Picking a team of the season is tricky at the best of times, let alone in the wake of a wildly unpredictable and generally peculiar Premiership campaign.
Even 18 rounds aren’t enough to find out how good some teams are. But someone’s got to stick their head above the ground, and here’s a selection to get stuck into…
15. George Furbank
Northampton Saints
There will be some difficult omissions and Tyrone Green is desperately unlucky. Elliot Daly also urged Saracens on the home stretch. Furbank is improving thanks to a breakthrough season in which he has complemented his intuitive link play and cutting angles with added strength in the contact area for Saints.
14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Exeter Chiefs
Tom Roebuck has been productive for Sale Sharks and should be close to Test match involvement. Joe Cokanasiga came back to life. Neither can beat this season’s breakout star, who has quickly become a talisman for Exeter on both sides of the ball. Explosive, strong and growing in the nuances of defensive decision-making and positioning in the backfield, Feyi-Waboso has a fascinating future ahead of him.
13. Henry Slade
Exeter Chiefs
Ollie Lawrence and Benhard Janse van Rensburg are seen exclusively as outside centers because that is where they are at their best. Rob du Preez was also great and Tommy Freeman looked comfortable in midfield. But none of these contenders presented a case as compelling as Slade’s. Exeter finished in seventh place but laid some exciting foundations for an admirable campaign. Slade led the younger colleagues extremely well.
12. James Williams
Bristol Bears
I wanted to recognize Bristol’s late surge, which was inspired by a fearless attack and almost clinched a play-off place. Williams, who has settled at Bristol after moving between several clubs, was a confident playmaker and ultimately a good starter for the Bears during a purple spell. Fraser Dingwall, Cameron Redpath and Nick Tompkins also deserve name checks.
11. Ollie Sleightholme
Northampton Saints
The free-spirited Gabriel Ibitoye slipped tackles and released in thrilling fashion, with Will Muir another devastating wide man. Sleightholme’s catalog of 14 attempts contained some perplexities. He is a skating sprinter who uses smart support lines, but is powerful enough to also smash through tacklers.
10. Finn Smith
Northampton Saints
After a long flip-flop between two Finn(n)s, I chose the 22-year-old Saint over the Bath and Scotland wizard. Russell was majestic and will have a major impact in the playoffs. Smith is a simple facilitator who keeps everything moving and allows runners around him to utilize the space. George Ford, a senior figure in the same model, sent Sale to the semi-finals.
9. Ben Spencer
Bath
There is less need to discuss alternative contenders here as Spencer has been sublime as a link between Bath’s burly forwards and their precocious rearguard. His kicking game is a nightmare for the back three and his blazing speed makes things happen. As captain, Spencer will emphasize that Bath are not done yet.
1. Fin Baxter
Harlequins
Baxter has played in all 18 league matches for Harlequins, both as a starter and as a substitute, and looks set to tour with England and should make a Test debut. He is mobile, agile and stubborn in the set-piece exchanges. Bevan Rodd and Beno Obano both improved their reputations, as did Phil Brantingham, en route to Saracens from Newcastle Falcons.
2.Curtis Langdon
Northampton Saints
A decent season for hookers across the board will have supported Steve Borthwick. Gabriel Oghre, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Theo Dan all featured prominently for different reasons, with Jamie Blamire one of Newcastle’s standouts. Resourceful and athletic, Langdon has made a good start for Northampton and has immediately settled into the role.
3. Thomas du Toit
Bath
Seven tries from tighthead prop is a pretty useful return to the Premier League and Du Toit proved himself a valuable asset for Bath, scrumming on either side of the front row and being deployed as an impactful replacement by Johann van Graan. Will Collier established himself as a loyal Harlequin and finished on a high note in terms of personal form.
4. Cobus Wiese
Sell sharks
The younger Wiese, who like his older brother Jasper leaves these shores, is also an excellent player. Sale’s qualification for the play-offs, despite injuries to the back five of their pack, was a triumph of toughness. Impressively athletic, Wiese has made 16 Premier League appearances this season. Alex Moon leaves Saints after a good season.
5. Joe Batley
Bristol Bears
Among the first names on this team sheet, Batley led the lineout at Bristol and enjoyed a career-best performance, proving himself to be a skilled, versatile forward and a steady technician. The Bristol hammer was an effective tool all year round. Comfortable both in combining phase play in midfield and roaming wider, Batley scored four Premiership tries. Alex Coles was another saint who came close, as was Charlie Ewels from Bath.
6. Juan Martín González
Saracens
Mark McCall’s men will make this team look extremely stupid if they click twice more to defend their title. To do that, González will have to conjure up some of the bizarrely brilliant displays found in his Saracens introduction. A semi-final clash with Courtney Lawes, also brilliant in his farewell to the Saints, is one to savour. Ben Curry, Ted Hill and Ethan Roots are three others worth highlighting.
7. Sam Dugdale
Sell sharks
Will Evans controlled the Jackal stats and Sam Underhill improved as a breakdown threat, which will not have gone unnoticed by Borthwick. Dugdale is in line for his part in Sale’s play-off push. Combative, cunning and ruthless, the 24-year-old replaced Tom Curry with distinction.
8. Alfie Barbeary
Bath
The most open position is undoubtedly saved for last. Even for the cellar teams, Zach Mercer, Jasper Wiese and Callum Chick had their moments. Alex Dombrandt and Jean-Luc du Preez were both consistently influential. Greg Fisilau and Ross Vintcent are seriously promising. Barbeary’s propensity for big plays – especially turnovers and tries – came to the fore during a crucial win at Sandy Park in April.