RUCK's team of the week: Biggar, Cole, Read

Rugby News
Monday, 19 August 2019 at 09:38
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Wales will rise to the top of the world rankings for the first time after they ground out a 13-6 victory over England in the World Cup warm-up in Cardiff.
Elsewhere, there were wins for France, Italy and South Africa respectively while New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup following a dominant 36-0 win against the Wallabies.
Here were our star performers from all of the Rugby World Cup warm-up action:
Fullback: Maxime Medard (France) -Medard romped home for two impressive scores as Les Bleus thumped Scotland in Paris. His experience and Test know-how makes him crucial to this young and exciting France XV.
Winger: Sevu Reece (New Zealand) - His second-half try - when he superbly kicked and chased - is precisely why the All Blacks had to pick him in the first place. Now, we wait and see if Steve Hansen starts him there against South Africa in Japan next month.

Centre: Luca Morisi (Italy) - Scored a classy try as the Azzurri smashed Russia in their first Rugby World Cup warm-up.
Centre: Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand) - Was quiet in the first half, but scored a try early in the second stanza which empitomised his strength and brute force. Wasn’t afraid to through some offloads around, as expected.
Winger: S’bu Nkosi (South Africa) -The best finisher in the country. Had a lot of work to do to score his two tries, but showed a lot of determination and power to get over the line

Fly-half: Dan Biggar (Wales) - The fly-half controlled things in the first 40 minutes and was deserving on the man-of-the-match accolade, but why wasn't he taken off sooner after being treated in the second half?

Scrum-half: Aaron Smith (New Zealand) - Produced his best performance for some time, one All Blacks fans have been craving. Was particularly on-song with his kicking game.
Prop: Jefferson Poirot (France) - The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the finest scrummagers in the Top 14 this season and he showed that against Scotland. Also carried well as France marched forward again and again.
Hooker: Ken Owens (Wales) - Will be extremely happy with his contribution from hooker to a line-out which functioned more crisply and accurately than at Twickenham. Owens also put himself about in the loose with some beefy tackles and carried strongly.

Prop: Dan Cole (England) - One of the standouts when England were struggling and he had Nicky Smith in all sorts of bother in the scrum. His resurgence continues.

Lock: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) - The sight of him pirouetting as he broke away down the left wing with the ball in one hand was a glorious one. The standout player as he set the tone for his teammates.

Lock: Sebastien Vahaamhina (France) - Dominant in the lineout and destructive in the loose. France just didn't know how to handle the powerhouse.
Flanker: Aaron Wainwright (Wales) - Showed great hands in the collision. Won the line-out in front of Itoje to continue his solid opening. Showed constant support for Alun Wyn Jones on his right shoulder. Kept England guessing with his carrying. 
Flanker: Lewis Ludlam (England) - Earned one superb turnover in midfield at the breakdown and forced another near his own tryline. Impressed again. Continues to look comfortable at this level
Number 8: Kieran Read (New Zealand) - Outstanding for a second straight week. Led from the front as the All Blacks fronted up with a brutal performance up front.
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