Team of the Tournament: The best

New Zealand may have lost their unbeaten run against a motivated South Africa, but they were the best team in the third edition of the Rugby Championship.


And to go with their hat-trick of Southern Hemisphere titles, the All Blacks also dominate rugby365's famous Team of the Tournament.


The All Blacks have 10 players in our squad - seven of them starting and another three in our back-up selection.


The Springboks, who lowered the Kiwis' colours in an entertaining encounter in Johannesburg at the weekend, are next best in our first-choice selection - with four players starting.


They also have three of their squad members 'bubbling under' - for a total of seven.


However, Argentina actually have more players in the combined squad.


While the Pumas have just two starting, there are another seven in the back-up selection.


Australia trail well behind - two starting and two bubbling under.


Team of the Tournament:


15 - Israel Dagg (New Zealand):

After a slow start he raced clear in a tough race that also featured Israel Folau and Willie le Roux.

Bubbling under: Israel Folau (Australia)


14 - Ben Smith (New Zealand):

Where will we see him featured next? Perhaps prop? Maybe not, but anywhere in the backline and he'll do a great job.

Bubbling under: Cornal Hendricks (South Africa)


13 - Tevita Kuridrani (Australia):

One of the few Wallabies that enhanced his reputation in a shocking season.

Bubbling under: Conrad Smith (New Zealand)


12 - Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand):

Grabbed his opportunity in the absence of Ma'a Nonu.

Bubbling under: Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina)


11 - Julian Savea (New Zealand):

This was a one-horse race! Not surprising some 'pundits' are beginning to compare him to the legend Jonah Lomu.

Bubbling under: Manuel Montero (Argentina)


10 - Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina):

A position of major fluctuations, with Sánchez and Handré Pollard coming good in the end.

Bubbling under: Handré Pollard (South Africa)


9 - Aaron Smith (New Zealand):

Also a position where the rivals were left trailing in his wake.

Bubbling under: Martín Landajo (Argentina)


8 - Duane Vermeulen (South Africa):

THORmeulen has surpassed Kieran Read as the world's premier No.8.

Bubbling under: Kieran Read (New Zealand)


7 - Richie McCaw (New Zealand):

Still a class act. Michael Hooper gave him a good run, before his horror show this past weekend.

Bubbling under: Michael Hooper (Australia)


6 - Francois Louw (South Africa):

His injury robbed the Springboks of more than just his experience, although Marcel Coetzee was a very good stand-in. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe was also very consistent.

Bubbling under: Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina)


5 - Victor Matfield (South Africa):

And there were many so-called 'pundits' who suggested he would just be a passenger.

Bubbling under: Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)


4 - Brodie Retallick (New Zealand):

His presence was sorely missed in the final round.

Bubbling under: Mariano Galarza (Argentina)


3 - Sekope Kepu (Australia):

Yes, the resources on the tighthead side are very thin indeed when even a wobbly Wallaby makes it.

Bubbling under: Ramiro Herrera (Argentina)


2 - Adriaan Strauss (South Africa):

There are a large portion of the population in KwaZulu-Natal that will disagree, but Strauss may well be South Africa's premier hooker now.

Bubbling under: Agustín Creevy (Argentina)


1 - Marcos Ayerza (Argentina):

He did so much more than just scrum, but he was pretty impressive in the set pieces.

Bubbling under: Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa)


Our individual selections:


Darryn Pollock XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.


Michael de Vries XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.


Tauriq Ebrahim XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Juan Martin Hernández, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza.


Paul Dobson XV: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.


Jan de Koning XV: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Marcos Ayerza.


Previous selections:


Team of the Week - Week Five: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Cornal Hendriks (South Africa), 13 Tevita Kuridrani (Australia), 12 Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Patrick Lambie (South Africa), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa), 7 Schalk Burger (South Africa), 6 Jerome Kaino (New Zealand), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa).


Team of the Week - Week Four: 15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 13 Marcelo Bosch (Argentina), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Handré Pollard (South Africa), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa), 7 Michael Hooper (Australia), 6 Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).


Team of the Week - Week Three:  15 Israel Dagg (New Zealand), 14 Cornal Hendricks (South Africa), 13 Tevita Kuridrani (Australia), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Duane Vermeulen (South Africa), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón (Argentina), 6 Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina), 5 Jeremy Thrush (New Zealand), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Jannie du Plessis (South Africa), 2 Agustín Creevy (Argentina), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).


Team of the Week - Week Two: 15 Israel Folau (Australia), 14 Cory Jane (New Zealand), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Juan Martín Hernández (Argentina), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Marcel Coetzee (South Africa), 6 Francois Louw (South Africa), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Ramiro Herrera (Argentina), 2 Agustín Creevy (Argentina), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).


Team of the Week - Week One: 15 Joaquín Tuculet (Argentina), 14 Cory Jane (New Zealand), 13 Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand), 12 Matt Toomua (Australia), 11 Julian Savea (New Zealand), 10 Nicolás Sánchez (Argentina), 9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand), 6 Francois Louw (South Africa), 5 Rob Simmons (Australia), 4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand), 3 Sekope Kepu (Australia), 2 Nathan Charles (Australia), 1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina).