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Northampton dominate Premiership team of the season with five players
By Josh Raisey
Five players from table-topping Northampton Saints have made the Premiership Rugby team of the season.
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Curtis Langdon, Alex Coles, Courtney Lawes, Fin Smith and Ollie Sleightholme are the five representatives from the Saints, who boast the most players in the team.
Of that quintet, Lawes and Smith were nominated for player of the season, while Sleightholme finished as the league’s top try scorer.
Newly crowned player of the season Henry Slade also makes the team alongside his Exeter Chiefs teammates Rusi Tuima and breakthrough player of the season Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Bath and Harlequins have two representatives apiece in the team, with each club putting forward a prop. Quins loosehead Fin Baxter is joined by Bath tighthead Thomas du Toit in the XV. In the backline, Bath scrum-half Ben Spencer features, as does Quins fullback Tyrone Green.
Ben Earl is the sole representative from reigning champions Saracens, with the loose forward having a particularly remarkable season in an England jersey.
Earl is joined in the back row by Leicester Tigers and South Africa No8 Jasper Wiese, who played his final game in the Gallagher Premiership on Saturday.
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The final member of the team is Bristol Bears centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who was imperious in his side’s late surge up the league table in the second half of the season.
The three sides to not have a representative are Gloucester, the winless Newcastle Falcons and Sale Sharks, despite the latter finishing third in the league.
Premiership Rugby team of the season
15. Tyrone Green (Harlequins)
14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears)
11. Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
10. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
9. Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
1. Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
2. Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints)
3. Thomas Du Toit (Bath Rugby)
4. Rusi Tuima (Exeter Chiefs)
5. Alex Coles Northampton Saints)
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
7. Ben Earl (Saracens)
8. Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)
could be a big summer ahead for Rus Tuima. He’s not been spoken about a huge amount in terms of the England conversation, but behind Chessum, Itoje, and Martin, we really need some more squad and bench options - and with Chessum likely unavailable, international minutes could come sooner than expected!
Alex Coles also obviously could get some big chances to impress, for similar reasons.
Four South Africans - cool. Hope Rassie is taking notes.
well, Wiese is already in the team and is likely to be a regular starter for many years to come. du Toit is also in and around the squad, but generally hasn’t played well at international level.
Will be interesting if he gives Green or van Rensberg international minutes. ATM I think they’re both a level below the incumbents.