606's AP Team of the Year - Number 8

Quins domination of this poll continues. The only positions they have not secured (or if still open leading) are Hooker and Blindside where they had no nominations.

I suppose that is why they are leading the Premiership by such a huge margin, because their players have been so dominant? ;}

So contenders for Number 8:

Quins - Nick Easter Everyone spends too much time on what he isn't. What he has been is the best English no8 over the last 5 years. His form for Quins this season is prety damn good.

Tigers - Thomas Waldrom. He's fat, he's round. his arse is near the ground. The RPA player of the year (surely the best accolade to be voted PotY by your fellow pros?) is also one of the fittest at Tigers and a damn fine No 8. His call up to the RWC cost him a few appearances, but even so he has 17 starts and 6 tries this year. He is not only a tank engine, there is also subtlety there as he has created a number of tries this season with astute kicks.

Sarries - Ernst Joubert He has missed the presence of Burger and Brown, meaning he has had to get more involved across the whole pitch, rather than just staying on one side. If anything this has helped him prove he is a real no 8 and not just a showboating "goal hanger". Some really good, solid performances this season. That might sound like damning with faint praise - but Sarries have needed him to demonstrate that as they have filled in around him with youth. A good season.

Saints - Roger Wilson has been immensefor saints in his 4 seasons there. Most striking thing this year is that the Front 5 have not been as dominant, so he has had to operate of back foot ball at times, yet still drives the team forward.

Exeter - Richie Baxter Another one of the Chief's veterans. He is part of a no-nonsense, head down and drive the buggers back row. Operating behind a big pack that has had the upper hand over most opponents will have been a pleasant experience for Baxter - but if they ever felt like slowing down, he just pushed them harder.

Sale - Andy Powell He is what he is. When on fire he is incredible. when not he is on the hard shoulder looking for munchies. Most appearances for Sale this season have seen him in Mr Incredible guise.


The bottom half of the table is devoid of stand-out performers. Tatlor and Narraway may have appeared a lot, but their performances have been less than inspiring.

It would be very interesting to know the demographics of the voters. Not wishing to cast aspersions, but I suggest there is a smidge of favourtism creeping into these polls!

Which is why I'm voting for Narraway...

He is rightlly not on the list and I commend LT for his restrained description of him. Whilst I am sad to see him leave Glaws he's been pretty poor this season. Bring on Morgan!

A definite honourable mention to Baxter. He's part of a very good backrow unit at Chiefs. But again this is a definite 2 horse race for me. I would suggest Easter has probably been the more consistent of the 2. I recall some Tigers fans being rather hopeful this year would be Waldrom's last. I think Waldrom has probably had the better performances of the 2 though. So it's a difficult choice, but as Easter was so distraught to lose that £35,000 I'll vote for him for this one so he can pick up a bonus this year

Hard call here. I want to say Easter, even though it continues Quin domination, but that's quite a strong list.

Don't bother making the other polls. We know the results already!

HongKongCherry wrote:It would be very interesting to know the demographics of the voters. Not wishing to cast aspersions, but I suggest there is a smidge of favourtism creeping into these polls!

I would hope the average rugby fan is knowledgeable enough not to resort simply to partisan voting, but if they do that is the way of things.
(Ayerza and Mafi - not voted in this one yet). I suspect I will only vote for one Tigers back - despite us scoring on average 3.2 tries per match.

But you know, folks see their own teams more than they see other teams.

LondonTiger wrote:

But you know, folks see their own teams more than they see other teams.

Which is why NicK Wood is the only Glaws player I'm voting for! It was purgatory watching the rest!

Mark Wilson is a bottom half of the league 8 who has performed very well...at the young age of 20.

Imagine what Deano will turn him into....

Harder one this time. Where as when I voted in the poll for hooker I struggled as nobody has really stood out, where as this time a case can be made for Easter Waldrom, Wilson (Roger that is GF) and Baxter.

Voted Easter in the end but it was 50/50 between him and Waldrom.

LondonTiger wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:It would be very interesting to know the demographics of the voters. Not wishing to cast aspersions, but I suggest there is a smidge of favourtism creeping into these polls!

I would hope the average rugby fan is knowledgeable enough not to resort simply to partisan voting, but if they do that is the way of things.
(Ayerza and Mafi - not voted in this one yet). I suspect I will only vote for one Tigers back - despite us scoring on average 3.2 tries per match.

But you know, folks see their own teams more than they see other teams.

