Aviva Premiership Team of the Season - what's yours?

This is my go at a team:

1.Joe Marler
2.Dave Ward
3. Logo Mulipola
4. Michael Paterson
5. Ed Slater
6. Dan Braid
7. Jacques Burger
8. Billy Vunipola
9.Danny Care
10.Danny Cipriani
11.David Strettle
12.Luther Burrell
13. Niki Goneva
14.Chris Ashton
15.Chris Pennell

That's 4 Saracens,3 Sale, 3 Tigers, 1 Saints, 3 Quins, 1 Worcester.

Bit of bias of course. Some really tough 50/50 choices. Gave the two wing slots to the Saracens guys because as an unit they have been the most potent throughout the season - recognition not just for the AP.

No outstanding 13 so Goneva - top try scorer in the AP is accomodated there.

Not much to quiblle with there, beshocked, might put question marks against Burger (how many games has he actually played this season?) and Strettle, and would be tempted to find a spot for one or two Bath players in recognition of their form till late in the season

Strettle has been the 2nd highest try scorer in the AP. Burger is there because I think he's better than the other 7s. He's also been nominated for AP player of the season for better or for worse.

As for the Bath players - their form of late has meant none make it IMO. Perhaps Ford instead of Danny boy but other than him I can't see many Bath candidates.

What would your team be?

Attwood, Fearns, Garvey and Ford would be there or there abouts for me from Bath. You could reaslitically have 4 or 5 versions of team and it look good over a season.

No 7 &1/2 what would be your team?

Of course we are not all going to agree there are some close calls.

It would be very surprising if everyone agreed.

I have 3 Sale players and no Bath players because I feel Sale with the resources they have performed much better than the highly rated Bath.

If Bath had made the top 4 I probably would have been more inclined to put in at least one Bath player.

BT Sport - Rugby tonight Team (compilation of pundits and commentators):

Marler, Ward, Mulipola, Patterson, Manoa, Braid, Burger, Vunipola
Care, Myler, Goneva, Eastmond, Burrell, Rokudugani, Brown.

Opta Team (based on stats):

Mako, Ward, Mulipola, Paterson, Manoa, Kalamafoni, Haskell, Easter
Care, Ford, Lemi, Twelvetrees, Goneva, Drauinui, Brown

I'd have Waller in there in place fo Marler off the top of my head but I'd have to get a pen and paper out for the rest beshocked!

Actually Ward is a better choice than Brits for the spot - how could I forget him?

Interesting Londontiger. What's your team?

Opta team is very interesting.

15. Mike Brown
14. Chris Ashton
13. George Pisi
12. Luther Burrell
11. Niki Goneva
10. Steven Myler
9. Danny Care

1. Alex Waller
2. Dave Ward
3. Dave Wilson
4. Samu Manoa
5. Ed Slater
6. Matt Garvey
7. Blair Cowan
8. Nick Easter

Brown for Pennell - tough call, but Brown covers the basics just as well and has found a killer instinct for the tryline when he has the ball within 10m.

I was surprised that Mulipola (who's essentially a loosehead filling in) is the universal choice at TH, but then it's been a funny season for tightheads. Several good players have struggled to adapt to the law changes, several of the usual suspects (Cole and Wilson) have been injured for long periods and most of the tyros have blown hot and cold. Over the course of the season Logo has probably done the best job.

Lock's a tricky one to pick. No argument with Slater but Manoa, Lawes and Launchbury could all have a shout at the other berth.

So if we take 'shocked's XV (with the substitution of Brown for Pennell) as the Probables, what about a Possibles XV who could challenge them?

Mako
Hartley or Youngs
Wilson or Sinckler
Attwood
Lawes
Wood
Robshaw (would consider Louw but for injuries)
Easter
Youngs
Ford
Lemi
Barritt
Farrell
Rokoduguni
Pennell

I'd expect the Probables to win, but it'd be a heck of a game.

Poorfour why would you put Farrell at 13?

My possibles XV would be

1.Mako Vunipola
2.Schalk Brits
3.David Wilson
4.Dave Attwood
5.Samu Manoa
6.Matt Garvey
7.Robshaw
8.Nick Easter
9.Lee Dickson
10.George Ford
11.David Lemi
12.Kyle Eastmond
13.George Pisi
14. Rokoduguni
15.Mike Brown

LT, I do hope you'll do your series of posts again about each respective position. They were always very well researched

My mind will no doubt change in a few minutes, but at present my team would be:
Waller
Ward
Wilson
Patterson
Attwood
Braid
Louw
Hughes
Care
Myler
Strettle
36
Pisi
Goneva
Pennell

For me Brown and Burger respective best games have been in Europe. Bath have been a different side without Louw and for Pennell to shine in that Wuss side shows just how good he's been! 36 is my token Glaws player and in fairness to him he's stepped up when 14 other players haven't, but I don't think any 12 has truly impressed this year. Burrell would have been a shoe in up until Christmas.

I'm really surprised by my lack of Sarries players considering how good they've been, but perhaps that just further shows their strength is as a team unit and not individuals. Having said that both Vunipolas, Brits, Borthwick, Burger, Ashton and Goode were my 2nd choices for their respective positions.

1. Ayerza (just class and hasn't had a bad game)
2. Ward/Youngs (hard to pick, Ward has been explosive but Youngs has been immense for Tigers and key to one of if not the best line out in Europe)
3. Mulipola
4. Slater (now a key senior player at Tigers and captain)
5. Day (very underrated)
6.Garvey
7. Louw (key to Bath's success)
8. Vunipola
9. Care
10. Ford
11. Strettle (past his best but still knows where the try line is)
12. Burrell
13. Goneva
14. S Smith (couldn't stop scoring at one point)
15. Pennel

Ah this just smacks of upper league bias if you ask me...cant believe no-one has picked a Falcons player     

HKC I think you'll also find a lack of Sarries players because none have really stood out from their colleagues plus many have not started every game. Some players have shone in individual matches but haven't played enough in the AP.

