Super Rugby Pacific 2023 TOTW: Looking at the best Australian performers from Round Eight

With the Melbourne Rebels on a bye, several Australian teams stood up and delivered crucial victories in round eight of Super Rugby Pacific.

The NSW Waratahs bounced back from their slow start with a convincing win over the Western Force.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Reds were dominant over Moana Pasifika in Samoa whilst the ACT Brumbies survived a scare against the Fijian Drua.

With this in mind, Rugby.com.au has selected the best from the Australian sides for round eight.

1 Sef Fa'agese (Queensland Reds)

Sef Fa'agese delivered arguably his best performance at Super Rugby level when the Reds needed it the most.

He dominated his opposition at scrum time, delivering one of the better set-piece performances of the year.

Fa'agese also provided some much-needed energy in attack, setting the tempo for Harry Wilson's try with a brutal carry.

For this, he edges out Tom Robertson following a great display from the Wallaby to earn bragging rights over good mate Harry Johnson-Holmes

2. Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds)

Faessler caught the attention of Eddie Jones with a barnstorming showing in Samoa, rewarded with a call-up to the Wallabies squad.

The hooker was perfect from his 13 throws whilst proving himself as a damaging ball carrier.

He charged over for a double to go with multiple tackle busts to earn his place in the squad

3. Santiago Medrano (Western Force)

Medrano is quietly building his resume as one of the best tight-head props in Super Rugby.

He did everything in his power to get the Force back into the contest, the only forward to deliver double-digit carries and tackles.

Medrano remains a threat over the ball, coming up with a key turnover to prevent an all-Reds front-row following a strong night from Zane Nonggorr.

4. Jed Holloway (NSW Waratahs)

Holloway showcased the under-rated workload as he guided the Waratahs home in a dominant 80-minute performance.

He led the forward pack for carries (9), constantly trucking the ball over the advantage line.

Holloway was also a reliable target at lineout time to just edge over former teammate Jeremy Williams

5. Connor Vest (Queensland Reds)

Vest made good use of his call-up to the starting side with a brutal display.

He put his hand up for a number of key carries to set the tempo early in difficult conditions.

Vest was also a reliable defender, including producing a key turnover to help seal the win

6. Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies)

Valetini wins bragging rights over brother Kemu (even if he wasn't on the fieldO, delivering a world-class performance to defeat the Drua.

Time and time again, Valetini got the Brumbies on the front foot, averaging just under five metres per carry.

This garners the most attention usually but it's his defensive work that stood out this week with a game-high 19 tackles.

7. Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds)

McReight was lethal for the Reds to guide them to a much-needed win.

He remains one of the best in Super Rugby over the ball and came up with three key pilfers in the first half.

It was a typical attacking performance from the flanker, popping up whenever the Reds made a fast break and was rewarded with the opener

He just edges out Michael Hooper, with the Waratah starting to hit peak form.

8. Pete Samu (ACT Brumbies)

Samu continues to do his hopes for a starting Wallabies spot little harm.

The backrower gets through a mountain of work on and off the field to help the Brumbies play the type of Rugby they thrive off.

He has become a major weapon at the back of the scrum, rewarded with another try.

9. Jake Gordon (NSW Waratahs)

The toughest decision of the 2023 season but Gordon just holds off Tate McDermott and Nic White by the thinnest of margins.

Gordon gets the selection with a man-of-the-match type performance against the Western Force, setting up Izaia Perese for the opener.

He then turned the game when he blocked a late Force grubber to run 50 metres to score a crucial try.

McDermott was incredible for the Reds, providing much needed energy whilst White sealed the win with a brilliant 10-minute burst at the end.

10. Ben Donaldson (NSW Waratahs)

Another close call but Donaldson just edges out Lawson Creighton after a measured performance.

He had a bigger hand in this game and the Waratahs definitely looked to have a better balance of play as he took the ball to the line a lot more frequently.

11. Ben O’Donnell (ACT Brumbies)

O’Donnell showed off the remarkable depth in the back three in the nation’s capital with an eventual first quarter.

He has returned from Ireland a composed finisher, which was on full display in the 3rd minute when he straightened up and finished off a nice set-piece

Whilst he was denied a second minutes later for a forward pass, the bounce of the ball went his way in the 12th minute, completing the hat-trick with an aerobatic effort with seconds left.

12. James O’Connor (Queensland Reds)

O'Connor looked comfortable making the switch inside to help the injury-ravaged Reds to victory.

He was the perfect foil to Lawson Creighton and helped steady the attack.

No Red broke more tackles than O'Connor (five), turning back the clock with a perfect step before finding Creighton to seal the game

13. Izaia Perese (NSW Waratahs)

Perese delivered a timely reminder to selectors with a brutal display against the Force.

He looked back to his best when he blitzed through the line and beat the fullback for the opening try.

Perese showed the pace to then set up Mark Nawaqanitawase before sealing the bonus-point with his second.

14. Suliasi Vunivalu (Queensland Reds)

Vunivalu showed what Eddie Jones and Wallabies selectors saw in him to earn selection in the Wallabies squad.

He had a hand in all four first-half tries, including a great intercept that saw the winger beat a couple of defenders to dive over.

He finished with a game-high 120 metres to go with three clean breaks and some timely offloads

15. Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies)

Wright helped the Brumbies hold on for an eventual win over the Drua.

He set the tempo in the opening minutes when he drifted across the defence to set up the space for O'Donnell to strike.