FOX Sports Lab has picked its Super Rugby team of the season and four players from Australian clubs have made the cut.

That includes Rebels bad boy Amanaki Mafi, who is facing assault charges in New Zealand after a dust up with Lopeti Timani.

NEW PODCAST! Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson on Saturday’s sudden death showdown with the Highlanders and Dan McKellar reflects on his first season as Brumbies coach

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Steven Kitshoff of the Stormers fends Lopeti Timani of the Rebels. Source: Getty Images

Loosehead prop: Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

The Springboks loosehead was in fine nick in his seventh season of Super Rugby.

Kitshoff had career high numbers in carries (115), run metres (500), metres per match (33), tackle busts (20), linebreaks (3) and tries (2).

Among his propping peers, Kitshoff led the pack in carries (115), had the second most tackle busts (20), and finished with the equal second most ruck and maul turnovers (3).

In addition to his excellent ball running, Kitshoff was a key component in one of the best performing scrums this season, helping force 22 penalties.

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Malcolm Marx of the Lions takes on the Bulls defence at Ellis Park. Source: Getty Images

Hooker: Malcolm Marx (Lions)

Marx has established himself as the most formidable hooker in world rugby.

The 24-year-old Springbok was a dominant ball carrier this season, leading all hookers in tries (8), try assists (3) and tackle busts (30).

A constant threat at the breakdown, Marx secured a competition high 19 ruck and maul forced turnovers.

A hamstring injury kept him sidelined for three weeks of Super Rugby and prevented him playing in the June Tests against England.

However, he still managed the third most carries (91) and second most run metres (501) by a hooker this season.

Marx won 126 of his 141 lineout throws (89.4%) which was third highest among starting hookers.

Taniela Tupou of the Reds scores a try at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Source: AAP

Tighthead prop: Taniela Tupou (Reds)

The powerful prop, best known as the ‘Tongan Thor,’ was a standout performer in 2018 and a force both in and out of the scrum.

The 22-year-old, 135kg smiling assassin took no prisoners in helping force 34 scrum penalties — second only to Wilco Louw of the Stormers (36).

Tupou was also lethal in the open field and finished as the equal leading try scorer (4) among props.

Tupou also led props in tackle busts (32), try assists (2), and finished with the equal second most ruck and maul turnovers (3).

Brodie Retallick of the Chiefs makes a break at FMG Stadium in Hamilton. Source: Getty Images

Lock: Brodie Retallick (Chiefs)

The 2.04m second rower is in line to play his 100th game in the grand final if the Chiefs can knock off the Hurricanes and Crusaders in the next two weeks.

Retallick had a dominant year carrying the ball, recording his most tries (6), runs per game (7.3) linebreaks (9), and offloads (18) despite averaging his second fewest minutes per game (69).

Despite battling injuries, the All Blacks veteran led all locks in tries (6), linebreaks (9) and ruck and maul forced penalties (6) and secured the third most lineout wins by a New Zealand player (37) including four steals.

Bulls lock RG Snyman is tackled by Hurricanes captain Brad Shields and Sam Lousi. Source: AFP

Lock: RG Snyman (Bulls)

Snyman had a breakout year in his third season of Super Rugby, smashing his previous season records in carries (83), run metres (433), linebreak assists (5), offloads (28), and tackles (124).

The rangy second rower won an impressive 43 lineouts this season, including 10 against the Brumbies in week 15.

Snyman was rewarded with his first Springboks cap against England at Ellis Park.

Hurricanes captain Brad Shields holds a pounamu mere after playing his 100th game. Source: Getty Images

Blindside flanker: Brad Shields (Hurricanes)

Shields has been an anchor for the Hurricanes this season, leading his side in tackles (169), pilfers (4) and equal second in ruck and maul forced penalties (4).

The newly capped England player was the leading blindside flanker for tackles (169) and was third in ruck and maul turnovers (8).

The Hurricanes captain led his team on a 10 game winning streak and is hoping to overcome a rib injury to play in Friday’s quarterfinal against the Highlanders.

Shields will move to England at the end of the season to play for Wasps.

Matt Todd of the Crusaders is held in a tackle in Christchurch. Source: Getty Images

Openside flanker: Matt Todd (Crusaders)

The 30-year-old flanker will make his 14th finals appearance this weekend as the Crusaders pursue back to back Super Rugby titles.

Todd logged the most minutes by any Crusaders forward this season (1110) and led the best defensive team in tackles (154), pilfers (3) and ruck and maul forced penalties (4).

He also led Crusaders forwards in tries (4) taking his career tally to 26 (behind Richie McCaw’s 27).

No 8: Amanaki Mafi (Rebels)

Mafi was a freak this season, obliterating the competition in runs (246 to Akira Ioane’s 167), run metres (1792 to Solomon Alaimalo’s 1624), and seventh in tackle busts (64).

Among No 8s, Mafi averaged the most metres per carry (7.3), offloads (19), tackles (143) and pilfers (5) along with the equal most try contributions (2) and ruck and maul forced penalties (4).

