Best Players After Round Five

TOP 5 FRONT ROWERS
Keven Mealamu (NZL) - 423 (no change)
John Smit (SAF) - 367 (no change)
Gurthro Steenkamp (SAF) - 262 (no change)
Tony Woodcock (NZL) - 201 (no change)
Saia Faingaa (AUS) - 165 (no change)

There's no change among the front row, with Mealamu inching even farther ahead of Smit and currently sitting second behind Muliaina as the best earning player in all positions.

TOP 5 LOCKS
Nathan Sharpe (AUS) - 253 (up)
Dean Mumm (AUS) - 240 (down)
Victor Matfield (SAF) - 215 (no change)
Danie Roussouw (SAF) - 212 (up)
Tom Donnelly (NZL) - 206 (down)

A massive score from Nathan Sharpe last game sees him leapfrog from fifth to first, which shows just how tightly grouped are the top five locks.

TOP 5 LOOSIES
Richard McCaw (NZL) - 408 (no change)
Kieran Read (NZL) - 356 (no change)
David Pocock (AUS) - 315 (no change)
Rocky Elsom (AUS) - 292 (no change)
Schalk Burger (SAF) - 285 (new entry)

The top four loosies remain in their relative positions from last week, and are joined by Schalk Burger, whose average score sees him sneak into fifth place at the expense of Kaino.

TOP 5 HALVES
Daniel Carter (NZL) - 383 (no change)
Will Genia (AUS) - 247 (no change)
Enrico Januarie (SAF) - 243 (no change)
Morne Steyn (SAF) - 218 (up)
Quade Cooper (AUS) - 215 (new entry)

Daniel Carter cements his position as king of the halves with little other movement apart from Weepu dropping out the top five, allowing Steyn to rise a spot and Cooper to make his first appearance, despite only having played one game, over a month ago.

TOP 5 CENTRES
Ma'a Nonu (NZL) - 378 (up)
Matt Giteau (AUS) - 313 (down)
Conrad Smith (NZL) - 271 (no change)
Rene Ranger (NZL) - 235 (no change)
Jacque Fourie (SAF) - 235 (no change)

Nonu and Giteau swap places at the top of the centres and the chasing pack remain the same.

TOP 5 OUTSIDE BACKS
Mils Muliaina (NZL) - 431 (no change)
James O'Connor (AUS) - 327 (no change)
Drew Mitchell (AUS) - 303 (no change)
Joe Rocokoco (NZL) - 298 (no change)
Adam Ashley-Cooper (AUS) - 250 (no change)

There's no change of any kind among the best scoring backs, which pretty much sums up this week's stats.