The Rugby Commentator’s Alternative Guinness Premiership XV

As this year’s Guinness Premiership draws to a close, rugby pundits across the country publish  their largely predictable Premiership teams of the year. The vast majority of players usually included in these sides could have been predicted before the season started. The likes of Phil Dowson, Toby Flood and Carl Hayman have been playing great rugby for a couple of years now, and unsurprisingly have been included in many of the sides selected by rugby pundits this season. At The Rugby Commentator, we have tried to avoid this predictability. We have chosen fifteen players who at the beginning of the season very few would have predicted would even be considered to be included in a Guinness Premiership XV. From youngsters playing in their break through seasons, to relative unknowns who have hit the headlines, we hope that you find our Guinness Premiership XV a little bit different.

The Rugby Commentators’ Alternative Guinness Premiership XV

 

Fullback – Alex Goode

At the start of the season, few rugby fans outside of Watford had heard of Alex Goode, and even mid-way through the season Jeremy Guscott was quoted as saying he hadn’t even heard of the Saracens’ fullback. It is a measure of just how far Goode has come, that his exclusion from Martin Johnson’s 44-man squad came as a big surprise to many. Saracens’ more attacking style of recent months has allowed Goode to flourish and he has played a key-role in propelling his side into the Guinness Premiership Final

Winger – Chris Ashton

In light of Chris Ashton recently being crowned the Guinness Premiership’s Player of the Season, it may seem predictable to include him in our Team of the Year. However, at the beginning of the season Ashton was not even guaranteed a place in the Northampton team. Last season Ashton struggled to adapt to the Guinness Premiership after a stunning season helping the Saints to promotion from Division One, prompting suggestions that Ashton wasn’t cut out for rugby union’s top flight. Ashton has answered his critics in style this year, and his haul of sixteen tries this season reinforces his status as one of the most lethal finishers in English Rugby.

Centre – Jon Clarke

A few years ago Jon Clarke was one of England’s hottest prospects, and was on the verge of breaking into the England squad. However, a series of bad injuries combined with Northampton’s relegation had seen Clarke fall out of the limelight. This season Jon Clarke has been back to his best and has been one of Northampton’s stand out performers this season. Clarke has been rewarded for his performances by gaining a place in England’s Saxons Squad and don’t be surprised if before long he has broken into Martin Johnson’s Elite Squad.

Centre – Ben Jacobs

Things did not exactly go to plan for Ben Jacobs last season. Having moved from the Waratahs to Saracens, Jacobs suffered a series of injuries and even when he was fit he failed to make an impression. Jacobs moved from Saracens to London Wasps over the summer, having made only one appearance for the Watford club. The Australian has settled in at Wasps and has made more metres in the premiership than any other centre this year. .

Winger – Chris Wyles

Chris Wyles has shown impressive form all season for Saracens. The American international has been a revelation at Saracens on the wing, and with Alex Goode likely to be moving to fly half next season Wyles is likely to move to fullback, his favourite position. Wyles proved to be highly effective under Saracens’ early season kick-and-chase game plan and has proved equally adept at playing the free-flowing rugby that Sarries have shown of late.

Fly Half – Jimmy Gopperth

The Kiwi fly half moved to Newcastle with the sizeable task of filling the void left by Jonny Wilkinson. After a slightly nervy opening few games, Falcons’ fans were missing Wilkinson more than ever. However, Gopperth was able to turn things around and was key to Newcastle comfortably avoiding relegation. Impressively, Gopperth won the Golden Boot award in his first season at the club, an award Wilkinson never won.

Scrum-Half – Ben Youngs

Another player who has had a great breakthrough season, Ben Youngs was awarded the Guinness Premiership’s Young Player of the Season.  Youngs’ talent has been recognised by Martin Johnson, and he has been selected to tour with England this summer. His good service combined with his sharp turn of pace, means that Youngs is likely to play an important role for England over the years to come.

Prop – Dan Cole

It is hard to imagine that only just over twelve months ago Dan Cole was playing rugby in Division One on loan at Nottingham. However, injuries to Martin Castrogiovanni and Julian White cleared the way for Cole to have a run in the Leicester side this season, and Cole turned in a series of brilliant performances. It was Cole’s complete destruction of Wasps’ prop Tim Payne that put him on Martin Johnson’s radar, resulting in his international debut in this year’s Six Nations

Schalk Brits – Hooker

This season one hooker has stood out from the rest. Schalk Brits’ incredible speed and agility has attracted headline after headline this season, and it is amazing to think that only a year ago very few rugby fans in the Northern Hemisphere had heard of him. Brits may not be the best set-piece hooker around, but his ability in the loose has helped Saracens to the Premiership final.

Prop – Jon Golding

For an English prop, having Carl Hayman as your mentor is a dream come true. Jon Golding has become one of the best scrummaging props in England and his performances have earned him a call-up to this summer’s England squad. It will be interesting to see how Golding copes without Hayman’s influence next season.

Lock - Geoff Parling

Geoff Parling is another player who was almost completely unknown before this season. However, the Leicester lock has been a revelation. A brilliant line-out technician and an effective ball-carrier, Parling is also brilliant defence. Parling’s performances have been so consistent that Leicester chose not to renew the contract of Ben Kay, one of England’s 2003 World Cup heroes.

Lock – Marco Wentzel

Marco Wentzel is another player who was relatively unknown before this season. The Leeds captain was inspirational all season and is an exceptional line-out forward. The South African locks consistent performances this season have earned him a place in the Guinness Premiership’s Team of the Year.

Flanker – Jacques Burger

Jacques Burger joined Saracens midway through the season, shortly before the departure of the outstanding Wikus Van Heerden. Only a few months on, Van Heerden has been completely forgotten and Burger has played brilliantly. The Namibian flanker was relatively unknown in England, and his performances in combination with Andy Saull and Ernst Joubert have laid the foundations for the Saracens backs. The arrival of Kelly Brown from Glasgow next season means that Saracens are sure to have a potent back-row next season.

Flanker – Hendre Fourie

Fourie is another player who has come from relative obscurity this year. The South-African born flanker has been the stand-out performer for Leeds this season and he is another who has earned an England call-up. Aged 30, Johnson has attracted some criticism for choosing Fourie over Saracens’ Andy Saull, but Fourie more than deserves his chance.

Number 8 – Dan Ward-Smith

Now in his early thirties, it looked like Dan Ward-Smith’s best playing days were behind him. A series of serious injuries have blighted the forward’s career, and cruelly denied him the chance to play in England’s 2007 World Cup Campaign. This season, a revived Ward-Smith has been one of Wasps’ best players and has been rewarded with an England call-up. Ward-Smith has also shown his flexibility and played a significant part of the season at lock, where he is likely to play for England.

The Rugby Commentator

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