He also ranked second for No 8s in tries (6), tackle busts (64) linebreaks (11), and linebreak assists (5).

Aaron Smith of the Highlanders congratulates Ben Smith on a try. Source: Getty Images

Scrumhalf: Aaron Smith (Highlanders)

The energetic All Blacks scrumhalf has been a steady hand for the Highlanders this season under the guidance of new coach Aaron Mauger.

Smith has racked up six linebreaks, six linebreak assists and six try assists.

An excellent second line of defence, Smith also made 69 tackles and forced two ruck and maul turnovers.

Fly half: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)

After switching between fullback and fly half in the first few rounds, McKenzie locked in the No 10 role and finished the season with a career high in try assists (8) and linebreak assists (22) from just 14 games.

He had 18 try involvements (including five tries, the most for a fly half), meaning he has had a hand in just under a third of all Chiefs tries this season.

He is still no slouch as a ball runner, leading all flyhalves in run metres (1026), tackle busts (64) along with the equal most linebreaks (12).

Taqele Naiyaravoro of the Waratahs breaks away to score a try at Allianz Stadium. Source: Getty Images

Left winger: Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs)

Naiyaravoro has been a wrecking ball this season.

Not only did he equal the Super Rugby record and score 15 tries his 14 games, he topped the competition in linebreaks (26) and was the best winger when it comes to tackle busts (68). His 15 tries is equal to his total scored over his previous four seasons.

He had five multiple try matches this season, which is more than any other player.

He also ran for 1604 metres from just 116 runs.

All of this and he only made his first start of the season in round seven.

Michael Little of the Sunwolves runs the ball at Suncorp Stadium. Source: Getty Images

Inside centre: Michael Little (Sunwolves)

Little had a big season in a team that only managed three wins.

He scored three tries, made 64 tackle busts and seven linebreaks on his way to 1082 metres (third most of any centre).

He also had seven linebreak assists and three try assists to go with his 23 offloads.

On the defensive side, he made 115 tackles and led all centres in ruck and maul forced turnovers (7).

Rob Thompson of the Highlanders fends off Richie Mo’unga of the Crusaders. Source: Getty Images

Outside centre: Rob Thompson (Highlanders)

Thompson has been hard to handle this season with some strong ball running, making 983 metres with 53 tackle busts and 11 linebreaks.

However, he really stepped up his game as a provider, leading all centres in try assists (6) and second overall in linebreak assists (10).

Apart from his modest try haul of two this season, all his attacking stats have been career season highs, including 111 tackles.

Right winger: Waisake Naholo (Highlanders)

Naholo has been a menace for defences this season, scoring nine tries to equal his tally from last season.

He carried the ball 120 times, made 1371 metres, busted 55 tackles and broke the line 12 times.

He also provided two linebreak assists and two try assists to go with his 21 offloads.

Naholo had his best defensive year making a career high 65 tackles (second most for wingers this season) and made the most ruck and maul forced turnovers (2 pilfers, 3 forced penalties) for a winger.

Fullback: Israel Folau (Waratahs)

The Wallabies fullback started in 54 consecutive games before suffering a hamstring injury in week seven.

Despite missing three games to injury and another due to a controversial suspension, Folau had a typically strong season, scoring nine tries in 10 games (the equal most by a fullback this year).

Folau ran for over 1000 metres for the sixth consecutive season (1179) despite having his fewest ever carries (107).

A handful for defences, Folau has had three multiple tryscoring games (all coming in his past five appearances) and leads all fullbacks in linebreaks (15, linebreak assists (17) and offloads (30).

RESERVES

Jaguares hooker Agustin Creevy is tackled by Stormers centre Justin Phillips. Source: AFP

16: Agustin Creevy (Jags)

Led the Jaguares in runs (137), pilfers (7) and ruck and maul forced penalties (9).

17: Tom Robertson (Waratahs)

Led all props in tackles (162).

Wilco Louw of the Stormers celebrates a try. Source: Getty Images

18: Wilco Louw (Stormers)

His 36 scrum forced penalties was the most by a prop this season.

Franco Mostert of the Lions with possession. Source: Getty Images

19: Franco Mostert (Lions)

Had the most lineout wins (85) and second most lineout steals (13) this season.

Akira Ioane of the Blues and Michael Wells of the Waratahs contest a lineout. Source: AAP

20: Akira Ioane (Blues)

Most tackle busts overall (87), most linebreaks by a forward (16), equal most tries by a forward (8), second most carries overall (167).

Bryn Hall in action for the Crusaders at Eden Park. Source: Getty Images

21: Bryn Hall (Crusaders)

Equal most tries by a scrum half (5), equal second most linebreak assists by a scrum half (7).

Kurtley Beale of the Waratahs is tackled at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. Source: AAP

22: Kurtley Beale (Waratahs)

Had the equal most try involvements (21) in the competition.

Solomon Alaimalo of the Chiefs breaks away from the defence. Source: Getty Images

23: Solomon Alaimaolo (Chiefs)

Second overall in run metres (1624), third in tackle busts (67) and eight in linebreaks (18).