There has been no South African Vodacom Super Rugby champions since the Vodacom Bulls in 2010, but there have been five instances of losing finalists. This includes the Emirates Lions' heart-breaking three-in-a-row losses in the finals of 2016, 2017 and 2018.

The Emirates Lions are well represented with six players in the team of the decade. Three of them are behind the scrum; fullback Andries Coetzee made the third most carries (868), metres gained (5,464) and defenders beaten (243) of any fullback, while winger Courtnall Skosan scored the second most tries (35), carried for 3,313 metres and made the third most clean breaks (103) of any back in the last decade.

Flyhalf Elton Jantjies puts up some super impressive figures: he scored the second most points (1,145) of any player in the last 10 years, also made the third-most try assists (59) of any player while gaining the most metres (2,902) and making the most clean breaks (50) of any South African No. 10s. He is the Player of the Decade.

Up front are Emirates Lions and Springbok forwards Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert and former captain Warren Whiteley. Marx, surely one of the biggest hookers in rugby, scored the second most tries (30) of any forward in the last 10 years and also won the most turnovers (80) of any hooker; while Mostert gained the most metres (1,055) of any South African lock from his 540 carries and stole 33 lineouts. Whiteley, now part of the Lions coaching team, made the most tackles (855) and second most clean breaks (46) of any No 8 in this period.

The DHL Stormers also have six players in the team including four formidable and hard-working forwards. The book-ends are Steven Kitshoff and France Malherbe while World Rugby 2019 Player of the Year, Pieter-Steph du Toit, joins Mostert in the second row. Du Toit beat the most defenders (69) of any South African lock from his 459 carries, he also won 26 turnovers and made 42 offloads.

Inspirational Springbok captain Siya Kolisi gets the nod at No 6; only two forwards have gained more metres than Kolisi (2,100) from his 624 carries while he also made the second most clean breaks (53) of any forward from his country.

The centre paring sees the powerful Bok mid-fielder Damian de Allende joined by the sole Vodacom Bulls player in the team, Jesse Kriel who scored a try in four consecutive matches. On the left wing is DHL Stormers' entertainer Dillyn Leyds who made 602 carries for 3,711 metres gained, while only three backs have made more clean breaks (93) in the last decade.

The remaining back is scrum-half Louis Schreuder who has played for three of the South African teams, the DHL Stormers, Isuzu Southern Kings and Cell C Sharks. He played the most minutes (4,808) of any South African scrum-half in the last decade and only one player made more than Schreuder's 29 try assists; he also made 310 carries and beat 62 defenders.

Cell C Sharks team-mate Jean-Luc du Preez gets the No 7 jersey. He made the second most carries (373) and metres gained (980) of any South African No.7; Du Preez also beat the third most defenders (88) of any No 7 overall in this time.

The SA Vodacom Super Rugby Team of the Decade:

15

Andries Coetzee

Emirates Lions

Made the third most carries (868) metres gained (5,464) and defenders beaten (243) of any fullback in the last 10 years of Vodacom Super Rugby and the most of any South African No15 in all three categories.

14

Courtnall Skosan

EmiratesLions

Scored the second most tries (35) and made the third most clean breaks (103) of any South African back in the last decade of Vodacom Super Rugby; Skosan also made 477 carries for 3,313 metres gained.

13

Jesse Kriel

Vodacom Bulls

Kriel is the only centre in the last four seasons of Vodacom Super Rugby to score a try in four consecutive games; he's scored 19 tries in total across the last decade - only Bjorn Basson (29) has scored more for the Vodcaom Bulls in this period.

12

Damian de Allende

DHL Stormers

Beaten the second most defenders (252) of any South African back in the last 10 years of Vodacom Super Rugby from his 831 carries; de Allende has also made 547 tackles - the third most of any back from his country.

11

Dillyn Leyds

DHL Stormers

Made 602 carries for 3,711 metres gained, while only three South African backs have made more clean breaks than Leyds (93) in the last decade of Vodacom Super Rugby.

10

Elton Jantjies

EmiratesLions

Scored the second most points (1,145) of any player in Vodacom Super Rugby in the last 10 years; Jantjies also made the third-most try assists (59) of any player while gaining the most metres (2,902) and making the most clean breaks (50) of any South African No 10.

9

Louis Schreuder

DHL Stormers / Isuzu Southern Kings / Cell C Sharks

Played the most minutes (4,808) of any South African scrum-half in the last decade of Vodacom Super Rugby, with only one such player making more than Schreuder's 29 try assists; he also made 310 carries and beat 62 defenders.

1

Steven Kitshoff

DHL Stormers

Won the most lineout throws (35) of any prop in Vodacom Super Rugby in the last decade, while only one South African prop made more clean breaks than Kitshoff (13).

2

Malcolm Marx

EmiratesLions

Scored the second most tries (30) of any forward in Vodacom Super Rugby in the last 10 years; Marx also won the most turnovers (80) of any hooker and had the second most successful lineout throws (598) of any South African No 2.

3

Frans Malherbe

DHL Stormers

Malherbe made 597 tackles, won 21 turnovers and made 230 carries for 363 metres gained.

4

Franco Mostert

EmiratesLions

Gained the most metres (1,055) of any South African lock in Vodacom Super Rugby in the last decade from his 540 carries; Mostert also stole 33 lineouts and made the most tackles (697) of any South African player in his position.

5

Pieter-Steph du Toit

Cell C Sharks / DHL Stormers

Beat the most defenders (69) of any South African lock in Vodacom Super Rugby in the last 10 years from his 459 carries, Du Toit also won 26 turnovers and made 42 offloads.

6

Siya Kolisi

DHL Stormers

Only two South African forwards have gained more metres than Kolisi (2,100) from his 624 carries in the last decade in Vodacom Super Rugby; he also made the second most clean breaks (53) of any forward from his country.

7

Jean-Luc du Preez

Cell C Sharks

Made the second most carries (373) and metres gained (980) of any South African No 7 in Vodacom Super Rugby in the last decade; Du Preez also beat the third most defenders (88) of any No 7 overall in this time.

8

Warren Whiteley

EmiratesLions

Made the second most offloads (77) of any South African forward in the last 10 years of Vodacom Super Rugby; Whiteley has also made the most tackles (855) and second most clean breaks (46) of any No.8 in this period.

 

Sources: www.super.rugby and Opta statistics.