Super Rugby week 11 - Best and worst

Manasa Mataele of the Crusaders scores a try. Photo / Getty

The highs and lows from week 11 of Super Rugby.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Agustin Creevy - Jaguares
There's not much to dislike about a bloke who consistently finds himself at the bottom of a ruck and smiles when he emerges from the depths. During his team's historic victory over the Blues at Eden Park, Creevy winked at a touch judge and genuinely looked to be enjoying himself despite the torrential downpours.

BACK OF THE WEEK
Manasa Mataele - Crusaders
Mataele, an early replacement for the injured Israel Dagg, announced himself quickly at GIO Stadium against the Brumbies with two tries in six minutes. He now has seven for the season and is emerging as a major strike weapon; he is quick but has extremely good feet and is more powerful than he looks.

COACH KILLER
Brumbies
This category could easily have been filled by the Blues, but for the sake of variety we're going across the Ditch. The Brumbies let the Crusaders off the hook in Canberra. The visitors were two players down, but despite a series of attacking penalties and scrums the Brumbies couldn't get across the line; a case of poor execution and decision-making. Sound familiar?

UPS

Ryan Crotty - Crusaders
Flattened by an illegal shoulder charge and struggling with a knee problem, midfielder Crotty just kept getting up and trucking on. A quality player with real toughness, he is going to be crucial for the All Blacks in June.

Lima Sopoaga - Highlanders
Sopoaga's penalty after the final siren at Loftus Versfeld which won the match for the Highlanders against the Bulls was his seventh successful kick of the match. He didn't miss a single one.

DOWNS

Stephen Perofeta - Blues
Perofeta's cameo against the Lions in Johannesburg, when he came on and bossed his side to a remarkable victory, seems a long time ago now. He has talent, but must be more decisive in the No 10 jersey and navigate his team around the field—like he did at Ellis Park last month.

Wharenui Hawera - Brumbies
A tip for you Wharenui: when the opposition has only 14 players on the pitch, don't kick the ball away. Like Perofeta above, Hawera didn't show enough leadership or street smarts for his side in the second half of his team's defeat to the Crusaders.