The Sharks and Free State Cheetahs were engaged in a brutal battle in a crucial game, with the Sharks showing what it means to produce a 'team effort' and kept their top spot.

This was, without doubt, the game of the weekend and not surprising then that the two teams involved totally dominate our selections.

The Cheetahs just edge the Sharks - six players to five - but only because we selected the entire Cheetahs front row. The scrums were the one area of the game where the visitors had the Sharks under constant pressure.

With 11 players coming from this one match, the numbers are being made up by Griquas (two), the Blue Bulls and Western Province (one each).

Several players have become regular selections and this week we have six back from last week - wings Lionel Mapoe (Free State Cheetahs) and Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez (Sharks), No.8 Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls), prop WP Nel (Free State Cheetahs) and hooker Adriaan Strauss (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week Round 11:

15 - Fabian Juries (Free State Cheetahs):
As a late replacement for Hennie Daniller, Juries gave new meaning to the phrase: 'Taking your chances.'
Bubbling under: Stefan Terblanche (Sharks)

14 - Lionel Mapoe (Free State Cheetahs):
Another of the Cheetahs Sevens stars who kept the Sharks' defence honest.
Bubbling under: Trompie Nontshinga (Griquas)

13 - Jaco Bekker (Griquas):
Faced by the seasoned Lions midfielder Alwyn Hollenbach in a crucial clash, Bekker showed why he represented his country at age-group level.
Bubbling under: Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls)

12 - Juan de Jongh (Western Province):
He may well be the answer to the vexed question as to who will fill the Bok No.12 jersey in Jean de Villiers' absence. Of course there is still Wynand Olivier.
Bubbling under: Wynand Olivier (Blue Bulls)

11 - Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks):
We predict a bright future for this born-and-bred Sharks flyer - there might even be some Green and Gold in that future.
Bubbling under: John Mametsa (Blue Bulls)

10 - Juan Hernandez (Sharks):
He has settled down and now his real class is begin to shine through. He is right up there with the Carters and Giteaus of this world.
Bubbling under: Naas Olivier (Griquas)

9 - Charl McLeod (Sharks):
It is amazing to think that the Sharks also have World Cup-winning Springbok Ruan Pienaar and the talented Rory Kockott to play at No.9. Somebody is going to miss out and on current form it shouldn't be McLeod.
Bubbling under: Sarel Pretorius (Griquas)

8 - Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls):
This is another player who is behind a great Springbok, in this case Pierre Spies, in the queue - but has a great future ahead. He'll get his chance, for sure.
Bubbling under: Jonathan Mokuena (Griquas)

7 - Jean Deysel (Sharks):
There is an opening in the Bok squad for the year-end tour, through Juan Smit's injury-enforced lay-off. Deysel did his chances no harm with another barnstorming performance.
Bubbling under: Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions)

6 - Heinrich Brussow (Free State Cheetahs):
He once again showed his class, having played an entire Tri-Nations - not to forget his role in the series against the B&I Lions - and then steps straight back into the fray for his province. He didn't miss a beat.
Bubbling under: Francois Louw (Western Province)

5 - Jacques Lombaard (Griquas):
To compete with the big boys you need a few of your tight forwards to step up to the mark ... he is one of them.
Bubbling under: Anton van Zyl (Western Province)

4 - Steven Sykes (Sharks):
He will be crucial, as he showed at the weekend, to the Sharks' cause in the run-in to the play-offs.
Bubbling under: Flip van der Merwe (Blue Bulls)

3 - WP Nel (Free State Cheetahs):
One of the front row finds of the season. There is depth in this position, should something happen to John Smit.
Bubbling under: Barend van der Walt (Leopards)

2 - Adriaan Strauss (Free State Cheetahs):
He remains the form hooker in the competition.
Bubbling under: Ryno Barnes (Griquas)

1 - Wian du Preez (Free State Cheetahs):
The wry smile on John Smit's face after one particular scrum said it all - this man can scrum and is worthy of the Bok colours he has. The Sharks scrum was under pressure throughout and it says a lot about their character as a team that they managed to win so well.
Bubbling under: Nardus Lombaard (Leopards)

Previous selections:

Team of the Week Round 10: 15 Hennie Daniller (Free State Cheetahs), 14 Lionel Mapoe (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Frikkie Welsh (Western Province), 12 Barry Geel (Griquas), 11 Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), 10 Juan Martin Hernandez (Sharks), 9 Heinie Adams (Blue Bulls), 8 Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls), 7 Duane Vermeulen (Western Province), 6 Francois Louw (Western Province), 5 David de Villiers (Free State Cheetahs), 4 Chris Jack (Western Province), 3 WP Nel (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Wikus Blaauw (Western Province).

