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Dan Johansson takes us through his Aviva Premiership XV for 2016/17.
As the Premiership season draws to a conclusion, it’s about time we drew up the definitive, objective, totally final, inarguable, absolute, unquestionable team of the year. My word is final and any dissent in the comment sections will be met with swift and violent retribution. Got that? Good.
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15: Kurtley Beale (Wasps)
He knackered his leg before the ink was even dry on his Wasps contract, but Beale rebounded to become a major cog in one of the most formidable attacking units in the league. He’ll return down under having majorly rehabbed his career and resume his Wallaby ways.
14: Jack Nowell (Exeter)
That Nowell is Exeter’s only representative on this list is due to their penchant for team-cohesion over big-name stars, but Nowell’s been having a house party down in Devon for ages now and has thoroughly earned his Lions jersey.
13: Elliot Daly (Wasps)
There’s a good chance some of Daly’s monstrous kicks are still orbiting the planet, but a hell of a boot isn’t all he’s got going for him. A string of stellar performances for Wasps landed him a nomination for RPA player of the year.
12: Harry Mallinder (Northampton)
Okay so his defence has resembled a revolving door at times but he’s been at the heart of everything good for Saints’ newfound attacking game and has earned an apprenticeship on the England tour to Argentina. Plus my mum thinks he’s “a lovely lad” so I had to include him.
11: Christian Wade (Wasps)
Another RPA nominee, Wade’s status as the league’s top-try scorer somehow doesn’t seem to be enough to overcome his lack of defensive size in Eddie Jones’ eyes. Still, he’s in my team so up yours Eddie.
10: Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps)
I’m fairly certain Jimmy Gopperth was the name of a background character in an early episode of Only Fools and Horses, but it turns out he’s bloody good at rugby too. Jimmy G spent several years being fine at a few different clubs before rocking up at Wasps and turning into one of the best players in the Northern Hemisphere pretty much overnight at the age of 33.
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9: Kahn Fotuali’i (Bath)
Given a new lease of life after his move from Northampton, Fotuali’i was at one stage the turnover king of the Premiership. A mixed season for Bath has prevented him showing off all his talents but for a player once talked about as the best 9 in Europe he’s certainly back on form.
1: Ellis Genge (Leicester)
Having embarrassed Kieran Brookes in the East Midlands derby, Genge can now add scrummaging to his list of proven talents. Previously it was his ball carrying and aggression doing the talking for him – and the fact he once promised to beat up Richard Cockerill has probably won over a few fans as well.
2: Jamie George (Saracens)
He’s usurped the England captain for a Lions berth and captained the champions. Decent lineout stats and aggressive work in the loose have positioned George as The Next Big Thing hooker-wise, though the likes of Harry Thacker and Tommy Taylor might have something to say about that.
3: Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Essentially one of those giant American fridge-freezers with legs, watching Sinckler knocking opponents over is like that round in Takeshi’s Castle where they chucked a giant bowling ball at people dressed as skittles. Graduating from benchwarmer to Lions tourist this season has put Sinckler firmly on peoples’ radar.
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4: Courtney Lawes (Northampton)
Reinventing himself as a ball-carrying, turnover-winning lineout specialist in addition to his previous life as a professional fly-half crippler, Lawes has stepped up in the past twelve months from “good athlete” to genuinely world class. Plus he’s still smashing defenceless half-backs.
5: Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
How is he not on the Lions tour? Just…how? I mean… What? Seriously? Get it together Warren.
6: Ross Moriarty (Gloucester)
Some seriously impressive performances in two shades of red have led to Moriarty being talked about as the future of the Welsh back-row, and a nomination for RPA Young Player of the Year means the Cherry & Whites may have a hard time keeping him at Kingsholm if one of the Welsh regions fancy getting the chequebook out.
7: Jackson Wray (Saracens)
With a name like an 80s hair-metal drummer, Wray has slowly established himself as one of the first players on the Saracens team sheet. Somehow, he keeps getting overlooked for international honours but his all-round game has evolved significantly to the point where an England cap is surely just a matter of time.
8: Louis Picamoles (Northampton)
With some truly impressive carrying and sublime offloads, King Louis has been kicking derrière and taking names all season long for the Saints. Quite possibly the premiership signing of the season, and if rumours are to be believed, it’s no surprise the Top 14 are trying to lure him back to France.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments