Phil Gifford: Nine talking points from this weekend's Super Rugby

Caleb Clarke of the Blues celebrates with teammates after scoring a try during the round 8 Super Rugby match between the Blues and Waratahs. Photo / Getty Images.

Phil Gifford lists nine talking points from the weekend's Super Rugby, and picks a form team of the weekend.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ma'a Nonu. Proof that in Japan at the end of the year 37 just may be the new 33. At the 2015 World Cup Nonu was hands down, all bets off, the best second-five in the world. He was then 33 years old. After the Blues beat the Waratahs 32-29 TJ Faiane said he had to pinch himself to believe he was playing next to his boyhood idol in the Blues, Leon MacDonald called Nonu "invaluable", and Tahs' coach, Daryl Gibson, reckoned Nonu's play was "a real credit to him." What's been remarkable about Nonu is that with every season his all round skill set expands. He turns 37 next month, but it may be that he's not getting older, just smarter.

YES, THEY ARE THE REAL DEAL
It was a disallowed try, 25 minutes into the second half, that convinced me the Blues are different this year. Akira Ioane just lost the ball on the line, but the build-up was dynamic and accurate, every player charging the ball at the Tahs keeping his cool, and setting up for the next man. There's finally a structure in the team, and from that players are trusting not only the systems, but each other.

Ma'a Nonu of the Blues celebrates his try during the round 8 Super Rugby match between the Blues and Waratahs at Eden Park. Photo / Getty Images.

EVERY TEAM NEEDS A HERO
In Dunedin they've got the Barracuda, the feisty, punching above his weight, Richard Buckman. Now Eden Park has Tom Robinson, carrying the flag for every red headed kid picked on in the playground, playing with so much heart it's a wonder they have a jersey big enough to contain it.

WHEN IT'S TIME TO GET REAL
The first half of the Crusaders 36-14 win over the Brumbies in Christchurch was like the old time, end of season, half cut, silly as chooks, Married versus Singles games they played at clubs like the Te Kuiti Tigers. Scott Robertson loves his fun, but at halftime he obviously told them to straighten up, and, as the Crusaders do, they then gave the cheeky Aussies a slapped legs, humbling lesson in the second half.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
After the second time Crusader Will Jordan was coat hangered as he scored (the first offender, Brumbie wing Toni Pulu, was sin binned, but somehow the second, flanker Thomas Cusack, got away with it), Sky commentator Ian Smith said, "He's a good looking bloke Will Jordan, but he won't be for long if this carries on."

TWICE WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR A REASON
Beauden Barrett has again copped stick this year from those who believe he's better suited at fullback, or just over-rated in general. For a guy who doesn't shirk from the dirty work of tackling, and is from a family of good buggers, the vitriol is a little hard to fathom. I await a dissection from the nay sayers of the perfect offload he gave to Ngani Laumape for the try in the 65th minute that proved crucial in the Hurricanes 31-28 win over the Highlanders.

NO KIDDING SHERLOCK?
Yes, of course Ardie Savea was once a back. That curving, beautifully angled run for his second try in Dunedin didn't come out of a clear blue sky. As a superstar centre for the Rongotai College First XV for four years from 2008 he was so good that in his last two years he was playing for the Wellington provincial senior sevens team. At 25 Savea keeps getting better. His workrate is huge, he's always been explosive, and his point of difference is blistering speed.

BEN FROM ACCOUNTS WILL LOOK AFTER IT
Ben Smith is basically Clark Kent if Kent didn't put on a costume before he became Superman. As almost certainly the most mild-mannered looking All Black in history, he rarely ceases to break tackles and eat up metres in Super Rugby, and the great thing is that we know he can do that in tests as well.

THE RUGBY ALMANACK NAMES THE HUGE FOREIGH LEGION
No wonder some super rugby sides scratch around for replacements. The extraordinary researchers of "The New Zealand Rugby Almanack" record in the latest edition that last northern winter in France alone there were 139 players whose careers started in New Zealand. The bigger names like Victor Vito and Aaron Cruden stand out, but the sheer volume of professional players overseas is what's staggering. Nobody's really to blame. Rugby players are our sporting dairy products. We just produce far too many to keep them all here.

Finally, a form team from the weekend.

Fullback: Ben Smith (Highlanders).
Right wing: Will Jordan (Crusaders).
Centre: TJ Faiane (Blues).
Left wing: Sevu Reece (Crusaders).
Second five: Ma'a Nonu (Blues).
First five: Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes).
Halfback: Kayne Hammington (Highlanders).
No.8: Akira Ioane (Blues).
Flanker: Ardie Savea (Hurricanes).
Flanker: Tom Robinson (Blues).
Lock: Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues).
Lock: Scott Barrett (Crusaders).
Tighthead prop: Tyrel Lomax (Highlanders).
Hooker: James Parsons (Blues).
Loosehead prop: Joe Moody (Crusaders).
Reserves: David Havili (Crusaders), Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders), Bryn Hall (Crusaders), Shannon Frizell (Highlanders), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Alex Hodgman (Blues), Ben May (Hurricanes), Liam Coltman (Highlanders).