Goode has had a really good club season but even then he's overshadowed by Brown and Pennell at 15. He's scored 5 tries and at AP level has caused an awful lot of problems for the opposition defence. His performance vs Bath at 10 was excellent too.

Farrell has had a decent season all round but fly half has been perhaps the most competitive position. Myler,Ford and Cipriani have done more at AP level.

I think Sarries ethos and style of play is so largely based on a team that individuals don't shine through. Given the squad size and the amount of rotation it makes it awkward for one player to set the league a light like say Pennell has at Worcester.

beshocked wrote: Strettle has been the 2nd highest try scorer in the AP. Burger is there because I think he's better than the other 7s. He's also been nominated for AP player of the season for better or for worse.

As for the Bath players - their form of late has meant none make it IMO. Perhaps Ford instead of Danny boy but other than him I can't see many Bath candidates.

What would your team be?

1. Ayerza
2. Ward
3. Mulipola
4. Slater
5. Manoa
6. Garvey
7. Louw
8. Vunipola
9. Care
10. Ford
11. North
12. Burrell
13. Goneva
14. Ashton
15. Pennell

HongKongCherry wrote:LT, I do hope you'll do your series of posts again about each respective position. They were always very well researched

Once the finalists are known, I will start.

Tough as always in some positions, for me Saracens have been good everywhere so few have stood out as individuals. I've tried to base it on league games not Europe/internationals but clearly I'm blinkered by the games I've seen, here's a stab from me:

15. Penell
14. Ashton
13. Goneva
12. Burrell
11. Rokoduguni
10. Ford
9. Care
8. Easter
7.Braid
6. Garvey
5. Slater
4. Manoa
3.Mulipola
2. Ward
1. Waller

I was close to putting Houston as my 8 (Bath's player's player of the season) but he has shared duties with Fearns more than Easter hence my choice.

1. Waller
2. Ward
3. Mulipola
4. Slater
5. Paterson
6. Braid
7. Cowan
8. Manoa (realise he played a lot at lock as well)

9. Peel
10. Ford
11. Rokodoguni
12. Burrell
13. Goneva
14. Ashton
15. Pennell

Bench: Brits, Vunipola, Sinckler, Attwood, Garvey, Care, Evans, Brown

Looking forward to LT's annual thread(s).

1. Ayerza (can't think of many better LH's full stop).
2. Ward
3. Munipola (for Feb onwards, no real challengers though)
4. Slater (immense since the turn of the year, unfortunately )
5. Paterson
6. Briad
7. Louw
8. Vunipola (struggled with this one as he hasn't played that many AP games. Easter & Dickinson have gone well in the league)
9. Care
10. Ford
11. Goneva (my player of the year)
12. Burrell
13. Leota
14. Ashton
15. Pennell

16.Brits. 17.Marler. 18.Collier. 19.Day. 20.Peel. 21.Evans. 22.Smith.

Agree with Bathman_in_London about players from Saracens and a lesser extent Saints that the overall team performance means players don't always stand out compared with other teams. Guess it proves that rugby is a team sport.

SirBurger wrote:8. Manoa (realise he played a lot at lock as well)

There are many Saints fans including myself who feel his best position is 8.

And where is crane

Probables team for me

Ayerza
Ward
Mulipola
Slater
Monoa
Braid
Salvi (made the most tackles in the premiership been immense per usual for Tigs)
Dickerson
Care
Ford
Strettle
Burrell
Bosch
Goneva
Pennell

Possibles
Marler (has improved so much)
Brits
Sinkler (played brilliantly and I really like him)
Stooke
Lawes
Wallace (more of a 7 but playing 6)
Robshaw
Easter
Can't think here,
Myler
Ashton
36
Pisi
Roko
Foden

Trying to go based on ap games only, Sarries easily best team but as said not many standout individuals IMO,

B91212 wrote:

SirBurger wrote:8. Manoa (realise he played a lot at lock as well)

There are many Saints fans including myself who feel his best position is 8.

He is so darned good at almost any forward position behind the front row, it is scary.

Mine:

15- Pennell (just because of Brown's absences and the fact taht in the middle of the season he was only decent as opposed to God-like)
14- Strettle
13- Goneva
12- Burrell just pushes out Allen based on injuries
11- Ashton
10- Ford
9- Care
8- Hard call between Easter and Manoa and Billy V. I'm saying Easter
7- Burger/Braid (uncallable)
6- Garvey
5- Slater
4- Lawes
3- Wilson
2- Ward/Brits
1- Waller

Bench of Ayerza/Marler, the other Hooker above, Mulipola, Paterson, the other of Braid/Burger above, Peel, Farrell/Cips, Brown

LondonTiger wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:LT, I do hope you'll do your series of posts again about each respective position. They were always very well researched

Once the finalists are known, I will start.

Good man

Marler
Ward
Wilson
Lawes
Slater
Garvey
Braid
Easter
Care
Ford
Ashton
Burrell
Goneva
Roko
Brown

The Telegraph's team:-

Brown
Rokoduguni
Burrell
Eastmond
Goneva
Myler
Care

Marler
Ward
Mulipola
Paterson
Manoa
Braid
Burger
B. Vunipola

Four definite NEQs in there, and two (Paterson and Roko) would be questionable EQ in some eyes.

Interestingly, not a single player in that team made the DT's TOTS last season.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Ah this just smacks of upper league bias if you ask me...cant believe no-one has picked a Falcons player     

You're right, Dean richards for coach of the season?