15:  Leon MacDonald (Crusaders) - (MacDonald).
The lad's on fire, someone put him out.  Imagine the All Blacks at last years event that didn't happen carrying this type of form through to the event that didn't happen, from PLAYING week in and week out...

14:  Anthony Tuitavake (Blues) - (Rokocoko, Blues).
If MacDonlad's on fire, then Tuitavake has gone super-nova.  Making every post a winner from the right wing for the Blues this season, on both attack and defence. 

13:  Conrad Smith (Hurricanes) - (Toeava, Blues).
Would have been my form XV centre last week, and carried that form on again this week.  Running straight and hard, getting the basics right, which is quite vital for the centre.  A no mistake game from 13 and you are halfway there to having a bloody good backline.

12:  Stephen Brett (Crusaders) - (Stanley, Blues).
Gone for the next 6 weeks at least with asn AC injury, Brett gets the nod this week over the ever consistent Stanley for the Blues.  Creative play again from the Crusaders second pivot.  Still might make the first AB squad of the season.

11:  Joe Rokocoko (Blues) - (Nonu, Hurricanes).
No other wings really stood out this week other than Tuitavake, but Rokocoko was solid, and dangerous with his few changes.  The best of an average bunch this week.

10:  Dan Carter (Crusaders) - (Carter).
Who else, another five pointer, and another well directed game as the young fella carries on loving to play rugby, not just train for it!!

9:  Andy Ellis (Crusaders) - (Ellis).
Seems like there is just one halfback ready for All Black duty at this stage of the season, and that is the little Canterbury nugget.

8:  Rodney So'oialo (Hurricanes) - (Tuiali'i, Crusaders).
While there may be a dearth of halfbacks in form, there are certainly plenty of number eights.  Again this week big games from Nick Williams and Rodney So'oilao, but Rodders all round work rate and involvement in the game giving him the nod.  Tuiali'i on the bench left him out of proceedings this week!

7:  Richard McCaw (Crusaders) - (McCaw).
Top half a game from the Crusaders talisman.  Has upped his running game no end with the new ELVs meaning there is not so much scrabbling on the ground for the ball.  Still effective at the tackle area, but not so dominant in a part of the game that has been down graded.  Chris Masoe with two tries for the Hurricanes gets an honourable mention.

6:  Jerome Kaino (Blues - (Collins, Hurricanes).
Another top drawer game from the big flanker.  Buried in the close quarter exchanges giving his all.  Very Reuben Thornesque.  honourable mentions to veteran Thorne in his first start for the Crusaders, and Jerry Collins.

5:  Brad Thorn (Crusaders) - (Flavell, Blues).
If ever a perpetual motion rugby playing machine was invented, it would look like Brad Thorn.  I don't think he stopped once this weekend, on his way to hitting every ruck and maul in the game, some twice I expect.  The heart around whcih the Crusaders pack is built.  Sure it is good to have Ali Williams there, but I think the V8 grunt is coming from the league man!!

4:  Toby Lynn (Chiefs) - (Williams, Crusaders).
Tough call putting in one of the Chiefs, but this lad is one who could hold his head up after the game.  That, and the fact that it was not a vintage weekend for locks, some pretty standard games coming from the engine room all round!

3:  John Afoa (Blues) - (Johnstone, Crusaders).
Just waiting for that call to head back into the All Black fold.  Scrummaging up a thousand percent from when he first made the All Blacks, and now his running with the ball making it look like Steve McDowell has had a comeback to the top level!!

2:  Kevin Mealamu (Blues) - (Mealamu).
Back to his busiest best in the tight exchanges.  Honourable mention to the pocket rocket Crusaders second string rake Paulo who looked like a runaway wrecking ball.  Also Andrew Hore who was at the heart of the Hurricanes 'tight' five again.

1:  Jacob Ellison (Hurricanes) - (Crockett).
Holy shite, a hurricanes front ranker making the grade!!  Top first start from the former flanker, who looked like a former flanker too, with the amount of tackling that he put in around the field, and the turnover that he won - one leading to the first 'Canes try.  Also more than solid at scrum time and in the ruck and maul battle.

Reserves:  Paulo, Woodcock, Thorne, Masoe, Lee, Stanley, Laulala.