the Scarlets, and Juarno Augustus – outstanding for Ulster against the Bulls – cracked the selection nod.

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That means no Bulls, Sharks, or Lions players were included, but that could be down to the fact that all three suffered big losses at the weekend.

It’s a striking contrast given the Stormers’ dominance so far, having claimed three wins from three with convincing displays in every round.

Planet Rugby instead opted for an Irish-heavy lineup, with Ulster leading the way with five players, followed by Benetton, Munster and Leinster each contributing two.

While fans may argue that players like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, JD Schickerling or JJ Kotze all deserved recognition, the selection highlights how fine the margins are in the tournament.

Still, the inclusion of Roos and Augustus – both powerful ball-carriers and proven game-breakers – underlines South Africa’s continued production line of world-class loose forwards.

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Planet Rugby’s URC Team of the Week – Round 3
15 Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) 14 Louis Lynagh (Benetton) 13 Tom Farrell (Munster) 12 Stuart McCloskey (Ulster) 11 Tom Bowen (Cardiff) 10 Harry Byrne (Leinster) 9 Nathan Doak (Ulster) 8 Juarno Augustus (Ulster) 7 Josh van der Flier (Leinster) 6 Evan Roos (Stormers) 5 Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster) 4 James Ratti (Ospreys) 3 Simone Ferrari (Benetton) 2 Johnny Matthews (Glasgow Warriors) 1 Michael Milne (Munster)

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Photo: Chris Fairweather/Gallo Images