Best Players After Round Five

TOP FRONT ROWERS
Keven Mealamu (BLU) - 303 ><
Andrew Hore (HUR) - 282 >
Tatafu Polatu-Nau (WAR) - 263 <
Tiaan Liebenburg (STM) - 256 ><
Adrian Strauss (CHE) - 244 *

Mealamu remains the best average front rower. Hore creeps into second and Polatu-Nau slips to third, despite the reversed fortunes of their teams this week. Corey Flynn's return to the Crusaders' bench has seen less game time for Ti'i Paulo, and he drops out of the top-five altogether, to be replaced by the Cheetahs' Adrian Strauss.

TOP LOCKS
Dean Mumm (WAR) - 227 *
Andries Bekker (STM) - 223 <
Nathan Sharpe (FOR) - 193 <
Michael Paterson (HUR) / Anthony Boric (BLU) - 160 < / ><

Mumm's heroics against the Lions see him arrive with a bang in the top spot. Bekker and Sharpe's consistent hard graft sees them tucked in behind, with Paterson losing ground each week now he's actually playing at lock.

TOP LOOSIES
Pierre Spies (BUL) - 343 *
George Smith (BRM) - 273 ><
Ryan Kankowski (SHK) - 267 <
Rocky Elsom (BRM) - 263 <
Juan Smith (CHE) - 256 ><

It's all change at the top of the loose forwards, as Spies (surprisingly) makes his first entry into the top-five in first place, and some distance ahead of the rest. Smith, Elsom and Kankowski all saw their average scores drop this week.

TOP HALVES
Morne Steyn (BUL) - 561 ><
Quade Cooper (RED) - 374 ><
Daniel Carter (CRU) - 367 ><
Will Genia (RED) - 334 ><
Francois Hougaard (BUL) - 313*

Bulls winger, Hougaard, displacing Naas Olivier in the fifth spot was the only change among the halves this week. Steyn's performance as only the 7th best earning half this saw his average scores slip a bit, while Cooper and Carter continue to close the gap.

TOP CENTRES
Wynand Olivier (BUL) - 369 ><
James O'Connor (FOR) - 325 >
Adam Ashley-Cooper (BRM) - 316 <
Michael Hobbs (HGH) - 314 <
Anthony Faingaa (RED) - 251 *

There's little movement in the centres either, as Olivier easily retains the top spot, while O'Connor, Ashley-Cooper and party-boy, Michael Hobbs, swap places. The Reds' Anthony Faingaa is a surprising new entry at number 5.

TOP BACKS
Sitiveni Sivivatu (CHF) - 403 ><
Israel Dagg (HGH) - 362 >
Drew Mitchell (WAR) - 335 *
Lelia Masaga (CHF) - 310 <
Digby Ione (RED) - 304 *

Sivivatu remains the best performing back by a healthy margin. After disappointing performances in the last couple of rounds, Israel Dagg's monster earnings this week raise him up to second. Drew Mitchell's four-try antics against the Lions make him a new entry in the third spot, but one wonders how long he'll stay there - his pre-Lions form was a pretty mediocre average of less than 200 points. Digby Ione returns from injury to claim the fifth spot, and if the Reds keep firing as they have been, then expect the versatile back to remain among the top earners.