Really? Flood, Allen or Tuilagi?

ChequeredJersey wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:I suspect I will only vote for one Tigers back - despite us scoring on average 3.2 tries per match.

But you know, folks see their own teams more than they see other teams.

Really? Flood, Allen or Tuilagi?

Perhaps not all of those 3 will be eligible for voting.

LT, I don't think you should be too surprised or disheartened by the repeated presence of Quins players in the voting. Your own rules eliminate a lot of Tigers players from the mix, and without Tigers, the only teams really in the mix are Quins and Sarries - and Sarries' late season injury issues have robbed them of some players who would otherwise be candidates.

Anyway, Easter v Waldrom is a close call, but Easter wins it for his all round game and consistent form since RWC. Plus, I've met Waldrom and he's shorter than me, and I can't be having that in a number 8.

Nick Easter, ok he's been average for England but as a club no 8 he's very good.

Tough on Waldrom but Easter has been part of the Quins resurgence.

Going from 7th last season to 1st (currently) this season is very good.

Poorfour I would agree with that.

Tough on Tigers but they haven't really had continuity. If this XV was based on the last 2-3 months I think it would be absolutely packed with Tigers but based on the whole season too many injuries and their players missing means thay most Tigers miss out.

I'd have voted for Easter but for the silly penalties he seems addicted to giving away, the YC against Sarries nearly cost the Quins the game and it was a nothing penalty. On that basis I went for Waldrom as he has been consistent in the AP (not so in the HEC) and on a rough average a try every 3 games is a good return for a backrower. Baxter came mightily close as well.

Poorfour wrote:LT, I don't think you should be too surprised or disheartened by the repeated presence of Quins players in the voting.

I am neither surprised nor disheartened. The only thing that would dishearten me is if people were selecting Quins players simply because they support Quins.

If people think Easter is the best performer across the AP season they are entitled to that opinion. Personally I believe they are seriously wrong. After all he missed the first third of the season, when Quins were at their best while Baxter, Waldrom and Wilson have appeared in many more matches and in my opinion performed to a higher level.

I think Easter had some very good games for England...its just most people cant get past Dalaglio...so just everyone on him.

Easter isnt that type of player...and for Quins hes consistantly been right up there as the best in the leauge...

Easter has played fine for England in his own way- the issue with the England backrow wasn't so much in the players as in the combination thereof

I think Easter has been the best English no8 of the las 5 years, as said above. And usually has played well for england. Of course all of that is irrelevant as to whether he has been the standout 8 in the AP this season. I feel he has not - especially considering how many matches he has missed. Enough disagree with me.

Ps I wrote a huge piece with the SH options only for me to get a page unavailable when I hit post and the whole thing was lost.

I really should learn and do it in Word first. Will redo it tomorrow but too tired to write it up again now.

LT, i'm not sure why you're so unhappy with there being so many Quins players in there?

For the first half of the season we were the best team by a mile, now in the second half, especially these last few months after the 6N's Tigers are the best by a canter but you chose to not include many of their key performers.

Really if we can't pick the Leicester team with a few others added in then it will become the Quins team with a few other select performers.

LondonTiger wrote:Ps I wrote a huge piece with the SH options only for me to get a page unavailable when I hit post and the whole thing was lost.

I really should learn and do it in Word first. Will redo it tomorrow but too tired to write it up again now.

You only make that mistake once, trust me!! I wouldn't bother writing a big long post, just write vote for Haydn Thomas...

You only make that mistake once, trust me!! I wouldn't bother writing a big long post, just write vote for Haydn Thomas...

If you put him up against a Quins option he'll still lose...

Are there dozens of Quins posters on here?

For what it's worth i've tried to vote for the best players regardless of team and in LT's polls that's been Quins in a few areas. Were they the top players? No because the top players were on international duty so can't be in the pole, what we have here is the second best team if you took out internationals bar Robshaw because he wasn't in the WC. But that's not Quins or Quins fans faults it's LT's for playing god with the rules.

Rant over.

Its alright yappy, we know you Quins lot have multiple accounts and are fixing the polls!

Seriously though, you're top of the league, for months you swept everything in front of you, so this team deserves to have a very strong Quins contingent. For what its worth I voted for Johnstone, Robson and Easter. I can fully understand why Robshaw and Kohn are there. The only one I completely disagree with is Marler as Ayerza and Wood (especially Wood!) have been far, far better.