Team of the Week - Round Nine: 15 Hennie Daniller (Free State Cheetahs), 14 Chris Jordaan (Sharks), 13 Juan de Jongh (Western Province), 12 Basil de Doncker (Leopards), 11 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 10 Burton Francis (Blue Bulls), 9 Michael Bondesio (Leopards), 8 Dewald Potgieter Blue Bulls), 7 Duane Vermeulen (Western Province), 6 Francois Louw (Western Province), 5 Jacques Lombaard (Griquas), 4 Chris Jack (Western Province), 3 WP Nel (Free State Cheetahs), 2 -Adriaan Strauss (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Wikus Blaauw (Western Province).

Team of the Week - Round Eight: 15 Joe Pietersen (Western Province), 14 Gerhard van Heerden (Blue Bulls), 13 Juan de Jongh (Western Province), 12 Pieter Engelbrecht (Golden Lions), 11 Jongi Nokwe (Free State Cheetahs), 10 Herkie Kruger (Golden Lions), 9 Michael Bondesio (Leopards), 8 Willem Alberts (Golden Lions), 7 Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 6 Francois Louw (Western Province), 5 Anton van Zyl (Western Province), 4 Chris Jack (Western Province), 3 Brok Harris (Western Province), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week - Round Seven: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Danwel Demas (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Waylon Murray (Sharks), 12 Robert Ebersohn (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Jongi Nokwe (Free State Cheetahs), 10 Monty Dumond (Sharks), 9 Jano Vermaak (Golden Lions), 8 Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls), 7 Jean Deysel (Sharks), 6 Deon Stegmann (Blue Bulls), 5 David de Villiers (Free State Cheetahs), 4 Steven Sykes (Sharks), 3 Brok Harris (Western Province), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Free State Cheetahs), 1 Dean Greyling (Blue Bulls).

Team of the Week - Round Six: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Danwel Demas (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Juan de Jongh (Western Province), 12 JW Jonker (Free State Cheetahs), 11 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 10 Monty Dumond (Sharks), 9 Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls), 8 Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls), 7 Frans Viljoen (Free State Cheetahs), 6 Deon Stegmann (Blue Bulls), 5 Nico Breedt (Free State Cheetahs), 4 Steven Sykes (Sharks), 3 Gert Muller (Lions), 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week - Round Five: 15 Riaan Viljoen (Griquas), 14 Danwel Demas (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Juan de Jongh (Western Province), 12 Barry Geel (Griquas), 11 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 10 Naas Olivier (Griquas), 9 Jano Vermaak (Lions), 8 Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), 7 Frans Viljoen (Free State Cheetahs), 6 Johan Wessels (Free State Cheetahs), 5 Anton van Zyl (Western Province), 4 Chris Jack (Western Province), 3 WP Nel (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen (Free State Cheetahs).

Team of the Week - Round Four: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Danwel Demas (Free State Cheetahs), 13 Juan de Jongh (Western Province), 12 Barry Geel (Griquas), 11 Gio Aplon (Western Province), 10 Naas Olivier (Griquas), 9 Rory Kockott (Sharks), 8 Luke Watson (Western Province), 7 Jean Deysel (Sharks), 6 Jacques Botes (Sharks), 5 Anton van Zyl (Western Province), 4 Steven Sykes (Sharks), 3 WP Nel (Cheetahs), 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province), 1 Albertus Buckle (Griquas).

Team of the Week - Round Three: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Dewald Pretorius (Griquas), 13 Juan de Jongh (Western Province), 12 Stefan Watermeyer (Blue Bulls), 11 Bjorn Basson (Griquas), 10 Naas Olivier (Griquas), 9 Jano Vermaak (Lions), 8 Willem Alberts (Lions), 7 Pieter Louw (Western Province), 6 Johan Wessels (Free State Cheetahs), 5 David de Villiers (Free State Cheetahs), 4 Chris Jack (Western Province), 3 WP Nel (Free State Cheetahs), 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province), 1 Deon Carstens (Sharks).

Team of the Week - Round Two: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Gerhard van den Heever (Blue Bulls), 13 Andries Strauss (Sharks), 12 Wynand Olivier (Blue Bulls), 11 Johan Jackson (Lions), 10 Francois Brummer (Blue Bulls), 9 Jano Vermaak (Lions), 8 Willem Alberts (Lions), 7 Pieter Louw (Western Province), 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (Lions), 5 Chris Jack (Western Province), 4 Anton van Zyl (Western Province), 3 Brok Harris (Western Province), 2 Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province), 1 Wian du Preez (Cheetahs).