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Only two Lions make Gallagher Premiership team of the season
By Josh Raisey
Seven England internationals have been included in the Gallagher Premiership team of the season.
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England captain Maro Itoje is joined by current England team-mates Ted Hill, Ben Curry, Tom Willis, George Ford and Tom Roebuck in the squad selected by an expert panel, with Bath’s Tom Dunn being the seventh England international, who earned the last of his three caps in 2020.
England hopeful Joe Batley, who was recently named in a 33-player training squad by Steve Borthwick, has made the team in the second-row, as well as his Bristol Bears team-mate Gabriel Ibitoye, who failed to make Borthwick’s squad. The winger’s inclusion will exert more pressure on the England head coach to select him for summer internationals against Argentina and the USA, particularly with Tommy Freeman and Elliot Daly absent with the British and Irish Lions.
Fellow Bristolian, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, whose eligibility for England next year remains uncertain, also features in the team.
The foreign influence in the XV comes from Welshmen Nicky Smith and Tomos Williams, Springboks Thomas du Toit and Robert du Preez (van Rensburg was also born in South Africa) and Argentina’s Santi Carreras.
Despite 15 Premiership players making Andy Farrell’s 38-man Lions squad, only two of those have made the team of the season – Lions captain Itoje and Williams, who was named player of the season. The likes of Curry, Willis and Ford, who were all in contention to make Farrell’s squad, have made this XV ahead of those that will take on Australia later this year.
Gallagher Premiership team of the season 2024/25
1. Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers)
2. Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
3. Thomas du Toit (Bath Rugby)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens)
5. Joe Batley (Bristol Bears)
6. Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
7. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
8. Tom Willis (Saracens)
9. Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby)
10. George Ford (Sale Sharks)
11. Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears)
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears)
13. Robert du Preez (Sale Sharks)
14. Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
15. Santi Carreras (Gloucester Rugby)
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mature! 😂
I agree. You are a complete waste of time.
well this thread has been a complete waste of time.
In general it is more productive to say what you think rather than implying it and then lying and claiming you meant something else.
I was being diplomatic in saying that “it is not a question of him not being good enough” as you obviously rate him so highly. To starkly state that i think he is not good enough seems like a put down which I did not want to convey as he is very good for his age. I therefore stated that I thought that there are at least 4 other wingers available who merit selection for the tour ahead of him. Most have been playing regularly and well.
To accuse me of lying is a bit strong.
so why did you lie?
Correct
As many as two?
Hands up.
Ford deserves his selection and has played superbly the last several games.
It must be a great consolation in not being selected for three lions tours.
You need something extra special and to die for the cause to get a hallowed red shirt .
Never mind.
Better players have also never been selected for various reasons .
Ashton for example..
Top try scorer .
???????
Fords pulling of the strings in a memorable RWC semi-final destruction of the ABs helps him sleep.
I'd hope.
Find Smith has been better than Ford. At least Smith tackles Ford is at best 3rd or 4th most influential 10.
Lol
Being selected in this team will not put any pressure on Borthwick to select Ibitoye.
There are lots of other good wingers around who Borthwick may prefer.
Cotgreave