Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

This is statistically the 'Premiership Team of the Season'

By Jack Davies
Exeter Chiefs’ Sam Simmonds.

Sam Simmonds has been identified as the top performer in this season’s Premiership, as Opta published its Team of the Season on Wednesday.

ADVERTISEMENT

Exeter Chiefs number eight Simmonds managed 12 tries, five more than any other forward, and also ranked in the top three forwards for metres (647), clean breaks (17) and defenders beaten (44).

Simmonds has been rewarded for his fine performances with a run in the England team, winning his first cap in November and starting three Six Nations fixtures for Eddie Jones’ side.

Jonny May, Joe Launchbury and Mako Vunipola are among the other England stars who have been included in the XV, which is based on the Opta Index.

After each match, Opta completes video analysis of every touch of the ball. Each action is awarded a points value depending on its relative importance.

The player is then given a score for all his actions and this is tallied up over the course of the competition. Scores are averaged out over 80 minutes, with 880+ minutes required to be eligible.

Video Spacer

Exeter lost to Saracens in Saturday’s final at Twickenham.

ADVERTISEMENT

Opta Premiership Team Of The Season:

15. Jason Woodward (Gloucester)

14. Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)

13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins)

12. Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps)

11. Olly Woodburn (Exeter Chiefs)

10. AJ MacGinty (Sale Sharks)

9. Nic White (Exeter Chiefs)

1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens)

2. Kyle Cooper (Newcastle Falcons)

3. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)

4. Joe Launchbury (Wasps)

ADVERTISEMENT

5. Will Spencer (Worcester Warriors)

6. Zach Mercer (Bath)

7. Thomas Young (Wasps)

8. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Super Rugby takes: All Blacks' next enforcer, New Zealand's goal kicking woes Super Rugby takes: All Blacks' next enforcer
Search