Monday 19 December 2016 13:46, UK
Players from Connacht, Glasgow, Leicester, Scarlets and Clermont star in our Team of the Week after round four of the Champions Cup.
Scarlets bounced back from their defeat against Toulon last weekend with a tremendous effort to down the double European Champions at Parc y Scarlets.
15. Isaia Toeava (Clermont)
Toeva scored a superb first minute try to really set the scene as Clermont produced a mesmersing first 40 minutes against Ulster. From the lineout, Toeva glided onto a long pass from Wesley Fofana to break the Ulster defence and he produced a neat sidestep to beat Tommy Bowe and he was over.
14. Adam Byrne (Leinster)
Adam Byrne led the way in Leinster's nine-try demolition of Northampton on Saturday, crossing twice in Dublin.
The first of the scores allowed Byrne to show his strength as well as speed to dot down in the corner, before his second came from capitalising on a Northampton knock-on in midfield to sprint for the line, leaving his opposite man Tom Collins clutching at air.
Byrne was his side's top metre-maker with 71, and came within a whisker of a hat-trick had he gathered a Zane Kirchner reverse pass after just 17 minutes. Looks very much like a man with a bright future ahead of him.
13. Jack Roberts (Leicester Tigers)
In a game of small margins, 25-year-old Jack Roberts was invaluable to the Tigers.
The midfielder put in nine tackles - one of three players to do so at the top of Leicester's chart in that department - and carried the ball 11 times for 61 metres, both of which were the best by a Tigers player on the day.
12. Scott Williams (Scarlets)
An honourable mention to Connacht's Bundee Aki but he is pipped to the post by Scott Williams. Last weekend Williams had a torrid afternoon against Toulon's Mathieu Bastareaud, but a week later he buried his demons with a superb perfomance. Williams was the Scarlets top ball carrier with 15 big carries and his partnership with Hadleigh Parkes punched holes through Toulon's defence. Some lovely interplay between Parkes and Aaron Shingler saw Williams also go over for the only try of the game.
11. Nick Abendanon (Clermont)
He may not be on Eddie Jones's England radar, but Nick Abendanon showed why he is one of the best outside backs in Europe with his performance against Ulster.
Not only did the former Bath man show his attacking prowess with a first half double to help his side to a 21-0 lead before the hour mark, but he showed his defensive capabilities with a last-ditch tackle to deny Ulster's Sean Reidy in the corner after the break as Ulster tried to wrestle their way back into the game.
10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
It was a weekend for fly-halves in Europe. In Galway, Jack Carty slotted a touchline conversion with no time remaining to hand Connacht victory over Wasps, while Owen Williams snatched a win from Munster with his long-range penalty in the dying seconds.
But in terms of 80-minute performances, Finn Russell was in emphatic form for the Warriors as they brushed aside last year's finalists Racing 92. Russell made the most carries for his team-mates with 14, made the most metres with 81, and beat five defenders. The fly-half put in seven tackles and forced two turnovers.
Johnny Sexton, George Ford and Dan Biggar are all gunning for the Lions No 10 jersey, but is Russell putting his hat in the ring at the right time?
9. Kieran Marmion (Connacht)
Marmion backed up a stand-out performance in round three with another strong display in the Connacht No 9 shirt.
The 24-year-old ushered his troops around the Sportsground with purpose and led by example in attack, making 26 metres with his six carries.
1. Rob Evans (Scarlets)
What a performance from Rob Evans who has been out with a wrist injury for three months and made his long awaited return against Toulon. The loosehead was superb at the set-piece as he put Toulon's Levan Chilachava under all sorts of pressure and was subbed after just 30 minutes.
Evans also did more than his fair share around the park and put in 13 strong tackles.
2. Sean Cronin (Leinster)
Fraser Brown is very unlucky to miss out this week. The Warriors hooker was solid in his set-piece duties - only one missed jumper in the lineout - and still served in Glasgow's expansive cause in open play.
However, the Warriors front rower is edged out by Sean Cronin, who had a perfect 10 out of 10 in the lineouts, and made nine carries for 62 metres which was the second most for a Leinsterman.
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
Fagerson is another Glasgow player to bring an added element of conversation to the Lions tour. Tadhg Furlong and Dan Cole likely to tour for Warren Gatland's team next year, but it likely leaves a third tighthead prop spot available, with the likes of Samson Lee and WP Nel in the mix.
At 20 years old, Fagerson is incredibly young by front row standards, but has shown himself to be sturdy in the scrums and useful around the park with ball in hand too - his eight carries against Racing 92 an indication of that fact.
4. Ultan Dillane (Connacht)
There were several good performances from second rowers over the weekend, but Connacht's lock gets the nod. The 23-year-old made 11 carries for 42 metres, the best of all the forwards, and put in a massive 15 tackles as his side repelled the Wasps attack.
Dillane was up against Joe Launchbury on Saturday, with the Wasps man unlucky to miss out on a spot in our team.
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
Gray is a player who seems to grow each week. Up against a pack of forwards his coach Gregor Townsend described as 'the biggest ever assembled', Gray more than stood up to the physical opponents.
The second rower put in 12 tackles and effected a turnover, while also carrying the ball 12 times. Gray was his side's go-to man at the lineout, and also stole a Racing throw-in.
6. Ashley Johnson (Wasps)
The South African was on the losing end at the Sportsground, but made a telling contribution to his team in their search for back-to-back victories over Connacht.
Johnson put in 12 tackles and made 17 carries against a spirited home side, beating four defenders in the process.
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
Van der Flier was a stand-out performer in a comprehensive victory for Leinster over Northampton.
While he carried on ten occasions for his team - only Jamie Heaslip carried more in the forwards - it was his work in defence that earned him a spot in our team of the week.
The 23-year old was his side's top tackler with 13, while also causing constant problems for Northampton by securing four turnovers.
8. Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
Waldrom scored one of his trademark tries on Saturday, taking the ball from the base of a ruck and wrestling his way over from close range, but it was not his only contribution. The No 8 topped his team's chart for tackles made with 11, and carries (12).
The Chiefs were made to work hard for their win over 14-man Bordeaux-Begles, and Waldrom was happy to get his hands dirty for the cause.
