James Hume of Ulster and Nick Timoney were both named in the 2021-22 United Rugby Championship [URC] South African players dominate Dream Team.
Ross Byrne, the Leinster fly-half, is the only Leinster player in this competition’s team for the year. Jean Kleyn and Craig Casey from Munster are also included.
Leinster’s representation of Ireland is limited, with only a few URC stars from their frontline.
The remaining 10 players all hail from South African clubs.
Marcell Coetzee (former Ulster flanker) has also been a strong supporter of Bulls.
Timoney was an Ulster back rower who earned a second Ireland hat-trick against Argentina in November. He also played for Andy Farrell’s Six Nations team.
Centre Hume made his Ireland debut in February against Wales and was awarded a second cap in victory over Italy.
Hume will, like Timoney and Timoney, hope to be included in the international squad on the summer tour of New Zealand.
Both performed admirably in Ulster’s 36-17 win over Munster last weekend, setting up Saturday’s semifinal against the Stormers at Cape Town.
A media panel voted in support of the URC Dream Team.
URC Dream Team W Gelant (Stormers); S Senatla (Stormers), J Hume (Ulster), D Willemse (Stormers), L Zas (Stormers); R Byrne (Leinster), C Casey (Munster); O Nche (Sharks), J Grobbelaar (Bulls), T du Toit (Sharks); J Kleyn (Munster), R Nortje (Bulls); M Coetzee (Bulls), N Timoney (Ulster), E Roos (Stormers).